Adjournment (The Fate Series) (22 page)

I can just imagine how that would go…

“Oh, hey Simon, how are you? Who me? I’m just sitting under here naked and wet.”

Whatever you do, don’t say that if he finds you.

I hear him walk across toward the balcony I was just stripping on.

“I don’t see them up here. Maybe they’re getting ready for dinner.” Simon’s deep voice yells out the balcony door to his brothers.

Why the hell are they always here? Don’t they have parents… and a home? Okay, so that was mean because their dad died when they were small. But I know that pain-in-the-ass Judith has to be around somewhere.

I hear him walk back through the room toward the doors.

Whew.

I unwedge myself out of my new favorite hiding spot and head for the door. I exit the room, sauntering down the marble part of the floor because heaven forbid I walk on the carpet with wet feet, even though the material of my undergarments and my hair are the only things that are wet. Just as I twist the knob to my room I hear an all too familiar whistle behind me. Looking over my shoulder I see Simon leaning against the wall of the lounge watching me while holding a towel.

My towel…

Jackass!

Walking into my room, I turn to him flashing a sweet smile as I look into his perfect blue eyes before flipping him off. The sound of the slamming door makes him laugh loudly as he walks by. 

“Welcome home, Pet. I’ll just leave this down by the pool for you,” he says through the door. I lean again it, closing my eyes and exhale.

“Yeah, welcome home…” I mumble back, smirking to myself.

“Who knows…” his voice is suddenly back. I jump, my nerves scattering under my skin. I slap my hand over my mouth but it doesn’t help cover the nervous giggle that rushes past my lips. “You may need it later.” His deep laugh ripples through the door and down my skin. His voice causes my nipples to hard, and I look down at my lace clad breathless body. Shaking my head as I watch my chest rise and fall.

Oh knock it off, I mentally groan.

The faster these three are taken off the market the better.

Well… for us. 

After showering and getting dressed for dinner I dig through my bags looking for my phone to send Jacob a quick text and ask what time he is coming in on Friday. I need all the support I can get. Unable to find it I walk down the hall to the stairs. I can hear everyone downstairs laughing and carrying on as I slowly descend down the steps into the main entranceway toward them. Walking into the room where everyone is gathered, reliving the earlier events of the day, and the look on our faces as they let go of each of us. I give a halfhearted smile and head to the mini bar that sits against the wall between two sets of french doors. 

“You’re welcome.” Simon leans over and bumps me with his elbow sending a spark through me.

Rubbing the feeling away, I ignore him and grab my drink before heading toward the shelter of the butler’s pantry. He follows close behind as though my silence is some sort of invite.

It’s not.

The only thing this room is ever used for is to keep extra table settings or as a hiding place when one of us needs a timeout and can’t stand to be around people any longer.

Taking a deep breath I slowly let it go and look up at him when we walk into the narrow room. My disloyal heart skips when my eyes land on his, and I want to find the crazy woman who’s running rampant through my body, tripping sexual triggers like time bombs. It’s becoming an annoying occurrence that seems to happen when I look at him or am around him. 

“This is going to be good, for what?” I ask without breaking eye contact. Grabbing a carrot stick from a platter that sits on the counter, I bite into it with an angry snap. Giving him the floor to speak, I step back, crossing my arms over my chest.

He laughs, holding his hands up in front of himself to signal his current white flag status.

Never trust the white flag, it can change at any moment.

“Whoa, you might want to hold onto some of the aggression. It seems as though we have been challenged for a friendly game of bowling.”

I eye him skeptically.

I’m not buying it.

“It’s never a friendly game with them… or you. But back to the thanking. What am I thanking
you
for?” I try to keep my answers clipped and emotionally cut off, hoping he will take the hint and leave me alone.

Placing the carrot between my teeth, I hop onto the counter so I’m at a better eye level with him.

He thinks he’s intimidating just because he’s so much taller than me.

