Page 66 of The Pretender

I wrap my arm back around her and make sweeping strokes with my fingers along her back. “I know,” I finally whisper.

* * *

“Aspen’s family owns this place?”I tip my shades forward, so I can get a better view of the three-story lake house. Stone nestles the wooden accent beams across the deck. “This is…”

She cuts me off with a wave of her hand. “Lavish, I know. But it’s home. I can remember spending many summers here.”

After we finished with the blood donation, we stopped by a taco place for lunch—a chain restaurant this time—and had lunch, which fueled her vocal cords, so she could sing to me the rest of the way to the lake house.

I’ve never been so happy to get out of the car.

Vee smiles and flashes me a playful wink. “Come on, playboy. Get out of the car. We have an audience to impress and we aren’t leaving until we make this look like one hell of a romantic getaway.”

I straighten and get out of the Jeep, piling a couple bags on my arm from the back. “You’re sure Aspen said we can use the boat?” If I were Aspen’s parents, I wouldn't trust two college kids with my boat and million-dollar house for the weekend. I wouldn’t care how close my friends and I were. No one would fuck around with my expensive toys.

Vee shoves me aside and grabs the board. “I’m sure. Come on, we’re losing the good light.”

Right.

The contest.

A half a million dollars and a new life away from Georgia.

Focus, Bash.

We take the steps up to the front door, and Vee pulls out a key.

“I’m surprised you actually have a key,” I tell her.

I had my doubts since I never see her with any.

She turns back and grins. “I only break into my neighbor’s house.”

I shake my head and follow behind her as she pushes the door open into the grandeur of her summer home.

“Wow,” I tell her. “Not a bad way to spend the summers.”

She smiles. “It wasn’t summer camp, but it was fun.” She points to the sofa that is stark white and plush with red, white, and blue throw pillows. “Just set the bags over there. We can put everything away when we get back.”

She shoves the bags of groceries in one of the two refrigerators, leaving the cooler we brought on the floor.

“I don’t think all that needed refrigeration,” I tell her.

She waves me off. “It’s fine. Come on. Get changed and let’s take the boat out. That’s what we came here for, right?”

I nod and gaze out through the back of the open living space. The back wall is made of glass where you can see the view of the lake at every angle.

“You can use the bathroom on this floor to change if you want. I’ll change in the one downstairs.” She points to a door down the hall that, I assume, is the bathroom, before taking the circular staircase and disappearing out of sight.

It only takes me a few seconds to throw on board shorts, but it takes Vee a little longer. When she finally comes back upstairs, I’m on the sofa, scrolling through my phone.

“You ready?”

I lift my head and admire the same bikini she wore at Drew’s birthday party. I hated the sight of her in it while Vance stole glances of her tits. But now, I think it’ll be the perfect scenery as the boat bounces along the water.

I’m a dude. Any type of titty bounce makes for a good day.

The word 'boat' seems like an insignificant term when we finally make it down the hill and to the boathouse. “Are you sure you know how to drive this thing?” I have my doubts. This boat is massive. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this looks more yacht-like than ski boat.

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