Page 53 of Beneficial Misfortune

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell,” she says with a chuckle that seems forced. “You just weren’t answering, and I didn’t want to touch you again.”

I raise a brow, unsure what she means by that.

“You didn’t seem to like when I touched you earlier…” she trails off, looking down at her hands that she’s nervously wringing in front of her.

“Oh, no. I—” I try to explain, but I don’t really know what to say.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain,” she says in a rush, holding her hands up to stop me. “I just didn’t want you to get left behind, is all.”

She glances back over her shoulder, and I follow her gaze to the others who stand a few feet away.

“Oh, yeah. Thanks… We should,” I nod toward the others, and she nods in reply.

“Yeah!”

Without another word, she turns and heads back to them.

Fuck, why am I like this?

Chapter 18

The zoo was pretty great despite the heat and the fact that I struggled to keep myself from drooling most of the time. I’m not sure what it is or when it even became a thing, but watching the way they care for Addison somehow makes them hotter. It shouldn’t be possible, not with the way they look already, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined climbing them like trees on a few different occasions now. I know I need to get myself under control. I’m technically their employee, but they aren’t exactly helping.

No, if anything, they seem as though they like watching me squirm, and despite my best efforts, I am, in fact, squirming. Even if it’s only when I’m alone in my bed every night.

After the zoo, Addison requested that we all go swimming. It makes sense with how hot it is. I’m sure the pool would feel amazing, but I was tempted to decline. Technically, I’m not working today, and everyone else has agreed to go. I could easily slip up to my room, shower, and… what, hide away?

Shit, that sounds pathetic.

So, instead, I make my way to my room and slowly change, once again opting to throw on a thin dress as a cover and cursing myself for not having ordered the one piece yet.

I stand in my room, changed and ready, but unable to make myself move. I just need a few minutes to breathe before I go back downstairs. I scroll through some bathing suit options and place an order before I forget again. It won’t be here for two days, but better late than never, right?

With nothing else to do, I pace my room until movement out my window catches my attention.

Oh. My. God.

Nope, there is no way I can go down there!

I’d had a hard time keeping my eyes to myself when they were fully clothed today, and now…

Well, now they have a lot more skin on display.

I watch from the window like a creep, unable to pull myself away as they walk around the pool in nothing but swim trunks.

My memory didn’t do Alex justice the same way it hadn’t Desmond. Months after our one night together, the image of them I remember was more like a watered-down version.

Tattoos cover their tanned, muscular chests and arms. Desmond even has them down his legs. I’d seen him in the pool the other day, but I hadn’t really had much opportunity to look, not without him noticing. Now, from the safety of my room, I eat him up.

Desmond and Alex get in the pool with Addison, and I hear her laughter as they swim around her, splashing and playing. Oliver comes out next, and while he isn’t covered in tattoos and his muscles aren’t as defined, it’s not as if he’s lacking. He’s definitely more lean muscle, like a swimmer or a runner, but fuck me, something about seeing him so dressed down is almost erotic.

I stand gawking at them in the window far longer than I should, and in the end, I guess I’m not as sneaky as I hoped. Desmond hops out of the pool, talking to someone I can’t see, but I assume it's Nate or maybe even Vincent. Grabbing a towel, he hastily dries himself before tossing it on one of the recliners as he makes his way toward the house. He stops just short of the awning that will hide him from my line of sight and turns so that his gaze meets mine. I panic, frozen like a deer in headlights, knowing I should move but unable to as a smirk curves his lips before he continues on.

There’s not a doubt in my mind he saw me, though. As he disappears from sight, I finally take hold of my body and force myself to take a step back, away from the window.

Shit.

I make my way through the house slowly, but it doesn’t take long before I can hear them. The sound of Addison’s laughter rings out, and I can hear Nathan and Vincent’s deep voices rumble, and though I can’t make out what they’re saying, I know it’s them.

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