Page 91 of Twisted Beauty

Matt loosened his grip and whispered in her ear, “And I was just about to tear off that little suit and get a taste of you, right here in public.”

Liv felt her whole body heat. She stretched out on the rock to dry in the sun. Matt hopped out of the water and settled down next to her. She had no idea how long they lay there together, listening to the water flow, the hum of chatter around them. It was all so relaxing.

“Hey lovebirds, you ready to go soon?” Katie called from across the lake.

Matt let out a long, frustrated sigh, making Liv smile.

“Sure, why not,” Liv yelled back.

Liv threw her clothes on over her damp suit, and Matt gathered their towels. On their way down the hill, they stopped for a late lunch at one of the little outdoor cafes.

“This was fun, but I’m ready to relax at the pool with Sebastian,” Katie said as she finished her tamales.

Liv set down her margarita and shifted her chair closer to Matt’s, in order to stay under the shade of the umbrella as the sun dipped in the sky. Matt draped an arm over her shoulders. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “How about you, sweetheart? You want to swim or nap?”

The guy was insatiable. How would she ever get over this? Just his breath on her ear made her crazy, and he gave her multiple orgasms every time he touched her. He’d officially ruined her chances of ever wanting another man.

She turned to smile at him. “A little of both?”

“Sold.”

“What are you two conspiring about over there?” Katie asked.

Liv shrugged.

“Shall we go, then?” Nate said from the next table, where he and Garrett sat with Jana. Liv was surprised to see them looking so comfortable, now that she knew the whole Nate and Jana story. How was it possible for a man to forget spending the night with a woman so completely that he didn’t even recognize her?

A year from now, maybe that would be her and Matt.

God, that would suck.

21

Liv

Crap.

Crap, crap, crap.

Her day had been so perfect until now.

But the second they arrived back at Casa Ventana, Liv spotted Elle. Stretched out in a lounger beside Sebastian and looking all Vogue with her oversized sunglasses and a margarita in hand. She wore a bright green sliver of a bikini and a matching headband to hold back her mane of silky blonde hair. Who could compete with that?

And now that Liv knew Matt and Elle had a thing once, she felt all kinds of awkward.

Elle bounded out of her chair as they approached. “Well, there you all are. My goodness. It looks like I missed all the fun.” She brushed straight past everyone and wrapped her arms around Matt.

Liv stepped to the side and looked at Sebastian who was still seated in his lounge. She watched him roll his eyes from across the pool. Of course, he wasn’t subtle about it. He pretty much put his whole body into it, like he did with everything else.

Matt returned Elle’s hug, then placed his hands on her shoulders and stepped back. “I see you remedied that little problem we spoke about at Starbucks.”

“Of course.” Elle pulled off her headband and shook out her long blonde hair, like a shampoo commercial. She flashed him a big, perfect smile. “I’m so glad you finally invited me, even though it was so last minute.”

“I never—”

“Oh, I know. Don’t worry. All is forgiven. It’s just as well. I wouldn’t have gone on that silly hike anyway. This pool is phenomenal, by the way. Why don’t you join me for a swim?”

Matt let go of her and reached for Liv’s hand.