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MONTANA

“God, Asa is such a pain in the ass. If he weren’t my brother, I’d despise him, but I know he does it just to instigate a fight with me.

It’s what he’s always done,” Leena tells me as we’re sitting in the pool.

Her parents recently put one in, and it’s freaking amazing.

It has a beach-like entrance that doesn’t have stairs; you just walk in.

Today, we’re sitting in the shore-like area, water lapping at our legs, and chatting away.

“I’m not worried about it, Leena. It’s good for a girl’s ego to be boosted every now and then.

” I shrug my shoulders, adjust my sunglasses, and take a sip of my drink.

Somehow managing not to shake it while lifting the hard seltzer that tastes like grapefruit, my favorite, and I know it has Asa’s name written all over it for making sure it was here for me.

Since, you know, he’s in charge of the drink situation.

His parents take care of the meat, and everyone else pitches in with a side or dessert.

The latter of which I brought, because everyone raves about my double-stacked brownies with strawberries and cream in the middle as the filling.

“Yeah, just don’t fall for his ways, okay?” This is the same talk we have almost any time Asa is around. Another reason why we’re keeping things quiet. Can you imagine if I told her all the amazing qualities her brother has, not including the fan-fucking-tastic orgasms he gives me?

“Of course, you act like we haven’t talked about this for the eighteen millionth time.” I roll my eyes, thankful for my polarized mirror glasses that can hide them. There have been so many times I’ve been told that my eyes show just how badly I have resting bitch face.

“Just making sure. Are you ready for another one?” she asks. I swear we just sat down ten minutes ago. I’m barely halfway through my drink, whereas Leena is done with hers. That’s weird.

“Umm, no. You want to tell me what has you so riled up?” I question as my head pivots around, landing on Asa.

His shirt is off after our romp in the bathroom earlier, which still has me squirming.

The rippling of his muscles as he does the most mundane task, like picking up his nephew Jace, tossing him over his shoulder, and running towards us.

“I’m burnt out. I’m counting down the days until I can get away again.

I don’t know when this soul-crushing feeling became all-consuming, but damn, it’s there.

” I knew Leena was going through a lot. The construction company the family owns is nothing short of amazing.

People wait well over six months to use them.

It also comes at a price, one my best friend is clearly struggling with.

“Have you thought of taking a leave of absence? I know it’s a family thing, but look around.

None of these people would want you to feel this way, Lee.

” I barely get those words out before Asa and Jace make a huge cannon ball, jumping into the pool and splashing not only us but a few people in the lounge chairs, too.

Leena and I laugh. Jace comes up from the water, giggling his little butt off.

Keller shakes his head, knowing that Asa is always up to hanging out with his nephew.

If sighing wouldn’t get me into trouble with Leena, that’s what I would be doing right about now, but she’s my best friend.

Honestly, though, what Asa and I have is ours, and that’s all that matters to me.

“I think I might. I kind of got an offer to work at another office, and I’m so tempted to entertain the idea of interviewing,” Leena says meekly after things have calmed down a little bit.

Though the way Asa is treading water and then tossing Jace into the deeper side of the pool is really hard to take my eyes off.

“I think you should do it. Who says it won’t be something that you’ll like. Worst-case scenario, you don’t like it. You’ll still have a job with your family.”

“You’re right. Okay, finish that drink. I’m going to get another one, and by the time I get back, you have better caught up.” I laugh, lifting my drink in the air in a mock cheers salute.

“Aye, aye.” I take a sip of my drink. Okay, I take a gulp, but not because Leena insisted on it.

Nope, that would be because after she makes her way out of the pool, Asa swims towards me with Jace on his back, arms sluicing through the water, the muscles in his body pulling with every stroke.

Yep, I’m going to need a few more drinks to get through today, especially with the way I swear I can still feel what Asa left behind inside me.