Page 46 of Five

“Yeah, kinda,” he replies, and I can tell by the way his knee is jiggling that he’s nervous about finally meeting her. I can’t help wondering if he really did get any work done.

Oliver stares at the huge buffet Remi has set out and quirks an eyebrow. “Wow, you really went all out, Remi. This looks amazing.”

There’s a murmur of consensus from us all, but when Jesse reaches out to help himself, Remi gives him a sharp smack on the back of his hand, causing the rest of us to smirk.

Jesse collapses back in his chair and folds his arms over his chest in a huff. Jeez, he’s like a fucking little kid, sometimes.

Thankfully, Neve chooses that moment to make her entrance.

She stands nervously in the doorway of the house, biting her lip and looking at us from beneath lowered lashes.

Her purple-tipped hair waves gently around her face, reacting to the humidity, no doubt, and she’s wearing a dress that wouldn’t look out of place at a real restaurant. It hugs her curves in all the right places and then swings out into something short and flirty, but all I want to do is peel it off of her and see if her skin is as silky as it appears. From the look on the rest of the guys’ faces, I’d say they feel the same.

It’s obvious she’s made an effort for us; despite everything she’s got going on in her life.

After the way I found her this morning, locked in her bathroom, I’m beyond relieved.

Oliver jumps up, hurrying towards her, and her eyes brighten, her lips curving into a tentative smile.

Neve extends her hands to him, but Ollie pulls her into a hug, and I feel a strange emotion in my chest as I watch her arms curl around my younger brother and squeeze him tight.

“Neve,” he murmurs, looking at her like she’s the only thing he can see. “I’m so glad you’re here, and I finally get to meet you.”

He pulls away and looks her up and down with obvious appreciation. “You’re even more beautiful in person.”

He’s not wrong. If anything, that’s an understatement.

She’s fucking gorgeous.

Cope is already looking at her like she hung the moon, and even Jesse isn’t impervious, despite stoically staring at his plate in an effort not to look at her.

He’s not fooling me, though. I know he’s affected. He wouldn’t be this damn antagonistic if he didn’t feel anything for her.

Me? I’m just glad the fancy tablecloth Remi dug out is covering my lap, because if Neve got a look at the boner I’ve just popped, she’d probably think I was objectifying her and run screaming back to the mainland, ocean or not.

Neve’s not our plaything, like she was so keen to remind me, so that bad boy is going to have to settle down.

And the truth is, as quick as all this has been, I don’t want her as a plaything—well, I do, but not in the context she meant.

Looking around at the table, at the effect she’s having on us all, I really do think she could be the one.

We just need to clean up the shit that’s happening in her life so we can start focusing on the future without all these threats hanging over her.

Ten

Neve

Mood:deepinside,it’ssuch a rush…

I hover in the doorway that leads out onto the terrace where Oscar said dinner would be served, twisting my hands nervously in front of me.

I’m overdressed. It’s a pretty dress—a little off-the-shoulder sundress that clings to my chest and then spins out into a flirty ruffled mini-skirt. I should go back and change into something less first date-ish—but what would I change into? I’m going to have words with Caroline next time I see her. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she packed as if I was going on my first college spring break, instead of to what is essentially a safe house.

In my rush to get out of the apartment, I didn’t pay any attention to what she was throwing into my suitcases. The only sensible clothing that I found were the pajamas and sweatpants that I put in.

I’ll just have to make the best of it.

Gaining my courage, I clear my throat. Instantly all of the guys sitting or standing around the table look up, their gazes latching onto me.