“What?” Creed chokes out, blinking confused blue eyes in Kathleen’s direction. “Why?”
She gives him a look, you know the type: a very parental sort of look. Children recognize it by the fear it strikes in their hearts; parents recognize it by the smug feeling they get when they cast it. Kathleen smiles, but it’s not a pretty expression. Her curly red hair is tucked up in a severe bun, adding to the image of authority, and her eyes are just as icy and blue as her children’s.
“Why do you think, oh genius son of mine?” She nods her chin in my direction. “I want Marnye to have a home away from home, and a place she can come and relax in if she needs space.”
“Yeah, it’s called her bedroom,” Creed drawls lazily, but I can see his hands curling into fists by his sides. He thought he’d won against the other guys by having me stay here. Looks like he was wrong. I smile and he catches my expression with a raised brow before turning back to his mother. “We’ve made up, Mom. We’re friends now.”
Kathleen doesn’t look convinced. Then again, she doesn’t know about the hot tub—and I hope she never finds out.
“Get your stuff together. Billy is sending a car to pick you up in a half hour.”
“I’m staying with the Kaisers?” Creed drawls, narrowing his eyes, and I chuckle.
“Zayd is there all by himself, and Billy would feel more comfortable if he had company. He asked if you could stay, and since I was looking into sending you to the B&B anyway, I agreed. I’ll be sending Kyle to keep an eye on the place as well, so don’t think you won’t have supervision.”
Oh. Kyle, the bodyguard. I’d forgotten about him completely.
Creed makes a frustrated sound in his throat, and grits his teeth, but he says nothing, breezing past his mother and up the stairs.
She mumbles something about needing coffee, and disappears, leaving me alone with Miranda.
We’re both dressed in sundresses: mine is new, a gift from Kathleen, and it’s the color of the sea at sunset, a balayage color pattern that goes from deep blue at the bottom to sandy gold in the middle and then orange and navy at the top. Miranda is outfitted entirely in a pale blue that matches her eyes, complete with yellow daisies.
“Shall we head down to the beach?” she asks, holding out her arm. I grin and take it, and we make the quick walk across the yard, through the trees, and down a series of steps to the beach. There are people there, running and screaming and playing, but it’s not overly crowded.
We find an empty spot, set up our towels, and crack open the picnic basket that Kathleen gave us. It’s full of cold, glass-bottled Cokes, sandwiches, and little plastic bags filled with cut-up fruit. We’re not seated there ten minutes when I get a ping on my phone.
On my way to pick up Creed. How was your flight?
“It’s Zayd,” I say, when I notice Miranda watching me. I suck my lower lip under my teeth before replying. Awesome. On the beach with Miranda now.
There’s a pause before I see him typing a response.
In my bathing suit. Live in it during the summer. LOL. Can I join you?
Before I can think too hard about it, I type yes.
Miranda’s brows are raised when I look back up at her.
“How are you planning on juggling all of these boys?” she asks, and I blink at her.
“I’m not … what do you mean ‘juggling’?” Setting my phone aside, I pick at the label on my Coke and try to ignore the anxious butterflies in my stomach. Doesn’t help much.
“Um, are you insane?” Miranda asks, leaning over to look at me with wide eyes. “They’re all in love with you.”
I rear back and end up spilling soda all over my lap.
“What? No!” I choke out, swiping at the crotch of my new dress with a cloth napkin. “No, that’s just— I mean, Windsor isn’t …”
“Okay, think whatever you want,” Miranda says with an exaggerated sigh. “But I’m telling you what it looks like as an outsider: you have five guys in love with you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I sputter, but then I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump.
“What’s ridiculous?” Creed asks, kneeling in the sand beside me. A shiver travels through me, and all of a sudden, all I can think about is the hot tub. The hot tub. That goddamn hot tub. I flick my eyes his direction and see that he’s studying me carefully.
“Nothing important,” I manage to get out, scooting over so that our bodies aren’t quite so close to touching. There’s too much tension between us, and I’m too confused as to what our relationship even is. Are we friends? It was literally just over a week ago that I told him he was the subject of a bet. And literally just over a week ago that he stood up for me in front of all his friends … “Zayd’s going to come down and join us for a little while.”
Creed nods, like he expected that, and then unfolds his long body in the sand, leaning back and lying there in his half-buttoned shirt and shorts. The wind tousles the fabric of his shirt, revealing the hard muscles in his lower belly, and the infinity tattoo above his right hip. I have the strongest urge to touch it, and end up sitting on my hand to keep from doing it.
