Chapter Five

The hours ticked past agonizingly slow. Dinner was awkward, with Daphne refusing to eat again. Reese made burgers for Audrey and Cade, and when he’d claimed it was her recipe for the delicious burgers, she’d done the dishes as a thank you. He was still pulling his weight when it came to this charade, after all. Now if he’d only quit giving her such knowing looks, she’d possibly quit blushing.

Citing exhaustion, Audrey went to bed early that night. She dug through her clothing, looking for a bra and panty set that would be as close as possible to a swimsuit. No dice. Unlike all the romance heroines she read about, she didn’t wear pretty, sexy underwear just because she could. Audrey liked function and utility in all her clothing, right down to her undergarments. Her serviceable nude-colored bra and matching bikini panties would have to do.

And then she laid down and tried to sleep for a few hours, but that was impossible. The butterflies in her stomach had somehow turned into something the size of ponies, and her pulse was pounding so loud in her ears that she was surprised the crashing wasn’t bringing the others running.

She was . . . nervous. This wasn’t something that sensible Audrey Petty, good twin extraordinaire, did. Daphne might, but Daphne also liked mind-altering drugs and booze.

When her twin came in a few hours later, Audrey feigned sleep. It didn’t matter. Daphne immediately dropped onto her side of the bed, adjusted her pillows, and was sound asleep within moments. Audrey waited a few minutes more anyhow, then glanced over at the clock on the bedside.

Eleven thirty. Damn. Another half hour to go.

She lay in bed waiting, stiff with anticipation, watching the clock tick down toward midnight. She prayed Cade was fast asleep and she wouldn’t wake him up when she snuck out. How utterly mortifying would that be?

All too soon, it was time. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and paused, waiting for Daphne to stir. Her twin was sound asleep, though, and after a moment’s hesitation, she got out of bed entirely.

No response. Well, that was good.

Audrey pulled on a pair of jeans over her sleep shirt and then dragged her hair into its usual tight bun. She padded down the hall, wincing with every creak the floorboards made.

Reese was waiting by the back door of the lodge, leaning against it and checking his watch. He was dressed in those sleep pants he seemed to live in and another one of Cade’s too-tight T-shirts. He grinned at the sight of her, his gaze moving back to her tight bun. “All armored up, I see.”

“Just shut up and let’s do this already,” she told him in a hushed voice.

“Wait here a second,” he told her, and disappeared into the hall. He returned a minute later with a pair of fluffy towels.

For some reason, the sight of those towels made her stomach drop. Oh, God. She was really, really going to do this. Panic flashed through her, and she forced it down. She’d get this over with as quickly as possible and head back to bed. No one needed to know about it. No big deal. Guys like Reese probably went skinny-dipping with women all the time.

She plucked a towel from his hand and opened the back door, stepping outside.

The night air was brisk. No, more than that. It was chilly. She gave a small shiver as she stepped out, feeling the wind cut through the thin fabric of her clothing. “Can’t we do this some other night when it’s not this cold?”

“Would you rather use the hot tub?”

Visions of Reese naked in the hot tub with the heiress flashed through her mind, and she frowned at the reminder. “Absolutely not.”

He chuckled, his hand going to the small of her back. “Come on, then.”

The walk down to the shore of the lake seemed to take forever. Reese was murmuring something but she wasn’t paying attention. The butterfly in her stomach seemed to have taken up permanent residence, and she walked in a fog, the only thing soaking through her mind the strong, warm hand at the small of her back. For some reason, she liked that hand.

And then they were at the end of the dock. Audrey stared down at the dark water lapping against the wood and then looked dubiously at Reese. “I just want you to know that I hate you.”

Reese chuckled, setting his towel down on the dock a safe distance away and then putting his hands on his hips. “So, you ready?”

“Of course not.” She tossed her towel down on top of his. “I’m not going in first, either.”

“Yeah, you are. You’re the one who lost the bet.”

“Am not,” she told him. “How do I know you won’t just run back to the house once I jump in the water?”

