Everyone agrees. Violet and Josy gather the kids. Melissathanks us all and starts organizing towels and drinks like the gracious host she is. Even Adrian and Cole, who practically have to be dragged out of the pool, are finally ushered inside.
As Eva walks past me with the girls, she squeezes my hand gently. I glance down at our joined fingers, feeling the warmth of it even after she lets go.
Then, just like that, it’s quiet again.
Just me, Austin, and Noah. Except Austin takes the hint quickly when Noah gives himthat lookand heads back toward the house, leaving us alone by the grill.
Noah leans against the table and crosses his arms. His expression shifts, no longer the laid-back dad cracking jokes over burgers. This is Noah, the big brother. The protector.
“I need to talk to you,” he says, voice firm.
I nod and stand straighter.
“I know this thing with Eva is supposed to be an act,” he starts. “But you’ve been looking at her like you want her and not in the fake way.”
I open my mouth to say something, but he cuts me off.
“Look, I get it. She’s incredible. And if this werereal, and with anyone other than my damn sister, I’d probably root for you. But it’s not. And you’re sleeping in the same room tonight.” He narrows his eyes. “Be a gentleman, Esteban. If you need to sleep on the floor, do it. If she throws herself at you, you say goodnight and turn around.” After a pause, he adds with a little more edge, “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”
I swallow hard. Because Idounderstand. And it kills me that he even has to say it out loud. But I’ve seen the way he looks at Eva. And I know he’d do anything to protect her.
“I hear you,” I say, my voice steady even though my gut is twisting. “I won’t do anything she doesn’t want. I promise.”
Noah stares at me for a beat too long, then nods. “That’s not the point, man. I know shewantsyou. The point is, don’t take advantage of it just because you can.” And with that, he pushes off the table and walks back toward the house.
Leaving me alone with the weight of every single word.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eva
When I get to the room, I drop my bag by the edge of the king-sized bed, place the chocolate cake on the nightstand, then let out a slow breath. My heart is racing, but I’m not sure if it’s from the flight, the excitement of being in Key West… or the fact that Esteban and I will be sharing this room.
Who am I kidding? Let’s be honest—everything I’m feeling right now is because I’m about to share a bed with the man I’ve been crushing on since the moment I moved back home.
I make a beeline for the bathroom and admire how beautiful it is. Earlier I was in a hurry and didn’t pay attention, but now I am impressed. The floors are smooth marble, the vanity glows under recessed lighting, and the shower—my God, the shower—is a glass enclosure with multiple heads positioned at every angle. I’ve never seen anything like it. I peel off my clothes, trying not to overthink, and step inside.
The warm water hits me from all directions, washing away the sunblock and sweat. I close my eyes and tilt my facetoward the rainfall head above me, letting it soak into my scalp. I take my time, savoring every second.
Once I’m out, I wrap myself in the plush robe hanging on the hook and wipe the steam from the mirror. My reflection stares back at me as I go through the familiar motions of my skincare routine. Cleanser. Toner. Serum. Moisturizer. A touch of lip balm. It should calm me, center me. It usually does.
But right now, I can hear Esteban outside the bathroom. His footsteps, the sound of a zipper, the low thrum of his voice as he mutters something to himself. My pulse picks up.
Biting my lip, I glance toward the door. What happens now?
Earlier at the table, when he said he wanted to use me as a plate for his chocolate cake, it was a joke. But the heat in his eyes? The tension that coiled between us when no one was watching? That didn’t feel like a joke.
I brought the damn cake. I have every intention of letting him eat it later.From a plate,I remind myself. But now I’m wondering what would happen if I walked out there and handed it to him with nothing but this robe on. Would he take it a step further? Or was all that flirtation just Esteban being Esteban?
There’s only one way to find out.
I open the door and step into the room, my heart thudding wildly against my ribs. Esteban is sitting in the corner chair, one leg stretched out, the other bent, his arms resting casually on the armrests. But there’s nothing casual about the way his eyes are on me. It’s like he’s been waiting for me.
His gaze roams my body, slow and heated, starting at my damp hair and traveling down to the robe tied loosely around my waist. He doesn’t say a word, but his eyessay enough. Hunger. Interest. Restraint. I guess that if I were to bring the cake to him right now, he might eat it off me.
But I don’t.
Instead, I smile like my pulse isn’t going haywire. “The bathroom’s yours.”
