Page 35 of Embody

Twelve

Bellamy

THE HELL SHEwill.

I don’t even know what “pairs” is or how you play, but the hell she will!

“The hell you will,” Jefferson puts the kibosh on her plan forcefully, pleasing me to no end. “You get your boy, Brynny, quit being a lil’ shit. Your friend and I are about to kick your ass. Bell,” he coughs. “Sorry, I meant Bellamy,” he smiles at me, proud he remembered what I told him about that and I give him my flirtiest grin right back, touched that he in fact listened when I spoke. “Come ‘ere,” he husks, and there’s that sexy finger crook that I can’t resist. “I’ll tell ya how to play and our strategy.”

“Time out!” Brynn yells from Camp Cockblock headquarters across the pool. “JT, how did you know not to shorten her name? This isGeorgia, we shorten every word possible.”

I got this one, and tell him so by laying a hand on his arm. “I told him the other day.”Not a lie, just not saying which day…or when.“Like I do with everyone, Brynn. Why are you acting so weird about everything?”

I just served it up to her—chance number one to come clean.

Sadly, she doesn’t take it, sloughing it off and forcing a smile. “I don’t know, ignore me. Come on, let’s play.”

“Hold up a damn minute. I need to tell my partner how to play. Ryder, entertain your girl,” Jefferson says as he gently moves me off to the side for some top-secret strategizing.

And part of my disappointed heart starts bursting with vibrant flashes of hopes—because that’s the second time Jefferson has made an encouraging comment about Brynn and Ryder’s relationship. Meaning, if he did issue any counter-ultimatum in return for Brynn’s interference in our “whatever,” he withdrew it. Knowing it was wrong.

I knew it! Iknewhe had good character. Now, all I have left to do is to seduce, torture and tease him into standing up to his sister like a man!

My perfect, harmless Plan C.

“Okay,” he leans in close to whisper to me…and groans. “God, Bellamy, you smell like…” he shakes his head, “never mind. Pairs is a race, down and back, with us swimming as one person. And we have to pick, one of us can only use our feet, the other just our arms.”

I subtly move in closer, making sure my breasts graze his arm, and whisper back as raspy as my voice will get, “You just tell me what to do, Jefferson, and I will. I trust you.”

His eyes close for a moment while he takes a long breath in and out of his nose, then he opens them again, dark pupils dilated to the size of quarters. “You’re killing me, woman.”

“How so?” I feign innocence, tugging on the corner of my lip with my teeth and batting my eyelashes. “You’ve played before, and you’re such a good swimmer. I just thought you should make our plan.”

“Uh huh,” his mouth slowly curls upward and he tries, failing, to sneak a glance down my top. “Which are stronger, your arms or legs?”

“You tell me,” I purr silkily, running a fingertip down his arm. “You’ve had them both wrapped around you.”

A low rumble builds from deep in his chest as he stares at me, searching the depths of my eyes. “Legs,” he answers with an undercurrent of tortured sensuality.

Oh yeah, my plan is working.His chestnut eyes are positively glowing with an inner fire.

“Today!” Brynn yells, breaking our trance. I love her, dearly, but she’s quickly nearing downright obnoxious territory.

“All right, I’ll lay flat on my back, you on my chest.” His breath catches. I love it. “I’ll use my arms to backstroke, and you kick your legs as hard as you can. Just hold onto me. If you fall off, we lose. Sound good?”

“Mhm hmm,” I hum, licking my bottom lip. “Hopefully your huge hard-on,” I glance at it, “doesn’t slow us down.”

“What’s going on with you?” He narrows his eyes in suspicion to match his voice. “You’re acting very different. Not at all like my shy violet.”

“Yourshy violet?” I quirk a brow and feel my cheeks blush.

“Sorry, slip up,” he looks away.

“Oh, I don’t think it was a slip up at all. I think that’s exactly how you see me. As yours.” Now I move against his back and whisper in his ear. “Insecret, of course. You’ll learn,” I pat his shoulder. “Come on, let’s go win this.”

 

 

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