“Because I’m a man of my word?” He gave her a playful leer. “Plus, I relish the thought of seeing you naked.”

“The feeling’s not mutual,” she said in a prim voice, though his words sent excitement coursing through her veins. Oh, Lord. She was going to see Reese naked again. She hadn’t been paying attention to how he’d looked that first day that she’d caught him in nothing but a Speedo in the hot tub. Now, her mind was flashing vivid pictures over and over again, trying to pull together the full package of his, ahem, package.

She had to admit she was curious to see that. Not that she would ever tell him such a thing. Never.

“Fine, if you’re going to be a chicken, I’ll go first.” Reese casually reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. She watched his muscles flex in a gorgeous fashion as he stripped the shirt off, all lovely, gleaming skin and perfect muscle. Then, he turned and winked at her, as if knowing that she watched him.

It made her blush . . . but she didn’t look away.

He tossed the shirt onto his towel, and then his hands went to the waist of his pants. In a flash, they were down around his ankles and she was staring at naked hips, the curve of perfect, naked ass, and a cock that was already swelling with excitement.

Her mouth went dry. He was gorgeous. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers along that smooth skin, feel the curve of his ass. Touch the cock nestled in the hair at his groin. Kiss him all over again and see how his body responded to her touch. But she didn’t. She stood there, frozen, as he tossed the pants onto the discarded pile of his clothing. Then he stretched his arms over his head, casually, as if about to head into a swim meet.

Her eyes narrowed at him. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Immensely.” He grinned at her and then stepped off the dock.

There was a small splash of water and then a small intake of breath that made her freeze up. “Cold?”

“Not too bad,” he admitted. She was sad to see that he was entirely covered up by the water. Only his shoulders and his head were above the ripples of the lake. “Now your turn.”

She hesitated.

“You gonna go all scaredy cat on me, Miss Goody Two Shoes?”

Audrey scowled at him, tossing her towel down on the dock next to his. The fire in her belly had returned, somewhat stoked by the sight of him so naked and gorgeous. She refused to think about how her pasty white skin and too full figure would look in comparison to his. He’d asked for this, and she’d give it to him. With that fire encouraging her on, Audrey pulled her own sleep shirt off and then unzipped her jeans, letting them pool at her feet as she daintily stepped out of them. Now she was just in her plain bra and panties.

“Take your hair down,” he called out.

“Not hardly,” she told him, reaching for the clasp on the back of her bra. She hesitated a moment, her bravado slipping away a bit under the heat of his gaze. He was watching her, waiting for her to strip naked. Could she do this? Not that she had much of a choice. Biting her lip, Audrey closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the ground. Without opening her eyes to see his reaction, she shimmied out of her panties, kicked them aside, and then took that last step off the dock before she could second guess herself.

The water was like ice.

As soon as it hit her skin, it sucked all the air out of her lungs and she let out a yelp of surprise. Her eyes had been closed and she hadn’t judged how deep the water was, and the next moment, her head went under. She’d never felt anything so cold. She bobbed back to the surface, her eyes flying open. Immediately, her teeth began to chatter. “Oh, my God! C-c-cold!”

He grinned at her, then raised a finger to his lips to indicate that she should be silent.

She splashed water at him. “Don’t you sh-sh-shush me. I’m fucking freezing! You should have told me!” He’d been so casual about the water. It’s not too bad.

He was such a liar.

“If I had told you, you wouldn’t have jumped in and you’d have deprived me of my sweet win and a chance to see you naked.” He grinned, and she noticed that his lips were a little blue.

“You suck!”

“Audrey, hush or you’re going to wake everyone up,” he told her in a low voice, swimming a little closer. His grasped her arm.

She gasped at how warm his hand felt against her skin even in the cold water. Automatically, she reached for him and pressed her naked body up against his, wrapping her arms around his neck. She moaned at how warm he felt against her. It was like she was in a vat of ice and holding onto a space heater. “God, you feel good.”

