Page 23 of Hung Up
“Your beach?” he says with a laugh. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize. May I take a seat?”
“Depends.” I set down my book and prop myself up on my elbows. “Are you going to talk the entire time, or will I actually get the peace and quiet I came down here for?”
Jesse glances to the right before fixing his attention back on me. “Something tells me you won’t be getting your peace and quiet whether I stay here or not.”
Before I can ask him what he means by that, I hear the sound of loud, boisterous male laughter. He gives me an apologetic smile as a few familiar faces approach us, all jostling one another but stopping as their eyes fall on me. I avert my gaze as they all start to whistle, but I don’t miss the sideways look Jesse gives them.
“Damn, Thompson,” Stetson says as he steps in front of Jesse. “Looking good.”
“Thanks,” I tell him as a smile slowly grows on my lips. “I’ll make sure to tell Rylie you said so.”
He blanches for a moment before he laughs. “Nah, go ahead. She’s called you sexy before. I don’t think she’ll mind.”
“You clearly don’t know women that well.”
Stetson shrugs. “Never claimed to.”
“Alright,” Kai calls out, stepping in front of Stetson, and he’s practically standing on my beach towel. “Leave the poor woman alone. Go throw that ball around or something.”
Stetson wastes no time as he strips out of his shirt and steals a football from Bryce, running off toward the water. Lee and Bryce quickly follow, one of their shirts landing on my tote. Jesse, however, hesitates as Kai lays his towel out on the other side of me. We stare at one another, the unnamed tension growing thick between us.
And damn this bull-riding cowboy for what he does next.
Without breaking eye contact, he slowly and deliberately grabs the bottom of his black short-sleeved tee and drags it up his stomach, bringing my attention to his very toned six pack and the defined V of his hip bones disappearing beneath his blue swim trunks. Then he’s pulling it over his chest, his arms up so I can stare at his chiseled chest, which is ever so lightly dotted with hair. And as his shirt lifts over his head, his biceps strain, bringing attention to their sheer size and strength from the many years of bull-riding.
Finally looking at his face, I have to stop myself from flushing as I see the satisfied smile gracing those perfectly shaped lips. Jesse tosses his shirt to me, flashes me a wink, and then runs off after the others.
It’s the sun. That’s why I’m hot.
“You’re drooling,” Kai teases. I avoid eye contact as I lay flat on my beach towel, staring up at the sky.
“Was not,” I mumble, and that only makes him laugh.
I glance over to my other side to see Dean laying flat on his back with his book covering his face, so I turn my attention back to Kai. “So tell me. How’d it go with Georgia?”
“It was great,” he replies, the joy evident in his voice. “She’s a really nice girl. Max won’t stop blowing up my phone now, though.”
“That’s what you get when you start dating someone’s best friend.” I flip over onto my side, propping up my elbow and resting my head in my hand. “You are dating now, right?”
Kai shrugs. “We haven’t made it official or exclusive or anything. I’ve only been home just the once for us to do something.”
“Something, huh?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and he shoves my shoulder gently.
“I’m not one to kiss and tell.”
The sound of the boys reaches our ears as Stetson and Lee roll through the sand, fighting for the football while Bryce and Jesse look on. Except a certain brown haired cowboy keeps glancing our way. I shake my head and turn my attention back to Kai, only to see him giving me an unreadable smile.
“Get on with it,” I tell him, flipping over so I’m resting on both elbows.
“He doesn’t shut up about you, you know.” I turn to him with furrowed brows, which only makes him roll his eyes. “Don’t act like you don’t know who I’m talking about.”
I focus my gaze on the boys to see they’re back to playing. “I annoy him about as much as he annoys me, I’m sure.”
“You’re not wrong.” Kai’s laughter causes Dean to stir, but he doesn’t remove the book from his eyes. “That only makes him like you more. I think he’d treat you well if you gave him a chance.”
“Yeah, not going to happen.” I feel Kai’s gaze burning a hole in the side of my face. “I don’t need a boyfriend, Kai. I don’t want the complications and the feelings and everything that comes in between. I’ve sworn off all things relationships.”
Kai shifts so his entire body is facing me. “So Rylie is right, then. We need to get you laid.”
