I swallowed hard.
Fuck. She had me by the balls.
All I could think about in that moment was how pissed Kandy would be once she saw Kelly tagging along with me. I wished it hadn’t come to this—to the point where I’d offend Kandy by bringing Kelly around at all. At first it was harmless—just a simple crush, and I knew that—but then it became bigger. That crush led to ogling and deep stares. Then deep stares to heavy breathing. Then heavy breathing to kissing, sucking, and heavy finger-fucking. It was too much for even myself to handle, and I’d dealt with a lot of shit.
But this was different.
I wasn’t supposed to want Kandy. I wasn’t supposed to touch her or tell her to only use her lips on me, no matter how tempting they were and no matter how angry it made me that she’d used them on someone else. I wanted to rip a motherfucker in half when I found out she’d been touched and used, but how could I? She wasn’t mine—could never be mine—and I knew that.
The woman I was supposed to be with was sitting right across from me, begging me to give her this one thing. After treating her like shit, forgetting dates and always cancelling on her at the last minute, this was the least I could do. Seriously, it was. I owed Kelly more than she received. A part of me wanted to please her, even if I didn’t take whatever this was too seriously. She was good to me.
Mindy was dying to have Kelly go.
My friends mattered to me.
Kandy mattered to me too, but her crush, I hoped, would pass one day soon. I hoped she would forget about what had happened in my den and in her parents’ living room.
I was going to have to make it clear that I was a fucking fool, and that I was never going to let it happen again. She was a young girl. She had plenty of time to find someone else and get over me.
I needed a companion, someone who understood me, no matter how much I knew I didn’t deserve her. I knew who that companion was, so I grabbed Kelly’s hand and said, “I’ll consider it.”
18
KANDY
When Dad told me we were taking a private jet to Florida, I thought I was going to die of excitement. He’d said the jet was Cane’s, and that Cane was more than happy to give us a ride down there with him instead of letting us drive for five and a half long hours.
Dad put up a small fuss, saying he didn’t want us to get in the way of his flight, but both Mom and I told him to shut it and be grateful. His best friend was rich enough to give us a ride on a private, fully accommodated jet. Who in their right mind would turn that down? Dad would, because he hated feeling like he was in the way or being a bother.
Since Clay had summer camp for his college, and Frankie wouldn’t be going to UNC for another two months, she’d decided to tag along with me for the trip.
Mom and Dad were fine with her joining us. They didn’t want me to be bored, being the only teenager in the house and all. They kept saying I’d be surrounded by adults and “adult talk,” like I was still a child or something.
In my opinion, eighteen was old enough to be taken seriously enough for most people, but apparently not my parents. They were afraid to even argue around me, and don’t get me started on the swearing.
Dad treated me like a delicate little flower that always needed to be showered with love and affection, and Mom was close to being the same way, though she knew when to give me space.
I had been waiting for this trip to Destin for quite some time now. I knew my parents would spend a lot of time together and even go out, and Cane would be at the beach house by himself. It was the perfect opportunity to get to know him a little better.
We pulled up to the private runway in Dad’s truck, Frankie bouncing beside me and trying to hold back a squeal.
“I can’t believe this!” She slid closer to the window, staring ahead as we got closer to the jet. It was white, and on the side of it, printed in red, was the word Tempt. Yep, that was definitely Cane’s.
I looked around for him but didn’t see any cars. Just a man with a pilot’s hat and suit on, and another wearing an orange vest with a gas pump in his hand.
“You guys are lucky to have a friend so rich. Seriously. Who can say their best friend has given them a ride on a private jet to go on vacation? The best thing my best friend ever did was give me a big pink teddy bear named Pinx.”
I gave Frankie a nudge to the rib with my elbow as Mom and Dad laughed up front. “You are such a dork,” I laughed.
Frankie smirked. “But you love me.”
Dad parked the car not too far away from the jet and let out a hard sigh. “Well, we’re here.”
I grabbed the door handle. “Come on, let me out. I want to see that thing up close.”
“Okay, but don’t get too close. Looks like they’re still handling some important stuff.” Dad hit the button to unlock the doors and both Frankie and I burst out like prisoners who’d been freed from prison, rushing around the SUV to get a better look.
The jet had already been started, and the engine was loud. Actually, the entire strip was loud. There were several other jets in various colors on the runway, parked beneath the bold Georgia sun. Some were even flying in.
The sound of tires rolling across gravel caught my ears, and I turned my head to look back, spotting a white Mercedes pulling up close to us. I couldn’t see who was driving. Through the window I could tell he was sporting a black hat. He stepped out of the car wearing a black suit and tie, bobbed his head at us, and then went for the back door.
“Who is that?” Frankie asked. As she did, Dad was getting out of the car, grunting a bit when he had to put a little weight on his bad leg.
The driver pulled the back door open, and Cane stepped out. His presence gave me chills, despite the blazing temperature. My core tightened, and my lips pressed flat as I took him all in.
He wore aviator sunglasses over his eyes, a button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows, and khaki slacks. The ink on his arms seemed to stand out even more, a stark contrast against the whitest shirt I’d ever laid eyes on. His hair had been trimmed neatly, the soft fade on the edges leading up to hair that’d been fingered into waves with gel.
