Chapter 13
“Mel,” Roy says happily, coming over to get a beer from the poolside bar, “are you aware of just how competitive your fiancé is? You’re in for a treat.”
I give him a smile, leaning back against Jason’s bare chest. He’s hot from the sun. “You know, I’ve never seen him do something like this, so it should be interesting.”
“Jason.” We both look up to find the man from earlier sauntering over. He has dark hair and eyes, a permanent smirk on his face. “And who’s this? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. It’s a ridiculous display, and I want to pull my hand back, but don’t want to appear rude.
Jason’s arm tightens around my waist.
“Melissa,” he says shortly. “My fiancé. Mel, this is Zach.”
Zach’s eyes don’t leave mine. It’s as if Jason isn’t there, and I fight the urge to squirm, uncomfortable with the attention.
“A pity. Jason seems to get everything he wants.”
The vibe in this moment is definitely awkward. Roy clears his throat as Jason’s arm tightens even further. Zach drops my hand and gives us all a smirk.
“Zach is my stepson,” Roy explains. “He’s been wanting to be more involved with the business. I wasn’t aware until this morning that he’d be joining us here at the retreat.” There’s a hint of sourness in his words, and although Zach claps an arm over the old man’s shoulders, I’m not so sure Roy is thrilled at his appearance.
The staff member overseeing this activity calls everyone to order and asks that the next two teams come to the pool.
“Hey,” I whisper, turning my head so only Jason can hear me, “whatever’s up with you, calm down, okay?”
He doesn’t answer, just glowers at me and snaps the back of my bottoms, the spandex stinging.
“Jason!”
To cover the rude gesture, he covers my mouth with a searing kiss, one I can’t help but sink into. Then someone is calling his name and he gets up, leaving me alone on the chair.
It’s his team versus Zach’s. A nightmare situation given his obvious problem with the guy.
As I watch the competition start, I try to put it together. I haven’t met Zach until today, but he and Jason obviously know each other well enough to take shots at each other. There’s some history there that he hasn’t been completely honest about.
An hour later,a small group has remained near the pool, mostly those who want to grab a drink or two before dinner. Jason is talking to Brian amicably, his hair slicked back and muscles still damp. I’m having a hard time looking away from him and move to the far side of the pool area, under an umbrella.
Pull it together, Mel,I tell myself.It was just a kiss.
But if I’m being honest, I’ve felt off-center since our first night here. I can’t remember the last time I orgasmed under the touch of a competent man, but it goes beyond that, too. Jason and I have a history. His hands on my body were too close to home,felttoo much like home.
I need some space to get my head right.
As if he can read my mind, Jason’s eyes lock on mine across the pool area. I look away and sip my margarita, the lime pursing my lips. A shadow falls across the table and I glance up to find Zach staring down at me.
His swim trunks are barely hanging on, and although he has a cut body, he’s quite lean. Not my type. Plus, I don’t like the way he’s looking everywhere but at my face.
“It was a pleasant surprise to meet you today, Melissa,” he says smoothly. “If you get tired of Jason’s company, maybe we can have dinner together one of these nights.”
Placing a hand on the tabletop, he leans in. I can smell the salty sweat on his skin and fight not to wrinkle my nose. “I’m in the Falls Suite.”
It’s a quiet invitation, but not discreet enough. Both of us see Jason coming and Zach slithers away like a snake, sending me a smirk as he disappears into the Loraine.
“What was that?” Jason demands.
“What was what?”
He sits down across from me, eyes locked on mine. “What did he want?”
“H-he wanted to have dinner together sometime. If we’re free.”
“We, or you?”
He’s sneering, but there’s another emotion just under the surface—jealousy. Slowly, a smile spreads across my cheeks.
“Worried, Jason, that he’ll ruin your plans? That I might run off with him?”
He sits back, the jealousy disappearing for a moment. Considering me.
“Not particularly. But we have spent the whole day apart, and Zach hasn’t seen just howaffectionatewe are.”
As he says the wordaffectionate, his eyes trail down to my bathing suit. I’ve thrown on a wrap around my waist, but my torso and breasts are still trussed up like an offering. He’s looking at me like he wants to devour me, and I repeat my mantra:Pull it together, Mel.
Taking a sip of cool tequila, the lime lingering on my tongue, I give my body a chance to calm down. It’s practically humming under his gaze.
“What’s going on between you two? Should I be jealous?” I’m teasing, but Jason glowers. That only confirms my suspicions. He isn’t telling me something.
“The only thing you need to worry about, Mel, is if he believes this just as much as anyone else.” Jason leans in close, his hand sliding up my thigh, under the wrap. His thumb grazes the inside of my leg. Reminding me of the first night here…
“You want that money? You’re going to have to work for it.”
A shiver runs down my spine, but to fight the desire, I get angry instead.
“Fine.”
Pushing the chair back, I stand and grab his hand, pulling him up behind me. A look of surprise flits across his face before he composes himself. Making sure to sway my hips with every step, I walk toward the bar, head raised and feet bare.
About a dozen people are still hanging around as the staff set up a dinner service inside. Conversations slow or quiet as we approach, and I lean on the bar, tugging Jason up tight behind me. He almost stumbles but catches himself, bracing a hand next to me.
“Two shots of whiskey, please. Doubles.”
I feel him go stiff. So he wants me to work for it? He wants a show? In front of all these people, he can’t say anything or pull away. And he knows that.
The bartender gives us a strange look but pours the shots into tumblers. I take both and turn. The space between Jason and I is nonexistent. My breasts drag across his chest as I stare up into his gray-blue eyes.