Page 19 of Hard Rock Sin

I let myself float on my back, trying to stay out of his way. I got too close to him a few times and ended up getting splashed. After the third time it happened I stopped floating, intending to move to the other side of the pool.

I turned to find Cameron treading water in place, not swimming. I pushed my wet bangs out of my face.

"If I'm getting in your way, just tell me to—"

I sputtered as another splash of water hit me. I wiped the water from my eyes, blinking them open only to find Cameron grinning at me.

"You jerk!" I complained. "You were splashing me on purpose."

"Not the first time," he said. "But I love seeing that disgruntled look. It's the same as Noah's."

I felt my eyebrows draw down, mouth pinching and nose wrinkling. It was probably the exact expression he'd just pointed out. I fought to smooth my face.

"You like to piss people off, don't you?"

He flashed me a cheeky grin. "It's my sole purpose in life."

"No wonder my brother always complains about you."

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "His Royal Highness mentioned a lowly subject such as myself?"

I gave Cameron a curious look. "Why do you call Noah His Royal Highness?"

"Such a great nickname, isn't it? He's so aloof and stiff. Like some stuffy, stuck up prince. I came up with it myself," Cameron added with a smug tilt of his chin.

"My brother talks about you a lot. Always complaining about your latest antics."

"Aw, I'm touched."

"You should be, you know. Noah doesn't like very many people. The fact that he's always talking about you means something."

"It means he wants to murder me half the time."

"Noah's always been the big brother. But he never got to experience having a brother himself. I think it's good he has someone who, as you said, gives him shit."

"I never thought about it that way," Cameron said thoughtfully. "I never had a brother. It was always just me and my parents."

"That sounds lonely."

Cameron stilled. He glanced at me carefully. "Not really," he shrugged eventually.

I noticed the pause. "Would you have liked a brother?"

He snorted. "I'm sure my parents would have."

"What do you mean?"

He avoided my eyes. "Nothing."

Cameron swam to the shallow end and began climbing the stairs.

"I'm going to get dried off."

He grabbed a towel hanging from one of the poolside deck chairs and padded his way inside, leaving me alone in the pool.

Somehow, without meaning to, I'd struck a nerve.

Chapter Seven