Love or Lust 2

by Rachael Brownell

  Drake’s favorite foods are all centered around breakfast, so that’s what I’m making him. An egg, spinach, and sausage frittata with hash browns, toast, and bacon. Easy peasy. I hope. The recipe I pulled for the frittata made it sound like even a beginner couldn’t screw it up.

  “Want me to walk you back?” Jace asks as we exit the gate to the pool area.

  “If you’re asking if I want you to come over, the answer is yes. If you’re asking if you can come over, the answer is no. I have to shower and get cleaned up. You would be a . . . distraction.”

  A wicked grin begins to spread across Jace’s gorgeous face as he leans in and whispers in my ear. “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.”

  Smacking him against his still-bare chest, Jace chuckles, sending a shiver up my spine.

  “I bet you’d like that.”

  “So would you,” he says as he kisses the side of my neck before stepping back, almost bumping into the cameraman who snuck up on us. Not that we weren’t being watched or filmed already. Hell, where we’re standing, there are at least three cameras that I know of that have captured our entire exchange.

  “Right on time,” I remark as I open the door for Drake.

  “It smells great in here. Is that bacon?” he asks, sniffing the air, a smile forming on his face.

  “I heard it was your favorite.”

  “I’m not sure what they put in the file they gave you, but I’m starting to think they’re pretty damn good at what they do. Last night I was rewarded with chocolate cake with a fudge filling, and tonight I get bacon. I can’t wait to see what I’m fed the rest of the week. At least I’ll be fat and happy if I’m voted off on Sunday.”

  Drake is laughing by the time he finishes, and I join him just as the timer for the oven goes off.

  “Sit. Relax. Food’s almost ready.”

  Making my way into the kitchen, I’m very aware that Drake is following me, or rather, the scent of the bacon. He tries to reach around me and steal a piece, but I smack his hand away.

  “You have to wait until everything is done.”

  “Are we having breakfast?”

  “Yup,” I reply, popping the P for emphasis as I pull the frittata from the oven. I hope it tastes as great as it smells. As far as looks go, it’s rather boring. “Wanna help me out?”

  “At your service. What can I do?”

  I put Drake to work mixing mimosa’s while I pop bread in the toaster and begin plating our food. After I’m satisfied with how it looks, I present him with a plate and take the seat across from him.

  “To breakfast for dinner,” Drake cheers, raising his glass and clinking it against mine. “My favorite meal of the day.”

  “I’m not going to lie. This feels wrong. I’ve never had breakfast this late before. I mean, in college, breakfast was always my first meal, but I usually didn’t wake up until close to noon, so we pretended to be rich socialites and called it brunch even though it was normally cereal or Pop-Tarts.”

  “Brunch is good too,” he states, shoving a bite of frittata in his mouth while I wait in anticipation of his reaction.

  “Well?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.

  “It’s good.”

  “Good?”

  “Yeah. You really can’t mess up breakfast.”

  True but then again, I’m me and I can burn anything. Speaking of . . . shit!

  Dropping my fork, I rush over to the toaster and press the little button on the front, popping the toast. I murdered it. Not even a tub of butter could make it edible it’s so charred.

  “I hope you like your toast well done,” I state, picking up a piece and showing him the black brick.

  “Um . . . I think I’ll pass,” he replies, covering his mouth with his hand as a chuckle escapes.

  “And you said you can’t mess up breakfast,” I mutter as I drop both pieces of toast in the trash and slide back into my seat.

  “It was just toast. It’s not like you burnt everything.”

  True. At least he was eating everything else on his plate.

  Digging into my own food, I listen as Drake tells me about the call he got from his sister this morning. The frittata is dry. So dry I find myself taking a sip of my mimosa after every bite so I can swallow it. The bacon is soggy. I’m not sure if I didn’t cook it long enough or if it was the brand they bought, but it’s limp and dripping in grease.

  Poking my hash browns, I pray they are my saving grace and I’m pleasantly surprised. I was going to put them in the oven but decided to cook them in a pan on the stove since the oven was full. They’re nice and crispy on the outside and perfectly tender inside.

  “She seems to think that you are the one,” Drake says as I take another bite of hash browns and practically choke on my food.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah. She’s been watching the show with my parents, and they think you are the best match for me. I tried to explain to her that you and Jace and Lennon kind of have a thing, but she didn’t want to hear it. She thinks you’ll choose me in the end. I swear, after all this is over, you have to meet her. She’s obsessed with you.”

  “Why?”

  “I think it’s because you remind her of my best friend from high school. She always looked up to her and wanted to be just like her. She wanted us to get married so Jenny would be her sister.”

  “That’s so sweet. Are they still close?” I ask as I top both of our glasses.

  Drake goes silent, and when I look up, I can’t help but notice the glossy look in his eyes.

  “We never dated in high school. We were only ever friends. It wasn’t until college that we realized the way we felt for each other. We’d only been dating a month when she called me one night to pick her up, she was drunk. Leaving a frat party. I was on the phone with her still when she walked out in front of a car. She died two days later in the hospital.”

  This night just went from bad food to bad luck in the blink of an eye.