His arms went around her, his hand sliding to her ass and tugging her closer. A small groan escaped his throat. “Ditto.”

Audrey shivered against him, her body plastered to his. One of her legs went around his hips, drawing him closer to her. It was an intimate, slick embrace but all she cared about was warmth. “Exactly how long do we have to stay in here?”

“I don’t feel like moving,” he told her, and squeezed one of her ass cheeks in response. His voice had gone low and husky.

She was about to protest that she did and she wanted to move ASAP, but her face was pressed against his cheek, her breasts pushed on his chest. He wasn’t mauling her, either. He was just more or less standing there and letting her climb all over him—well, except for the hand squeezing her ass. And as she clung to his warmth, she realized that his body felt good against hers. All hard planes and delicious muscle and skin. Her mouth was exceedingly close to his ear, and he twitched every time she breathed out.

And the impulsive, fiery Audrey she tried so hard to clamp down came to the forefront. She leaned in and nibbled gently at his earlobe, taking it between her teeth.

Reese groaned and his hands clenched against her, and his other arm locked around her back, pushing her against him, hard.

She liked that response. So she took his earlobe in her mouth and began to gently suck on it.

His hips worked against her own, bucking a little. That hand clenched against her ass clenched all over again, as if he was trying to control himself and failing mightily. “Ah fuck, Audrey. That feels incredible.”

She nipped at his ear again, and then moved to his jaw, sliding her lips along his mouth. He turned his head and his mouth moved to capture hers, even as he hauled her other leg around his hip.

Audrey moaned, clinging to him as his tongue began to thrust into her mouth, her hips bearing down against his cock. He slid between her legs, pressing hard against her sex, and then held there. No penetration, just the sheer pleasure of skin against skin. She tightened her legs around him and deepened the kiss, clutching at his shoulders.

It was not a soft, easy exploration of mouths like before. This kiss was hard, furious, and deep. It was uncontrolled and wild, and her teeth were chattering, lips shivering, and neither of them cared. Teeth clashed and tongues thrust with abandon.

His hand slid along her side in the icy water, a spot of warmth in the chill. When he slid between them and cupped her breast, she whimpered. He felt so good against her. He growled low in his throat at her response, his thumb grazing over her nipple, stroking the already tight peak over and over again. “Been wanting to touch these since the first day I saw you,” he panted into her mouth.

“Liar,” she said with a soft moan, her teeth tugging at his lower lip. She enjoyed his groan of response.

“Not lying,” he told her, pinching the nipple between two fingers and rolling it, his gaze on her to see her response. “Knew that underneath all that proper do-gooder Audrey there was the fiery girl. Fucking love bringing her out to play.”

She moaned, burying her face against his neck as sensation coiled through her. “God, your fingers.”

“You like that, firecracker?” His hand slipped away from her breast and she whimpered a protest. It slid between their bodies and she felt him brush against the curls of her sex under the water. “Like it when I use my fingers on you?”

Her fingernails dug into his skin, unable to respond. Instead, she just licked at his neck and bit at his collarbone, trying to show him how much she liked his touch after all. This was wild and wicked and she was out here with a man who was all wrong for her.

And she was loving every damn minute of it.

His hot fingers slipped between her folds and she cried out as he brushed her clit, biting down on his shoulder. Reese chuckled low, the sound almost guttural with need. “There’s my fiery girl,” he groaned, circling a finger around her clit, making her body shiver with need. “Want me to make you come?”

She buried her face against his skin, her mouth pressing hot and sucking at his flesh. Her hips bounced against his fingers, working against him, and letting that speak for her. She sucked on his skin, and then moved to another patch of skin, biting and licking and nibbling and sucking again, unable to help herself. All the while, she moved her hips against his fingers. She needed this so bad.

“Say my name, fiery girl,” he murmured as her movements became more frantic, water splashing between the two of them. When she didn’t respond, his fingers stopped their torturous circles.

