Page 5 of Collateral Damage
Now they’re making out in the pool like they belong together.
“Are you alright?” the girl sitting on my lap purrs into my ear. I think her name is Tracy. Or maybe it’s Lacy. Stacy?
Whatever her name is, she’s straddling me in the hot tub, the overly chlorinated bubbles swirling around us. We’ve been making out on and off for the better part of an hour. I was into it, too.Reallyinto it. Even though we barely met a few hours ago, I’d already made mental plans to get her naked tonight. Things were going perfectly until I came up for air, ready to ask Tracy/Lacy/Stacy to go somewhere more private, and I saw them.
Sybil and Ethan.
And now I can’t even remember this girl’s name anymore.
There they are, bodies pressed against the side of the pool, arms wrapped around each other. Sybil’s lips—her perfect cherry-red lips—are currently working against my brother’s mouth like he’s the love of her fucking life.
Shit.
Ethan’s got her against the side of the pool like he’s ready to do her right there, despite all the people around. PDA is not usually his thing, but it’s as if he’s forgotten there’s a party happening around him. What’s worse is she seems to have forgotten everyone else as well. It’s them and nobody else.
I’m part of thatnobody else, apparently.
My entire body heats from more than the hot tub, and one thing is painfully clear—I’ve never been more jealous of Ethan than I am right now.
“I need a drink,” I mutter to Tracy/Lacy/Stacy and peel her off my lap before she can protest.
She falls back with a pout, her cleavage bouncing in her bikini top. Normally that would keep my attention, especially since she’s the sexy vixen-type with her long jet-black wet hair, beads of water on her soft, tanned skin, and lips puffy from kissing. Under different circumstances, I would take this as far as she’d let me—most likely with my dick buried in her as shescreamed my name. But I can’t. I’m too… pissed? Flustered? Confused? Angry?
I don’t even know what to call what I’m feeling. It’s more than jealousy. It’s hurt and fear and so many other emotions I want nothing to do with.
“I’ll come with you?” the girl asks, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth. She probably thinks this is the part where we find a room and lose our swimsuits.
What is wrong with me? Wouldn’t fucking her make me feel better? I already know the answer to that is a big fatno,and I hate it.
I’ve got to get out of here.
This party isn’t happening at our beach house, and thank goodness for Perry Hargrove and his constant parties and many available bedrooms. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to attempt sleep while Ethan fucks Sybil in his room across from mine.
Are they going to sleep together tonight? Looks like it. But maybe this will become a one-off drunken mistake that will lead to nothing.
Ethan knows better than to go after Sybil, let alone actually date her. He knows better than to take this big of a risk.
Or maybe he knows better than to let Sybil fall for someone else, losing his chance with the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on.
Ethan’s always been smarter than me. I shouldn’t be surprised he’s smart enough to want the woman he also considers his best friend. Who wouldn’t want to date their best friend when she’s gorgeous and intelligent and funny and kind and gets you in ways other people don’t?
I wouldn’t be so jealous if she wasn’t my best friend, too.
I might be in love with the girl, but my true best friend isn’t actually Sybil.
It’s Ethan.
My brother.
My twin.
I must be loyal to him above all else.
And that means supporting him with her.
There are three of us in our trio, but there’s only room for two to fall in love, which means one has to go.
I guess that not-so-lucky one is me.
