“Well, that was…” Jules let out a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry I got you into this.”
“I offered to keep this thing going, remember? You didn’t get me into anything I didn’t want to do.” He forced the tension out of his body. He’d wanted to do this because Jules offered a one-of-a-kind distraction from the shit his mom was going through, but that didn’t do a damn thing if he didn’t let her distract him. “I’m just in a piss-poor mood, and it has nothing to do with you.”
“Okay.” She didn’t sound sure, though. But she brightened immediately. “I’ll grab the beer.”
He was quickly learning that Jules covered up nearly any uncomfortable emotion with cheer. It should have been annoying as fuck, but it was strangely endearing. Then she shimmied out of her shorts and he forgot about everything but the fact her heart-shaped ass was barely covered by her bikini bottom.
He rubbed a hand over his face, his chances of making it through the day without killing Grant Thomas—or fucking Jules senseless—disappearing before his eyes.
Chapter Eight
Jules could feel Adam’s eyes on her, and it was driving her crazy. She tried to focus on where Aubry floated next to her, her friend’s giant hat shielding her face and chest, and her equally giant sunglasses masking any expression of judgment that she was sure to be leveling at Jules right about now. “Sorry.”
“You keep saying that. I keep not believing you. In fact, I don’t think that word means what you think it means.” She held her hand out, and Jules passed her another beer from the cooler strung between Jules and Adam’s tubes. Aubry took a long drink and sank lower into the hole in the middle of her tube. “But it could be worse.”
“Dear God, was that an actual admission of you having fun doing something outside surrounded by nature?”
Aubry laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s entirely possible that some undiscovered-until-now alligator will appear to pick us off one by one.” She seemed to consider. “But if that bastard starts with Grant, I might be okay with my inevitable fate.”
She looked over to where Grant floated near them, surrounded by Kelly, Kelli, and Jessica. They were all former cheerleaders, and all were conveniently single and looking to sink their claws into an up-and-coming lawyer.
That’s not fair. You were panting after Grant for years.
As if he could read her mind, Grant shot her a look over his shoulder and grinned. “Hope you’re having as great a time as I am, Jules.”
She gritted out a smile. “Of course. This is just peachy.”
“Sugar, you’re lying through your teeth.” Adam snagged the line between their tubes and towed her closer to him until they squeaked as they rubbed together.
“Only totally.” She lowered her voice. “The water’s freezing, I’m mostly naked, and now Aubry’s got me thinking about mutant alligators. I used to love this, but for the life of me, I can’t remember why.”
“Is it because of that trio?”
“No.” She let her head drop back to rest on her tube. “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t want anything to do with him, but seeing him makes me crazy.”
It was probably karma kicking her in the lady bits for thinking she could stick it to Grant by doing the same damn thing. She should have taken a page from his book and let him think she had a harem of men stashed away, all ready to drop everything and see to her needs. She laughed at the thought.
“What’s so funny?”
She debated not telling him for half as second, but it was too much. Besides, the brisk breeze had eased them just out of earshot of the rest of their group. “Just picturing if Grant’s and my positions were reversed and I had three gorgeous men hanging on bated breath for my attention. The imaginary look on his face is very satisfying, if you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t.” Adam put his hand on her knee, the contact shockingly warm. “I’m hurt, sugar. You think one of me isn’t man enough for you?”
Jules was suddenly very aware that she was wearing a sad excuse for a swimsuit and that it wouldn’t take but a second to divest her of it if Adam was interested. She went very still, torn between wanting to laugh the whole thing off and wanting to take his hand and slide it higher up her thigh. Her skin felt too tight, her nipples pebbling in a way that had nothing to do with temperature. “Oh, no. You’re great. I mean, uh, yeah.” You can do better than this. “So, about that dirty-talking lesson…”