Love or Lust

by Rachael Brownell

  “Last obstacle,” he says. “Time to pick up the pace.”

  It’s a minefield. The lawn is littered with balloons filled with colored paint. If you step on one and pop it, you have to go back to the start of the minefield. We have to be extremely careful or we could be navigating this part for a while.

  Testing one with the tip of his running shoe before we move forward, the balloon pops instantly. Milo curses under his breath and stares at the hundreds we’re going to have to move around.

  “I have a plan. These things are overfilled and will explode if they’re even touched,” he whispers in my ear as Jace and Kyra approach followed by Callen and Natasha. “Let’s take our time. Try not to touch any of them.”

  I nod once and take the first step.

  “Slow, Presley. We have to be strategic.”

  Two steps in and a pop causes me to freeze with my foot midair. Looking left, I notice Courtney’s ankles are covered in blue. She hangs her head as Gage pulls her back out of the minefield causing even more balloons to explode.

  The finish line is in sight, and we have yet to pop a balloon. Jace and Kyra are a few feet in front of us. Lennon and Teegan are a few feet behind us. Everyone else is back at the start of the minefield, having popped balloons over and over again.

  “Last leg,” Milo says encouragingly.

  The only problem . . . I can’t see the grass in front of us. There are as many balloons in the next ten feet as there were in the last twenty.

  “There’s nowhere to put my foot.”

  Looking around, we scan the area for an alternative plan. Jace and Lennon appear to be doing the same thing, having come to the conclusion that there’s no way to step over or in without having to start over again.

  A small smirk spreads across Milo’s face. He has a plan, and I nod, not even needing to hear what it is. I’ll go along with it for no other reason than I trust him as my partner.

  I should have rethought that plan.

  Milo pulls me to the ground, popping every balloon in our way before lifting me back up and running to the start of the field, continuing to step on balloons as we sprint back.

  “What was that?” I ask as he turns us around.

  “I had to make us a path,” he states, as we begin walking back in the minefield. Looking around, I notice that the grass ahead of us is fairly clear. “We won’t take first, but we’ll at least have a chance at top three. Let’s go.”

  Lennon and Teegan take first place, with Jace and Kyra right behind them. Milo and I are third thanks to his plan. The guys high-five Milo, thanking him for his quick thinking as the rest of the teams follow our path, Gage and Courtney bringing up the rear.

  She looks like she’s close to breaking down in tears, and he looks like he could strangle her. Well, that’s one way to find out you’re not meant to be together. Love, lust, or otherwise.

  Chapter Ten

  Day 10

  After the downfall of Courtney and Gage yesterday, I was dreading the day I would be partnering up with him. But fortunately, I have a few days and I hope he’ll calm down and work through his anger issues before then. He’s Teegan’s problem today. Maybe they’ll be a better match as partners.

  Because of all days, I’m not going to let him ruin today for me.

  Even if beach volleyball is on the schedule. A game I know I can’t play well. That I will epically fail at, end up with sand in my shorts, and probably my mouth.

  It’ll all be worth it because today my partner is Jace.

  And I know he’s going to be shirtless.

  It’s close to one hundred degrees today, and if I were a guy, I’d go without a shirt. Hell, I’m wearing my bathing suit top and a pair of running shorts with my suit bottoms beneath them. I plan to jump in the pool immediately after the tournament.

  Which starts in less than an hour and Jace still isn’t here to practice. Practice I desperately need considering the last time I picked up a volleyball was eight years ago, the same day I was cut from tryouts. He has five more minutes before I go in search of him.

  Just as the thought crosses my mind, there’s a knock on my door.

  “About time,” I state firmly, wanting to sound irritated but unable to hide my smile at the sight of him.

  “Don’t worry, we have time,” he replies, reaching out and taking my hand, pulling me down the path as I pull the door closed behind me. “You look gorgeous today.”