“Reese,” she growled low against his skin, and then bit him.

“Ah, fuck, that’s right,” he told her in a low breath. “Say it again and I’ll make you come so good.”

God, she needed to come, too. Her hips kept circling against his, and she clung to him. “Reese,” she said between bites of his skin, then moved back to his neck and bit and licked at the cords of muscle. “Reese. I’m so close.”

“Are you?” he breathed. His fingers against her clit changed their pattern, moving from tormenting circles to slow, delicious strokes from her core back up to her clit. “Are you—”

“Yes,” she panted, clinging to him. “Please. Please, Reese—”

A light clicked onto their faces. “Reese? That you?”

Audrey froze. Reese froze. His hands moved off her body and he automatically sank deeper into the water, then shoved her behind him, covering his face with a hand.

A hand that had just recently been between her legs. Audrey huddled behind him, clinging to his back.

“Who’s there?” Reese called.

A laugh. “Damn, buddy. Who else would be here?” The light clicked off. “I thought I heard some noise and came out to investigate. Uh, hi Audrey.”

Oh, God. It was Cade. Horror and mortification swept over her. She’d been bouncing on Reese—his best friend Reese! She was trying to come while the man she’d been in love with since grade school had caught them.

This was truly the worst night of her life. Hot tears of agony began to seep out from her lashes and a little sob caught in her throat. “Hi,” she managed, but it came out rough.

Reese’s hand brushed over her arm as if to comfort her. “Hey, Cade, do you mind going back inside?” Reese said loudly. “You’re shriveling my boner.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” The light clicked on again and turned away. “You two carry on.”

He didn’t even sound mortified at catching them. At finding Audrey with Reese. He sounded . . . amused. And that hurt. It hurt a lot. If he’d even cared a bit about her in any way other than as friends, he’d have been upset or jealous. Instead, he was just amused at catching them.

Reese continued to rub her arm, protectively hiding her behind him. After a long minute, he murmured, “He’s gone.”

Audrey flung him away, gulping down the tears of shame in her throat. She swam away from Reese, heading for the shore. Half of her expected him to argue, but he didn’t and simply swam after her. When she made it to the shore, she ran for her towel and wrapped it around her body, grabbing her clothes and running for the house.

“Audrey, wait!” Reese called after her. “Do you want to talk about this?”

“No!” she said, and ran before he could say anything else.

***

Well, damn. He could kill Cade for having such shitty timing.

Reese wrapped the towel around his hips and picked up his clothes, heading back toward the house. Audrey had ran away moments ago, and he was pretty sure she was crying. And Reese was pretty sure that bothered him on levels he hadn’t expected it to bother him on.

Cade didn’t love her. If she ever got over her blind infatuation with the man and stopped to use her eyes, she’d realize it. But she only saw what she wanted to see, and it frustrated him.

Audrey was gorgeous. Not in the flashy way of the women he normally dated. Those women were perfectly tanned, perfectly toned, and had nothing going on between their ears except for when their next nail salon appointment would be. Those women bored him. Audrey, meanwhile, seemed to constantly keep him on his toes. He liked that she was unafraid to snipe back at him. He liked that she was constantly thinking, even if her thoughts did seem to be focused on either Cade or her sister.

And he really liked that fiery girl he kept coaxing to the surface. There was a lot of hidden spark inside of Audrey, and he had no idea why she worked so hard to clamp it down, hiding behind dull clothes and a skin-tight bun of hair. It was why he kept pushing at her. He wanted to see the woman break through the rigid surface.

And that Audrey? She was an animal. He grinned and rubbed his earlobe as he headed to the house, thinking of the way she’d come on to him. No coaxing from him this time. She’d made out with his ear and then kissed him back with a ferocious intensity. She’d wrapped her legs around him and bounced against his cock with fearless abandon, pressing those big breasts against his chest. And God, if that hadn’t been the sexiest thing he’d seen in a long damn time. She’d been close to coming—he could tell in the way she’d bitten and licked at his skin like she wanted to crawl inside him.

