Page 22 of My Ex-Best Men (Ex Marks the Spot #4)

***Claire***

A nthony stood at the side of the boat looking over the side with a scowl on his face. He’d stripped down to his trunks and with his arms crossed over his chest, he was enough of a vision to make me forget how sick I felt. “How deep is the water here?”

Lizzie wrapped her arms around her waist and stood next to him. “You’re really freaking me out.”

“You should be freaked out. Have you ever heard of a vampire squid?” Looking back at me, Anthony shook his head. “I haven’t even mentioned the hydrothermal vents that can reach temperatures of seven hundred degrees.”

Kinsley stood next to Jake’s younger brother, Mark, and took a deep breath. “We came to snorkel. We can’t snorkel on the boat. So we should just…jump in. Right?”

Jake inched closer to his boss. “Hey, man, maybe don’t give us any more ocean facts.”

Anthony shrugged and moved back to my side. “If you don’t want to know the shit coming your way, that’s on you.”

I sat back on the bench and toed my sick bucket away from me. While I still felt like crap, I at least didn’t feel like I was going to spew. Sophia had even slipped me a mint, bless her. “I never knew you were afraid of the ocean.”

He slung his arm around me and didn’t hide that he was trying to look down the t-shirt I’d stolen from Jake to wear over another of Sophia’s tiny bikinis.

“I’m not afraid. I’m just smart. I like to know the risks before jumping into a situation.

It’s worked for me in business so why would I throw caution to the wind when sharks are involved? ”

Zane whipped his shirt off and stood at the edge of the boat, grinning at me. “Anthony might be too scared but I’m not.”

Everyone cheered as he flipped off of the boat and shouted about how cold the water was. I leaned over and smiled when I saw him treading water with a silly grin on his face. He looked like a little boy who’d won a race.

“If you want to come in, Claire, I’ll keep you sa-” Zane screamed bloody murder and started splashing around wildly while also trying to get back to the boat. “Shark!”

Uncle Sal leaned over the boat and let out a loud laugh. “That’s a goddamn fish and a small one at that! Stop splashing around before you get my hair wet, boy!”

Anthony laughed. “Good one, Zane!”

“You keep talking, brainiac. I’m coming for you.” Zane huffed. “Someone else get in the damn water. If a shark does come up I want a chance at being faster than someone.”

“Here goes nothing!” Sophia jumped off and dragged Jake with her. He went with a scream.

One by one everyone else dove in, except for me, Anthony, Uncle Sal, and the boat captain.

I watched with envy as everyone splashed around and had fun.

I especially noticed the way Madeline seemed to be having such a great time swimming next to Will.

I stared at them for a few moments too long, wondering if there was something there.

I knew that Will had kissed me and seemed to want more and I didn’t think he was a player but I didn’t know him anymore.

“What’s wrong?” Anthony brushed my hair away from my face and followed my gaze. “Oh. She’s not exactly subtle, is she?”

The captain saved me from having to admit I was jealous. He stopped in front of me and gently patted my knee. “Are you feeling better? If you’re feeling up for getting in the water, I have a float you could use. It might help stabilize you a bit.”

I’d talked to the man several times while booking the excursion but I never would’ve imagined he’d be just a little older than me with a beautiful smile.

I’d noticed a few of the other bridesmaids checking him out.

“Maybe. I am feeling better but now I’m thinking about viruses and hot spots in the ocean. ”

He shot Anthony a look and rolled his eyes. “In all the years I’ve been leading these things I’ve never had a problem that wasn’t caused by a drunken idiot.”

“Oh, captain! Would you mind coming over here and telling an old man about how he’d get to be your first mate?” Uncle Sal flicked his wrist and perfectly extended a bright pink fan. He fanned himself while batting his eyes. “If you don’t mind.”

The captain squeezed my knee and winked at me. “You owe me.”

Anthony ran his hands down my thighs after the captain moved away. “He’s going to look like a cliche when I rip his hand off and he has to have a hook.”

I was so shocked by the jealousy evident in his voice and the imagery that I threw my head back and let out a wild laugh. Anthony had never been the jealous type before but he was different. I felt the way he wanted to claim me in every touch and there was something intoxicating about it.

“Hey! Anthony!”

We both looked over at the sound of Will calling him. He stood up and moved to the side of the boat, trying to find out what Will wanted. Before he could get a word out Zane snuck up behind him and shoved him into the water before jumping in after him.

I gasped and hurried to the side to make sure they were both okay.

Zane was grinning up at me, clearly proud of his antics.

Anthony was several feet behind him, an evil glint to his eyes.

He disappeared under the water and I shook my head in sympathy for Zane.

Anthony was a championship swimmer. He’d basically just pushed the human equivalent of a shark into the ocean with himself.

Zane noticed my expression and looked around. “Where’d he go?”

A few seconds passed and then Zane screamed before disappearing under the surface of the water. He came up a few seconds later, sputtering and growling at Anthony who came up looking even prouder than Zane had.

“You want to come in, baby?” Anthony smiled up at me, his concerns over the ocean neutralized for the time being.

Will swam up next to him and looked up at me. “I’ve got you if you want to come in.”

Madeline swam close behind him. “Leave her be, Will. She’s been sick all morning. She probably doesn’t want to get in, the poor thing.”

There was no way I was letting Madeline be fake nice to me to get Will to herself.

I held my nose and jumped off the boat. My stomach did a few somersaults on the way down but then I was in the water and strong arms were pulling me back to the surface.

I gulped in oxygen as I came up and clung to whoever had me.

“Um, Claire? As much as I love you, I’m going to need you to get your boobs off of me. You’re like a sister and this is weird.” Jake eased me away and clucked his tongue. “The water turns you weird.”

I blinked my eyes open and tried to wipe at them. “I didn’t put my boobs on you, jerk. I thought you were someone else.”

“Me?” Zane wrapped his arms around me from behind and I could feel his legs kicking to keep us afloat.

I glanced at him over my shoulder and smirked. “I don’t know. I’ve heard you scream twice since getting in and I’m worried we’ll both need someone to save us.”