Page 10 of Chasing Ink
Chapter Four
Dinner With Family
Skye
The rest of the afternoon is tense.We grab lunch at a roadside stall and condoms from a pharmacy down the road.I know what’s happening.Alistair is feeling guilty because of Luke but I don’t know how to get him past that.
We are both fucking adults and can make our own damn decisions.My brother has absolutely nothing to do with what we are doing.I just need to find a way to remind him of that.
The afternoon is ruined and soon enough we head back to the lodge to grab a shower and get dressed before dinner.He stares at me with a frown when I walk back to my own bungalow instead of to his.I know he’s expecting me to say something about his behavior but I don’t feel like begging him for attention right now.I would much rather get ready for dinner and show him exactly what he’s missing.
He doesn’t follow me.I take my time in the shower, shaving every inch of my skin and washing my hair.After, I take my time doing my makeup and curl my raven tresses into waves down my back.I dress in my prettiest lingerie, all black, before slipping into a red mini dress.I don’t even know why I packed it but now I’m happy I did.
I step out of the bungalow ten minutes before I am due to meet my brother and all our friends and make my way up the path, carrying my heels in my hand.The moment I reach the paved path, I stop and slip on my shoes.Someone whistles and I smile as I look around.
Hailey eyes me as she walks over.“Damn, baby girl, where are you heading?”
“Well, if you must know,” I say, flicking my hair over my shoulder, “I’m having dinner with some friends and then I am going dancing in town.I may have met a nice gentleman.”
She smiles and snaps her fingers.“You don’t let any grass grow under your feet, do you?”
“If you haven’t noticed, I am perpetually single and surrounded by happy couples.What could it hurt, you know?”
She laughs.“You deserve to have some fun.”
She hooks her arm in mine and we make our way into the restaurant.Everyone looks up as we arrive, Alistair frowning.I know he doesn’t have a clue what’s going on but he remains silent.
“Well, look at you,” my brother says with a raised brow.“Isn’t that a little fancy for a tropical island.”
“Our girl has a date,” Hailey says before I take a seat beside Ali.“Some young man is taking her dancing.”
“Is that so?”My brother leans forward, ready to lay into me but his wife pushes him back into his seat.
“Your sister is an adult and can make her own decisions,” she says, winking at me.“As long as she promises to drink from a bottle and keep her phone with her at all times, she should be allowed to enjoy her vacation.”
“Damn straight,” Hailey adds.
All the guys glare at them before I burst out laughing.“You’d think I’d never been on a date.I know how to take care of myself.”
“Do you, though?”Luke asks.
I glare at him.“I take Krav Maga classes.I have pepper spray.I haven’t just become a woman overnight, you know.”
“Meaning?”Alistair asks.
“I lived in New York and I’ve never even been robbed.I know how to take care of myself and I’ve been doing it for years.You can all back the fuck off.”
Hailey whistles for a waiter and orders us all tequila shots.“Bring us the bottle,” she says to the man.“I have a feeling you boys are going to need these once we start explaining.”
We wait in silence until the waiter returns.Hailey looks from me to Abby before she speaks.“I was thirteen the first time someone touched me without my permission.Nothing serious, just a man slapping my ass.I quickly learned that I need to be able to defend myself, so I took self-defense.”
“Same,” Abby says.“Just assholes being assholes.”
Everyone turns to stare at me.“Nothing like that, just a guy getting handsy at a college bar.The bar lady kicked his ass and handed me a card for her brother’s gym.”
