This one’s for me.
Ezra better have drinks on deck because he’s not going to believe it when I tell him.
I’m approaching the bar when I feel her. I halt in my tracks and give her another appreciative once-over, only to realize she’slooking at me too. Conveniently, Ezra is standing next to her. I take a step forward, ready to introduce the two of them, but stall when Joey leans in close and speaks to my best friend.
She sets her delicate hand on his forearm and glances over at me so quickly I nearly miss it. My legs are like lead, holding me in place, and the blood in my veins heats. What is she up to? If Ezra knew who she was, he’d shut this shit down, but he doesn’t, so I give it a moment to see how this plays out.
With a laugh, she tosses her head back, and in that instant, I know exactly what she’s trying to do.
16
Josefine
DoI feel just a little bad about roping the man beside me into being my unwitting accomplice? Sure. But it’s too late now. I’m committed. As soon as I caught Cam coming my way, I panicked.
When I came face to face with my long-lost one-night stand earlier, my heart not only stopped, but it packed its bags and left without notice. His hair is a little longer on top than I remember, and it’s definitely been a day or two since he’s shaved. Not that I’m complaining. His olive skin is tanned to perfection, like maybe he’s been on the island for more than a few days.
Is he the jealous type? I guess we’re about to find out. He’s either going to stride over nonchalantly or bend me over his knee.
And if heisthebend-you-over-my-kneetype?
Heat blooms in my core at just the thought.
No, Joey!Stop it. No getting bent over. Not by him, at least. Ugh, what is happening to me right now? I was completely over him. Sort of. I’d at least made peace with the idea that I would never see him again. Though any time I’ve hooked up with a guy in the last year, the encounter has fallen short because I couldn’t help but compare the guy tohim.
And now we’re here. At the same resort. How is this even possible?
I train my attention on the poor pawn beside me. What did he say his name was? Isaiah? I swivel on my barstool so I’m facing him, my bare knee swiping the dark hair on his thigh. Tipping forward just a tad, I proudly display my girls. I’m only half listening to his story about a road trip with his buddy and logs on the highway, but I throw my head back and laugh, nonetheless. And that’s when Cam waltzes over and not-so-subtly knocks my knee away from Isaiah’s leg with his hip.
With his hands in his pockets, he stands close, cool and collected.
“May I help you?” I tilt my head and eye him. Terrible idea. He’s so damn close I can see the flecks of gold shimmering in his irises. There’s a slight scar I didn’t notice before running through his left brow, marring the perfection of his face in a way that somehow only makes him look sexier.
“Hey, man. There you are,” Isaiah says when he notices Cam standing close.
What the heck? Mr. Beard-And-Man-Bun is supposed to be on my team.
My accomplice hands Cam a glass of amber liquid with an orange peel garnish—no doubt an old-fashioned, my father’s favorite. They clink glasses, and Cam peers down at me with a wink. “I see you’ve met my buddy.”
I oughta wipe that shit-eating grin off his face right now.
“Oh, yes,” I say, using my knee to push him back a bit.
His eyes dart to the gap between my legs.
“Isaiah here was just telling me about how beautiful the east side of the island is and suggested we go sometime.”
Cam’s jaw ticks, and he turns to his friend, who’s wearing a look of confusion.
“Ezra,” he says, “meetJoey.” By the way he says my name and the way his buddy’s eyes bug out, I know my little ruse is over.
Ezra throws his hands in the air and tips his head back. “This is your Joey? I had no idea, I swear.” He brings his glass to his lips and finishes his drink in one gulp.
“We’re cool, man.” Cam tosses back his drink, too, then leans over me to set his glass on the sticky counter. The sweet scent of orange lingers between us when he doesn’t immediately pull away. “I ought to bend you over this bar and teach you a lesson for trying to make me jealous like that.” His breath is hot against my ear.
I knew he was the bend-you-over type, dammit.
Before I have time to process the comment Ezra made about me beingCam’sJoey, Millie arrives. It’s impossible not to be entranced by her presence. She’s got that glow about her. Yeah, she was absolutely made for theater. On occasion, the gals at FrenchSHEs—the drag and cabaret club where Millie bartends between tours—pull her up on stage and give her space to do her thing. And just like on those nights at the drag club, every eye in this place is on her. She’s wearing a two-piece set she bought in the city center during our shopping excursion this morning. The flowy skirt is blue and white with gold threading throughout. Her hair is pulled up in an intentional messy bun that accentuates the skin the backless crop top exposes.
