Page 10 of Stuck with a Billionaire Rockstar

I raise an eyebrow at the quickness he answered me but choose to let it go when I spot Julia stepping out of the large double doors with Mallory, and her eyes lock on mine briefly. A warm feeling spreads through me, and I mutter, “Shit.”

“You good, man?”

“Uh, yeah. Look, I gotta go.” He starts to say something, but I don’t give him the chance to finish before I hang up and rise from the Adirondack chair.

Mallory says something to Julia, then pushes away from her and heads toward the small tiki bar that’s situated in the far corner. I quicken my steps, hoping I can make it over and have a conversation before my sister comes back, and come to a stop in front of Julia.

“I’ll do it,” Julia says abruptly as she straightens her shoulders and looks over at me. There’s something fierce in her eyes that catches my attention, but she looks back in the direction Mallory went with a frown. “Mallory can’t know. She would never let me live it down if she knew I was learning how to flirt from her older brother.”

I’m surprised that she’s changed her mind, but it’s an exciting twist. Judging by the pink tint to her cheeks, I’d say this is going to be an interesting couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to bring her out of the shell she’s hidden herself in.

“Brent, seriously?” Mallory mutters, her eyes narrowed on me as she makes her way toward the two of us with their drinks. “I asked you to make yourself scarce, not show up everywhere we are.” She rolls her eyes and hands Julia her red drink, nudging her friend. “He bothering you?”

Julia snorts and fidgets in place, making Mallory give her a weird look.

I throw my hands up in the air and smile. “Was just seeing how the trip was going, that’s all. I’ll leave you ladies to it.”

“Great,” Mallory says cheerfully, then hurries over to the edge of the pool away from Julia.

This gives me the opening I need, and I lean forward, but not so close that it raises suspicion. “Be at my room tonight at eight.” I trail my gaze down the length of her body, which is barely covered, and wink at her. “And wear something nice, Buttercup.”

5

Julia

Throughout the day, all I’ve done is second-guess my decision, almost going back to Brent and telling him I made a mistake in agreeing. My mind keeps going back to Mallory’s jokes from last night after I told her about my horrendous talk with the stranger who came up to me, and it makes me more eager to get to Brent’s room later.

What could he have planned already?

Oh God, what if he starts off with something sexy?

I need to shave.

“Babe, you okay?” Mallory asks next to me as she floats through the pool on one of those huge flamingo inflatables. She’s got her sunglasses pulled down, keeping the sun from blinding her, and the dark strands of her hair are pulled into a short messy bun.

I clear my throat and nod. “Great.”

“Did Brent say something to you? I’ll kick his ass for you if he did,” she says sweetly.

This is why I love her. She’s always down to bat for me, no matter who it is. I shake my head and chuckle. “Easy girl, he didn’t say anything bad. Just thinking about that guy I talked to last night and how I’m already screwing this trip up.”

Mallory sighs. “Look, just keep testing out the waters. It’s not like you’ll ever see any of these people again.”

I’m itching to tell her about Brent, but I know that would be a mistake. She’d only try to talk me out of it because she believes I’m too innocent for the reputation he has and I’m glad I get to prove it’s not like that.

“I’m heading back inside, this sun is getting to me,” I mumble.

“Do you want me to come back?”

She’s already starting to slide off the floatie, but I shake my head and give her a small smile. “No, enjoy yourself.”

“Are you sure?”

I smirk. “You’re going to act like you haven’t been itching to talk to that guy who’s been staring you down since we got out here?”

Mallory immediately lifts up, her gaze brightening, and she pulls her hair from its tie. “And you let me pull my hair up like this? Oh God,” she groans, fluffing her perfect spiral curls until she’s content with them.

“Mal, you know you can make anything look good.”

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