Accidentally Wild (The Wilder Brothers)

Despite the asshole encounter we had with one of his parties when he invited me, I didn’t know much about the man other than the fact that he gave off a very significant player vibe. He was handsome, though. I’d venture to say more handsome than Lucas. His wild blonde hair framed his face perfectly and his striking blue eyes glistened from across the pool. He was tall. I mean, he towered over everyone else. Loomed, almost. Like a building or a skyscraper. And his muscles.

Sweet heaven on earth, those muscles.

They were chiseled and toned. I could see every ripple and sinewy vein he worked hard on. His washboard abs would get my clothes clean any day and his swollen chest dumped into ferociously strong arms. Probably from hauling wood and painting walls and generally getting soaking wet with sweat while on the job.

“You’re staring,” Jessica said, grinning.

I cleared my throat and settled back into my chair.

“The man’s got muscles,” I said.

“They all have muscles,” she said.

“Doesn’t mean I want to have anything to do with him.”

“Uh huh. Should I give you some alone time tonight with your jetted bathtub?”

“I don’t even want to know what that means.”

Jessica giggled beside me before she dove headfirst into her third mango margarita.

“Are those any good?” I asked.

“Oh, they’re splendid. I’m actually about to go swim some of it off just so I can justify having another.”

“Well, don’t drown yourself.”

“Can I convince you to come in for a swim?”

“Actually, no. I’m working on my very uneven tan right now. How do I look?”

“Like someone spilled brown paint on a while wall,” she said, laughing.

“You’re a bitch. But I love you.”

“You’re a bitch, and you need to get laid.”

“Somehow, I think my sentiment was sweeter.”

“Cannonball!”

Jessica tossed back the rest of her drink before she leapt from her chair. Lucas whipped around in the pool and held out his arms, like he had been waiting for just that specific moment. She leapt into the pool with her hat on her head and landed right into Lucas’ grasp. The two of them went under, making the biggest splash alive, and when they came up their lips were locked. She wrapped herself around him and he held her close, and I couldn’t mistake the happiness in both of their eyes.

They really were enjoying one another, and I was happy for them.

I shook my head as I took another sip of my appletini, but my eyes began to wander. Back to Everett, to be exact. I hated that I wanted to look at him. I hated that I felt as if I was rewarding his piggish behavior. But something about his body called to me, and it was hard to resist. Those long legs. Those throbbing thighs. His beautifully-tanned skin dripping with the sweat of the Vegas sun.

I licked my lips before I took another sip of my drink.

His eyes connected with mine after I was done ogling him. The grin that crossed his face told me he had been watching. I cleared my throat and looked away, taking in the rest of the people by the pool. Some were making out, one couple was practically having sex in the hot tub. I looked up into the sky and took in the blue expanse and the lack of clouds. I even turned around and looked back at the hotel facade.

Anything to keep my eyes from falling onto him again.

Then, I heard a low, commanding voice at my side.

“Care to get a drink inside?”

EIGHT