Page 37 of The First Best Man

I can do this. I know I can. I’ve managed so far this week, haven’t I?

A splash confirms Penny and Logan are swimming our way, and Kate spins to take the bottle from me with a quiet word of thanks. She tosses it toward the covered patio where it hits the ground and slides beneath the outdoor dining table.

When they reach us and get their feet beneath them, Penny has a weird gleam in her eyes and Logan looks disgruntled. I glance at Kate to see if she has any ideawhat’s going on between them, but she studiously avoids my gaze. I feel like I’m missing something, but before I can get to the bottom of it, Penny bounces in the water and grips Logan’s bicep with excitement pouring off her in waves.

“I know! Let’s chicken fight,” she says, bouncing faster.

Kate’s mouth drops open as she stares at Penny, then she moves her eyes to me, horror filling her expression. She doesn’t think I can hold her. Hell, she doesn’t think Iwantto.

But if Kate thinks I’m passing up the chance to have those thick thighs wrapped around my head, however innocently, she’s lost her mind. Without a word, I dive under the water and swim around behind her. Bracing my shoulders against the backs of her thighs, I plant my feet beneath me. I push her up and out of the water with ease. She yelps and grips my hair in iron fists as she tries to find her balance. My hands curve over her thighs to hold her steady, and I don’t miss the whole-body shiver that trembles through her at my touch.

Penny squeals and pushes Logan beneath the water so she can settle herself on his shoulders. He pushes her up and stabilizes them without a problem, and Penny holds her arms out, wiggling her fingers in an invitation for Kate to weave hers through them.

Kate yelps and tightens her grip on my hair when I move closer so she can reach Penny’s hands. Her thighs tighten around my head deliciously, and I’m pretty sure I black out for a second at the sheer pleasure of it.

Tightening my grip on her, I say, “You can let go, Kate. I’ve got you. I promise.”

Her grip on my hair loosens in slow increments, and I remain perfectly still, letting her gain confidence at her own pace. When her fingers finally slip from my hair completely, I tighten my grip on her thighs to let her know I’ve got her, then take a small step forward so she can reach Penny’s outstretched hands.

Kate yelps when Penny shouts and tries to push her off-balance. I hold tight, and Kate squeezes her ankles into my sides for better leverage before letting out a shout of her own and leaning forward.

Then my girlfights.

Penny squeals and Logan stumbles a bit, then finds his balance again. Kate doesn’t relent though, continuing the assault until Penny slips out of Logan’s grasp and falls into the water with a splash.

Kate lets out a shout of victory, and I let her relish it until Penny reemerges, slinging her wet hair back out of her face with a laugh. Then I pull my legs up, letting myself sink below the water before slipping out of the tangle of Kate’s gorgeous legs. As I move up toward the surface, I run my palms along Kate’s sides, holding her steady as she finds her own footing.

At least, that’s why I tell myself I’m doing it.

And squeezing that tempting flesh does nothing for the hard-on situation, so I release her and move away while she and Penny laugh and hug each other. They grab floats and climb onto them, stretching out to grab some sun, and the sight of Kate like that is nearly as bad as touching her.

Giving her my back before I lose my damn mind, I turn toward Logan and meet him at the edge of the pool.

“What’s going on with you and Penny?” I ask, keeping my voice low enough that the girls won’t hear. “Is everything okay there?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he says, his features tightening a bit. “Just a minor disagreement.”

His vibes are screaming at me to back off and let the subject drop, so I do. The last thing I want to do is ruin the day by forcing the man to talk about his feelings. When he’s ready to share, he will.

“I’m getting hungry,” Logan says, seeming to shake off his bad mood. “Want to help me prep the food and the grill?”

“Sure,” I say, following him up the steps and out of the pool.

The girls follow shortly after, wrapping themselves up in towels and sitting in the shade of the patio while sipping mimosas. They laugh while Logan and I bicker over the best method to grill the perfect burger, and I realize I haven’t felt this happy and relaxed in…well, ever.

Hanging out on this tiny island the last few days has been heaven. I think I need to make this a yearly thing, if not more often. The fresh, salty air, the slow pace, and the good times with great friends has been so good for me.

And Kate. Kate has been good for me, too.

She’s reminded me what it feels like to havefun. To live the hell out of life and soak up every ounce of joy you can find in it.

And that’s something I didn’t know I desperately needed until her. The day-to-day grind of running Rizzle has worn me down, and even when I go toevents and parties, it turns into some kind of “public appearance” instead of me just trying to relax and have fun.

But this week? This week’s been a balm on my soul.

After sharing a lively lunch, the conversation lags a bit as we all lean back in our chairs and let the food settle in our bellies. The air is warm and comfortable, and I’m thinking it’s a good time for an afternoon nap when Kate suddenly stands and starts picking up the dirty dishes and trash. She tells Penny to sit down when she gets up and tries to help, so I rise from my own chair and start gathering stuff up.

No way am I going to sit here and watch her clean. She seems to understand that without my saying it, because she just smiles before carrying her armload of dishes into the house.

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