"What? It was nothing." I walked up the stairs and reached for a towel that was hanging over the edge. After wiping myself off, I stripped out of my shirt and rolled my shoulders. "She's going with us to the island in a few minutes. Let's load up."
"You just got a date over saving her son? Do you even sleep with chicks that have kids? Aren't they a little more..."
"Needy?" I rolled my eyes and popped him with the towel. "It was her brother, but you're being quite judgmental for a doctor, aren't you?"
"I didn't mean it like that. Never mind." He shook his head and dropped down onto the bench next to him. "Hey, guess what?"
"What?" I stopped before going into the cabin and glanced back over my shoulder.
"I asked Dedra out, and she said yes." He smiled widely as his cheeks colored pink.
I stifled a chuckle. "Like out on a date or out like she's your girlfriend?"
"Like a date. Do people really ask each other out like boyfriend-girlfriend anymore?"
"No clue. Either way, that's cool as hell. Congrats, man. It would seem that your balls have finally dropped." I winked at him and walked into the house to the sound of him berating me. "Let's go, fuckers. I want to get out of here for a little while and go out to the island. You guys coming?"
"Yep." Derek got up from the couch and stretched. "Are the girls going with us?"
"Nope. It's a guy’s afternoon. We're taking a hot little number out to the island with us, but we'll drop her off and go play some volleyball or something." I rolled my shoulders and turned as Clay stopped by the opening to the kitchen.
"What hot little number?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I just fucking left you on the porch, and you already got some girl's digits?"
"You know it. Some chick whose brother was drowning, and I saved his scrawny ass." I beat on my chest like Tarzan. "I'm a hero; she wants to pay me back. She's a good girl, obviously."
He rolled his eyes. "I swear, dude. You're impossible to figure out."
"Like a human-sized Rubik’s Cube." I grabbed my swim trunks from the basket by the couch and stripped out of my shorts before tugging my trunks on.
"Come on, man. Shit." Derek covered his eyes and stopped by the couch.
"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, Derek." I laughed and turned, walking back out to find Daniel on the phone, laughing with someone. It was cute, too cute, and left me wanted to gag toward him. It made me want to see Cora again. "Let's go."
I jogged back down to the boat and got everything situated as the other guys walked down the pier. Vanessa walked up a few minutes later in a much more revealing bikini.
"Damn," someone muttered behind me.
"Right?" I reached up and smiled at her. "Hey, you. Your brother okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks again, Brody." She reached down and slid into my arms, fitting almost too well. Guilt blasted through me, but I couldn’t find a reason to hold onto it. I was doing Cora a favor. Having come to r
espect the beautiful brunette over the course of a week or less, I was taking a step back and leaving her alone because she was too much woman for me – plain and simple. I'd never admit it in a million years, but the fact still remained.
"Guys, this is Vanessa." I moved back, releasing her and getting into the driver's seat. The guys greeted her as I started the boat. "You just need a lift to the island?"
"Yeah, and a date for the big Fourth of July party they’re throwing out here. I don't suppose some lucky girl already has you for the night?" She gave me a sexy smile that should have thrown my hormones in overdrive, but I felt nothing but a small thrill over the fact that my favorite holiday was coming up.
"I'll give you my number, and we can talk about it later. I'm pretty sure I have plans, but if not, I'm all yours." I winked at her and turned back to the wheel before pulling on the gearshift and hitting the gas.
The boat picked up speed fast, and I moved us easily in between the various boats around us. The wind felt good in my hair and rushing past my skin. I should have been enamored with the beautiful blonde beside me, but I couldn't seem to find any desire to do much more than press the gas harder and push my luck with the speed of the boat.
"Hey. Slow your wild ass down, or you're going to get us a ticket. Shit." Clay patted my shoulder, reminding me that there were rules that even I had to keep to.
"Sorry, man." I glanced up and looked over to find Veronica watching me closely. I winked at her again before pulling my glasses out of the container below the dash. I was going to force myself to pay her a bit of attention, but it wouldn't come naturally. I couldn't shake the thought of how badly I wanted it to be Cora watching me like that, fucking me 10 ways to Sunday in her mind.
I pulled up to the dock, slowing down significantly and smiling over at Veronica. "We're here, pretty girl. You need help off?"
"Are you not coming?" She stood and moved just beside me.