Page 58 of Infatuated
Very few words are passed between us. Something slimy hits my foot, and I scream. He’s the closest thing to me, so I wrap my legs around his waist, trying to pull myself farther out of the water. He smirks, holding on to the side of the boat with one hand and my waist with his other.
“I could get used to this,” he whispers. Our faces are inches apart and his body feels solid under mine. His muscles flex every time he kicks his legs to keep us afloat. It’s reminiscent of when Tristan pushed me in, and I clung to him for dear life, and I feel his warm breath as he continues. “Lana, I’d really like to kiss you.”
My heart hammers in my chest, and I pull away from him, clinging to the side of the boat instead. My eyes are wide, and I shake my head. “I’m seeing Tristan, Russ. I won’t do that to him.”
I pull myself up and kick frantically to pull myself over the side of the boat.Damn ab muscles!After what feels like doing sit ups forever, I manage to fling myself over the side and almost land on my head in the boat.
“I want to go back.”
Chapter 28
Tristan
The lesson for the dance tonight has come and gone, and Lana never showed up. I try sending her a message, but I know, unless she’s in her cabin with Wi-Fi, it will go unanswered. She said she was going out on a boat. Maybe she fell asleep out there and lost track of time.
I walk down to the water, fully planning on teasing her for falling asleep, and see her sitting in the middle of the water, on a boat—with Russ. I immediately see red. She said she was going out on a boat to read, not that she was going out withRuss. She leans in and kisses him. I ball my fists by my sides, shaking as anger ripples through my muscles. It takes everything in me to walk away and not swim out to them.
How could I have been so fucking stupid?She’s here on vacation and probably thought it would be a fun story to share with her friends back home. She can tell them how she slept with some cowboy, and they can all get a laugh.You know that’s not true.I lock my jaw as my brain tries to talk some sense into my heart.
Holden is walking my way and falls in line when he sees the pissed off expression on my face. “What’s wrong? You were all smiles a few minutes ago.”
“Russ and Lana are hooking up behind my back.” I clench and relax my fists, trying to talk myself out of punching the fucker in his face.
He grabs my arm, and I spin to him, jerking my arm from his grasp. “Hold on, Tristan. Are you sure? What did you see?”
“She didn’t come to the dance lesson, so I thought maybe she fell asleep in a boat, but when I got to the water, I saw her kissing Russ. Plain as fucking day. I never should have gotten involved with her. It was a huge mistake. She was a mistake.” I push the words past my lips, but even I don’t fully believe them.
Holden is at a loss for words. This may be one of the only times my best friend hasn’t known what to say. He’s always ready with some kind of remark or idea. When he doesn’t offer any advice, I turn back to the house. The dance starts in just over an hour, and I need to shower and change clothes. My phone rings, and I pull it out, opening the incoming message.
Kasey:Can we please talk? I want to clear the air. I don’t like the bad blood between us, especially since our parents are good friends.
I know I’m not in the right frame of mind to do this—not after seeing Russ and Lana—but I would like things to not be awkward between us.
Me:Fine. Come by tonight and we can talk.
* * *
Most of the guests are outside listening to the band and grabbing food, including Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. Lana isn’t with them, though. I look down from my bedroom window, waiting in the shadows for her to come around.
The entire Carrington family arrives together, and Russ has a big smile plastered to his face.Fucker!I storm down the stairs and push the screen door open with so much force it snaps against the side of the house. Dad glares at me, and I have the good grace to flinch.
I’m focused in on Russ and putting my fist in his face when Kasey catches my attention. I shake my head, clearing thoughts of Russ on the ground with a bloody nose for kissing my girl, and walk to Kasey instead.
“Hey, Tristan.” She waves, and I think this is the first time I have ever seen her look shy. It’s a good look on her, makes her seem humble.
“Hi.” I want to get this over with, so she better get used to curt answers.
“Can we go somewhere private to talk?” She peeks up at me from under her lashes. “Please,” she adds at the end in a soft tone.
I jerk my head to the side toward the house, and she knows where to go. I start walking, and she follows closely behind me. I lead her to the back, and when I glance over my shoulder to see if she’s following, she smirks.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Kasey. I just don’t want anyone to hear us.” I stop beside the house and lean against the siding. She stops in front of me.
“You mean you don’t wantLanato hear.” She crosses her arms over her chest, pressing her cleavage up out of her top.
I roll my eyes. Typical. Trying to win me over by showing too much. It worked at one time, the thought of getting to fuck her. Now, it seems desperate.
“You said you wanted to talk, so talk.”
