Page 27 of Love You Like This

He makes a strangled sound and then clears his throat. “Sure.”

“I tied it tight so don’t worry about it coming undone or anything. Hearing our parents fucking was traumatic enough for one day,” I joke, trying to ease his obvious discomfort.

At least I’ll be able to use this moment as another example of why I shouldn’t think of him in any way more than a friend. He’s obviously the furthest thing from attracted to me. We’re just friends, step siblings even. Who cares that he’s kind and talented and hot as fuck?

Not me.

Eleven

XANDER

Fifteen years ago

She’s a terrorist. A goddamn tempting nightmare. Putting the thought of her bikini top coming undone while I’m rubbing this sunscreen into gorgeous, freckled skin into my head. Do the freckles on her chest continue down to her tits? A depraved thought on my account, but I’ve wondered about it for months. Even her joke about our parents didn’t get my mind out of the gutter.

As soon as I’m sure every inch of her skin is covered, I jump right into the pool, letting myself sink to the bottom. The cool water serves as just what I need to shock my body back into normalcy. My dick was half hard just from my fucking imagination alone.

I release the air from my lungs in a slow exhale. The bubbles race up to the surface while I remain at the bottom of the water. I see the distorted image of Jade standing at the edge of the pool with her hands on her hips. Only when my lungs burn with the need for oxygen do I push off the bottom of the pool to surface.

“Thank you.” Tiny flyaways dance around her face as the tropical breeze blows through the palm trees.

“For?”

“My back. And finally coming up from the bottom of the pool.”

“Awww, were you worried about me?” I flash her a grin.

“Generally would worry when someone jumps in the pool and doesn’t resurface after a few seconds,” she says dryly.

“I’m all good.” I do a little spin. “See? Just wanted to do some breath work.”

She lowers herself to the edge of the pool and dips her feet in. “The water feels so good compared to the air.” She cups some water and dribbles it over her legs, repeating the gesture on both her arms and then her chest.

I let my eyes linger on the droplets as they travel down the valley between her breasts. Is it possible to be jealous of water? Because I am. I’d give anything to run my tongue along the path the drops create. She’s braced her palms on the ground behind her and dropped her head back, so I look my fill at her body while I have the chance.

My eyes land on a freckle I’ve never noticed before. It sits right below the crease where her thigh meets her hip. If she was mine, I’d kiss it every morning and every night.

She moves, and I somehow manage to drag my eyes and thoughts away from that tempting little freckle before she catches me staring. Her body slides gracefully into the water beside me.

“The water feels amazing. It’s like the perfect temperature.”

“I know.” I gesture to the tanning deck at the shallow end of the pool. “If you want, I can track down the umbrellas for the tanning ledge and drag one of the lounge chairs over there for you.”

“Really?” Her eye lashes are clumped together from the water, somehow making the green of her eyes even more vibrant. “I’m good for now, but I’ll definitely take you up on that offer later.”

I follow her as she swims to the infinity edge of the pool and looks out over the crashing waves of the ocean. “Do you surf down here?”

“Sometimes. The current down here can be really intense.” I point at where the waves crash onto shore. “See how they’re breaking on the beach? It doesn’t make for the best surfing. There are a few beaches along the west coast that are great, though.”

“How rude of Stephen to buy a house on a bad surf spot,” she jokes.

“Right?” I laugh.

“Is that why you didn’t bring a board?”

“No.” I gesture to the side of the house. “There’s a small shed with my surf gear on the side of the house.”

“Tell me you’re not thinking of going surfing today?” Dad’s voice comes from behind us. “I see at least three rip currents out there.”