Page 54 of Beneficial Misfortune

I might not have been able to see them through my window, but as I make it to the sliding glass door, I can’t miss them. They both stand near the biggest grill I’ve ever seen. It’s made with stones instead of just the typical metal and has counters, drawers, and knobs galore. Much like the coffeepot they have, it seems they only use the best of the best.

Nathan smiles at something Vincent says as he grabs a spatula and gets to work tending to the hamburgers on the grill. Damn it, why is it so hot when a man cooks? Vincent’s back is to me, but he’s shirtless, and I take a moment to look him over before I reach the door and draw their attention.

He’s covered in tattoos, much like Desmond is, but something about this is very different. They don’t feel the same. Whereas Desmond’s are colorful or nice black-and-white pieces withclean lines, Vincent’s seem harder. Some of them look as if he’s had them all his life, and some look like they might be from a gang or something.

I can’t really put my finger on it, but they just aren’t the same, though both are sexy as hell.

Wait, are those scars?

No! Bad Kat! I do not need another man to add to my dreams.

Shaking myself, I take a deep breath and slowly let it out while making myself take the last few steps to the door and pull it open before I can change my mind.

The second the glass door is open, I’m hit with the smell of ribs, burgers, and other things I can’t put my finger on. It all smells heavenly, and my stomach rumbles, thinking about how great it’s going to taste. I’m not sure if it’s the door opening or my stomach that gets their attention, but either way, they turn to me, and I pause for a moment under their gaze.

Vincent and Nathan are both intimidating men, from their good looks to their build and even just the way they hold themselves. Everything about them is delicious and enough to make me squirm, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t wish I’d just come out the other door, on the opposite side of the pool from them.

“I was starting to think you fell asleep up there.” Nathan chuckles, still manning the grill.

“It was tempting,” I mumble, kicking myself for not just staying up there.

“Well, food will be done soon, and I know a certain little princess who will be happy to see you,” Vincent says with a nod toward the pool where Desmond is once again in the pool, and he and Alex are playing with Addison. Looking around a bit, I also spot Oliver reclined in one of the sun chairs near the hot tub, a book in hand. Sunglasses hide his eyes, but I swear I can feel his gaze on me. Or maybe I’m just feeling everyone else's.

I take the way out he offered me, and head toward the pool, but I can feel their eyes on me even as I cross the little bridge.

How am I going to take this damn dress off with them looking at me like that? I know, I won’t.

Addison is focused on whatever it is she, Desmond, and Alex are doing and doesn’t seem to notice me. The same can’t be said for the two of them, though. Their heads snap to me the moment I’m in sight, and even from across the sitting area, I can see the heat in their eyes.

Thankfully, they don’t draw attention to me, and I drop down in one of the reclining sun chairs. It takes a minute, but eventually, I feel their gazes fall away as Vincent and Nathan return to their conversation as they grill while Alex and Desmond continue to play with Addison.

Sitting in the sun, it only takes a few minutes before I’m sweating again. There’s not a cloud in the sky, and even with only my thin dress over my suit, it’s hot.

Leaning forward, I gather my dress and pull it over my head, trying not to draw attention to myself as I do it. Dropping my dress on the stone floor next to the chair, I lay back, letting my eyes fall closed. I’d thankfully applied another layer of sunscreen before I came out, or I’d be burning up, but as it is, I can afford to lay here and relax for a moment.

“Kat!”

Addison’s cry pulls me from unconsciousness, and I realize, at some point, I must have dozed off. Peeling my eyes open, I find her at the edge of the pool, her tiny hands gripping the stone as she peers over it to look at me.

“Will you swim with us?” she asks with a smile. How the hell can I say no to that face?

“Of course,” I tell her as I push to stand, stretching after my little cat nap. “Going for a swim sounds pretty good right now. It’s hot out here.”

She lets out a squeal of excitement before quickly swimming back toward Alex, who’s only a few feet behind her, his eyes glued to me. Instead of shrinking in on myself the way I usually would, I push forward, raising my chin as I walk around the stone sitting area to the pool's stairs.

We swim for a while, splashing and just enjoying the refreshing water before Nathan calls us out to eat. Addison grumbles a bit, but he promises her we can all swim after, and that’s all it takes for her to be all smiles again.

The food is delicious, like finger-licking good. The ribs are so tender they fall off the bone, and the cod is the best I’ve ever had. I can’t help but take a second helping, even though I’m already so full. It’s just too good not to.

That’s how I end up almost choking to death on fish, of all things.

Everyone’s finished eating. Addison only ate what was required before declaring she was full and ready to go back into the pool. The guys ate a lot, like probably double what I did, but they also ate much faster than me. I hadn’t thought anything about it when Nathan got up, but the second his shirt is off just so happens to be the same moment I shove my last bite in my mouth.

I’m not sure what I expected. He’d told Addison we would all swim after we ate, but for some reason, it had escaped me that it would require him to be shirtless. I’d dreamed of Nathan naked more than once now, but my imagination had failed me. If I thought he was good-looking in my dreams, it’s nothing compared to the real deal.

His chest has defined muscles, which I could have guessed from the way his clothes hug him. What I wouldn’t have guessed is that he would also be covered in tattoos.

I’d seen the ones on his forearms this morning when he wore his sleeves rolled up. But those were smaller, and, for some reason, I’d imagined them to be his only ones.

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