Page 48 of The Devil's Tattoo
“Didn’t look likenothing.”
“His intensity level is unnerving. Especially after he’s had a fewdrinks.”
Simone didn’t take my answer as definitive and continued her round of questioning. “What’s going on? I mean, is heintoyou?”
I shrugged again.Yeah,hewas.
“Do you want to be out of thefriendzone?”
“I don’t know,” I replied truthfully. “I don’t know if I’mready.”
“It’s been two years,right?”
“More like three,” I said slowly, looking up at her from the rack ofbathers.
“Well,” she began uncertainly, “aren’t youhorny?” The last word came out as a whisper, and despite my own embarrassment, I laughed and slapped a hand over mymouth.
“Yeah.”
“That’s good,right?”
“No, I don’t thinkit’sgood.”
“Why not?” I gave her a look, and her eyes widened. “Oohhhhh.”
Sometimes, Simone was so innocent it made melaugh.
“Let’s get outta here,” I said. “Maybe we all need some pooltherapy.”
“I was thinking the same thing. I love this whole tour thing, butman, the hours are long. I want to soak up some rays and not think about merchandise foraday.”
By the time we got back to the hotel and changed, everyone was at the pool. And when I said everyone, I meanteveryone. Dean had been back for a few days now, and he was there with Pete, Louie, and Sticks. Frank, Chris, and Dee were fooling around in the pool. Even Bob, our bus driver, was kicking back in a banana lounge with a beer in his hand. I had to do a double take when I saw Will perched on the edge of the pool, watching the three idiots trying to drown eachother.
Right then, I was thankful I had my sunnies on. The fronts were mirrored, which meant no one could see where I was looking, and that was right at a half-naked Will. Now I could see that the tattoo on his chest was of an anatomical heart, but I wasn’t looking at that. I was looking at his muscled chest and the ripple of a six-pack. He didn’t have a full-on bodybuilder rack. He wasjustnice.
“Zoe?” Simone elbowed me. “You’redrooling.”
I blinked hard and shook my head. “Shit. Did anyonenotice?”
“No. You’re safe.” She slow whistled and glanced at me. “Who would’ve thought all that was under those T-shirts,huh?”
“Simone,” Ihissed.
She laughed at my flustered reaction and led me outside. I wrapped an arm across my bare stomach, suddenly nervous. I knew I would feel too exposed, so on the way out of the shops, I’d picked up a pair of short women’s boardies to put over the bottoms. The moment we walked outside, Dee let out a loud wolf whistle, and everyone looked up to see usapproach.
I felt Will’s stormy gray eyes on me instantly, and when I dared to glance his way, his gaze was full of heat. He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, and before he realized I was staring back, I turned away.Holyguacamole.
I sat on a free banana lounge next to Simone, and she leaned over and whispered in my ear, “No one saw you drool, but everyone’s seeing Willslobber.”
“Simone,” I groaned. “Stopit.”
She smirked at me as she lay back and positioned herself for maximum sunbathing. Looking over the top of my sunnies, I caught Chris’s eye. He’d been doing some drooling of his own. I gave him a pointed look, and heblushed.
“Nice threads, hot legs,” Dee said, dripping water all over the place. He grabbed a towel and sat on the lounge next to me. “I heard something went down with you lastnight.”
“What are you on about?” I wondered who had talked, but if Simone had noticed, then Dee definitely would have. He never missed atrick.
“What’s his face is more worked up than usual. Andphwoah, did you see his face when youwalkedout?”