“Holy shit,” Frankie whispered under her breath.
Holy shit was right. Cane looked fucking amazing. Even going on vacation, he was hot. He exuded confidence, the sex appeal gushing right out of his pores.
I realized I was staring at him like an idiot as he came closer, so I dropped my head, but of course Frankie kept gawking. She’d only seen him in person once, but not this close up.
“Cane,” Dad greeted with a hearty chuckle. They did their silly, manly handshake and then gave each other a brotherly hug before pulling away.
“How are you feeling, D?” Cane asked, and Dad let off a simple shrug.
“I’m about to get on a private jet to go on a very relaxing vacation with my family. Can’t get any better than that, man.”
Cane chuckled. “I hear that.”
Mom walked around the front of the truck and gave Cane a hug around the shoulders. “You look great, as always, Cane.”
“Thank you, Mindy. And you look very relaxed,” Cane noted. “The linen pants suit you well.”
Mom smiled, the same smile she always wore when she knew she’d chosen well. “Thank you. Figured I’d break them in for the upcoming week.”
The driver walked to the other side of the car and opened the other back door. I assumed he was getting Cane’s luggage and some other things, but a sandal appeared, and then a head with brown hair popped up.
Her body lifted in one smooth motion as she accepted the driver’s hand and thanked him for his assistance, and when the door was closed, my fluttering heart came to a standstill.
My breathing faltered.
“Who is she?” Frankie asked, looking Kelly up and down.
Kelly? But he said he wasn’t bringing her…
At first I assumed she was just seeing him off, but when the driver headed for the trunk and took out suitcases, some of them
pink, some of them Tiffany blue—only colors Kelly would pick—the truth hit me.
Kelly was coming on vacation with us.
With Cane.
Sharing a room with him.
I blinked hard before finally putting my eyes on Cane. Mom and Dad were talking, and his eyes shifted over to me. It was a very, very brief look, but I saw the apology in his eyes. He didn’t even have to say anything. It was abundantly clear.
I could practically hear him thinking it: This wasn’t my plan. It just happened. I’m sorry.
“Oh, Kelly!” Mom squealed, as if she’d just realized Kelly was around.
“Mindy! Oh, look at you! You look great!”
They squealed like middle school girls, and I wanted to fucking vomit. Not only had Kelly wedged her way between Cane and me, but now she was winning Mom over. Before I knew it, they were going to be best fucking friends, and she’d be in my face all the time.
Dad went for the trunk and started to unload. I decided to help him. I couldn’t look at Kelly or Cane for too much longer.
“Who is that chick?” Frankie asked over my shoulder, following after me.
“Nobody,” I muttered.
“She’s clearly somebody,” she guffawed.
I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and turned rapidly, bumping right into someone’s chest.
Cane’s chest.
A soft gasp tumbled out of me, and even though I was livid—broiling inside with frustration and an edge of fury—I couldn’t deny my body’s reaction to him. My nipples stiffened, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. My eyelashes fluttered, and my mouth went bone-dry as I found his eyes.
“Kandy,” Cane murmured. “Let me take that for you.”
“No,” I said tightly. “I’ve got it. How about you help your girlfriend instead.”
I pushed past him with my shoulder, not giving a damn if Mom or Dad saw. They could assume I was being rude for all I cared. Mom would apologize for me like she always did, and Dad would just laugh about it and call it hormones.
I didn’t care. I wasn’t in the mood for his bullshit. He lied to me. He told me she wasn’t coming. In that moment, I was being a spoiled brat and I knew it, but I couldn’t shake the feelings inside me. In my head, Cane was mine. Not Kelly’s. Mine. How could he not see how much this was killing me inside?
I leaned against the truck, my suitcase on one side of me and Frankie on the other, as we watched Cane talk to the pilot and a woman who I assumed was a flight attendant. They bobbed their heads as he spoke, paying very close attention to whatever he was saying.
“We can start boarding now,” Cane announced when he came back our way. Mom and Kelly had been mindlessly chatting about things to do in Destin, and where to catch drinks, and how they heard the water is so beautiful. Frankie was quiet next to me, like she’d sensed my sudden change of mood and didn’t want to bother me.
The only thing was…I didn’t know if I wanted to open up about it. I hadn’t told Frankie—or anyone—what Cane and I had done. Frankie knew I liked him, but that was it. We had two hookups, and I had to pretend they’d never happened for the sake of his friendship with my dad and for myself, period.
Frankie…well, in a way, she looked up to me. She would never admit it, but she always came to me for guidance and advice and always wished that her mom was into her as much as mine was into me. I didn’t want that to be ruined because of my drug of choice, Mr. Cane. I was very, very addicted to that man.
As we got on board and picked our seats, Kelly said, “Kandy, I love your dress! You look very pretty.”
I tried so hard not to roll my eyes. I hated when she talked to me like I was ten. I didn’t need her to tell me I was pretty. By eighteen, I knew how I looked. I had my insecurities, like every other girl, as well as my flaws, but I wholeheartedly knew I wasn’t ugly.
