up his toned legs and abs, hitching on the subtle details: the veins on his forearms, the groove of his Adonis V just above his black swim trunks, the dark scowl he’s aiming at Tanner.
Only in the confines of my mind do I actually admit that he’s something to behold. So toned and yet not someone who lives for the gym, he’s someone who clearly uses his body for physical labor. It’s enough to make my mouth water, enough to make me lose track of my objective concerning him. Do I hate him for his arrogance or want him more because of it? Are we on track to kill each other or are we working toward an entirely different conclusion? One that promises slightly more pleasurable results?
This is the closest we’ve been all morning, and I’m acutely aware that I’m lying here in nothing but denim shorts and a bathing suit. It’s more skin than he’s ever seen—outside of the bath incident—but he’s not technically seeing anything, because his gaze isn’t on me at all. To him, I’m a ghost.
“Tanner, we’re playing volleyball. You in?” he asks. “Isla needs a partner.”
Tanner, having heard her name spoken in relation to himself, jumps to his feet like a well-trained puppy, and I’m left there on the towel, forgotten. I push up to sit, tucking my legs underneath me. Not surprisingly, my invitation to join never comes. Even more interesting, Ethan stays right where he is, hands propped up on his hips.
I know someone more diplomatic would offer a smile or maybe even an appreciative remark for allowing me to crash his weekend with his friends. I’d shrivel up and die before doing either.
“I know you’re probably itching to invite me to play as well,” I say with a teasing smirk, “but I’m happy right here.”
I hold up my book. It’s one of his, of course.
He narrows his eyes, seemingly on the precipice of saying something before he shakes his head and turns away.
I smile and go right back to reading—at least that’s what I appear to do. In reality, I watch that volleyball game with the careful attention of someone who’s going to have to write a dissertation about it afterward. I have every serve and point memorized. Ethan plays with all the finesse of an Olympic athlete, and Camille is pretty good too. Worse, she’s taken off her sarong and is hopping around the makeshift court in a bikini. Any man would be drooling at the sight of her.
Tanner and Isla are laughably terrible. Tanner isn’t the most athletic and Isla apparently isn’t either because between the two of them, they’ve only scored one point, and that one was swiftly ruled out of bounds by Brody, who’s serving as the volunteer referee.
Ethan serves and scores another point, sending Camille rushing over for another round of high fives, and my breakfast sours in my stomach. There can only be one explanation: they fed us expired bacon.
Then it occurs me that there could be another reason for the pit in my stomach, a seven-letter word I’d rather not name. I’ve never seen Ethan around other women. For the last few weeks, we’ve been living on a site where the male-to-female ratio is hilariously uneven. I’ve had it easy, and I never even realized.
Startled by the disturbing revelation, I turn back to my book and start reading with gusto.
In twenty minutes, I manage one page.
I can hear Camille’s laughter and flirty comments, Ethan’s taunting barbs to Isla and Tanner. The sun hovers high overhead, and I grow uncomfortably warm.
When the game ends, I glance up as Ethan walks over to grab some water from a nearby cooler. A bead of sweat rolls down his abs and I follow its descent with unwavering concentration.
I’m practically salivating.
Then my gaze shifts higher and, with a start, I realize he’s caught me watching him.
My cheeks flush with heat just as Tanner walks over, yanking his shirt off and throwing it on the towel beside me.
“C’mon, let’s swim.”
He doesn’t have to ask me twice.
I’ve been sunbathing all morning and my skin is hot and covered in a sheen of sweat. I strip off my shorts and toss them on top of my stuff, and together, we wade in slowly. The cold water shocks my system, but I don’t give it the chance to overpower me. I dive in and start swimming toward the center of the lake with Tanner hot on my heels. We laugh as we race, stopping