Except Cade and his shitty, shitty timing had ruined it. Reese re-entered the lodge and shut the door quietly behind him. The living room was silent, and all parties were likely in their rooms and pretending to be asleep once more. Reese headed up to his room and discarded the towel as soon as he shut the door behind him. He was a bit chilled but it could wait. Instead, he walked up to the large mirror on the wall and turned on the lamp on the nearby dresser.

And grinned. His shoulder was covered in red welts from where her mouth had left hickies on him. He flexed and turned, glancing at his back. There were dozens of red scores from her nails.

Audrey was a little demon, wasn’t she? He liked that. He turned the lamp off and slid into bed, under the covers.

His cock was hard and aching, and his hand absently stroked it as he thought of Audrey on the dock, her pearly skin gleaming in the moonlight. Her body was fuller than most women he’d dated, her hips thick. But she’d been soft and delicious in his arms, and those curvy hips tapered into an hourglass waist before curving back out again for that wonderful pair of large breasts she had. He was a breast man, and she had a magnificent set—full and heavy, tipped with tight pink nipples. She clearly didn’t find herself attractive but, God, she was gorgeous. Sexier than Camilla. Definitely sexier than Audrey’s sickly, famous sister that Cade seemed so infatuated with.

Maybe it was a good thing that Cade had caught them. Maybe she’d wake up and realize that Cade had zero interest in her . . . and she’d move on to someone like, say, Reese.

He’d be happy to have that lush redhead clinging to him in bed. Just thinking about that made his hand pump faster on his cock. She deserved better than Cade. No, scratch that, he thought with a frown. Cade was the best guy that Reese knew. He was kind and generous and always thinking of others. But Audrey was so contained and careful around him. That Audrey didn’t need to be around twenty-four seven. She needed someone who would make the fiery girl come out. Someone like him.

Running a hand over his shoulder again, he grinned and thought of the hickies on his skin. Tomorrow he’d have to wear a wife-beater to show off the marks. He couldn’t wait to see the angry flush on her cheeks at the sight. He continued to stroke himself, his hand tighter and moving faster on his cock, imagining Audrey’s flushed cheeks, lush breasts, and that tight bun that never even let a tendril of hair escape. How she kept everything so tightly wound and neat that when she exploded, it was like a volcano.

His orgasm took him by surprise. He grunted, still working his cock as he spilled over his hand. Great. He’d just come imagining a woman’s prissy bun coming undone. And for some reason, Reese couldn’t stop grinning.

***

Audrey trembled in bed, bundled in a new set of pajamas, alternating between fury and shame.

Fury because she wondered if Reese had set up the skinny-dipping rendezvous deliberately so Cade would catch them. He knew how she felt about Cade. Knew she loved him, and he had nothing but derision for her feelings. He’d made that very clear. She wouldn’t put it past him to have set up the situation with Cade.

Except she knew Cade wouldn’t go along with something like that just to humiliate her. Cade was too . . . well, Cade was too nice.

And she was the one who had started it when she’d kissed Reese.

Horror coiled through her and she wanted to hide under the blankets and never come out. She’d come on to Reese Durham. She’d been unable to resist pressing up against him and she was the one who had attacked him like a starving woman. He’d simply been following her lead.

Why was she so attracted to the man? She should have been focused entirely on Cade, but instead she was hyper-aware of Reese’s every motion, right down to the way his ass flexed when he bent over.

It bothered her that this was the opportunity she’d been waiting for—some alone time with Cade. And she was spending it all bickering with Reese and groping him every time Cade’s back was turned.

And Cade had caught them tonight. And he’d thought nothing of the two of them making out together. No jealousy, nothing.

And she should be utterly devastated. She should be. But she was embarrassed and ashamed. Her hand slid between her legs and she sighed. And she was still a little horny, which sucked.