  My hair is pulled high on my head and tied in a knot so it’s not in my face, a mistake I’d rather not repeat after yesterday. My ponytail kept swinging in my face and once I started to sweat, it stuck to my cheek. Not to mention the amount of soap and paint I had to wash out of it last night.

  “Thanks,” I say, my heart skipping a beat at his comment.

  “Are you ready to kick ass?”

  “Only if you’re actually good at volleyball because I’m not.”

  Pulling me to a stop in the middle of the path, Jace turns to face me. “Are you afraid of the ball?”

  “No.”

  “Can you do this?” he asks, cupping his hands together, his muscular forearms facing up. Copying his stance, I show him I can. “Then all you have to do is get in front of the ball if it comes your way, but more importantly, let’s have some fun.”

  And with that, he takes my hand in his again and we continue on our walk to the volleyball courts.

  Everyone there looks stressed. Ed is speaking with the cameramen, and Claudia is talking on her phone, pacing back and forth on the other side of the courts. Bella and Callen are practicing. It doesn’t look like it’s going well. He hits the ball to her, and she tentatively steps toward it before swinging her arms, sending the ball flying toward us. Jace catches it and tucks it beneath his arm as we approach.

  “See,” he whispers. “Just let the ball hit your arms. Don’t swing. It’ll bounce, and I’ll do the rest.”

  I’m glad he has faith in me because after watching Bella, I realize exactly why I didn’t make the team. I like to swing my arms and make the ball sail in the wrong direction. Hopefully it’s a habit I can break today.

  As the rest of the teams begin to arrive, we start hitting the ball around for fun. None of us are very good with the exception of Jace and Natasha. Not only am I incredibly thankful he’s my partner today but also that he’s encouraging. And not just to me. He gives everyone pointers to help them before things get underway.

  “Today’s going to be a little different than yesterday. As you can see, we only have one court, so we’re playing tournament style. Round one will consist of three matches, first to 21 points. It’ll be sudden death. If you lose, you’re out of the tournament. In round two, the three remaining teams will each play each other, and the team that has the best record will be declared the winner.”

  I don’t like how they have the tournament set up. Each team should at least be able to play twice. What if we all suck? Just because we win by one point, we get to keep going and the other team has to sit around the rest of the day and do what?

  That’s when I notice Claudia appear with a crew behind her. Food and drinks on carts. Two picnic tables. And in minutes, the crew sets up a large canopy next to the volleyball courts.

  “When you’re not playing,” Ed continues, “you’re expected to be here and cheer on the other teams. You can sit under the tent and stay out of the sun. Stay hydrated, snack, but be sure to actively participate. After your team has been eliminated, and I can’t stress this enough, after that, you are welcome to have a beverage. Not during, not on your break between games. The last thing we need is someone passing out because they decided they wanted vodka instead of water. Am I clear?”

  He seems to be taking the rules to the extreme lately. Wonder if that has anything to do with not being able to kick me off the show. I wouldn’t be surprised. He didn’t seem thrilled with the decision the executives made, but he should be. He still has a job.

  First up, Milo and Natasha versus Drake and Courtne
y. It’s an uneven match up. Drake and Courtney are no competition for Milo and Natasha. They go down quickly but neither seems upset as they take a seat at the picnic table where Jace and I have been watching from, each sipping an electric blue cocktail with a little red and white flag.

  “Who’s playing bartender if you’re not?” I ask Jace, nodding toward Courtney’s drink.

  “Not a clue, but I hope that’s as good as it looks.”

  Courtney smiles and takes a large sip, causing herself to cough. “Strong.” She forces a smile as she coughs again.

  Gage and Teegan are up next against Callen and Bella. After watching Bella earlier, I was surprised at her first serve. That’s when I realized she was putting on a show. The girl knows how to play, she just didn’t want to let us know that. She blindsided everyone, and so did Callen when he spiked the ball at Gage’s feet for match point.

