Page 13 of Fake Coral and Keys

“What the fuck!” someone screams to my left.

Blake lets me go. I jump up at the sound of the voice, pulling my dress back down. I spin and find Forest in the doorway, his hand still on the doorknob. Amber peers over his shoulder and lets out a garish laugh.

“Why?” Forest asks, looking between Blake and me. “Why are you trying to fuck my sister in here?”

I glance at Blake, who’s zipping up his pants. He gives me wide eyes and a smirk. My face heats as warm horror creeps down my chest. I press my hands to my hot cheeks, trying to catch my breath. This is so awful. “Why are you in here?”

Forest closes his eyes and presses his knuckles to his forehead. I see the keycard in his hand. “This is our room.”

“Sorry,” Blakes says, still buckling his belt. He walks to the side table and picks up our key card. He holds it up for Forest to see. “This is our room.”

Amber pushes around my brother and steps in front of him. “Were you guys really going at it already?” She looks me up and down, then nods in approval. “Get it, girl.”

“Can you stop?” Forest pleads. He backs away and leans against the doorframe. “As if I’m not traumatized already.”

“Stop being such a drama queen,” Amber says. “She is an adult. Adults fuck.”

“Yes, Amber,” Forest says with a nod. “I’d just rather not witness my sister getting railed in a hotel room.”

“Bungalow,” Blakes says. Everyone turns to look at him. “She was about to get railed in a bungalow.”

Amber lets out a loud cackle, clamping her hand over her mouth.

Forest rolls his eyes, then motions for Blake to follow him out the door. “Come on, Don Quan, let’s figure out thebungalowsituation.”

Amber flops on the bed, letting her sandals fall to the floor. “You better rail me when we get our room,” she calls after him.

Blake kisses me on the temple and pinches my ass. “Don’t worry.” He gives me a wink. “We’ll finish this later.”

CHAPTER FOUR

BLAKE

Now

Forest insists they givehim and Amber another room instead of Daisy and me.

“A clean room,” he says, enunciating each word. He mumbles something about not wanting to sleep onthatbed inthatroom. After we get the room situation settled, we have just enough time to freshen up before we’re to meet the rest of his family at the bar for before-dinner drinks. This familysure puts them back.

I find Daisy in the small bathroom back at the bungalow, reapplying her pink lipstick, then gathering her long wavy hair into a little bun at the top of her head. She’s changed into a green bathing suit and a colorful cover-up tied around her hips. She turns when she sees me, and her face lights up, stealing my breath. My chest squeezes. With her sparkling green eyes and her perfectly kissable mouth, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Something about her is different from what I remember, though. She’s brighter. Sunnier. More vibrant than before. And I remember her well. I had five months to scan every single picture she posted online.

The best part? For the next five days, I get to pretend she is mine. I get to pretend I grew up rich. Had a decent father. I even get to pretend my life hadn’t been traumatic and was full of positive memories. I get to pretend I’m something I’m not.

As long as Daisy never finds out what I truly am, and if she keeps allowing me to come on these trips, I’ll break down her walls.

Then she’ll be mine. Completely. Truly. In every way and not just at these Gatherings.

I slide up behind her, pressing my lips to her bare shoulder, kissing the tiny dots of freckles. I place small kisses on herneck and up to her small ear, breathing in her floral scent. “You smell good enough to eat.”

She laughs, backing into me, then turns her face to capture my mouth with hers. She spins around, wrapping her arms around my neck, and presses her body to mine. I grip her hips, pulling her close, lifting her slightly off the floor. She smiles against my mouth like we’ve been doing this for years.

She breaks the kiss and focuses on my eyes. “Everything figured out?”

I brush stray strands of honey-colored hair away from her face. “All settled.”

Daisy backs ups and looks at my khaki pants. “Please tell me you brought swim trunks.”

I leave her to rummage through my bag. I pull out my new bright orange trunks covered with little pineapples and palm trees.

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