Chapter 171

Just great!

I like Arrick’s girlfriend, I guess, she’s sweet and shy and despite being maybe five years younger than me it’s striking how similar we look. Both with tawny hair, highlighted to blonde in waves, both small and busty with soft gray blue eyes. I guess the Carrero brothers have a type. The only obvious difference I can see is she seems incredibly shy and mousy whereas I’m more of a silent, outwardly confident type by manufacture. She shadows me to the loungers and seems relieved to get a seat right beside me on the double bed.

Jake and Arrick strip off across the other side of the pool, so different in build. Arrick is athletic and young with a lot of lean muscle to his frame whereas Jake is all hard ridges, muscle, and manliness. There is a lot more of him next to his smaller sibling. He throws me a look and a smile that screams ‘game on’ and then dives expertly into the water, closely followed by his equally stunning younger brother.

“Wow, Jake has a lot of tattoos.” Cara exclaims, watching the men in wonder. I glance over at her and get that familiar hint of jealousy starting to rise from my stomach. Her eyes are wide with appreciation and her mouth parted; I can see she’s starting to pant.

For god’s sake.

“Yeah, I guess … He got them all in his later teens I think.” We have never really talked about the tribal ink across his upper torso and scattered down his arms. I know he also has one on his upper back spreading across his shoulder blades, all black and no color.

“It’s kind of hot, I wonder if Arrick would get some?” she whispers dreamily watching the two swimming easily across the pool before splashing water at each other. I can hear Jake’s laugh echo my way and it makes my insides clench.

Is it now? Want to put your eyes back in your head sweetie?

“I’m sure his parents wouldn’t be impressed,” I respond flatly. “I know they both hate Jake’s.” Which isn’t entirely dishonest. I know they had both given him a lot of grief about them at first, but no one seemed to notice the additions in later years. Jake mentioned wanting a new tattoo briefly only recently.

“What’s to hate? I mean on that body they only accentuate things.” She grins, then immediately drops it when she catches my look, inner green-eyed me scowling unnecessarily. I know it’s normal to check out Jake, everyone does it, but I don’t need someone sitting beside me verbalizing it. Especially not someone so young and beautiful with an obvious resemblance to me. A younger less fucked-up model.

That’s called severe insecurity, Emma!

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” She adds hastily. “How long have you been dating?” She asks quietly, obviously trying to make amends for the eye ogling, her eyes still on the water and the now swimming men.

“A while,” I answer, contemplating poking her in the eyeballs. In truth not long at all but as Jake always tells me this relationship started long before it did and I’m happy to let her believe it.

Marking your territory?

“Wow, so like as in real dating, not just sex?” She looks impressed. Her eyes once again flicking to him as he pulls out of the water at the far side. A vision of slick muscle and gorgeousness.

Maybe you need a poke in the brain, followed by a sharp poke in the throat!

“If you’re asking if we’re serious then yes, I live with him. He loves me.” I point out flatly and turn to the magazines on the low table, picking the first on the pile. Trying to act indifferent to her and succeeding. Something I was always good at.

“How did you manage that? I heard Jake was a hopeless womanizer, more chance of getting blood from a stone.” She looks me up and down and I can tell she’s comparing us as she pushes her bust out and rearranges her legs on the lounger.

I swear, honey, you’re going to meet the water in a second and I’m sure swimming will be hard with my foot on your head.

“I didn’t do anything; Jake is the one who pursued me … Relentlessly.” I smile to myself, even though our relationship is far more complex, it sounds good to summarize it that way. I glance over at him and see his smile turned our way, that same inner heat hitting me with the contact and distracting my crazy jealousy for a second. I still my response and just raise an eyebrow at him instead.

He’s the one keeping his distance, he doesn’t get a smile for it.

“I guess you either had a chastity belt to stave that off or were an absolute tiger in bed to keep him interested.” She smiles, her eyes focused on Jake as he pulls himself out of the pool, his shorts now clinging to his butt and thighs and showing off every muscle perfectly, not to mention how much he is packing below the waist. Her head follows his saunter across the side, eyes widening at his obvious bulge and the way his muscles flex and tense as he moves and lifts a towel from a nearby lounger.

I hate you.

The girl has irritated me enough, I ignore her and turn to my side, away from her, to get a grip of the irrational thoughts and violent intentions. Opening the magazine to make it clear I’m done.

She shifts on the lounger and her foot grazes me as she maneuvers herself into a new position. Glancing back in anger catching her posing like a wanton tramp, thrusting her bust forward and exposing her leg through her open wrap as Jake approaches.

I guess I was wrong about this one, not so sweet and nice after all. Definitely ripe for a brutal beating.

I jump up and walk away from the lounger. Jake doesn’t stop, he just walks on to where I’ve moved off and sits beside her instead, making me stop dead in my tracks.

What the F …? Jake always soothes my jealousy!

She positively beams at him despite him shedding water all over her. Giving him a haughty glare, I go back and sit on the lounger next to them, I’m not leaving with him acting like an asshole. I sit a foot apart and pick up my magazine again, ignoring his grin and jutting my chin out in anger. I can feel that wicked gaze flicking my way and see the way he’s sprawled out casually beside her, all tanned, carved torso, and long legs.

Asshole.

“So, Cara … Arrick tells me you’re a freshman in college?” His smooth Casanova Carrero voice eases over her and I literally want to throat punch him. He’s in flirt mode, I can just tell by his entire manner. I suppress the urge to openly glare at him, pushing the magazine open to another page aggressively.

“Umm, yes, Jake.” She rolls his name on her tongue as seductively as she can. I look up seeing Arrick shaking his head in amusement and it only angers me more.

Isn’t this his girlfriend? This girl, practically spreading her legs for my boyfriend to bang her?

My rage ignites and I get up and storm off toward the house. I need to get out of this sundress and into something that Jake will take notice of. I reel as I notice he doesn’t follow me. Hurt and anger battling one another, I catch that smug look in his eye as I glance back. All part of his little game, he thinks he can make my jealousy work against me, so I’ll cave and beg him to come make love to me.

I think not.

I lift my chin defiantly.

* * *

In the room, I pull out all of my clothes and rage when I can’t locate a bikini at all. I hadn’t packed for a weekend in the Hamptons and have nothing that will turn his head at neck breaking speed. Looking through, the only thing I can find is my running clothes and I chuck them down in dismay. I get up and stomp out of the room, feeling more than a little annoyed and run into the girlfriend one of the cousins. Alessandra. She’s a swimwear model with a body to die for and a heavy Italian accent.

“Ahh, hello, Emma? Right?” She smiles warmly, a towel draped over her arm and a sun lotion bottle in her hand. She’s heading back down and looking devastatingly sexy in her own black molded two piece.

“Yes … Hi … You wouldn’t have a spare bikini, would you? I didn’t pack for this.” I laugh shyly and see the sparkle in her eye.

“Of course, I always pack many. Come with me, I have something so perfect for you.” She smiles and turns, leading me back to her room with a sexy catwalk thrust. I can’t help but be awed by this sexual being swaying in front of me. She has the body of a woman who works out religiously and eats only organic bagged fresh air.