  Unlike Drake and Courtney, Gage and Teegan are pissed they lost. Gage more so than Teegan as he stalks off, stopping to talk to Claudia before disappearing into the stables.

  Good, let him cool down.

  “We’re up,” Jace says, squeezing my thigh before standing and removing his gray V-neck T-shirt.

  I can’t help but enjoy the view, ignoring Teegan as she clears her throat from next to me. Nope. I don’t care. When I turn to grin at her in defiance, I’m rewarded with a smirk from Lennon, who’s standing behind her, as he removes his shirt as well.

  Damn.

  Two gloriously handsome men with their bodies on display.

  As we take the court, my nerves are on end. Not only do I get to stare at the back of Jace and his glorious ass, but I’m also staring at Lennon. Capital D distracted.

  We still manage to win, but not the way the other teams did. We scraped by, beating Kyra and Lennon twenty-one to eighteen. It was a hard-fought game, and by the time I’m under the canopy again, my tank top is soaked in sweat and I’m breathing heavily. I down an entire bottle of water while we wait for Ed to announce what happens next.

  “Okay, so here’s where things stand for today.”

  Drake and Courtney came in last, Gage and Teegan scored fifth, and Lennon and Kyra came in fourth. Jace and I are currently in third, Milo and Natasha in second, and Callen and Bella lead with the biggest point spread.

  The second round gets underway, and Jace and I are given a reprieve having played the last game. Bella gives Natasha a run for her money. The guys do their best, but its honestly the girls who are the ones making all the plays and keeping the game going. In the end, Natasha and Milo somehow come out victorious.

  Thirty minutes later, we’re on the court to face off against Bella and Callen. They must have been out of steam because we take them down easily. They barely put up a fight, and during the break, I figure out why. They’re at a table by themselves, Bella on Callen’s lap, both enjoying a drink.

  They didn’t want to play anymore. They were ready to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Good for them. It’s better than the way Gage has been treating his partners. He won’t even look in Courtney or Teegan’s direction right now, and he’s been tossing back drinks like they’re water.

  Gee, that makes me so excited to be paired up with him later this week. Not.

  As we take the court for the final match, winner takes all, I remove my tank top. It’s sticking to my body anyway and only getting in the way. Plus, Natasha took hers off earlier, so it’s not like I’m the only one playing in my bathing suit.

  The only difference is that I may have a little more to show off than she does. Not that it matters. I’m not trying to distract anyone. They’ve all seen me in my bathing suit plenty of times now. It’s not a shock.

  However, my plan backfires, because of all the guys, Jace is the one distracted, and he costs us point after point. Not that I care. The way he was looking at me had my skin on fire. I was ready to jump in the pool and rinse off the sweat and sand.

  Once Milo scores the last point, a perfect serve that landed just out of my reach, I down another bottle of water, tug my damp tank back over my head and sit and wait for Ed to release us. Wishful thinking.

  He pulls us all out onto the court and gives us the rundown of today’s tournament as well as the mock Olympics so far. I’m not doing bad, first place for the girls after two days. I have a shot at winning immunity, but everyone is only a point or two behind me except for Courtney. Having come in last both days, she’s out of the running unless she takes first in the rest of the events.

  Jace and Milo are tied for first place for the guys. I’m proud of them, having been partners with both already. It makes me feel like I’ve actually been contributing.

  Before we’re released, Lennon calls everyone’s attention as Jace hands out electric-blue drinks to those of us who didn’t already have one.

  “What’s in it?” I ask before I take a sip.

  “Everything,” he smirks, giving me the same answer as the other night when I asked what was in his Lusty Lady concoction. Taking a small sip, having learned my lesson, I’m not surprised to find it just as strong, more than likely having a little bit of everything like he said it did.

  “I just want to thank my partners the last few days for making these games fun,” Lennon says, raising his glass in the air. “I know we’re supposed to compete against one another, and things can get tense, but win or lose, I hope everyone has fun at the end of the day.”

