by MJ Carter
“He’s already manned up,” Molly glared at Amber. “And he’s not fine. He’s wound tight. And honestly, I think it has something to do with Sophie. Does that sound crazy?”
“Molls, your brother is never going to settle down if that’s what you’re hoping for. I don’t care what he’s thinking right now. He’s been my wing man way too long. No way. He’s a player for life.” Ryan reached out and touched Amber’s ass.
“Seriously dude?” Caleb swam up beside them.
“Oh, thank God someone honest. What’s wrong with Mark?” Molly swam over to Caleb and held onto his strong arms as they treaded water. “It has to do with Sophie, doesn’t it?” Caleb groaned. “I know you have feelings for her. I’m so sorry. But I am worried about Mark. He’s been angry and standoffish and now he’s drunk. Please C. Please tell me what you know. Ryan thinks he met someone. That’s crazy, right?”
“Molls, I love you. But I think you need to ask him what’s happening with him. All I will say is that I am in love with Sophie but she has feelings for someone on this trip and it’s damn sure not me.”
“Five More Minutes” the boat captain yelled. Mark startled awake and sat up.
He looked around at his group of friends. He had to get his head on straight because he was ruining this trip for his sister and Rich. He had been away from them for so long and this was his homecoming. He couldn’t blow it. He needed some clarity on the Sophie front and he would get it as soon as he could. He scanned the water and saw her swimming with Chad. They were smiling and laughing and Chad was telling her horror stories about sharks with giant teeth. She was happy and he was glad. The rest of the group was scattered in different areas around the boat. He smiled. This was his family and it was time he started acting like it.
“Come here you idiot.” Amber yanked Caleb toward her. “Do you know what you did to her today?”
“Ha. What I did?” Caleb tried to push away.
“She was totally played. She has feelings for this guy who practically screws her and then leaves from lunch to have sex with the waitress from the bar this morning. And you yell at her?” Amber smacked at his chest and pointed at Sophie and Chad getting out of the water. “You yelled at her and she needed you. Well played Caleb, well played.”
Caleb was swimming to the boat before Amber could finish. He felt like such an asshole. He thought she was upset because she had fallen for the guy and didn’t want to tell him. He let his emotions take over and had been so angry. And all afternoon he had ignored her like she was nothing. She was everything to him. And even if she couldn’t return his feelings, she was his friend and no one could take her place. He was such a fool.
He rocketed onto the boat, dropping his fins into the crate and pushing past everyone. He knelt in front of Sophie and took her hands in his. “Look at me.” She wouldn’t look up. He gently grabbed her chin and forced her to make eye contact with him. “Soph, I am so sorry. I am so so sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t know what he did.”
She launched herself forward into his arms and cried. He held her as she trembled and whispered that it would be ok. He ran his fingers down her braid and kissed her softly on the shoulder. “You needed me and I turned on you. I won’t do that again Soph. No matter what, I love you and I will always be there for you.” He stood up and sat down with her on his lap. She traced his Celtic arm band tattoo and began to calm down. “He’s my best friend Soph. He always has been. I won’t take sides in this. But I will be here when you need me because falling for someone that doesn’t love you back really sucks.”
“Enough!” Mark jumped out of his seat as the boat started speeding away. He tried to walk to the front of the boat but Amber stopped him.
“Don’t you dare go up there! Haven’t you done enough for today? Don’t you hurt her anymore.” Amber grabbed his arm and shoved him. Her screaming got everyone’s attention.
“Whoa, what the hell Amber?” Rich stood up and grabbed her.
“Ask this asshole. Leading Sophie on and then going to get laid by some waitress. Solid guy. She fell for this asshole. She doesn’t need anymore of his shit today.”
Ryan looked up. “Mark didn’t sleep with Tabitha. That was me.” He looked confused.
“Bullshit. He left the table and met up with her after lunch. You walked in and said she was waiting for him. He got right up and went to her.” Everyone was looking at her as she kept trying to shove Mark. Sophie cuddled closer to Caleb and whimpered.
“I NEVER slept with her.” Mark looked Sophie right in the eye. “I didn’t go anywhere near her. I went up to my room and took a damn cold shower.”
“He’s telling the truth. I went back to where I left Tabitha and she was still there waiting on him but he never showed.” Ryan was a player but he always had someone’s back in a fight.
“You mean to tell me you passed up a free piece of Ass Moretti? I highly doubt it.” Amber huffed as she sat back down.
“Nothing is ever free Amber! What right do you have to get in my face? Hi pot. I’m Kettle.” He shook her hand and seethed as he looked at her, “And, yes, even a man whore like me can pass up a piece of ass.”
Mark turned away and went back to his seat at the back of the boat. There was so much drama over one false piece of information. He looked right at Molly, “This is why I am single; all this shit right here. I spent the day trying to figure out what the hell was happening to me and why Sophie was so upset. But did anyone talk to me? Did anyone ask what the truth might really be? Nope. This is the perfect example of why I always have been and why I always will be solo. Sorry sis.”
