Seven Groomsmen from Hell (Love by Numbers 6)

I flailed about until I could find my footing and then I stood up. My hair clung to my body, drenched in water and I gagged trying to get the water free of my throat. Luke’s hands were still all over my body, holding me in the water, and as I finally started to come to my senses, the only thing I could think to do was swing. I barreled out my arm towards Luke’s face, but he caught it and held it firmly in place.

“Fuck!” I barked. “Let me go you fucking asshole!”

“Calm down,” Luke said. “It’s just water.”

“My hair is soaked, I’m going to have to do it again, you dick,” Khloe hissed.

“Lighten up, Mom. I was just trying to have some fun,” Luke replied with an insidious laugh.

I swung out again, making hard contact with Luke’s chest. I pulled my hand away to see a bright red outline of palm forming where I’d hit him. I was hoping that would be enough to get him to let me go, but he just chuckled. He used his hold on my other hand to pull me closer to him, and beneath the surface of the water, his other hand coiled around and took a huge fistful of my ass.

He brought his mouth near my ear and his hot breath tickled my chilled neck. “I want you.”

I tried to ignore the heating of my body. I tried to pull away, but he held me close. Time seemed to move a little slower. For a moment, I got lost in what was happening. Luke was attractive and being in the water, with the heat bearing down us, and his hands on my body, I started to slip. I relinquished control for a moment, and Luke’s hand on my ass gripped a little tighter.

I looked up and my eyes locked into Luke’s and I remembered where I was, and more importantly who I was with. What the hell was I doing? I brought my knee up towards Luke. I was hoping for a groin shot, but I wasn’t able to get enough inertia in the water, and I just ended up pushing him away with my knee. As he moved a few inches back, I swung my hand at his face and slapped him right across the cheek.

“Stay away from me, psycho,” I growled. I started to march out of the water, but Luke grabbed my arm again and pulled me back. I glared over my shoulder at him. “Let go.”

“If you want me, and I know you do, come find me in my room later. I know you know which room I’m in,” Luke said.

I snatched my arm away from him and made my way out of the water and up the beach to where my items were sitting. I started gathering up all of my things, despite feeling Kent and Anna’s eyes on me.

“Khloe,” Anna started, but I shook my head.

“I’m sorry,” Kent said. “I really did tell him to lay off.”

“He doesn’t understand normal, human language,” I explained. I looked at Anna. “I’m sorry. I gotta go. My hair is going to be a ball of frizz any moment.”

“I understand,” Anna said.

I didn’t wait for any additional go-aheads. I didn’t look back at the other guys, I certainly didn’t look back at Luke, I just grabbed up all of my stuff and stormed away. I was shaking with anger as I made my way through the resort hallways and up to my room. The nerve of that asshole. Not only did he drag me into the ocean water, ruining my tan and messing up my hair, but then he had the nerve to just help himself to handful of my ass and whispers that he wants me? Who the fuck did he think he was? If I did go and see him it would only be to kick his ass, and nothing else.

I blasted into my room and tossed my things onto the bed. I made my way into the bathroom, stripped off my drenched bathing suit, and then ran a shower. I turned the water until it was almost too hot to bear and then climbed in, letting it splay over my body and, hopefully, wash the salt from my hair. I stepped out briefly to grab my comb, and started the slow process of feeding it through my hair to try and get it clear of the salt water that was already tangling it. It was going to be a process. Saltwater and my hair did not mix very well, so it would take an additional wash sometime later on, but once my comb was sliding through unhindered, I decided it was good enough for the time being. I slathered in some shampoo and washed it through a few times, and then did the same with some conditioner. When my hair was clean, I turned to washing off my body, scrubbing well, almost as if I could wash away the tingling remains of Luke’s hands on my skin.