  I can’t help but think his speech is directed at the one person in the room who seems to be taking things more seriously than anyone else. And the people who are suffering are the ones paired up with him. The girls. And I’ll be on the receiving end of his wrath soon. All I can hope is that I perform well. Maybe that will make him smile.

  As we walk toward the pool as a group, I feel an arm slide around my waist. Chancing a glance to my left, I’m surprised to find Lennon and not Jace. He gives my side a little squeeze and falls back before I can say anything, and I realize why as Jace picks up my hand and tugs me into his side.

  They’re silently fighting over me. At least they’re not making a scene. Or using their fists.

  Chapter Eleven

  Day 11

  Another day of mock Olympics. Tournament style play.

  Same rules as yesterday. The three losing teams are eliminated after the first round. Which I still think is bullshit but complaining will get me nowhere with this crew.

  Claudia is avoiding me like the plague after our last encounter, and Ed barely glances in my direction. They’re both pissed, and they can shove it up their asses.

  So the goal is to make it past the first round.

  My partner, Callen.

  Today’s activity, cornhole aka bean bags.

  The best part about today . . . we can drink while we play, which is good for me considering the only time I’ve ever played cornhole was while drinking. I’m not sure if I could play while sober. I tend to overthink things. A little beverage will help me relax, and they’re serving the same electric blue drink they were yesterday.

  The Olympic Torch, they’re calling it.

  Probably because it has enough liquor in it you could set it on fire.

  We’re each allowed twenty minutes to practice before the games begin. Callen hits the mark over and over again, the bean bag gliding up the wood platform and directly into the hole. Me on the other hand . . . I’m not even hitting the platform. My bags are coming up short every single time.

  “Your aim is good, you just need to toss it a little harder,” he encourages.

  Easy for him to say. He makes it look effortless.

  “I think I need another drink,” I say as we gather our things and let Milo and Courtney take our place to practice.

  “Haven’t you had two already?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

  “Yes, but the more I drink, the better I play.”

  “You’re telling me that if I get you shitfaced, we’ll win?”

  Laughing, I toss the bags on the table and
sit with my back resting against it so I can watch our competition practice. “Something like that. The last time I played this game was at a cookout in college. I barely remember that afternoon I was so drunk, but I do remember winning. At least, I think I did. I remember celebrating like I won.”

  The memory comes rushing back to me. Wren wrapping his arms around me and twirling me as I pumped my fist in the air, the red liquid in my plastic cup sloshing over the side and down the back of his shirt. He didn’t seem to care, or he didn’t notice.

  His parents were hosting their annual end of summer celebration. Naomi and I had been there for hours, feasting on the catered food, drinking, and playing games. We’d already kicked ass at bocce ball and ladder ball. Wren claimed it was unfair for us to team up again, so he claimed me as his partner for cornhole.

  It didn’t matter. Naomi and I were on fire. For every shot I made, she made one too. If it hadn’t been for one of Wren’s coworker’s lack of ability, the game could have gone the other way. He missed his last five tosses, handing us the victory.

  Naomi was irritated but almost as drunk as I was, so aside from jutting out her hip and glaring at us in annoyance while we celebrated, she still had fun. Well, until Wren and his coworker decided to toss us in the pool. Fully clothed.

  That night, I sat wrapped in Wren’s arms as we watched fireworks explode above us. He told me about the job his father was going to offer me after I graduated. I still had eight months until graduation, and I couldn’t have been more excited. It was also the night he asked me to move in with him. He’d just bought his first house, and although it was farther away from campus, I happily accepted his invitation.

  If I knew then what I know now, I never would have done it. Not because he cheated, but because of the person he became when we lived together. He was controlling and suspicious of my every move. At first, it was no big deal. I figured it was just common courtesy to let him know since we lived together. After a while, it became apparent he didn’t trust me.