Page 6 of Broken Love (Love 2)
"I think we all need to cool off in the pool," Cade says. "Cash, you're in charge of getting us some beers."
"I'm not your slave boy," Cash argues, giving his brother a backhand to the stomach. Cade doesn't flinch, just flexes his midsection, causing it to harden.
I swallow, remembering exactly how each of those muscles feels underneath my touch. That's it, missy. No more alcohol for you.
"I'll get the beer," their dad says. "Boys, how about some cigars, too?"
"Sounds perfect," Carter says, stripping off his shirt and running toward the pool. "Last one in is a rotten egg."
The boys barrel past each other, laughing, pushing, and clawing their way up the stairs from the beach to their villa.
"Boys," Ashlyn says, rolling her eyes.
"Never a dull moment," their mother agrees. "Why don't you girls take a swim. I normally don't drink and was thinking a little siesta sounded good. We can make the brownies later."
"Uh, okay," I say, thinking this is my chance to leave. But as I watch Cade and his brothers dive into the pool, I decide I really don't want to. Since my dad passed away, my mother has moved to Palm Springs and Pike is usually on the road. I'm enjoying this family time.
And did I mention Cade is shirtless?
Yeah, I think maybe I did.
"So who won?" Ashlyn yells as we strip off our dresses and dip our toes in the pool.
"I did!" Cash yells.
Carter throws a chokehold around his little brother's neck then dunks him under the water. "No, way! I did."
Cade sweeps his hand across the surface, launching a wall of water on Carter as Cash breaks free and comes up for air.
"Actually, Palmer was the last one in," he says, his heated gaze following the curves of my bikini-clad body. "She's the rotten egg. And you know what that means!"
I glance at Ashlyn, wondering what that means. She shrugs in my direction.
Carter jumps out of the pool, runs to the outdoor bar, grabs a bottle of tequila out of the fridge, and shakes it at me. "You get to eat the worm."
"No way!" I say, backing out of the pool.
Then I look closer at the bottle of Casa Dragones Joven, knowing it's one of the most expensive tequilas you can buy. It's my brother's personal favorite. I also happen to know there is no worm in it.
Carter brings the bottle to the pool stairs, boxing me in between him and Cade.
"You hold her down," he says to Cade. "I'll pour."
Cade grabs me around the waist and pulls me backwards into the pool. I'm like putty in his hands, hoping he will mold me into something he'll never let go of.
But I scream. I am an actress, after all. "Ahhh! Put me down!"
Of course, he doesn't listen. Even though I kick and buck to get free, I stay firmly wrapped in his strong, muscular arms.
"You gonna make this easy or hard?" he asks.
"I want it to be hard," I sigh as he presses me tightly against his body. "Um, I mean, I'm going to make it hard." Shit. "I mean--"
Cade chuckles. "I think I know exactly what you mean, you naughty little minx."
I still pretend to struggle, but mostly I'm just wiggling my ass against his torso, much like I used to when I would wake up in the morning with him spooning me. It was a sure fire way to start the morning right.
"Stop doing that," he says sternly.
"Doing what?"
His hands move down to my ass. "You're rubbing this against me. Don't think I don't remember your little sex tricks."
"I don't even know what you're talking about," I lie.
"You know you're turning me on. And you love it." He pulls me tighter against him, so I can feel that he does indeed love it, but in the process is pulling me away from the tequila.
Carter swims across the pool toward us. "That's it," he says. "Don't let go of her, Cade."
Ashlyn claps and cheers. "Shots for the rotten egg!"
"Hey, you got in the same time I did."
Cash barrels out, picks Ashlyn up off the stairs, and leaps in the pool with her. They come up kissing.
I let out a sigh. It's so romantic.
"You totally ruined my hair, Cash!" she chastises, as she hugs him tighter and kisses his neck.
We watch their display of affection, going from a sweet kiss to some serious petting.
"Okay!" Carter says. "Either get a room or take a shot!" He glances at Cade and me and points his finger in our direction. "That goes for you two as well."
"What are you talking about?" Cade says, loosening his grip. "You're the one who told me to grab her."
"Uh, huh," he says, swimming out to me and holding up the bottle.
I comply, opening my mouth and allowing him to pour a long shot directly into it.
"Ashlyn's turn!" I yell.
"I had a bad tequila experience once," she says.
"This is top of the line. Honestly, we should be sipping it, not shooting it, but what the hell, we're on vacation," Carter says. "So suck it up, buttercup."
Ashlyn rolls her eyes but does the shot. The brothers then pass the bottle around, each taking a slug.
"Oh, sure, doing shots without me," Chloe says, joining us poolside with a cute guy in tow. "This is uh..." she looks at him, "tell me your name again."
"Evan."
She snaps her fingers. "That's right." Then she says to us, "Everyone, this is Evan. He makes pornos and just asked me to star in one. Can you believe my luck?"
Cade chokes on his tequila.
She strips off her dress, showing off a very skimpy bikini and numerous tattoos. "I'm just fucking with you. Evan is an assistant producer, sent here to scout a location. We just met on the beach."
She tells Evan each of our names.
"Wow, Palmer Montlake and Ashley Roberts," Evan says, "so honored to meet you both."
"It's Ashlyn Crawford," Ashlyn states. "I just got married."
Evan looks mortified.
"Evan and I need some of that tequila," Chloe says, swimming out to Cade and taking the bottle from him. She takes a gulp then gets out of the pool, taking the bottle with her. "Smell you later," she says, dragging Evan back toward the beach and flipping her brothers off in the process.
Cade
After messing around in the pool, watching the brownie making class, and then having a late meal overlooking the dark ocean, Palmer thanks my parents for dinner and the brownie recipe.
"It's been lovely having you spend time with us, Palmer. We're leaving in the morning to go back home, but don't be a stranger. Cade will walk you home," Mom says, giving me a look. "I don't want her walking home alone at night."
I consider making Carter do it, but he's sulking over the fact that Vale bailed on meeting him here. Something to do with a last minute photo shoot.
I smile at my mother, who is trying to be subtle, but clearly playing matchmaker. "Of course, I'll walk her home."
Palmer hugs my siblings and Ashlyn goodbye, then we make our way down the stairs to the beach.
"It's been a great day, Cade," she says, twirling around in the sand. I always loved her spontaneity. Since we broke up, I've been living a pretty rigid life, trying to make myself feel in control. It's all an illusion though. My life only feels centered when she's in it.
I smile at her, take her hand, and we run together down the beach. Once we're panting a little, I drop to the sand on my back.
"Remember?" I ask her, throwing my hands up over my head and spreading my legs wide.
"Sand angels!" She lets out an adorable squeal and falls to her back. "What you do when there's no snow," she says, repeating what she told me then.
She stands on her tiptoes in the sand and kisses me.
"It's overcast, there's a soft ocean breeze, and the beach is practically ours. It's the perfect day!" she yells as she falls straight back into the fluffy sand. I have a moment of panic, thinking she passed out or something, but she's lying on the ground with her arms in the air and a huge smile across her face. "Drop back, Cad
e. Make sand angels with me!"
"You're crazy," I tell her, laughing, then drop back and do the same, moving my arms above my head to make the wings and my feet back and forth to make the robe.
"Get up really carefully," she says, "so you don't ruin it."
I stand up carefully, meeting her back where we started.
"Sand angels are what you do when there's no snow."
"I've lived by the beach my whole life and never made a sand angel," I tease.
