Page 46 of All the Promises We Break

Hayley

I’ve watched Eli and Wes together for most of my life. I have so many memories with them both. Somehow, since the first kiss, they mean more to me. I have these dreams where it’s the four of us like this forever. I’ve always been close to my brother. This has the potential to make that even better.

Dinner is an awesome mix of conversation; fabulous food and I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. After the dishes are done, we head down to the media room and turn on a movie we’ve all seen a thousand times, while we play pool. We play teams, Dylan and Eli versus Wes and me.

Every time I line up a shot, I can feel Wes watching me as I bend over the table. I can hear his subtle pacing, which he’s effective at pushing it off as competitiveness. After a while, I bend a little farther just to fuck with him. When he lines up his shots, I’m watching too.

His biceps ripple through the fabric on his gray T-shirt. They tense and release with each shot. I can feel the impact of the ball in my core. Wes and I win two out of three matches. We all take a victory shot of tequila. I think that’s the end for my brother.

Once he starts to wobble, Dylan makes him sit. I didn’t know it was the first time he’d had more than a half a glass of wine with dinner. He seems a little more than just too much to drink. His eyes squint in the stream of the overhead lights.

“Hey, Eli? Are you okay?” I ask.

“I think the beer from this afternoon, mixed with the wine from dinner, and that shot just pushed me over the edge. I’m not drunk but just really off. I need water and the dark. I’m sorry I’m punking out.”

“Knock that shit off,” Wes scolds. “You need to take care of you. If your body is saying time out, take it.”

Dylan wraps a secure arm around his waist. “Eli, let me take you to bed. I’ve got the cure down.”

Eli strokes Dylan’s cheek with a smile. “I wish you didn’t have to but I’m glad you do.”

“Skiing tomorrow?” Eli asks.

We all agree that’ll be fun, and Dylan guides him upstairs. I watch their backs until I can’t see them anymore. “It’s still scary that he can fade out in an instant.”

“He’s doing awesome. If he wasn’t having a single issue, I’d be worried. Well, I guess it’s just you and me.”

I shuffle my bare feet across the carpet. “I could beat you at pool again. We could watch a movie.”

“Have your swimsuit?”

“I brought one, yes.”

“Meet me back here with it on in ten minutes. It’s hot tub time.”

Chapter Eighteen

Wes

The coils in the tile heat fast this time of year and the hot tub is at an amazing one hundred two degrees within ten minutes. My swimsuit hangs in the huge downstairs bathroom. I’m coming out just as Hayley appears by the door to go outside. Her towel hangs open, revealing a pale orange bikini that has large ties at the hips and the top scoops her breasts up perfectly with a halter strap that clasps behind her neck.

Her hair is piled up in a beautiful mess on top of her head. A few strands frame her face and tickle the back of her neck. I can feel things on my body twitch, even with her across the room. “Is everything ready?” I can’t seem to make the words in my head come from my mouth. “Wes? Hello?”

“Shit. I’m sorry. I wasn’t ready for you to look like that.”

“I bought it a couple of days ago. It’s my new one for the summer season. Is it too bright?”

“No. Fuck no. It’s perfect.” She’s even more stunning the closer I get. “I think I could be in big trouble here, Hayley.”

“For any reason in particular?”

“The thoughts in my head are anything but pure.”

“Now, I don’t see that as a problem.”

I watch the goosebumps form over her entire body with the light cool breeze from the tree line. Her body sways back and forth while she walks in front of me. The towel trails farther and farther down her body until it’s discarded at the base of the steps.

I offer Hayley my hand, first up the stairs, then back down into the water. She exhales with a push off the wall to the opposite side. I press play for our playlist from a music streaming app on my phone. Every song seems to have a soft, sexy pulse to it. Just like her.

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