I go over to the fridge, and Jack meets me there. “You had your chance to get rid of us,” he says in a low voice.
I give him a look. “Like it was that easy. It’s Asher. You could have given me a warning.”
“He and Corinne showed up at my office. I thought I was letting you off the hook by making up that shit about you being out of town…sparing you a night with me.”
“Look how that turned out for me.”
He lifts his chin. “You’ve got my number. Next time you want to bring a girl here, just text me and I’ll know not to come.”
I gauge him. “You’d probably race me here,” I say, but we both know I don’t really believe that.
He lets out a sigh. “Is it really that bad having to stomach me for a couple of hours? You used to spend time with me voluntarily.”
“Until you had to fuck it all up.”
He stares at me like he has shit to say but isn’t gonna. “Fuck it. Quit asking if anyone wants another drink, and I’ll get us out of here as soon as I see an opening, okay?”
“Fine,” I say. He starts to walk away, but I say, “So you and Bailey now?”
He stops and turns to me. “Are you laying claim on her, too? One at a time, Hargrove. That’s all I’m gonna let you have.” He winks at me like the fucker he is and then heads back over to where everyone is hanging on the floor.
When we rejoin the group, Corrine and Asher regale us with the story of how Asher proposed, and Bailey and Kylie ask questions about the wedding planning. I wonder if this is painful for Kylie. She did just plan a wedding, after all. As I listen, I try to imagine Kylie walking down the aisle with some strange guy waiting for her at the end. It’s almost inconceivable to me.
Jack stands up. “I’m over the whole boat thing. Let’s go get some food.” He gives me a contrite look, and I hate that I’m not despising him this evening.
“All right,” Asher says, pulling Corinne to him. “Come on, baby. I’ll get you some steak nachos.”
She lowers her chin. “With jalapenos and black olives?”
“With whatever you want on them, sweetness.” He stands and helps her up.
They all head for the door, and I meet Kylie’s gaze. It’s her move whether we stay or go. I don’t want to influence her, but I really want to stay.
She looks down at her can of seltzer drink, moving her finger around the rim.
Jack and Bailey are out the door, and Asher is guiding Corinne that way when he turns around and sees we’re not getting up.
He smiles at me, then holds up his hand. “Good to see you, man.”
“Yep,” I say.
“Nice to meet you, Kylie,” he says with a big smile.
“Nice to meet you both.”
Corinne nods with a smile as Asher ushers her off the boat and then shuts the door behind him.
Kylie meets my gaze. “Quick, lock it.”
I smile and then get up and walk over there, doing just that.
She giggles. “I was joking.”
“I’m not. I should have had it locked to begin with. I would have if I didn’t think it would creep you out.”
She stands up, straightening out the backs of her shorts. “I’m not creeped out by you, Brett.”
My name on her lips triggers my smile. “Good.”
“Besides, wouldn’t Jack have just unlocked the door and come right in? I assume he has a key, too.”
I let out a hard breath and put my hands on her hips. “Can we not talk about him tonight, or ever again?”
She gives me a knowing smile. “Come on, you didn’t hate him being here tonight nearly as much as you’d like to think you did.”
I just shake my head, glancing around.
“I watched you when he made jokes…a few inside ones, I’m guessing. You two were friends once.”
“Once,” I say.
“I think you stay mad at him out of loyalty to Tori.”
I don’t respond.
She smiles. “That’s sweet. Family first, right?”
I pull her closer to me. “Can we please change the subject now?”
“Sure thing. What subject would you like to discuss? The national debt? The ecosystem?”
I shut her up with a kiss, and the anticipation of the past couple of hours is instantly satisfied. As I run my hands up her back, she slides hers down to my ass, and her attitude about what she wants to happen on this boat tonight seems to have changed. She steps backwards, pulling us apart, and takes my hand, tugging me toward the bed. She glances at it. “Can we?”
“We can do whatever you want,” I say.
“I haven’t decided what I want yet. Is that okay?” she asks.
“Fine by me. I’ll be standing by.”
We climb onto the bed and start kissing again, this time with more intensity than I was expecting from her. She hikes her long leg over mine, and our bodies line up, mine lit up like a Roman candle.
My hands are in her hair and on her back, and I’m trying to respect her wishes and let her lead us, but I’m not at all used to this. Typically, when I lie down with a girl, we’re both all-in, and there’re no questions about where the night is going. But she’s made it clear she’s not ready to commit to anything in this bed, so I’m being as good as a choirboy.
She presses her pelvis against mine, and my cock can no longer stand down. She moves my hand from her lower back to her ass, and I grab it, crushing her body against mine. She breathes against my mouth, letting out a moan that threatens to send me over the edge.
“Fuck, Kylie,” I whisper.
She directs my hand to her zipper, pressing it against her. “Touch me,” she says.
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m in her shorts in half a second,
