Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
I stuck my tongue out at Aidan, and he rolled his eyes in return. “You can’t hide behind Rhys all night. I’ll get you eventually,” he threatened playfully.
“Want to bet?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around Rhys’ neck and my legs around his middle like a limpet. I experienced a moment of concern that he might not want me touching him so much, but those worries were quashed when his hands wrapped around my legs, his palms skimming my outer thighs just above the knee. He held me to him like he really did mean it about protecting me.
Even though we were just playing around, there was something about the whole thing that made my stomach flutter. Rhys was the sort of guy who’d face down a hurricane for the people he cared about.
Still with his large, solid hands on my thighs, he stared down Aidan, who scowled and gave up, returning to the other side of the pool. I wrapped my arms tighter around Rhys, savouring the closeness.
“So, you’re just going to stay like this until we get out?” he asked, sounding amused. There was a small catch in his voice that belied his nervousness, too.
“If it’s not too much inconvenience to you, yes,” I replied, and Rhys turned his head a little to meet my gaze.
“It’s not an inconvenience,” he said quietly, his eyes intense, giving me yet another belly flutter.
Nuala shot me a knowing grin like she was onto me. And okay, yes, a small part of me might’ve been using this opportunity to get close to Rhys, but who could blame me? I’d never been this attracted to a boy before. And though I’d been unsure earlier, I wasn’t anymore. Not with the way he kept my body pinned to his back. He was into this just as much as I was.
Derek caught my eye, a vaguely concerned look on his face, and it made me wonder if maybe I was being cruel without realising it. I genuinely liked Rhys, but he was also going through a lot with his parents divorcing. Maybe I shouldn’t be complicating his life when he had so much going on. But it was hard to stay away from him. I was like a moth fluttering around a light bulb whenever we happened to be in the same room, unable to help being drawn close.
Aidan made a few more attempts to get to me, sneakily giving us a wide berth and then trying to dive for me from behind. Rhys was onto him though and easily swung me around, my arms tightening as he moved us through the water. Every time my chest pressed against his back, it sent a flutter of awareness through me. My pores tingled with all the places we were touching. My nipples beaded, and I wondered if he could feel them prodding into his back.
Eventually, everyone started getting out of the pool. Nuala made an announcement that she was ordering pizza and that we all needed to come upstairs to pick what we wanted from the menu. Aidan tried waiting us out, but my will was stronger, and the prospect of takeout won in the end. He shot me a strange, defeated look as he glanced from me to Rhys like he was finally accepting I wasn’t interested in him.
He climbed from the pool, and I sighed in relief.
I was about to finally let go of Rhys when I was suddenly aware it was just the two of us left in the pool.
We were alone, and my heart began to race.
11.
Charli
“I think it’s safe for you to let go now,” Rhys said quietly, breaking me from my fixation.
I’d been officially staring.
I never realised how sexy a boy’s throat could be, but I was obsessed with Rhys’. The way it moved when he swallowed, or the flutter in his jaw when my palm splayed out over his collarbone. Did I affect him like he affected me?
Finally, I released my hold and floated away a small distance. “Thank you for keeping me safe from Aidan, good sir,” I said, fluttering my eyelashes humorously though my voice was breathy, betraying how worked up I was. Maybe it was all the touching. I wasn’t used to so much contact, especially not with someone I liked.
Rhys nodded silently, running a hand through his wet hair. A strand still clung to his forehead, and I moved towards him on instinct, my hand snatching out to smooth it back. Rhys arched a curious eyebrow, and I flushed. His eyes ran over me, dipping low to my cleavage. The swimsuit was tight, and it pushed my boobs together in a way Rhys appeared to find diverting.
I started to smile, and his eyes flicked up. Now, it was his turn to flush.
“See something you like?” I tilted my head.