“Levi, your jaw’s going to pop if you keep pressing it like that.”
Dang it.
“Calm down.You stay here, and I’ll get us another drink.”
I don’t say anything.I’m not a dang dog.
“Levi, stay,” she repeats.And what do I do?Nod before watching her disappear towards the bar.I know it isn’t healthy, but I watch Tate and Slater from the corner of my eye.The way his hands run up the front of her legs before securing her calves.How every now and again he looks up to say something and she laughs.I slap the water, bouncing in the waves in front of me.This time when I look back, Slater’s looking at me.His mouth is crooked into the most annoying tilted smile.I know I should look away now, but I can’t.The longer he stares the more my eyes narrow back at him...and then he does it.He winks at me.I stand, ready to exit the pool and rearrange his face, but Kim reappears, pushing me back down into the pool.
“You look so desperado right now.I can’t.Levi, have some dignity.”
I press my fingers into my eyes.She’s right, and I did this to myself.Tate is not mine.I made that clear.Kim tugs at my free arm and I plop onto the step behind her.
“Bottoms up,” she says, holding a cup out to me.I grab it, tentatively inspecting the brown-colored liquid.
“What is it?”My eyes flick up towards her.
“Does it matter?
I tip my head towards my shoulder, lips pressed together.“Good point.”
She brings the cup to her lips, gaze steady on mine.Kim’s cool.I’ve been, I don’t know...lost.I grab her drink from her, and she whimpers, making me laugh.I take a small sip of her drink, holding the cool liquid on my tongue.Her once crisp, blue eyes have deepened as her chest pulls upward.I close the small space of water between us, wrapping my arms around the small of her back before leaning in and pressing our lips together.Just like the first time, they work over each other in a familiar way, like the steps to a well-known dance.She opens as I discard the small sip onto her tongue.It’s messy and ravenous.She presses into me until my back’s against the wall, her hands latching together around my neck.My lips vibrate from the tension, but when she pulls back, I miss the pressure.She’s looking at me in the assessing way she did earlier.I let my head drop to the side and inhale deeply.
“What’s that look for?”I turn slightly, just to grab my drink, but when I turn back, she’s blinking back tears.My face must shift to concern, because she laughs a watery laugh with her hand held up.
“Don’t, Levi.”
“Did I do something?”
“Don’t you always do something?”Gabriella mocks as she steps down into the pool beside us.I feel like I’m stuck in one of my mom’s novellas.Can’t a man have a pool party without any drama?
“Hey, Gabriella, we were just...”
“I saw you.No need to give me the play-by-play.And so did Tate, for that matter.You know, the girl you kissed on stage and have been blowing up her phone ever since?What...she didn’t respond fast enough so you had to replace her?Too hard to be alone with your own thoughts, Levi?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, and you don’t know me.Now, go away.”
“No!”She plants herself firmer, water coming to her waist.For a half a second, I convince myself to pick her up over my shoulder and carry her back to her room.
“No?”
“Yeah!Now tell me what’s going on in that country head of yours that’s causing you to throw away something good.”
“I’m not throwing away anything!”I yell back, exasperated.“Look, it was a kiss.And, yes, I like her, but...”I scratch at the back of my neck.“I’m not good for her.”
“Who says?”
“Me!I heard what she said.She wants all the things, Gabriella.House, dog, debt.”My confession comes out unpermitted.She takes a step back, a giant smile blooming on her face, and I feel like I might have another panic attack.
“Gabby,” I plead.
“Don’t call me that,” she snaps before the sparkle in her eye returns.
“Stop looking at me like that!”I demand, but it’s useless.
She clicks her tongue, making an audible pop.“That’s what this is all about, hmm,” she hums happily.Kim seems to put the puzzle pieces together too, grabbing her drink and slinging back what’s left.Gabriella makes her way back out of the pool, absolutely thrilled.Without thinking, I grab her ankle at the last step.She looks down, eyebrows raised in amusement.
“Don’t tell her, please.”I say it like a dying man’s last wish.