***

The next morning at dawn, Reese dressed in a wife-beater and a pair of sweatpants he found in one of Cade’s drawers and made a pot of coffee before heading out to chop more wood. Audrey seemed to like a fire going all day and he liked pleasing her with something that simple.

He’d chopped two logs before the back door opened and Cade slipped out in a warm sweater and jeans, carrying two mugs of coffee. He moved down the steps and approached Reese, then offered one to him. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“This about last night?” Reese asked, taking the mug.

“Naturally.”

Reese grunted and moved to sit on the chopping log.

Cade sat nearby on the steps, cradling the mug of coffee in his hands. He studied it for a minute and then glanced over at Reese, squinting into the rising sun. “So. You and Audrey. You want to tell me what that’s all about?”

“Just a little bit of harmless flirtation,” Reese said easily. “Why do you want to know? You’re not interested in her, are you?”

Cade gave him an impatient look. “You know she’s like a sister to me. I don’t want to see her get hurt by you.”

“I’m not going to hurt her. Jesus, Cade. When did you turn into my dad?”

“You two were naked in the water last night. Wrapped around each other. It’s normal for me to have concerns. We both know you’re a player, Reese.”

So he was. They each had their different strengths. Logan was a leader of men. Cade’s strength was his generosity of heart and open minded thinking. Reese’s strength lay in people—specifically using them for his own needs. He didn’t do it out of meanness; most women knew what they were getting when they got together with him. His tabloid moniker of “playboy billionaire” was well earned.

But for some reason, it irritated him that Cade automatically assumed he was using Audrey. “I’m not going to hurt her, Cade. We’re just having a bit of fun. Lay off.”

“The girls said you were here with someone else when I arrived. Camilla, was it?”

Reese sighed. “Camilla’s a good girl, but she’s just business. Her dad owns the hotel chain that’s thinking about investing in the cruise line.”

“And so you’re going to sleep with her?”

Reese shrugged. “We were just having fun, too.”

“That’s your problem, Reese. You don’t take anything seriously when it comes to women. Audrey’s not a girl you can use and discard.” Cade’s brows pulled together and for a moment he looked rather unhappy. “She deserves better.”

“Better than me? You’re wounding me, man.”

“I know you’re just bored—”

“Oh, fuck off with that,” Reese interrupted, his temper coming to the front. “I’m not fucking around with her because I’m bored. Now you’re insulting me and her.”

“I just want to know if you really like her, Reese. That’s all. She’s not your normal type.” Cade’s voice smoothed out. “I wasn’t trying to piss you off.”

“I know. She’s like a sister to you.” Reese rubbed at his forehead and then chugged the coffee before tossing the rest of the mug’s contents to the ground. “I get that. I just . . . I don’t know. She’s different. I like making her get all fiery and pissed off, because then she comes at me like a tigress.”

Cade chuckled and grimaced. “It’s weird to hear that about Audrey. I’ve known her since we were children and I don’t think anyone’s ever described her as a tigress.”

“She’s not bland or boring,” Reese said, feeling the need to defend her. “She just wants everyone to think that. It’s all an act she puts on so people will appreciate her or some shit.”

“I never said she was bland or boring.” Cade looked surprised at the thought. “I’ve known the twins since grade school. They’re both too smart for their own good. That’s why I had to ask you what your intentions were.”

“And if I said I was going to fuck her and have a good time and not think about it when I leave?”

“It’d strain our friendship,” Cade said.

He’d guessed as much. Cade took responsibility so seriously, and he felt responsible for the Petty twins. “Yeah, well, you don’t have to worry too much.” It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Cade that Audrey was in love with him, not Reese, but for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out. He couldn’t lash out at Cade simply because his ego was wounded a bit.

And hell, Cade was right to wonder. If Audrey indicated that she wanted in Reese’s bed? He’d have her there and on her back in no time at all. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face, remembering the way she’d clung to him in the water and bucked against his hand. Fuck, that had been hot.

