Page 38 of In Good Company

Cal’s hand finds the small of my back. “You can come sit by me. Jude won’t want his chair back anyway.” The thin layer of fabric between our skin feels like nothing. It’s like his fingertips sear my skin with the slightest pressure as he leads me to a set of pool loungers on the other side of the ones from Margo and Winnie.

“Are you sure?” I ask nervously, missing the warmth of Cal’s touch after he removes his hand and takes a seat on the one next to mine.

“If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t say it to begin with,” he mutters, his tone playful as he grabs the towel I assume Jude was using and folds it neatly before placing it at the end of his chair.

I nod in response, slowly placing my bag down on the lounger. I grab my own towel out from the bag and work on getting it laid out nicely across the chair before taking a seat.

I can feel Cal’s gaze on me, more hot and intense than the summer sun. I try to ignore it for a moment and pretend to focus on watching Emma attempt to pull Charlotte onto the flamingo floaty with her.

Finally, I can’t take the feeling of Cal watching me any longer, and my eyes meet his. My heart jumps in my chest at the playful smile that graces his mouth.

He’s been so carefree today. Different. Maybe this is how he typically is on the weekends, not bogged down with work calls and meetings in between the social events of summering in the Hamptons. No matter what, this carefree Cal is dangerous. This version of him makes my skin flush and my heart pound.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I whisper, unable to keep my thoughts to myself.

His smile grows wider. He lifts a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I was just wondering if the way you stared at my abs earlier meant you shared the same sentiment as your friend.”

My eyes go wide, and my body jolts with embarrassment. I feel hot all over, and it isn’t because of the summer sun or the way he looks at me. It’s from embarrassment.

He did catch me.

Hurriedly, I grab my oversized sunglasses from my bag and slip them on. Maybe the size of them will hide the blush creeping over my cheeks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I mumble, my heart racing at being caught.

He laughs. “I’ll take that as a yes, then, Lucy Rae.”

TWENTY

CAL

This is torture.

I’ve already been struggling to fight my attraction to Lucy, and being around her all day in a bikini might be one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had.

And I never have bad ideas. I have great judgment. It’s the reason I thrive at my job and the reason I’m able to not only uphold but catapult my family’s legacy with Hastings Inc.

But inviting Lucy over was a terrible idea.

She wears a baby pink bikini that I can’t stop staring at. I’ve never been a fan of pink before, but it might now be my favorite color.

The two little pink ties at her waist.

The tiny triangles that hide parts of her I’m suddenly desperate to see.

The color her cheeks turn from the little comments I make.

I squeeze my eyes shut as she walks in front of me, deep in conversation with Camille about something. I need to look away from her.

I need to not be attracted to her.

“Are you listening to a word I’m saying?” Ryker asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

I jolt, pushing my body up in my chair and turning my attention to him. “No. Sorry, I was thinking about work. What were you saying?”

Ryker lifts a sandy-brown eyebrow at me before rolling his eyes. “By work, do you mean you were thinking about the woman who works for you?”

My jaw flexes at the way he blatantly calls me out. Apparently, my attraction to Lucy has been a little more obvious than I thought. “What were you saying again?” I press, not wanting to discuss Lucy with Ryker.

I don’t want to discuss her with anyone.

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