That makes him smile, and desperately makes me wish I hadn’t stopped him. Or that we were back at the hotel room—but Max would be there.Why is nothing simple?But maybe it’s best that it’s not simple, because I was about to head down a path that I know I’d regret.
“This is probably a bad idea.” I pull back another inch.
“Yeah, a bad idea.” Miles keeps his eyes locked on mine, neither of us sounding like we believe what we’re saying.
All at once, I realize I’m being selfish, talking about flings and kissing him. Miles has his brother to think about. If things are complicated on my end, they’re even more complicated for him.
I have no idea how Max feels about me, and maybe he wouldn’t care if Miles and I got involved—Max is flirty with me, but he’s flirty with everyone, so who knows?—but I don’t want to risk coming between the two of them.
CHAPTER 31
MAX
After a long, frustrating day of work, nothing beats lounging by a pool with a beer in hand and a beautiful woman by my side. Especially when that woman is Callie, looking ridiculously hot in a cherry red bikini that’s tied with little strings high on her hips.
I want to tug at those strings with my teeth.
She had the nerve to come out of the bathroom after she’d put it on, and ask Miles and me if it looked okay on her. If itlooked okay!Neither of us could speak, until she started to turn around to go back into the bathroom, and we each drooled out a long string of compliments that made her cheeks blush.
The memory of that pink shade on her skin has me fantasizing about the color of her nipples. It doesn’t help that they occasionally go hard and poke into the fabric of her bikini top.
Unfortunately, Callie and I aren’t alone. We’re surrounded by her family at a party being held at one of the resort’s smaller pools. There’s an open bar, servers passing finger food, a deejayspinning classic summer tracks, and it would all be perfect if Callie weren’t so obviously ill at ease.
She was fine until her mom came over, directing a look of displeasure at Callie’s swimsuit before rattling off a list of concerns about the event, from the flavor of the shrimp canapes to the music selections, as if Callie were responsible for any of that.
Now, Callie’s taking long sips from her piña colada while she watches her mom across the way flirting with Mr. Hargrove. You don’t need to be a body language expert to figure out that the woman is throwing herself at him, or at least trying to. He doesn’t appear to be buying what she’s selling, though.
I lean over so only Callie can hear me. “Miles told me to be on the lookout for your aunt Iris.” This draws a smirk out of her.
“Did he? I thought he was going to tell you to seek her out.”
I bark out a laugh. “Was he? No, I got a full report on her, skating skills and all.”
“She really likes Miles,” Callie says before taking another sip.
Reading between the lines of everything Miles told me, I don’t think Aunt Iris is the only one who likes him, but I keep that thought to myself. My goal is to make Callie smile, not send her into her shell.
“Would you like to dance?” A small cluster of people, mostly bridesmaids and a few kids, are gathered in front of the deejay table, moving to the music.
She shakes her head. “Not right now.”
“Ready for another drink?”
“Not yet.”
Something’s definitely bothering her, but I don’t want to push.
A few minutes later, Ms. Baker hurries over to us, a frown on her face. “Callie, can you go find the events manager? There aren’t as many servers passing food as they promised.”
Callie gets up immediately, a quiet sigh huffing out of her. “Will do.”
“Do you remember where the meetings office is?”
Callie nods before turning to me. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Thank you, Max,” Ms. Baker says. “Maybe they’ll be more apt to listen if a man is doing the complaining.”