Even knowing she was in love with Cade didn’t stop him. Audrey was a firecracker under that prim demeanor, and he liked having it come to the surface. More than that, he liked being the one to experience it. Someone like Cade wouldn’t know how to bring out the best in her.

She needed someone like Reese to unlock the passion inside her.

It’d just be wasted on nice, polite Cade. She needed a bastard like Reese. Someone who’d push her until she lashed back.

He grinned, rubbing his shoulder. And he had the marks to prove it.

“Why do you say that?” Cade asked, interrupting Reese’s thoughts.

“Huh?” He’d forgotten what they were talking about, lost in thoughts of Audrey underneath him, scratching up his back, demanding more.

“You said I don’t have to worry too much. Why is that?”

“Oh.” Reese thought for a minute, then walked over and handed Cade his empty coffee mug. “Because I don’t plan on breaking her heart. Trust me when I say she’s got it well guarded.”

***

“Something’s bothering you.”

Audrey looked up from her bowl of oatmeal at Daphne and her face automatically colored bright red. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Daphne rolled her eyes and stabbed her spoon into the bowl repeatedly. “It’s just the two of us. You don’t have to pretend with me.”

She was right, Audrey had to acknowledge. The two men were out getting firewood and had left them alone for breakfast. There had been coffee made and oatmeal on the stove, though Daphne had claimed to not be hungry. Audrey’d fixed her a bowl anyhow, since her too-thin twin needed to eat rather desperately.

And now Daphne was staring at her like she’d grown another head. “So you’re not going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Audrey said innocently. “You should eat, you know. I worked hard on making breakfast.”

Daphne snorted and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “I know you didn’t make the food, Aud. I’ve tasted your cooking before, remember? I don’t know why we’re all keeping up the charade, but you can’t fool me.”

As Daphne lit a cigarette and took a long drag, Audrey wrinkled her nose. “Do you have to smoke that right here? It stinks.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Daphne glanced down at the cigarette between her bony fingers. “I don’t even like the taste, really.”

“Then why smoke it?”

“Because you took away my crack pipe,” Daphne said with a coy grin. When Audrey didn’t smile, she sighed. “That was a joke, sis.”

“Not funny.”

Daphne took another pull on the cigarette and then flicked the ashes in her oatmeal bowl. “So, you going to tell me what’s going on or am I going to have to guess?” When Audrey hesitated again, a hurt look crossed Daphne’s face. “You don’t ever talk to me anymore, you know. I wish you would.”

A burst of longing swelled in Audrey’s chest. Back before Daphne had gone to LA to pursue her career in music, the twins had been incredibly close. Ever since they’d parted, though, Audrey felt as if she’d lost her other half. It hurt, and she desperately wanted her sister back. But that would take effort on both sides, she supposed. So she sighed and stirred her oatmeal, not really eating it, either. “I’m just a little mixed up at the moment.”

“Oh?” Daphne’s black-dyed brows went up. “Man trouble?”

Audrey blushed.

“Man trouble,” Daphne agreed without a word being said from Audrey. “So tell me the scoop. Is it the big hunk?”

“Big hunk?” Audrey repeated.

Daphne waved her cigarette in the air. “You know. Cade’s friend. What’s his name. I can’t remember. Was too busy puking my guts out. The one who’s constantly looking at you. Hot tub Romeo.”

Did Reese look at her all the time? Audrey hadn’t realized. “His name’s Reese Durham. He’s one of Cade’s billionaire friends.”

“Yuck. Men with money are nothing but trouble.” For a moment, Daphne looked sad, then shook it off, taking another puff of her cigarette. “So are you having sex with him?”

“Not yet.” Audrey bit her lip. “But I really want to.”

“So have sex with him.”

She shook her head. “Not that simple, Daph. I kind of have a thing for Cade.” Understatement of the year.

“Mmm. Love troubles.” Daphne’s eyes sparked with interest, and she looked less tired for the first time in days. “So glad that they’re someone else’s for a change.”

“Have you had love troubles?” Audrey asked. Daphne never shared any of the details of her relationships, though her songs were always teasing about men and breakups.

