What She Didn't Know (What She 1)

I smiled a bit sheepishly. “Yeah. You’ll meet the right one.”

“Are you sure Lynn’s the right one for you?” she asked.

“Positive.” I’d never doubted it.

“Then I hope you’ll be happy.”

“Thanks.”

I stepped out of the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I ran straight into the girl in the pink bikini. “What were you doing in there with her?” she demanded.

“Who are you?” I replied.

“You first.” She cocked her hip and stared at me.

“You dumped a pitcher of punch over her head. She needed to get cleaned up. I showed her where the bathroom is.”

She narrowed her blue eyes. “And that’s all you did?”

I took a menacing step toward her but she just stood up taller. She didn’t retreat. “What else could I have been doing?”

“Doing her,” she bit out.

I shook my head. “I have a girlfriend.”

“Where is she, by the way? Your girlfriend?”

I glanced down at my watch. “She should be here by now.”

She took two steps toward me, her gait slow and leisurely. “I have a word of caution for you.”

I said nothing.

She lifted her hand and let it play in the light dusting of hair on my chest. Fear shot down my spine. “If you hurt her, I’ll kill you. I won’t even think about it. It’ll just happen. You won’t expect it, and I’ll try to make it quick, but it’ll happen. Do you understand?”

I grabbed her hand, because her rubbing my chest was making me uncomfortable. When I did, she twisted my hand until she pulled my thumb backwards and then she pressed hard, making me wince.

I nearly fell to my knees. I didn’t, though. I stood there and fought the urge to punch her in the face. She was a woman, after all. A sadistic, messed-up woman, but a woman nevertheless. She stopped bending my thumb when the dull ache became a roaring pain. I clenched my jaw and took it, shaking out my hand when she finally let go.

“Do you understand?” she repeated.

“Who are you?” I asked again.

She laughed and stepped back a little. “I’m Shelly,” she said. “Nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand to shake. I didn’t take it. She shrugged her shoulders, smiled at me, and then she strolled away down the hall and disappeared from sight.

I found Lynn a few minutes later. She was in the kitchen stirring a pot of something with Malcolm’s housekeeper. She smiled at me. She was wearing shorts and a tank top and I’d never seen her look more beautiful. “When did you get here?” I asked, as I grabbed her around the waist and drew her to me.

“Just now.” She giggled as I kissed the side of her neck. “Stop it,” she hissed, and the housekeeper, Mrs. Daniels, smiled at us.

I let her go, but only marginally.

“Did you bring a swimsuit?” I asked.

She nodded. “I just need to go and change.”

I took her up to Malcolm’s room, and we passed Aubrey in the hall. Lynn smiled at her. “Aubrey, it’s nice to see you again.”

Aubrey looked at her askance. “Um, you too,” she said, and then she turned sideways and scurried past us in the hallway.