"And that is?" Her voice tightened as she narrowed her eyes on me.
"Okay girls." Easton stopped beside me and lifted his eyebrow. "Wow. Looks like a catfight is about to start. Should I get in the middle or move back fast? I can pop a mean bowl of popcorn too."
"We're good." I reached for the key he offered. "I'm going to take her back up to the room. If you'll wait for me, I'll run back to the beach with you to get our stuff."
"Sounds good." He turned to Casey. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks for your help today. You're my hero." She blinked her eyes rapidly, making her impossibly cute.
"Come on, love bug." I put my arm around her shoulder and moved us to the elevator without giving Easton another look.
"You're wrong, Viv. I never step in the middle of your business, but I really think you're off about this guy. He lives in New York. He does something like what you want to do. He's crazy about you, obviously." She hopped to the back of the elevator and leaned against the wall. "Maybe he's the guy that's supposed to get you over Jackson."
"What if I'm not ready to get over Jackson, Case? He was my boyfriend for ten years. It's been a month. If I was with Easton it would simply be a rebound, and I'm not that kind of girl. I'm a love over lust any day of the week type of person, remember?" I put my hands on my hips, wanting so badly to get her to move to my side for the first time in our lives. I always moved to hers. It was my turn.
"He's not a rebound, and you fucking know it." She pointed at me. "He's a next step. You're passing up an opportunity here. Let down your guard just a little and see what happens."
The door opened and I helped her out. "And you're going to hold me when he breaks my heart and leaves me with no choice but to change companies in two or ten years?"
"I'll always be here to hold you." She hopped to the door and reached back for the key. "Get downstairs and get to know him better. If you still feel the same way in a week or so, then let it simply be a spring break fling. If not, he deserves a spot in your life."
"What makes you think he wants it?" I stopped by the door and pressed my hand to the doorframe as she moved inside.
"You know he does. So do I. Now, get out of here and do something about it." She moved in and let the door close in my face.
After taking a shaky breath, I took the elevator back down and walked around the lobby looking for him.
"Over here, Viv." He walked back into the lobby from the main door, his arms full of clothes and towels. "I decided to just go grab the stuff for us. No reason to drag you all the way back down there."
"Thanks. You're too good to us." I took my shirts and shook them out before pulling them back on and doing the same with my shorts.
"I'm almost wishing I hadn't gotten the stuff. You in that bikini was a treat and a half." He pulled his own shirt over his head.
The cocky grin on his perfect lips stole my thoughts, and I contemplated asking him for the penthouse tour just to see how good we would fit together.
"She really okay?" He asked, nodding toward the elevator.
"Yeah. She's a beast. She'll be good." I reached up and tugged my hair down, loving the way he watched me so intently.
"Hey, about the kiss..." He glanced down at the floor and back up toward me. "I shouldn't have done that. I know you're just getting over someone, and I'm really not looking for anything more than a friendship right now. I told you how crazy my shit is. You seem like a great girl. I just don't want to do anything that might–”
"It's all good. We don't need to go through this awkward conversation." I forced a warm smile as my heart contracted painfully in my chest. Of course he was pulling back. I'd almost decided to step forward. "We're just friends. The kiss was nice and deliciously hot, but just part of the high emotions of what happened. I'm good."
He nodded, not looking too sure of himself. "You wanna grab a drink or something?"
"Naw, I'm going to get back up to Casey. I'd hate to think she needed me and I wasn't there." I bent down and picked up the cards, the I.D.s and my phone from below him. "Today was fun. Thanks for coming. I'm not sure I could have carried her, even if she is small."
"How about dinner? I'll take you guys to a great pizza parlor down the strip. We can drive?"
I stood up and realized what he was doing. Protecting me. He thought I was crushed by the kiss and subsequent pull back. He was working to save face. Was I really that pathetic?
"I'll text you later. Let me see if she's up for it." I tucked the cards in my pockets and patted his arm like I would a mere acquaintance. "Okay, well, see you around."
Without another word, I turned and walked toward the elevator as I chided myself. See you around? What the fuck was that? See you around?
I turned when I got into the elevator to find him watching me intently. I glanced down at my nails, picking at them subtly until the door closed. Tears instantly filled my eyes, much to my dismay. He meant nothing and it would be bliss to tell Case that she was wrong. She was never wrong, but it would seem she was this time.
Checking my phone, I noticed that my mother had called twice. She didn't leave a message, of course, because that would be too convenient.