Daphne flicked her fingers, as if brushing the comment away. “Bygones. We’re talking about you right now, sis. So you want the big hunk but you’re afraid that it might interfere with your crush on Cade? Is he aware of how you feel?”

Audrey thought for a moment, wondering what to tell her sister. “He knows I exist, but it’s definitely one-sided.”

Daphne grinned. “So here’s what you do. Nail the hot tub hottie until you’re bored of him, and then go back to moping about Cade.”

Audrey stood up, her shoulders squaring defensively. “Now you’re just making fun of me. Not cool, Daph. I thought we were having a real discussion.”

“Wait,” Daphne said, reaching for Audrey’s arm. “I was serious. What’s wrong with hitting it until you quit it?”

Audrey stared at her twin. “Are you kidding? This is me we’re talking about. I’m not the kind to sleep with a man just for sex’s sake.”

“You’re not in a relationship, Audrey. Like you said, Cade doesn’t even know you have feelings for him. Why not have a little fun? Play the field a bit? It’s just physical. Have a little fling. Cade can’t be mad that you hooked up with someone if you aren’t with him.”

Audrey bit her lip, considering. “I don’t know.”

“You’re not old and married. Act your age. God. You make me feel old just being around you.”

That hurt. “Gee, thanks Daph.”

“I’m serious. Don’t you ever have fun? You always look so serious and unhappy, like you’re doing your best to be the most vanilla, boring person you can imagine. That’s no way to live.” Daphne stubbed her cigarette out in the oatmeal bowl. “I was hoping you were having a turnaround this week. You just seemed so lively. A bit irritated, but still lively. I liked seeing that in you. At least then you had some spark, instead of just gray and bland all the time.”

Knew that underneath all that proper do-gooder Audrey there was the fiery girl. Fucking love bringing her out to play.

Audrey thought for a long moment, staring at her oatmeal bowl. How much should she tell Daphne what was truly going on? Could she count on Daphne to be discreet? She glanced over at her twin, who was pulling a new cigarette out of her pack, her hands trembling slightly. And then Audrey decided to trust Daphne just a little.

“I went skinny-dipping with Reese last night.”

The new cigarette Daphne had just placed between her lips automatically fell out. She snagged it then pulled out her lighter. “Get out. You did? I’m proud of you.”

For some reason, her twin’s approval was . . . appealing. Even if it was over something as naughty as skinny-dipping. “Cade caught us, too.”

Daphne grimaced. “You want to talk about someone who’s no fun. Cade’s picture’s next to serious in the dictionary. So he caught you, huh? What did you do?”

“Hmm. Scream and ran for the house with a towel around me?”

“How did I sleep through this?” Daphne murmured, grinning. She gave her head a little shake. “So you going to go catch up where you left off tonight?”

“I don’t know,” Audrey admitted. The idea was taking root in her mind and it had a strange amount of appeal. Use Reese like he used women? Sleep with him just for sex’s sake? Was it such a terrible idea? “I wouldn’t know what to tell Cade about what’s going on.”

“It’s none of Cade’s business,” Daphne said in a pert tone. “He has zero claim on you at the moment. The only people it’s between are you, that big hunk, and your twin sister who gets to hear all the secrets.” She grinned at Audrey. “You’ll have to tell me how it is.”

“You’re assuming I’m going to go through with it,” Audrey said in a crisp tone.

“Don’t get all proper with me, Aud. I know you. And I encourage this act of liberation. I say go for it.”

“I’m glad I have your approval,” Audrey teased, but the idea was now in her head and it wouldn’t go away. What would it be like to sleep with a man, no strings attached? A man as sexy as Reese who drove her as crazy as he did?

She knew anything with him wouldn’t be permanent. Not a bit. He used women like Camilla in the hot tub. They were diversions, and she was the current one.

But wouldn’t it be fun—just for a little while—to be the diversion?

Date: 2015-02-03; view: 587