When Ryan and Coco’s victory tour makes its way to our side of the pool, Sarah, Hannah, and I applaud and cheer effusively, attracting Ryan’s attention.
Immediately, Ryan’s eyes lock with mine. He smiles broadly at me, and I return the gesture, my heart beating wildly in my chest.
Ryan’s not moving. Or looking away. And I’m glad. In fact, I wish this smiling, giddy moment would never end.He’s absolutely beautiful, inside and out.
“Hey, ladies,” a smooth male voice says.
Ryan’s smile suddenly vanishes. His face darkens.
I look to my right.
Reed Rivers.
45
Tessa
Reed pulls up a chair and sits down at the end of our threesome’s lounge chairs, his dark eyes flickering over the length of my body before finally settling on Hannah’s face with a congenial smile. He politely asks Hannah how she’s liking her new apartment in L.A. and, when Hannah replies by profusely thanking Reed for the “amazing deal” he gave her on her place, it becomes clear Reed owns Hannah’s apartment building.
Huh. Interesting. Reed seems to have his fingers in a lot of different pots.
As Reed continues talking to Hannah, I covertly study him. I’ve never seen him in his bathing suit before, and I must say, he’s quite a specimen. But it’s not just his beautiful body and rapidly growing business empire that makes Reed Rivers one of the world’s most eligible bachelors—according toTMZ, anyway. It’s that he absolutely reeks of animal magnetism. I knew that already, of course—swagger has always wafted off this guy, no matter what he happens to be wearing—but I suppose I’m getting a whole new appreciation for his appeal now that I’m seeing his bare torso for the first time. Wow. The man is absolutely stunning to look at. Not even close to as stunning as Ryan, of course, but who is?
Ryan.
I glance toward the pool to find him standing stock still in the shallow end all by himself, staring at Reed like an assassin, his muscled arms crossed over his chest.
I look away, my heart palpitating.
Shit.I swear I can see a little vein throbbing in his neck from all the way over here.
“And what about you, T-Rod?” Reed asks.
“Hmm?”
“You having fun so far?”
“Oh. Yes. I’m having a blast. I thought it’d be hard for me to relax and be a guest this week, but as it turns out, it’s shockingly easy.” I hold up my piña colada by way of explanation and everyone laughs.
“So, hey, T-Rod,” Reed says, “I wanted to chat with you about the logistics for my surprise gift at the reception.”
“Oh, yeah, I got your text,” I say. “Having that musician play shouldn’t be a problem at all. I’ve already got a crew coming for tonight’s concert, so I’ll ask them—”
I shut my mouth. Josh and Kat along with a large group of people are approaching and, obviously, we don’t want them overhearing this particular conversation.
Sarah pops up from her lounge chair. “I’ll drag them to the lazy river,” she whispers. “Come on, Hannah Banana—help me lure them away.”
And, just like that, I find myself sitting alone with the one and only Reed Rivers. In my bathing suit. Six inches from his tanned, muscled frame.
Reed smiles. “Looks like it’s just you and me, T-Rod.” His gaze scorches over my near-naked body again, pausing blatantly at my breasts, and then comes to a rest on my eyes.
“Who knows how long it’ll last, though, so we’d better chat about this quickly,” I say. I glance at Ryan again to find him staring at us, his jaw tight, his eyes like lasers—a sexy sight that sends blood whooshing straight into my cooch. I clear my throat. “So tell me what you need, Reed, and I’ll make it happen.”
Reed tells me he’s arranged to have Josh and Kat’s favorite singer-songwriter fly in from the UK to perform three of his songs at the wedding reception, including Josh and Kat’s “first dance” song.
“Just put me in touch with the guy’s management and I’ll make sure everything’s handled,” I say. “I’ll arrange hotels and accommodations for him and his team here, for as long as they need.”
“Cool. But bill me for all that. Faraday can’t pay for his own gift.”
