Page 20 of Fake Coral and Keys

Weasel gets that smarmy smile and winks at me. “That’s yet to be determined.”

Blake steps around me and positions himself between the man and me. He’s inches from the guy, towering over him.

“What’s your name?” Blake asks, his tone almost friendly. Almost, but not quite.

The guy’s eyes dart to me, then back to Blake. A smooth smile passes over his lips. I have got hand it to him. Even though Blake has several inches on him, he doesn’t step back. “Greg.”

Blake smiles, showing his teeth. “Okay, Greg.” He looks around like he’s searching for the right words, then back to Greg. “I can reassure you they aren’t interested in knowing you.”

Greg steps back now, clearly hearing the venom in Blake’s voice. “Just being friendly, man.”

Blake’s smile could cut ice. “And now you can leave.”

The guy shoots me a narrow-eyed look and steps away, walking backward. “My offer still stands.” With another wink, he turns and leaves.

Blake steps forward like he’s going to follow him, but I grab his arm to stop him. The muscles in his arm feel like granite, he’s so tense. He spins to face me. I take a step back at the anger bubbling like tar in his eyes.

I recognize that look. It’s the insane, rage-filled expression Jim used to get when men looked at me. My heart feels like a trapped bird in my ribcage, fluttering wildly. “It’s fine.”

Blake’s expression turns to stone. “What offer?”

“It’s fine,” I say again. My stomach roils. This feels all too familiar.

“Fine?” he growls. “Tell me what he fucking said.”

Erin steps forward, so she’s close to my side and in Blake’s line of vision. “Stupid things that douche-bags say. It’s no big deal.”

Blake runs his hand through his hair and looks back in the direction where the guy went.

“Blake,” I say, grabbing his attention.

He focuses back on me, but his face still has that violent look to it.

“Oh, my gawd!” Lily exclaims, cutting the tension. Everyone turns to face her. She’s holding Erin’s phone, scrolling through the images, the man forgotten. Lily rushes forward, holding the phone so I can see the screen. “These are perfect. You are so sexy!”

All thoughts of weaselly Greg and Blake’s anger fade the second I see myself. I point to the screen and ask Lily, “That’s me?”

“Yeppers,” Erin says, peering over my shoulder. “I’m good at what I do.”

Lily grins. “And my bathing suit makes you look damn good.”

“This one is definitely going on my Instagram,” Erin says. She turns around and waves Justine and my family over. “Come look at sexy Daisy.”

“We made a model out of her!” Lily calls and runs toward Justine. She stops by Justine and shows her the screen. I can see from here how her smile has a sour twinge to it. Lily waves at us as they approach. “Blake! Stand next to Daisy for a picture. Let’s get that hot body on Insta.”

His eyes dart from me to Lily, then back to me. A strange expression passes over his face.

Erin claps as my family and Justine join us. “Good idea.”

Justine slides in close to Blake, and he visibly stiffens. She slides a finger down his bicep, running it over the lines of his tattoos. Anger coils in my gut, making me want to rip her fingers off his arm.

Look who’s the jealous one now.

“Better if he takes his shirt off so we can see those tattoos,” she says.

I’m going to fucking stab her if she so much as…

Blake shifts away, and his eyes fly back to me. When he’s closer, he reaches out for me, and I step into his embrace. Leaning down, he places a kiss on the top of my head. “I don’t do pictures.”

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