  The words I’m sorry are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to say them. It’s not what he needs. My pity. It won’t bring her back. It certainly won’t change the way he still feels about the situation. Because that’s written all over his face.

  He feels responsible for her death even though he wasn’t the one who hit her. Or the one who gave her the drinks. But he is the one who loved her.

  The way Drake acts, the way he tries to bring humor to every situation, makes sense to me now. He’s masking a lot with jokes and banter. He hasn’t dealt with her death, and I don’t think he’s ready to yet. Which makes me wonder why he’s even here because I guarantee he’s not ready to move on. He won’t be for a while.

  Chapter Eleven

  Day 26

  My mind was still reeling from Drake’s revelation hours after dinner was over. I couldn’t fathom what he went through. How he held it together until he got to where she was only to find out that she was gone.

  Forever.

  He lost his best friend and the love of his life.

  They spent years ignoring the way they felt for each other. Didn’t realize they were in love with each other at first. Then once they finally opened their eyes and decided to explore those same feelings, their opportunity was cut short.

  I felt his pain. Mourned his loss. Cried myself to sleep after he left.

  I didn’t hear my phone chime with a text from Jace.

  Or his persistent knocking on my bathroom window.

  What I did hear was a loud bang as my front door slammed against the wall. I shot straight up in bed, and then Jace was standing over me, a frantic look on his face as our eyes locked. His breathing was ragged, as if he ran two miles in the blazing heat to get to me.

  My thoughts went back to Drake. The panic he must have felt driving to find Jenny, praying what he thought he heard on the phone wasn’t really what it was.

  Without saying a word, Jace left the room. I heard the front door close and slid back under the covers, pulling them up
to my chin as I closed my eyes. Seconds later, the bed dipped, and when I turned over, Jace was lying next to me. The worry was still in his eyes, but the air around him seemed calmer.

  Kissing me gently on top of the head, Jace rolled me away from him and then pulled my body firmly against his, wrapping one arm around me protectively. No words were spoken as he held me while I drifted back to sleep.

  When I woke up this morning, he was still holding me, his fingers drawing circles on my exposed stomach. Loving the feel of his skin on mine, I pretended to be asleep until he started pressing kisses to the side of my neck.

  “I know you’re awake, Presley.”

  “No, I’m not,” I whisper, smiling to myself.

  I like Jace in the morning. He’s playful and sweet. Not to mention, waking up in his arms is a great way to start the day.

  “You scared the shit out of me last night. I saw Drake drinking at the pool so I knew he wasn’t here with you, but you weren’t answering me.”

  Well, maybe not playful this morning. I can hear the concern in his voice.

  “I’m sorry. Drake was telling me a story last night, and I was so consumed by it I was exhausted by the time he left. I completely forgot you were coming by.”

  Nudging my shoulder, Jace turns me so we’re facing each other and props his head on his hand so he can stare down at me. “So not only did he get to spend the night with you but he stole all your attention away from me. I think Drake and I need to have a talk.”

  Welcome back, playful Jace.

  “What was so interesting that you forgot about me completely?”

  “That’s not my story to tell. What matters is that you’re here now.” Reaching up, I cup Jace’s cheek with my hand.

  “And there are more cameras in this tiny villa than we probably know about. You owe me a makeup date. I hope you realize that.”

  “How do you figure? I let you sleep over last night. That has to count for something.”

  “You wouldn’t have been able to get me to leave if you tried.” Leaning in close, Jace continues, “Not that I heard you complaining about me sleeping here.”

  Closing the distance between us, I press my lips to his. Our kiss is innocent, at first, until I try and pull away. Jace takes control, rolling on top of me and pressing my body into the mattress with his.

  “Do you want to give the entire world a show, Presley? I’m game if you are.”

  “Not a chance,” I reply, lifting my hips, eliciting a groan from him before he captures my lips again.

  Our make-out session is cut short when the alarm on my phone starts beeping.

  Growling at my phone, I push Jace off me, silence my phone, and toss back the covers in frustration.

  Girls’ day.

  Not that I don’t love the girls, but after last night, I’m not really in the mood to shop. Not that I have a choice. It’s on the schedule. We have to attend all scheduled events.

  “What’s on your agenda?” Jace asks, refusing to leave my bed. His shoes are by the door, but he’s still wearing the same clothes he was when he stormed in here last night. I can see the top of his cargo shorts sticking out from beneath the covers and his dark-gray T-shirt is stretched tight across his very muscular chest. “Presley.”

  Shit. I was staring. I’ve seen what’s hidden beneath those clothes, yet my mind still runs away with itself.

  “Shopping,” I reply, averting my eyes. “Kill me now.”

  “You don’t like to shop?”

  “Online, yes. Department stores, the mall, with other girls . . . hate. It.”

  Jace chuckles before reaching out and pulling me back down on the bed with him. “Stay here, then. We’ll lock the door and pretend nothing outside this room exists.”

  “Does my door even lock anymore?” I ask, lifting my eyebrow in challenge.

  “Probably not,” he says, shrugging his shoulders. “I’ll get it fixed.”

  I’d love nothing more than to spend the day in bed with Jace.

