Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Ah, I see,” she says. “Well, thanks for telling me.” She gives me a brief smile before standing up and stretching.
I can’t help but admire the way the moonlight highlights her curves and the blue in her hair.
“To be honest, I thought it was a bad idea too,” she admits as she steps toward the house. “It wouldn’t have ended well for any of us.”
“You just said you were into it,” I challenge her.
“I did say that, but I’m much more into Sebastian. We made a real connection, I think.” She yawns. “I’ve got to go join June.”
I cock my head. “Join June?”
She laughs. “You’re such a little Southern belle, Ariel.” Then she walks into the mansion.
Now what the heck does that mean?
Two more figures emerge, this time coming from the direction of the beach. It’s two of the men—Sebastian and Alex.
Sebastian, who fucked me good and hard and gave me what I asked for.
And Alex, who didn’t.
I drain the rest of my water and rise. Such a little Southern belle? I’ll show Heather and the rest of them.
“Hey, doll,” Sebastian says in his sexy voice as he and Alex reach the deck. “What are you doing out here?”
I give him what I hope is a dazzling smile. “Waiting for you.” I nod to Alex. “And you.”
“That’s some good news,” Alex says. “I can’t think of better company after what we’ve just...”
“Just what?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he says. “It’s late, but what did you have in mind, Ariel?”
I shed my robe, revealing my naked body. “The three of us...in my suite.”
“That’s an offer we shouldn’t refuse,” Sebastian says.
Shouldn’t? What the heck is that supposed to mean?
“But I have to, sweetheart,” Sebastian continues. “I’m beat as hell.”
“Oh. I understand.” Though I bet if Heather were here, and we both wanted to take him to his suite, he’d be on board. “It is late.”
“It’s not the late hour,” he says. “It’s just this day. It’s been... Well, I don’t have to tell you.” He glances at my bandage.
“Go on up to bed then, Seb.” Alex meets my gaze, his hazel eyes dancing. “I, for one, am happy to keep Ariel company.”
EPISODE 136
GHOSTLY NIGHTMARE
Brett
Alex and Sebastian take off shortly after River and Emily, leaving me alone with Misty, which, I have to admit, I don’t hate.
I know she’s not Jake.
She’ll never be Jake. But she looks so much like him. He always favored his mother, Lisa. Hell, I never met his father, but he looked a lot like his mom, and Misty sure looks a lot like her too. Same blond hair, same blue eyes, same cowlick.
I take her hand. “This has been a rough night for you. Do you want me to walk you back to the mansion?
She gazes at the ocean. She’s still wet from her swim, and so am I. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind peeling off all these clothes and getting down and dirty here on the sand.
But that’s my dick talking.
I need to use my head.
My heart.
My heart wants to believe she’s Jake’s sister. That some part of Jake lives on.
And my head?
My head doesn’t know what to fucking believe. Part of me wonders if Seb and Riv are right. Is Misty playing all of us?
But what would she have to gain?
If she’s telling the truth about her birth and about her adoptive father’s abuse, then she deserves our sympathy and our comfort.
“I don’t want to go back,” she finally replies. “Not yet.”
“What do you want then?”
She turns toward me. “You.”
I touch her hair again, right at the cowlick. “I’m right here, Misty. But I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t...”
“Wouldn’t what?” she asks.
That promise not to have actual sex with any of the women until I actually fall in love with one. I broke that promise earlier with Sienna. But that was different it its way. We were both mourning the loss of love.
And honestly? That’s what I’d be doing if I fucked Misty right now. I’d be doing it because I am still mourning Jake.
That’s not fair. To her or to me.
“Wouldn’t let myself be driven by lust,” I finish.
She studies me, her gaze so like Jake’s that it sends jitters down my spine. What do the jitters mean, though? Am I truly attracted to Misty? Or am I displacing feelings for Jake? Or both? Or neither?
A long silence stretches between us. Only the sound of the waves crashing against the shore fills the air. The moon is high, its light glimmering over the ocean surface.
“I... I understand,” she says, her voice barely a whisper above the wind.
“Trust me,” I say. “It’s not that I don’t find you attractive. You’re beautiful, Misty. Achingly so.”
She gives a weak smile. “I’m a mess.”
I push some hair behind her ear. “A beautiful mess.”
“The other women hate me.”
“That’s their problem. Not yours.”