“I can’t believe you’re letting Mom send me away,” he drawls, like he’s already half-asleep. His eyes are closed now, long, pale lashes resting on his cheeks.
“Oh please,” Miranda snorts with an exaggerated eye roll. “You’ll be a ten minute walk away, in a rock star’s mansion, with every possible comfort. Plus, you’ll be shacking up with your bestie, so don’t give me that crap.”
“Zayd is not my bestie,” Creed growls, like a sleeping cat who you’ve petted just this side of too long. He won’t swipe at you—too lazy and tired for that—but the warning’s there. “We’re barely friends.”
“Right. Just like you and Tristan. You’ve all known each other since forever, but you’re not friends at all.”
“Tristan and I were never friends,” Creed snaps, but still he doesn’t get up from his spot in the sun-warmed sand. “Zayd is at least tolerable.”
“Good to know,” Zayd says, appearing behind us, and making me jump. Wow. My nerves must be getting to me because I’m the only one that seems so … excited. My tattooed, pierced little rock star friend squeezes between my towel and Miranda’s, stepping over the picnic basket and then turning to face us.
He’s gloriously shirtless, his ink shimmering in the bright sun. His black board shorts are slung criminally low on his hips, to the point where I’m actually concerned they might fall to his feet, and I’ll get to see … I mean have to see, his dick.
“I like the dress, Marnye,” he says, but even though he’s smiling and trying to be playful, there’s an edge to his words, a lick of shame that I both appreciate and wish I could wipe away. “Gorgeous, as usual.” Zayd squats down, his muscular legs drawing my attention. His thighs look hard as rocks, and there’s a tattoo on the inside of one that’s drawing my attention.
I force my gaze back to his face.
“Thank you,” I whisper as Miranda scoffs.
“Wow, make a girl feel ugly, why don’t you?” she says, and Zayd tears his attention from me to look at Miranda.
“No, you’re totally hot, too,” he says, forcing a grin. “You just, you know, play for the other team.”
“So a girl’s only worthy of your compliments if she’s somebody you could possibly have sex with?” she asks, raising a blond brow. Zayd’s mouth drops open as she hair flips (yes, it’s still terrible) and then reaches into the basket to offer him a Coke. He takes it, and then lifts it in her direction in salute.
“Well-said, Miranda. You schooled me.”
“Wait,” I start and then pause, “what do you mean possibly have sex with?”
They both ignore me.
“So, tonight is pretty chill, but tomorrow there’s a huge bonfire on fairly neutral territory, down the way at Myron’s place.” Zayd sits back in the sand and reaches up to twist some of his sea green hair into little spikes. “Although Harper’s an idiot if she thinks Myron’s loyalty is split; he’s Tristan’s best friend first and foremost.”
“Tristan has a best friend?” I ask, blinking stupidly. For some reason, that never really occurred to me. I guess I just sort of thought of Creed and Zayd as his besties? Although, considering the conversation we just had, that’s not entirely accurate. Myron Talbot is the only one of the Bluebloods—besides the Idol guys, of course—that wasn’t involved in my … um, kidnapping and attempted rape. The color drains from my face, and I curl my fingers against my chest, thinking about all the horrible things that might’ve happened to me at Lake Tahoe.
“Myron, yeah,” Zayd says, flicking some sand with a tattooed finger. “He’s a son of a bitch. He barely talks, but he’s always there to carry out Tristan’s dirty work.” Zayd turns emerald eyes on me, and my breath catches. I find myself suddenly aching to touch the sides of his face, to pull him close and brush my mouth to his. Instead, I curl my arms around myself and squeeze. “I’m honestly pretty surprised he never sicced Myron on you.” Zayd exhales and reaches up with sandy fingers to push hair from his forehead.
“Too vicious,” Creed says, eyes still closed. “Myron would’ve been too much for Marnye.”
“Oh, well,” I say, feeling irritation creep across my skin like a horde of itchy insects, “it’s nice to know how much nuance there is when it comes to bullying. Reading a girl’s private thoughts aloud to a rowdy mob is okay, but Myron Talbot, that’s too much.”
Creed doesn’t acknowledge my comment, but Zayd cringes.
“Myron is … you’ll see later.” Zayd crosses his legs and leans forward, putting his elbows on his knees.