  That sounds slutty. Not that I didn’t enjoy being naked with him. It’s just . . .

  I need to get out of my own head.

  And he needs to get out of my bed or I’m not going to leave.

  After kicking Jace out, I quickly shower and dress. The girls are waiting for me impatiently when I finally arrive outside the main house. Courtney is tapping the toe of her heel against the concrete, staring at me in frustration as I approach.

  When I walk past her and climb in the van without an apology or explanation, she lets out an aggravated growl before climbing in behind me.

  What’s worse than shopping at the mall?

  Shopping at an outlet center.

  What’s worse than shopping with your friends?

  Shopping with someone who works in retail. Someone who you pissed off earlier in the day. Someone who loves shopping more than life itself.

  Shopping with Courtney is pure torture.

  Twenty minutes in and she has bitched each of us out at least once. Teegan brushed her off and continued to talk about how in love she was, refusing to tell us which one of the guys she was referring to. Bella went silent, not saying a word the rest of the trip. I tried to escape away on my own or at least keep my distance from Courtney, but she seemed to be everywhere I turned.

  Even in the dressing room.

  I could have sworn all the stalls were empty. I only had two pairs of pants and a sundress to try on. Five minutes, in and out.

  Nope.

  Courtney tosses clothes over the door and orders me to try them on.

  Teegan hops in the stall next to me, still talking, even though I’m certain we all stopped listening long ago.

  “He’s just so . . . gah! I don’t even know how to describe it. I mean, he’s sweet and charming and, damn, his body is like granite. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all hot. Maybe it’s his personality. He’s funny. When we’re alone—”

  “Stop!” Bella hollers, her voice echoing off the walls. “Just shut the fuck up for five damn minutes. No one cares that you’re falling in love with one of the guys. You’re being annoying and you know it.”

  “What crawled up your ass and died?” Courtney asks at the same time Teegan says “Well, we know who’s not getting any.”

  “Of course, I’m not getting any. I’m not a slut that wants to have sex on television. I didn’t come here to get laid. I came here for a chance at love.”

  “Listen to her,” Teegan starts. “She makes it sound like she’s innocent in this game. Guess what, Bella. None of us are innocent. Just ask Presley.”

  With only one leg in a pair of skinny jeans Courtney threw over the door, my ears perk up at the mention of my name, causing me to stumble and fall on my ass.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I scream as I push myself off the floor, stripping the jeans from my leg in the process.

  “You know exactly what it means,” Teegan practically seethes, her upbeat and annoyingly perky attitude flipping like someone just turned out the lights.

  Or, rather, a breaker just blew and now we’ve all been beckoned to the dark side.

  I’m not sure if I want to mess with Teegan’s dark side.

  “I’m not sure why you want to pull me into this conversation, but I haven’t done anything.”

  Someone lets out a huff of disbelief, kicking my irritation up a notch.

  “I have a feeling Lennon and Jace would disagree with you,” Courtney says, tossing another pair of jeans over the top of the door. I catch them before they land on my head and chuck them back over. “Hey!”

  Stepping back into the shorts I wore, I gather my things and swing the door of the dressing room open. Bella is sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. She looks miserable and ready to cry. Courtney is leaning against the wall next to her, arms crossed over her chest, her breasts practically spilling out of her tank top. There’s a sinister smile on her face as she glares at me.

  “You can think whatever y
ou want to think,” I start, taking a step toward Courtney, the smirk on her face quickly disappearing when she realizes I’m not going to bow down to her. “I know who I am. I know what I want. I know who I want it with. And none of that is your business or anyone else’s. So why don’t you mind your own business and keep your opinion to yourself.”

  I’m mere inches from her by the time I’m done.

  “If you want to slut it up on TV, we’re not going to stop you,” Teegan says from behind me. When I turn, she’s leaning against the open door of the dressing room she’d been in. “If you could just pick one of them and give the rest of us a chance, that would be great, though.”

  Stalking past me, she tosses a pile of clothes in the bin near the exit. Courtney falls in step with her, and I hear her whisper, “Too bad we can’t vote her off. It sure would be a lot more fun without her around stealing all the attention.”

  Clenching my fists, I’m caught off guard when I feel a hand on my arm and almost swing at Bella.

  “Don’t listen to them. They both know you’re not sleeping around. It’s not your fault Lennon and Jace both want to be with you. It’s also not your fault they’re both bitches and can only be nice when the cameras are around.”

  “They weren’t nice a minute ago,” I note, keeping a safe distance from Courtney and Teegan as we follow them out of the store and down the sidewalk.

  “That’s because the cameras weren’t in there with us. Why else do you think they went into attack mode? The cameraman wasn’t allowed beyond the entrance, and you just so happened to pick the stall farthest from the door. It was a clear plan of attack on their parts.”

  Fuck!

  It’s bad enough I’ve been dreading having dinner with Lennon later this week, knowing there’s going to be tension. Now I have to watch my back at every turn.

  “Who is it Teegan wants?” I ask Bella.

  “Jace, I think. She was watching you two in the hot tub.”

  Sucks to be Teegan. She can’t have him. He’s mine. Today. Tomorrow. And long after this stupid show is over.