Page 26 of Suit

“Suit,” Meredith snaps, standing up with her hands on her hips. “What is your problem?”

The truth is I don’t even fucking know anymore. I just don’t want Pyro seeing her body. Which is fucking ridiculous because the women are out here in their bikinis all the time.

Elena sits up and holds the towel against her. “I told you I shouldn’t have worn this, Meredith. I knew it didn’t look good on me.”

Wait, what?

Pyro scowls at me, looking down at his dogs like he wants to tell them to attack. Their bites might hurt less than the crestfallen expression on her face.

Before I can explain, she gets up and heads back inside.

Meredith slaps the side of my head. “I’ve never seen you act like this, Suit.” And then she follows behind her.

“You’re an idiot,” Pyro comments.

“I know,” I mutter.

The woman turns me inside out. I’m always in control. I’m the club lawyer and thrive in high-stress situations. I’m always calm and collected.

No pressure, no diamonds, I always tell myself.

What is this woman doing to me?

ELENA

It was the first time I had worn a two-piece swimsuit.

Realizing I had forgotten to pack any of mine, Meredith lent me one of her spare ones. She’s taller than me, and a lot slimmer, but I thought the high-waisted bottoms covered my stomach enough that it didn’t look too bad. Meredith promised me I looked good in it, that I should be proud of my body, and that any body is a bikini body.

And I was feeling pretty good until Suit covered me up like that.

I’m never going to be good enough for him, am I?

I’m sitting on my bed, towel still covering my body, contemplating my life choices when he appears in front of me. I didn’t even hear the door open.

“Elena.” His voice is a soft rumble.

“What do you want, Suit?” I snap. “Haven’t you said enough already?”

“Fuck,” he grits, sounding frustrated. He rakes his hand through his hair and starts to pace back and forth. “You don’t make this easy, do you?”

“Get out!” I yell, losing my temper. “If anyone is making things hard, it’s not me!”

“Oh, it’s definitely fucking you, princess! Why can’t you just do as you’re told for once? Instead of strutting around…” He gestures to me in my bikini.

“You are such an asshole, you know that? Just leave! I’ve had enough for one day.”

“Fine,” he barks, storming out.

I miss him when he’s gone. How sad is that?

Sighing, I roll over until I’m lying face down on my bed, still in the damn red bikini, when the door opens again and he comes in.

“Go away,” I reply, but there’s no heat in my voice. I’m hungover for the first time in my life, and I don’t have the energy to verbally spar with him as tears pool in my eyes.

He sighs and sits next to me, his warm hand landing on my nape. He squeezes gently, then runs his palm down my back and over the curve of my ass. Stilling, I lift my head and roll over onto my back.

Suit’s slate-gray eyes devour my body. “I didn’t like him seeing you,” comes the quiet admission.