Page 28 of Five Days

Landon blinked, tearing his focus off my eyes for the table between us. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. It appeared as though he tried to put his thoughts back in order when they’d been focused on the same type of chaos that had been his demise years earlier.

I sagged, my body suddenly exhausted in knowing what he would choose—and why. He’d learned his lesson about messing around with more than one man at a time the hard way and would never push his luck again.

“There’s a snorkeling class in an hour,” I broke the silence with something that wouldn’t bring about questions I expected Landon had no wish to answer. Even he and I didn’t talk about his past unless absolutely necessary. “Why don’t we take advantage of the buffet then head over there?”

“Sounds good to me,” Zack said, lightly elbowing Landon.

“Yeah—okay,” Landon agreed, his voice no more than a whisper.

I released a slow exhale, wanting to grab my best friend and hug the hell out of him—and latch onto Zack with my needy mouth.

Chapter 12

Zack

Spending the day beneath the water with only my breaths and thoughts to keep my brain company wasn’t exactly relaxing. Neither was watching Callum and Landon in nothing more than swim shorts gliding through the water with graceful undulations of their hips that reminded me of sex.

Sleek movements. Flexing muscle. Firm ass cheeks mere feet in front of me proved a better sight than any coral reef and colorful fish. I imagined stripping both men bare but got caught up in too much possibility to focus on one fantasy. Watching. Directing. Being on the receiving end. In the middle. Owning Callum’s ass while he plowed into Landon.

Swimming with a hard-on wasn’t exactly comfortable, but at least the group we were a part of seemed intent on the sea life around us rather than a horny man on the verge of nutting.

At the back of the group, it would be easy to rub a quick one out. Just a few strokes over my swim trunks would cause it to happen. Temptation to do so had me reaching for my aching cock, but a fish caught me by surprise and brushed against my leg, making me kick closer to those in front of me.

But the flagging erection quickly returned.

I managed to force the damn thing away by watching a curvy woman in a string bikini take in the sights, since nothing about her soft body turned me on. Sure, her new husband was easy on the eyes, but I kept my focus on her. Jealousy had weaseled in over the newlyweds’ public affection while we’d been aboard the boat, that same sense of missing out I experienced with the guys from home.

Until my head broke the water line and sunshine kissed my face, my dick had chilled.

Once back on land, the three of us walked through warm sand, stopping at one of the bars for a drink. The momentary peace we’d agreed to was tenuous at best, a mere means of getting through the next couple of days.

Since Callum had said Landon could have whatever he wanted, if he initiated, I would look at him like a client. That made it easier to avoid thoughts of how much I still lusted after the brat. Pleasuring Landon would be nothing but a good time.

I just had to keep deep-rooted feels on lockdown and stick purely with fucking the asshole from my system like I was desperate to do.

Like I’d told Landon, I didn’t do spontaneity, but this situation was beyond my control. I wouldn’t overthink, just lock my heart away and enjoy my little vacation. And if that included sex, bring it the fuck on because I needed release by some means other than my own fist.

Things weren’t forgiven and forgotten between me and Landon, but the animosity had taken a backseat for now. As long as I didn’t focus on the fallout of his actions from back then, we could make it through the days ahead without any heated tension outside the sexual sort.

I’d explained to Landon over the empty breakfast table between us earlier in the morning that I hadn’t intended on leaving after I’d turned eighteen. While I didn’t go into my reasons for why I’d planned to stick around—him—I’d assured him that his distress had been unfounded. And I, in turn, accepted his explanation for his outburst, his fear over being alone in a house void of unconditional love and support.

Neither of his parents had time for Landon back then, both too focused on the campaign trail that would lead to his father eventually running for president. I’d been his everything—big brother, hero, and best friend all wrapped into one. While I still reasoned away his supposed undying love for me, how he looked at me was familiar.

I’d seen too many of my co-workers with the same something on their faces when watching their partners.

Yes, it was love as far as the retired Elites went, but I couldn’t find it in me to trust what Landon’s eyes told me no matter how much my heart longed to. He’d been on the receiving end of my jaded thoughts for too many years for good feels to simply wipe the shit away and take us back to what we used to be.

But fuck, the man was sexy as hell, even more so with mussed, salt-dried hair, his shirtless torso revealing ample muscle, six-pack included. Callum drew my eyes just as often, having the same effect on my body with his similar build. Turned out, the two men enjoyed sparring and also weight trained together to keep in shape.

I allowed myself a moment’s fantasy of watching them sweating and swinging at each other. But my libido took over, which ended with them fucking on the floor, panting and groaning.

Then my thoughts shifted—what if they returned home and that exact situation arose…without me?

I clenched my jaw and assured myself I didn’t care. Goddamnit, I needed to focus on the now. Hopefully, fucking Landon from my system.

After a few drinks where we discussed the gym, our favorite workouts, and healthy meals, we went to our separate suites to shower with an agreement to meet back up for an early dinner. We hadn’t eaten anything substantial since Landon and I had joined Callum earlier that morning after our talk where all three of us had our fill from the breakfast buffet.

I arrived at the outdoor restaurant first and was seated alongside the live band rather than back in one of the private nooks like the night before.

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