California Nights (Rich Boys of California Duet 1)

I got out of the pool and lay back, thinking and watching her.

It was going to be a long summer. I just hoped it was a long summer of sex with Nevada.

Chapter Ten

Nevada

I’m not going to lie. It was gratifying to see Clay so taken with me. What’s not gratifying is how damn sure of himself he was.

He was just flirting with me anyway. I doubted he actually meant anything by it. He could, and probably did have fifty girls as speed dial booty calls. And that was so, so not my style.

Especially considering the fact that I was a virgin. Hell, I was so experienced I was an extra virgin. I’d never done anything more than kiss, and only that a handful of times.

But I would rather die than tell him that.

I would just have to avoid him as much as possible. That’s what I kept telling myself anyway. I just wished he wasn’t so achingly beautiful. In a not-fair-knows-he’s-God’s-gift-to-women kind of way.

Ugh.

I spent another hour at the pool, just because I couldn’t seem to bring myself to leave. Besides, once I was working it wasn’t not like I will have time to just lay around and swim or sunbathe. Not like all the other kids in this town.

Sometimes it was hard being the only not-insanely-rich kid in this town.

But I was a big girl. I knew life isn’t usually fair. If it was, Clay wouldn’t look like a Greek God. And I’d have a tree that grew money. As it was, I was going to just have to suck it up.

As usual.

Finally, I realized my shoulders were turning pink. If I stayed much longer he’d start to get even smugger, if that was possible. Not that I wasn’t enjoying myself. Clay could be very charming if he wanted to be.

And right now, he clearly wanted to be.

Betsy brought out sandwiches and I took it as my cue to leave.

“Hey, aren’t you hungry?”

I was, but I wasn’t about to take food from the staff. I knew they got the left overs anyway so it’s not like it would go to waste.

“I’m good. See ya.”

He was frowning at me as I wrapped my damp towel around me and slid into my shorts. They fit perfectly and were so soft. At least I could rock denim, even if it wasn’t designer stuff.

“Stay, it’s still early.”

“Yeah but I need to pound the pavement. I need money for next year.”

“Don’t you have a scholarship?”

“Yeah for tuition. But everything else is on me. And my mom.”

He was staring at me with those piercing blue eyes of his. I could tell he’d never thought about having to pay for books or food or anything.

Fuck, was he pitying me?

“It’s no big deal. Anyway. Have a good day.”

He was still watching me when I turned around and looked back.

Chapter Eleven

Clay

“So, are you entering this year?”

I shrugged. I knew he meant the club’s tennis tournament. It was a big thing around here and now that I was 21, I was eligible for the adult competition. I’d smoked the under 21 tournament ever year since I first entered at 14.

There were some excellent players at the club so it might be worth my while. Plus, winning would guarantee me ass for days. Years really.

Not that I needed the help. Except when it came to the one girl I actually wanted…

“Holy shit, is that Mouse?”

My head swiveled so fast I heard the air move. There she was. Nev was in town with her friend. I could never remember her name.

But Mouse?

Mouse was not the right name for Nev anymore.

Babe. Goddess. Ice Queen.

Yeah, she was surprisingly good at icing me out. As a result I had a growing obsession and a heavy pair of balls. I hadn’t even looked at porn. I didn’t need any assistance getting the job done with Nev in a bikini running through my brain on a loop.

She’d been ignoring me since the day at the pool. I could see her sometimes, swimming early in the morning or in the evening. I knew she was deliberately staying away from me.

What I didn’t know was why.

I’d thought about trying to catch her down there but I’d thought better of it. She’d come to me eventually. They always did.

I hoped so anyway.

Otherwise, I was going to have to step up my game.

I was going to get into her pants this summer.

Come hell or high water.

“Jesus, Mouse looks gooooooood.”

I glanced at Brett. He was annoying me, even if it was an understatement. Nev looked more than good. She looked phenfuckingnominal.

This time she was wearing a skirt. A demure, fluttery skirt that looked like it could fly up in a breeze. I started hoping for a breeze.

I smiled at her when she looked my way. Her friend immediately dragged her over to say hi. I almost laughed. Girls were so predictable.