He pulled his sunglasses up over his eyes and turned his head to watch the scenery as the boat made its final approach to the hotel.
Chapter 7
She’d blown it. Yesterday had been a disaster. Hearing Mark tell everyone on the boat that he hadn’t met the waitress and then hearing Ryan defend him was heartbreaking. His face showed complete betrayal by everyone on the boat. And, it was all her fault. She had jumped to conclusions and confided in Amber who just couldn’t let it go. And all those faces on the boat, all the people he loved more than anyone in the world, they had all believed her without a second thought. Well, everyone but Rich. He looked just as shocked as Mark and had done his best to convince him to join the group for dinner. But Mark had bowed out, saying he wasn’t feeling well. She knew the truth.
“Caleb, are you awake?” She whispered into the dark room as the first streaks of morning sun snuck through the curtain.
“No.” He grunted and rolled over. Caleb had been out late with the guys and she knew his head was probably pounding..
“Can you be awake?” Sophie begged in a little girl voice.
“Are you on fire?” Caleb waited for an answer but just heard her huff. “Unless you have a strong urge to seduce me right now, I am going to sleep some more. If you want to seduce me, I will totally be up for that.” His voice was groggy but she could tell he was smiling.
Sophie just sighed. She stretched and got up to brush her teeth and hair and then made her way toward the balcony. Opening the blinds just a tiny bit, she looked out at the beautiful sun just making its appearance. The beach was quiet. She felt like it was all hers. She stepped into the fresh air and got comfy in one of the oversized chairs.
There was a small breeze coming off the ocean and she pulled her legs up to wrap her arms around them. This was heaven. The world was at peace in this moment and even with all the thoughts swimming through her head, she was able to take a deep breath and smile. Despite this crazy place, full of parties, nudity and alcohol, she was having a great time. She straightened her pony tail and promised herself that today, she would make things right with Mark and enjoy the last days in paradise.
The wedding party had welcomed her with open arms and she felt like she had been a part of the group forever. Ryan still shocked her with the things he said but she was getting used to him. The few times she had gone with Caleb and Molly to meet Ryan
out at a nightclub, she had been hit on relentlessly and Molly had brushed him away each time. Caleb had always just sat by her side, sometimes with his arm around her, to help protect her from Ryan’s perverted assaults. He was smoking hot, no doubt about that. But she had never met anyone that went home with someone new every time they went out.
Her life was much more reserved. She’d only had a few boyfriends. She somehow found herself just one of the guys in high school and that continued on to college. Her sister had been the social butterfly, dating and having fun and Sophie just stood in the shadows. Then she met Shawn and life for her changed. She was determined to wait until their wedding night to make love, but he had a different idea and had talked her into it about a year into their relationship. She spent the next three years having periodic sex and really didn’t know what the big deal was. It was never great. She never burned for him and was never so turned on she couldn’t wait to be with him.
But Mark. She sighed. She knew him all of six days and she would have given herself completely to him in the water yesterday if Rich hadn’t interrupted. Just one look into his green eyes and her whole body tingled. His lips on her neck had ignited her blood and she was on fire for him. Feeling his erection against her back had done something to her and her good girl side was completely obliterated. He was sex personified. She ran her fingers over her lips. She could still feel his tongue fighting against hers as he begged her to be good because he couldn’t.
The sound of footfalls on the wet sand drew her attention from her fantasy. Her breath hitched. Mark was running the beach. His shoes hit the line where the water and sand met and his footprints were the only ones on the beach. Her breath turned heavy as she watched him. He was wearing black shorts that left little to the imagination. His leg muscles pulsed as he ran. He was wearing his dog tags and they hit his bare chest with each new stride. Sweat poured off his face onto his chest and back. The muscles in his stomach rippled as his strong shoulders and arms pumped. He was beautiful. There was no other way to describe it. She heard Rich call his name but he never looked back. His music blared in his ears. As he reached the fence line, he turned and came back toward the hotel. Rich had walked toward him and when he spotted him, he took his ear buds out and wiped his eyes. When they met, Mark hunched over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Rich put his had on his back and looked concerned. There was no way he was crying. Was there? Certainly he must have just been wiping sweat. She leaned forward in her seat and strained to hear what they were saying.
****
The beach was his. He had run the whole length of the property more times than he could count. Running was his outlet and he needed to relieve some stress. The tears were a little much but he couldn’t stop himself. Everything was crashing down on him at once. He hadn’t seen his friends in so long and he couldn’t be angry at them for thinking he was the same old Mark. His conquests with Ryan were legendary. And it certainly didn’t help his cause that he had slept with Amber about fifteen minutes into seeing her again. And she was engaged? This was a disaster. His feet pounded harder and he picked up his pace. The old Mark would have gone out and picked up a girl and taken her home, or wherever was closest, and would never have called her again. He knew it seemed cold. But he was upfront with them from the very beginning so he found it difficult to understand when they continued to call him and why they acted heart broken. He was a one night stand. And that’s all he’d ever be.
