The guys got off and left me to deal with the girl and the anchor on the boat. I stifled the need to sigh and stood up as Veronica reached out and brushed her hands over my chest.
"I'm coming. I just wanted to let you get to your friends or whoever you're meeting over here." I reached out and gripped her narrow hips, not really having anywhere else to rest my hands.
"Then, I'll help you and we can go together. I owe you for helping me this morning." She took a step toward me, filling the space in between us and sliding her hand up my chest to cup the back of my neck.
"No need to pay me back." I kept a firm grip on her, not quite sure I could spend the afternoon with a girl I wasn't interested in.
"I want to." She pulled me down and lifted to her toes, pressing her mouth to mine and brushing her tongue across my lips. I opened up and let her in, sucking on her tongue and closing my eyes so that I could imagine her to be Cora. It was horrible, and yet every cell in my body woke up at the idea of it.
I pulled her closer and ran my hands over her ass, letting my fingers play along the side of her bathing-suit as she groaned softly into my mouth.
"So hot," I whispered against her lips and tugged at the soft curves of her rear to press my budding erection more firmly against her tummy.
"Let's go find somewhere to get lost in each other." She nipped at my lips as I opened my eyes.
I had to force myself not to take a step back. Instead, I dropped down into my seat and reached for her, tugging her into my lap and clasping my hand over her thighs, the other around the back of her neck as I brought her down for another wave of kisses.
My eyes closed, and I was right back there again, the woman in my lap none other than the intelligent, sexy, rich girl that was sure to spike my pulse from afar for the rest of the summer. Every girl could be her. I could do this. No big deal.
"Cora," I mumbled against the girl’s mouth as I dove in deep, greedy in my need to claim her as my own.
Chapter Nineteen
Cora
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Emily pushed her shoulder against mine as we sat out on the dock, watching the boats drive by. It had been three days since my date with Brody, and where everyone else had been hanging out off and on together, I hadn't seen him, or any of them, since our date. I was still confused over what happened. Did he just want to have a quick warm up round with dinner and the movie and not sleep together?
He wanted to sleep with every girl on the island, but I make a move and he pushes me back? What the hell? Was I not good enough?
I guess not. I wasn't good enough for Brandon, either.
"Cora?" Dedra nudged me from the other side. "Hey, tell us what happened. Did he force himself on you?"
"What? No. No." I glanced over at Dedra and then Emily. "No. I don't know what happened. Dinner was great, and we skipped the movie to go walking on the beachfront, and then we danced a little, and I don't know... I guess he thought I wanted to sleep together."
"So he asked you to spend the night, or what? You haven't said a word about this shit in three days. We're all a little worried." Emily gave me a stern look.
"No. He basically turned me down. I think. I don't know." I ran my fingers through my hair. "I guess he really just wanted a friend to talk to, and I felt a connection that seemed like more was happening between us. He was...I don't know. I'm done talking about it. I hit on him, and he shut me down. End of story."
I'd cried a few times over the situation simply due to the embarrassment of being the only woman on the island that wasn't capable of seducing the whore who slept with everyone. It was sickening to think that I'd tried. I'd tried, right?
"Hey, maybe you should just talk to him. Daniel said he's not doing so great himself. Maybe it's just an odd misunderstanding." Dedra reached over and ran her hand down the back of my hair.
"I'm not worried about how he's doing, Dee. He denied me and left me feeling like a two-bit whore. Whatever was starting between us was in my head and it's over now. No biggie."
"It is a biggie," Emily barked. "I want to spend my summer with you and Clay, but that's not possible."
"Well, excuse the fuck outta me for messing up your love story." I pulled my legs up and stood as she started to back track.
"Cora. That's not-”
"Save it. I'm not interested. I've been cool about all this bullshit where you guys want to hang out with the same fucking friend group of guys every day and night. Cool. Have fun with it, but I'm not fitting into the mold of hooking up with the forth member of their group. He doesn't want me. I'm sorry that, once again, I'm not enough." My voice broke as tears filled my eyes. I turned and jogged back toward the house, not wanting them or anyone else to see me upset.
I busted through the door to find Cindy and Derek on the couch dry humping.
Cindy jumped up. "I'm sorry. We should...oh hell. What's wrong?"
I lifted my hand and let out a soft sob as I shook my head. "I should have knocked."