Page 70 of Pick Six

“I don’t care about him.”

“But you liked him watching you?” His tone is dark but curious like he’s probing my reaction to what we’ve done despite the fact it’s pricked his jealousy.

“I guess so. I like that you want me so badly you don’t care who watches.”

“Oh, I fucking care. I wouldn’t have let anyone watch. But I trust Gabe to keep his mouth shut. I want him to understand he doesn’t have a chance in fucking hell with you because I can tell he’d jump if he thought I was out of the picture.”

“I doubt that.”

“I don’t. He wants you, and I know you like him.”

“In another lifetime maybe. Where you don’t exist… But in this one…”

“Learned your lesson about picking the wrong guy then?” He smirks at me.

“Yes. I think so.” My eyes are drifting over him because I can seriously never get enough of seeing him. It feels like a dream or like I’ve won the lotto. Too lucky for my own good. I look up to meet his eyes again and smile, but his are two deep pools of thought.

“Good because I’m tired of pretending.”

“I like pretending with you,” I say softly, sliding my hands over his shoulders. “Sometimes… like out there, it makes me feel like I could be a Danica or a Celeste. You know? A wilder version of me.” I give him a playful smile.

“You want more of that?”

“I don’t know yet. But I liked trying it. I like that you make me feel brave enough and comfortable enough to try it.”

“Yeah?” He raises his brow like he’s surprised but happy to hear it.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Alex.

“Yeah,”she whispers softly, her fingers tracing over the tattoos on my chest. “Did you like it? I mean, obviously, you like it. But with me?” she asks so quietly, almost with a nervous tone to her voice. I can hardly stand it. I run my fingers along her jaw.

“I’m torn. I like that you liked it. I love any fucking time you come for me. But I’m jealous of any man who gets to see you, touch you, flirt with you. And I doubt it’s a good idea for that to be happening with my guys.”

“Jealous over me?” She makes a face that says she doesn’t believe it.

“Yes, Saint.” I drag my knuckles down over the center of her body and then back up before I grab her chin, sliding my thumb over her lush lower lip. “This fucking body, this face, the sounds you make…everything about you. I want it all to myself.”

“Lucky for you, you already have me trapped in this little fake relationship.” She points back and forth between us, smiling up at me.

“Yes, lucky me.”

“But I don’t want you giving up things you enjoy because of me. If you have certain tastes… Even if you think I might not like them, I want to know.” She looks up at me, a sincere resolve in her tone.

“Yeah, well… I think you might be changing a lot of my tastes. Making me singly addicted to one in particular.” I grab her swimsuit bottoms and raise my eyes to her, grinning.

“Alex… fuck. I think you’re setting a record for me tonight.”

“What record is that?”

“How many times. How many ways. How many places. The better question at this point is what record isn’t it…” She smirks.

“Well, now I have to have it.” I tug them down her legs, and she helps me by raising her hips and knees up. I drag them off her and toss them to the side. “Take your top off. I want to see all of you.”

She arches her back to unhook the top and then pulls it off, setting it to the side on the towel. Her eyes coming back to me, two deep pools of blue that pull me down every time.

“So fucking gorgeous,” I mutter, sliding my hands over her sides as I kiss my way over her stomach, making my way down to the apex of her thighs. “Spread for me, Saint. I want to see you.”