Then he saw clumsy Sophie in the grocery store last week and his heart had leapt into his throat. He had to get away from her right away because when he looked into her eyes, he felt something he had never felt looking at other women. Then in some sick twist of fate, she turned out to be the maid on honor and his sister’s best friend. She was off limits. He had promised himself that much. But as soon as they hit that water yesterday and her skin touched his, the walls around his heart shattered. After the disaster otherwise known as snorkeling, he knew what Sophie truly thought of him. So he was done. He was done sulking and done pining after her. It was best this way.
The run had shattered all his stress into a mess of tears he couldn’t control. Everything he felt from mourning the loss of his friends during the war, then leaving the Marines, to leaving his new friends to move home to LA, to his baby sister getting married, all seemed to come out at once. He felt so at peace. He was getting rid of years of stress and sadness and he had a feeling it was because Sophie had made him feel something for the first time in forever. Someday he would thank her. But for now, she was off limits.
His eyes caught Rich standing down the beach waving at him. Perfect, he thought. To add insult to injury, his best friend was about to see him cry. This was the least manly thing he had ever done in front of Rich. He removed his ear buds and ran toward him. He grabbed his hips, then his knees trying to catch his breath and control his emotions.
“I thought I might find you out here.” Rich put his hand on his back. “You alright buddy? I’m sorry about yesterday. That was some shit.”
Mark panted, “It’s fine. It’s over. I am ready to rejoin you guys today.” He stood up and looked Rich in the eyes. “Just needed to get some stuff out of my system.”
Rich noticed he had been crying. “Whenever you’re ready, I’m here. In the mean time, I would love some company for breakfast if you’re up to it.”
“Ok,” Mark straightened up and turned to the hotel and Rich threw an arm over his shoulder. “Let me grab a quick shower and I’ll meet you down here in fifteen.”
Mark ran up the steps, burst through the hallway door and smacked right into Sophie. He grabbed her arms to catch her and made sure she was steady. “Sorry Sophie. I wasn’t paying any attention. Did I hit you?” He looked her over to make sure she was OK.
“I was actually coming to look for you. I saw you running. I was wondering if we could talk?” Sophie’s eyes sparkled up at him and for a moment he was lost. He didn’t answer. “Mark?”
He snapped out of his trance and shook his head. “I need some time Sophie.” He let go of her arms and made the long trip down the hallway to his room.
****
Time. She gave him all of five minutes before she changed her mind and walked down to his room. She tapped lightly on the door and a minute later was met with Chad’s big grin.
“I’m sorry it’s so early. I need to talk to Mark.” She glanced around the room nervously.
Chad yawned and patted his hair into place. “Caleb still in your room? I’ll give you guys some space. Just let me know when it’s safe to come back.” When Sophie nodded, he grabbed his swim trunks and flip flops and walked out the door.
She could hear the shower running so she sat down on the bed with the running shoes next to it and froze. What if he came out of the bathroom in nothing? What if he was mad? She should have thought this through. Too late. She heard the door click open.
“Hey I’m heading down to…..” His voice trailed off as he saw Sophie sitting on his bed. She was still in her pajamas which didn’t leave much to the imagination. Her sheer white tank top clung to every inch of her chest and her boxer shorts were so short and loose he could easily.. No. He had to stop thinking like that. “What are you doing here?”
Sophie’s jaw dropped when he walked out of the bathroom. He had a towel wrapped loosely over his hips, his dog tags around his neck and absolutely nothing else on. He smelled like soap and mint. She inhaled deeply and her hands shook. His chest was perfect. He was covered in muscle, every inch more impressive than the last. His broad shoulders were still a little wet from the shower and she struggled not to stand up and lick the water from him. “Um..” She was struggling to put her thoughts together. “I wanted to talk to you.”
He walked over to the top dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs. His back was just as muscular as the rest of him. There was a tattoo over his left shoulder that she hadn’t noticed. Before she could stop herself, she stood and walked toward him. Her h
and reached out and lightly traced the tattoo. His whole body shivered. He froze but didn’t pull away. She traced it again and then leaned in and kissed it. He didn’t move. His towel was still around his waist and his boxers in his hands. She wanted to reach around and take the towel off just to get a look at the rest of him. “What does this mean?” She lightly traced the tattoo again.
He turned around so slowly at first she didn’t know if he would answer her. His voice was raspy and quiet. “The dates in the middle are my tour dates. The names around the outside are the names of all the buddies that I lost over there.”
“It’s beautiful.” Sophie swallowed hard when she realized her hand was now on his chest. His eyes burned into her and her legs became weak.
“Soph, what are you doing here?” His whisper was barely audible and he covered her hand with his. “I said I needed time.”