I’d purposely worn my favorite peach dress that hugged my waist and stopped really high on my thighs. Dad hated this dress, but since it was our vacation, he was giving me a pass. While on vacation it was okay to show a little skin, but wearing it out—say to school, a party, or to a boy’s house—would have given him a serious heart attack.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
I took the seats that were diagonally across from Mom and Dad. Kelly took the seats across from theirs. There was a lot of open space between the rows, so we had plenty of leg room, and also enough space between us where Frankie and I could chat without really being heard.
Dad was pleased about all the space. He sighed loudly, stretched his legs as far as they could go, and said, “Oh, yeah. That’s what I’m talking about.”
“We all set?” Cane asked when he boarded the jet. He looked at Mom and Dad. He was avoiding eye contact with me, that much was clear.
“All set, man. Ready when you are,” said Dad.
“Want some water or anything before we take off?” Cane offered.
“Nah. I’ll save my drinking for the beach. Destin isn’t ready for this liver.” Dad beat his chest lightly, like an arrogant college frat boy would after chugging beer from a keg.
Mom gave him a look out the corner of her eye and then shook her head with a smile at Cane, who returned a shrug and a half smile. Frankie laughed and pulled a magazine from her bag.
I took out the romance book from my tote bag and started reading, but I didn’t miss Cane take the seat beside Kelly. Of course he’d sit there, because where else would he sit?
Kelly smiled at him, rubbed his arm, and murmured something in his ear that made him smirk.
I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to deal with that for five whole days. Seeing Cane and Kelly all over each other was going to make my stomach hurt.
During the flight, I became more and more confused. Why would he tell me to save my lips for him if all he was going to do was shove Kelly in my face every chance he got?
I didn’t get it. I wanted him to be straight-up, honest, and blunt like he normally was, but right now he was being a very selfish and confusing asshole.
19
KANDY
“I just don’t understand why he brought her with him.” I yanked on the zipper of my suitcase with a huff.
We’d landed in Destin over an hour ago. Cane had a Mercedes van waiting for us when we arrived.
We made a trip to the property management office to collect the keys for the property, stopped by a popular smoothie shop (where Cane paid for everyone’s drinks), and were now at the beach house.
I was sharing a room with Frankie in the loft. The loft was located on the top floor of the three-story beach house. It was pretty much like having our own apartment. There was even a kitchenette if we wanted to make something quick. Other than the pool and the beach, there was really no need for us to even go downstairs.
Cane and Kelly were on the second floor, and I silently prayed Kelly would be modest enough to sleep in her own bedroom and not share one with him, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I could hear Kelly giggling and fawning over the view from their room when Cane brought their luggage in.
Mom and Dad were on the first floor in the master bedroom, and Mom was very pleased that their balcony led straight out to a private deck that gave an amazing view of the beach.
“What’s the big deal?” Frankie sat on the queen bed across from mine, studying her cuticles. “She’s his girlfriend, Kandy. You can like him, but he still has a life outside of your crush.”
Frankie, Frankie, Frankie. She just didn’t get it, and she never would, because only I knew the truth.
“Yeah, but he knows about my crush. It’s like he doesn’t even give a shit how I feel.” I sighed, agitated. “It’s just…this is a family thing, you know? She’s not family.” I took out a folded skirt and placed it on the bed.
“Well, neither am I.” Frankie cocked a brow and crossed her arms, challenging me, probably expecting me to make up for that statement.
“Frankie, you’ve been my best friend since I w
as five years old. You’ve practically spent half of your life in my house. Some of your bras are in my panty drawer. Trust me, you’re family.”
“Eh, I guess that’s true, but come on, K.J.! Get real! You can’t expect someone like him to stay single forever!”
“I know, Frank! I know!” I gave up on unpacking, plopping down on my bed instead and crossing my legs. “Am I being immature about it?”
“You really are,” she laughed. “Just think about it. We’re in fucking Destin. I saw, like, five hot guys jogging at the beach just now and don’t even get me started on the college boys that were at that smoothie shop.” She stood up and started walking my way. “There are plenty of fish in the sea. Mr. Cane is hot as hell and all, but there’s plenty more out there to look at and even do things with. Guys who are closer to our age and easier to bag.” Grabbing my hands, she forced me to stand and then capped my shoulders. “Get over your crush with him. He’s a grown man with a life and lots of fucking money. His girlfriend is here, but so what? Doesn’t mean we can’t still watch him swim shirtless.”
I laughed at that. “I’m pretty sure Cane won’t be swimming.”
“Whatever. If he’s on vacation and doesn’t take his shirt off at least once, he’s better off being coddled by that Goody-Two-shoes Kelly.”
* * *
Frankie and I spent the rest of our day sunbathing on the beach. It was the perfect day, breezy and blue. The sky was clear of clouds, the sun shining from the perfect angle. The heat of it was gentle enough on our skin for us to soak up the rays for over two hours.
By the time we’d finished tanning and taking thousands of pictures in our bikinis to upload to Facebook and Instagram, the sun was starting to set. I grabbed my towel and the beach bag and followed Frankie to the exit.
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