I’m laying back, enjoying the music and chatter around me when something in the air shifts. I don’t know how else to describe it. Sunglasses firmly in place, I turn my head to the side just in time to see my brother and—would you look at that—Dominique, arrive.
For a second, a flash of panic hits me square in the chest and I look down at myself. Fuck. I’m dead. So dead. When Dominique sees what I’m—hold on. I cut that thought off and scoff. What am I even thinking? Fuck what Dominique thinks. Quinn was right. I look hot. No way in hell am I going to let that asshole shame me for wearing this suit. I’m going to own it.
I track their progress through the yard, grateful no one can see my eyes because I’m totally staring. Aaron, being the friendly guy he is, dives right in on the fun and joins a few of the guys at one of the backyard games the girls must have set up. The one where you toss hacky sacks at an angled board and try to get it through the hole.
“Hey, what's that game called?” I ask one of the guys swimming next to me. I’m not sure what his name is. He hooks his arms over the side of my floaty and looks to where I’m pointing. “Corn hole,” he tells me, and then instead of swimming away, which was what I’d been hoping for, his eyes do a slow and obvious perusal of my body. “I’m Ignacio, but everyone calls me Iggy.”
“Hey. I’m—“
“Kasey!” A familiar voice barks out my name. Well, that took longer than expected.Not.
I turn my head to find Dominique, arms folded over his chest and dark eyes ablaze. He’s not wearing sunglasses like virtually everyone else here, so I can spot his glare from the edge of the pool and offer him a little wave. His nostrils flare.
Dressed in black jogger pants that taper at the ankle and a white crew t-shirt that hugs his broad shoulders and impressive chest, I have to fight the urge not to lick my lips. Has he always looked this good? Who am I kidding? Yes.
He’s wearing his usual red Beast Mode sneakers, but he’s changed his hair. For as long as I’ve known him, Dominique’s kept it braided back over his scalp. Sometimes they’re thick braids. Other times they’re thin. But for the first time, there are no braids. Sometime this week he got his hair cut and damn, it looks good on him.
A line up and fade make his features appear sharper, and he’s added a razor part design. Two parallel lines that start at his temple and slant up enough to form a peak before curving down and back. Almost like a lightning bolt.
“I didn’t think this was really your scene.” I keep my tone casual, my expression carefree. I know people are watching, the girls already trying to figure out how we know one another. This is exactly why I didn’t want him and the other guys here when I moved in. They draw too much attention.
“Get out of the pool.” His voice is hard.
“Pass. I’m enjoying it here.”
I swear steam comes out of his ears.
“Kasey—” There's a warning there. One I should probably listen to, but where is the fun in that?
“Dominique,” I retort.
His jaw is tight, a vein bulging in his neck. This is too good. Alpha Ze guy—what was his name again? Oh, right, Iggy—is still clinging to my floaty, but his eyes keep bouncing back and forth from me to Dom and then back again.
“Hey,” I draw his attention.
He turns, expression a little nervous. Well, shit. That won’t work. I turn my smile up a notch and shift to my side which gives him a better view of my breasts. “Sorry. He’s so rude. I’m Kasey.” I pick up where we left off, suddenly interested in chatting with the guy.
He swallows hard, eyes locked on my chest.
“So, what year are you?” I ask, and right as I’m about to trail a finger over his arm Dominique snaps, “Rojas. Off limits. Get your ass away from her.”
Iggy jumps back as if he’s been electrocuted and makes quick work of following Dom’s orders. “Yeah, man. Of course. I was just, uh, making conversation. You know?”
Dominique doesn’t answer him. He gives Iggy a flat stare before dismissing him with a look and turning his attention back to me. “I won’t ask again, Kasey.”
I flip him off. There are a few muffled laughs from the yard, and I spot Deacon and Reed barely keeping themselves in check. Dominique sees them too.Oh, shit.He stalks in their direction.Shit. Shit.
Deacon sees him coming and squares his shoulders, nostrils flaring. Double shit. He’s not going to back down. “Dom!” I paddle my arms to reach the pool's edge but wind up spinning myself in circles. Navigation on a giant donut is not as easy as it might seem, but one of the guys is nice enough to give me a push to the shallow end and then I’m off. I jump in the thigh deep water. Gah! Cold. And hop up the steps.
Dominique is in Deacon’s face. No clue what he's saying, but it doesn't look like they’re discussing the weather. Everyone is watching. Waiting for fists to fly, but yeah, no. Not happening.
I shove myself between the guys and push Dominique in the chest as hard as I can. He moves back a few steps, but only because he was willing to.
“Happy now? I’m out.” He’s glaring over my shoulder, still not looking at me. I turn and clear my throat to get Deacon’s attention. His eyes shift and he looks down, and then all of a sudden I’m shoved back behind Dominique and he’s all growly, saying, “Don’t fucking look at her.”
Then he’s tearing his shirt off his head and shoving it down over mine. When my head pops out he helps me get my arms through the sleeves, and then he’s back to shoving me behind him again. Whoa. He’s seriously losing it right now. I’ve never seen him like this.
“I thought I made myself clear,” he says, voice dipped low and threatening.
