Seven Groomsmen from Hell (Love by Numbers 6)

“Damn, my husband is sexy,” Anna hissed.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re very lucky,” I replied. “Put lotion on me.”

We found a spot near enough to the game to watch, but far enough away to not be sucked into the crowd, and put our towels down. Once we were comfortable, we took out the suntan lotion and took turns helping one another apply generous coats.

“So,” Anna asked as she massaged some across my back. “How’s it going with these guys? I know you hate them and you’re only tolerating them for me, but are things getting any better?”

“What about the way those men behave would make you think they’d get better for any reason?” I responded. “You were the one that told me that they were uncivilized and awful.”

“I know,” Anna responded, “but you’re so great. I guess I assumed you’d soften them up.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong. I couldn’t stand them, but after hearing Luke and Cody talk on the plane a couple of days prior, it was clear I’d had some sort of profound affect. “I’m just holding onto my few remaining threads of sanity. This process with them has been trying.”

Anna whimpered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for my wedding to stress you out.”

I whipped around and grabbed Anna’s hands. “No! I’m so glad I got to do this for you. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. I’d deal with these men for another six months for you.”

Anna smiled. “Thank you, you’re a good friend.”

“Besides,” I said, squeezing some lotion onto my hands and rubbing it onto Anna’s back. “It isn’t just because of them. I also had a friend come to stay with me for a while. She’s having a tough time back home.”

“Oh no,” Anna said.

“Yeah,” I said. “Her name is Jordan. Believe it or not, she’s in love with six men.”

“Six?!” Anna yelped. “I can barely handle one.”

I laughed and she joined me. “I know.”

I decided to keep it to myself that I’d considered that type of relationship on more than one occasion. I opened my mouth to say something else, when I was interrupted by a voice singing at me from across the beach.

“Oh, mistress!” I rolled my eyes at the sight of Luke leading all seven men in my direction, still shirtless, still glistening, still mouthwatering, still assholes.

I dug my foot into the sand and prepared to take off. “Bye.”

Anna grabbed my arm and held me in place. “No! You said you were going to sunbathe with me. Just ignore them. What was that you just said? You’d deal with them for another six months for me?”

I glared at Anna and rolled my eyes. “Bitch.”

“Love you too,” Anna responded.

I pulled my sunglasses from the top of my head where they had been sitting, down over my eyes, and tried to lay back and relax, but my body was tied in more knots than a sailor’s rope. All those good-looking men headed straight at me, my groin was tingling just imagining two or three of them having their way with me.

I shook the lurid thoughts from my mind as Kent ran interference to try and keep the guys out of our hair. I could overhear him telling them that we were trying to tan and that if they knew better, they’d avoid us. I took out the notebook I’d brought with me to the beach and started double checking that I had everything in line for the wedding. The videographer was all set up to tape it for Anna and Kent’s families back home. Cece said the flowers would be arriving 24 hours before the wedding. I’d already called to confirm the venue was ready, and I would be able to get in the night before to make sure it was decorated appropriately. I’d spoken with the caterer who was already on the island and ready to prepare the perfect tropical food for Anna’s ideal day. The groomsmen…

I looked up and saw the groomsmen all eyeing me from where they were standing by Kent.

…the groomsmen were all there, and that was probably going to be the biggest problem I’d have to face.

11

Cody

I was feeling good from our first game of beach football and was ready to get into game two. It was a beautiful day on the beach, with the sand not too hot that it couldn’t be walked on, but still warm enough that it felt good on my bare feet as I charged through it. My calves were on fire from fighting against the malleable sand, but I knew that it was only strengthening them for my favorite past-time of running.

All the guys were gathered up and ready to get a second game going, but we’d reached something of an impasse. The game was fun, but we were all inherently competitive guys, and just playing for shits and giggles wasn’t enough to really get our blood pumping. Some of the beach goers had gathered around to watch us play against one another, but it still didn’t really feel like the stakes were high enough.