Yvette's POV The breakfast is over, but some people are still lingering by the terrace, discussing mostly about Damien's revelation. "I knew this day would finally come, trust me." Glenn is saying to Jeremy and Tiffany. "The day Damien would make some chick his baby mama. Turns out this chick is pretty as hell. He's so lucky, man." Wow. I don't know what to make of that. Speaking about his friend that way when Damien is just a couple of feet away, speaking with Lisa, Willow in his arms. Or perhaps that's how male friendships work. I don't know. I don't give it much thought. My eyes and thoughts and attention are all on Jeremy. He was good looking yesterday under the light of the tiki torches, but he looks even better now that I see him in the light of day, curly caramel hair spilling onto his forehead, the high cheekbones, the full lips. His brown eyes are twinkling the same way they usually do, but not with mischief. They are dreamy as he talks animatedly to Glenn about
Lisa's POV Ally Rose took everyone to what looked like a private sand volleyball court, apart from the rest of the beach. A grove of lush palm trees are outlined against the azure of the sky, ruffled slightly by the salty ocean breeze. Sun rays peek through the leaves to dance around in patterns on the sugar white sands I wish I can taste. My first impulse is to flop down on these cushion-y grounds and snooze my way through the game. Especially when… "Hey," I lean in to whisper to Yvette, who happened to be closest to me. "I have not even the teeniest idea how to play…" "I know right. Me too," Yvette concedes, fiddling with a halterneck strap of her one piece peacock blue swimsuit. " I never had a chance to try out for the volleyball team back in school." A sigh slips past my lips. I know, I know, Selena can be a bit controlling sometimes. "Girls." Selena stops in her tracks and suddenly wheels on us, balled fists stuck on her hips. She's wearing oversized Prada sunglasses
Lisa's POV His lips are as soft as feathers as they meet mine. And sensually warm. His large hand comes up behind me to steady me, to pull me even closer to him. Like the last time we kissed, it isn't really a kiss. More like a prolonged peck. Yet I feel a damp ache pooling in between my thighs, and hear my heartbeat rise to a tempo. I ease back on my heels, but Damien follows me, filling the gap in between our mouths, and pressing me tighter to himself, so tight I can feel the ridge on his groin again my lower stomach. Oh. It's like all the desire I've been holding back unleashes themselves on my senses. I snake my arms around his neck and rub against him like a cat on heat, moaning against his mouth. He groans, a deep guttural sound that intensifies the heat in the apex of my thighs, and I part my lips, letting him delve his tongue into my mouth. I remember not wanting this. I remember avoiding any kind of intimacy with him. But this feels so right, and so wrong at once, but I de
Damien's POV Most of the ride was spent silent, and with Lisa huddled in the passanger's seat, an ice pack pressed to the ugly bump beside her right eye, a loose fitting tee I found amongst her possessions hiding most of her delectable body from view. I am not used to fearing for another, or being especially terrified for Lisa either. She had always been to me an unattainable goddess that belonged to my brother, only to be glimpsed at at rare moments, and to be venerated at those times. But watching her tumble heavily onto her side made my own heart lurch just as painfully, in a way I have never experienced before. Made me realize that this goddess is just as human, as fragile. And left in me a fierce urge to shield her from any form of harm. At least for my brother's sake. Liar, liar, pants on fire. A voice jeers in my head. You want her, that's why. You desire her. We manage to climb up the spiral staircase, with Lisa leaning heavily on me, and locate her room. I wrench ope
Lisa's POV It is already well past dusk when I open my eyes, as the sky is already inky black with night. I am on my bed, alone. I slap my head over my forehead. The headache is gone. Alongside the body pains. And Damien. Though he had thrown a blanket over me. A groan escapes my mouth at the thought of him. At the thought of what happened earlier today. I finally told him. I told him how I felt about him all those while. But I told him a half-assed lie. A lie that rolled off my tongue like a mudslide. Quick and unpremeditated. A lie that I was too afraid to take back. I like him. I still do. But for some reason I don't understand, I couldn't tell him. I sit up and take a pillow, pressing it hard to myself in a hug. Back at the volleyball court, when Damien rushed over to take me home, I was kind of glad I fell. I wanted us to finish what we started under that palm tree, especially when we'd have the whole house to ourselves. My core had throbbed and twitched with anticipatio
Lisa's POV I begin to cough. "Did you choke on your cake? Hang in there, let me get some water." Selena hurriedly disappears into the kitchen. I hack and cough some more. Damien stares incredulously at Glenn. "What the fuck, man?" "I think you know damn well, Damien." "Hey, Glenn." Wade lurches to his feet and goes over to Glenn, his hand on Glenn's shoulder. "It doesn't have to be this way." Glenn smoothly knocks Wade's hand off. "I don't know what you're talking about, Wade. This is just a game. I didn't choose the question. I got asked by Tiffany." Tiffany is wringing her hair from over her shoulder, the excitement gone. Like me, she probably also sensed that this is going beyond more than just a game. "Maybe I should ask some other question? I didn't know this was going to be this personal." "No, Tiffany," Glenn objects. "I particularly love this one. Go get the Nutella." She pauses for a bit to look at the faces of everyone in the room except mine. Then sh
Damien's POV Willow is asleep. I'd just taken her to Lisa's room and barricaded her with several pillows so she won't roll off the bed, a trick I picked up from some random TikTok video. Now I open the door and step out to find Ally Rose in front of me. She smiles at me. The kind of dollish smile that curves her lips in an almost 'U' and pushes up her cheekbones. She looks so different from the last time I saw her. Thinner, and prettier. Fortunately, her wonderful makeover has absolutely no effect on me. "Hey, Damien," Ally Rose simpers. "It's really been long." Back at Tennessee, when I'd been dispatched with my team to provide security at a charity event, she offered this same smile at the bar where I and my colleagues came to cool off. I found it charming then. Now I find it distasteful. I close Lisa's door behind me. "Has it?" "Yes, duh." Ally Rose disregards my attempt at a rebuff with a flick of her delicate wrist. "I've been meaning to talk to you."
Damien's POV "Lisa." She turns sharply, and exhales when she sees it's me. She attempts a small smile that still brightened her face in an instant. I suck in a breath at how beautiful she is. "Damien. Hi." "Hello." I settle down beside her and deep my own feet into the pool. The water is a little bit on the icy cold side, but I think that's just what I want. "What are you doing out here alone?" "I don't know. Stargazing?" I glance up at the starless sky. "Yeah right. The stars are exceptionally pretty today. Look at that big one over there." I grab the base of her ponytail and shake her head from side to side. "You moron," she laughs, smacking my bicep. It's a far cry from the fake laughter I just listened to moments ago. Lisa doesn't laugh as daintily as you might think she does because of her ethereal looks. It's a boisterous kind of laugh that sometimes sounds weird, but it's like music to my ears nonetheless. I can listen to her laugh all day. And stare at her forev