Page 43 of Seeds of Malice

"Ooh, she didn't take long." Avery smirks.

I groan. "Is she always so annoying?"

Dax grunts and looks at me. "Yes. Get used to it." He rolls off me and says, "Come on, baby girl. They're not going to rain on our parade."

I glance at the boat again, and Cindy drills her glare right at me.

"Ignore her," Dax orders.

I hold Cindy's gaze, not wanting to be the first to flinch, but my mouth's dry and I can barely swallow.

Dax suggests, "Maybe we should go."

I turn my head toward him. "No, we don't need to go."

"Why? There are other islands. We don't need to be around them," he states.

He's right, but something tells me I need to deal with Cindy now. It's not like I won't see her. She's obviously part of their group. So I lift my chin and shake my head. "No, we're going to stay."

He stares at me.

I add, "Besides, you'll protect me. Right?"

He grins. "Yeah, gorgeous. I'll always protect you." He leans in and gives me another kiss.

"Jesus, get a fucking room," Bobby shouts.

Dax slaps my ass, and I giggle. Maybe it's the alcohol that's making me so easy with this situation. I normally wouldn't be. And I've never really been comfortable with public displays of affection. Not that anyone's given me too much, but maybe it had more to do with the boys I was with. But Dax, well, he's someone I'm proud to have stand next to me.

Bobby drops the anchor, and it makes a big splash. The others get in the water, the women each going down the ladder so they don't get their hair wet, just like Dax said. It only takes a few minutes before everyone's on the lily pad with us, and my make-out session with Dax has ended.

"I'm Marcey," the other girl says, and I can't tell if she's being kind or doesn't like me.

"She's my best friend." Cindy smirks, and my heart drops, knowing full well Marcey doesn't like me.

"Ignore her. It's nice to meet you," Marcey says, which makes me feel guilty.

Maybe I shouldn't judge her before I get to know her?

"Ivy, looking good," Bobby says, giving me a lustful once-over.

"Don't," Dax warns him.

"What? Let's not pretend you're a saint, now," Bobby sneers.

"Ignore them," Dax tells me again.

"It's fine," I say, then put my hand on his thigh and look back at Cindy. It's time she learns it's over between them. Dax told me how many times he's told her it is. Maybe she needs to see him with somebody else to finally realize it.

She actually sounds obsessed with him, which makes me a tad uneasy. When I woke up this morning and thought about the situation, I wondered if she's crazy and if I need to worry about her. But Dax promised me last night he would always protect me. And strangely enough, right now, she doesn't bother me. Dax's arm is around me, not her. Plus, it could be the alcohol that's giving me courage.

"I'm ready for more champagne. How about you, babe?" Dax asks me.

"She doesn't drink, remember?" Avery says in a snotty voice.

I glare darts at her and then smile at Dax. "That'd be great, thanks." I shouldn't have anymore. My head's already fuzzy, but I'm done letting these people make fun of me and think they know me.

Dax kisses me on the lips, then jumps off the pad. He swims to the boat and comes back with a Styrofoam cooler. He puts that on top of the float, opens it up, and hands everyone flutes. Then he opens several bottles of champagne and fills them all.

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