I regret my position when he steps forward between my knees before I have a chance to adjust myself, once again catching me off-guard and shattering my stupid emotions everywhere. He’s smart though, he stands just close enough to throw me off but not close enough to touch any part of me. He knows if he does it will give me something to concentrate on, something to use to my advantage. Instead he stands there, just far enough away to mess with my thoughts. He wants me to wonder what it would be like to pull him closer, while silently daring me to push him away. My heart chokes, unsure of how to beat right now, and I cough from the feeling. Unlike upstairs I won’t allow it to overpower me.

Damn him and my emotions…

I’m in control… Me.

Not him…

Me!

“No Simon, it’s okay, I don’t enjoy personal space.” I make sure to lay the sarcasm on thick so maybe he will get it this time.

“Oh good, I thought I might be making you uncomfortable.” The corner of his mouth turns up. He steps closer until his hips are gently pressing into my thighs, the heat from his body radiating through the thin material of the linen pants I changed into.

Losing control of my actions for a second I unintentionally swallow hard.

A devilishly sexy grin twists against his lips when he sees it. Instead of calling me out, he leans over to the platter, pinning me between his shoulder and the cabinet doors that sit behind my head. The heavy scent of cedar assaults my nose in a magnificent way. His hand presses against the outside of my thigh driving me crazy as my insides begin to knot and scream with a sudden need. Inhaling the scent for a brief second while his head is turned away from me, I allow my eyes this one moment to slowly scan over him, my brain coming up with the most sinful daydreams. The muscles in his neck flex and move as he stretches, mesmerizing me, and I find myself wondering what the rest of them would look like naked and contracting.

Okay, this has to stop. I have to stop.

“Were you at work today?” I say, calmly against his shoulder that is positioned in front of my mouth, my warm breath sweeping across my lips and his shirt.

“I worked on my way here… why?” He straightens himself out completely unaware that in my head I have stripped him and his hands are on my ass pulling me to the edge of the counter. His eyes lock with mine as he takes a bite then rests his hand on the side of my other thigh. The heat of his hands is all I can think about.

If he moved them up would I protest?

Would I at least play hard to get?

I wish I could say yes but at the moment I don’t think I can. This isn’t good… I need space. The kind of space that comes with me going back to the city and him staying here.

“Hey?” He snaps his fingers in front of my face. “Where did you go?”

“I—I… what did you say?” I practically pant.

“Working?” his brows shoot up. He watches me for a second as though I’m a crossword puzzle he’s trying to figure out.

Five letters across… what is the word for how Sidney is suddenly feeling right now.

Starts with an H.

“You asked me if I went to work before coming here,” he says slowly.

Oh right! I need to get it together.

I reach up to remove the drafting pencil from his ear.

“Hey, I looked everywhere for that.” He laughs, plucking it from my fingers. Sliding it into his pants pocket, his face turns and he looks excited for a second before removing something from the same pocket he just put the pencil in.

“I figured you had your cellphone in your pocket so I slipped it out and into mine before your uncle saw.” He holds up my missing phone.

I forgot about that, actually.

Taking it from his hand, I place it on the counter next to me. I still as he lifts his hand to rest the last of the carrot gently against my bottom lip. Without breaking his gaze I slightly open mouth to take it from his fingers.

Just breathe…

I try to ignore the slow build of energy in my stomach, but my chest begins to do that rise and fall thing from the intensity of what’s taking place in this little room while everyone else is not more than ten feet away.

Normally! Breathe normally!

You need to step up your game… you’re losing this round at an appalling rate.

“Oh?” I mumbled through chewing. “Well, I guess you’re just my knight in shining armor, and yet you didn’t even try to save me from going in the water.” I cock my head to the side to give him a look.

Remembering this helps bring me back down. I have to get back into this… I’m crumbling like a stupid teenage girl with a crush.

He laughs, grabbing another carrot stick. He bites into it, and then rests it back against my lip for me to bite. Parting my lips I bite into it and manage to keep myself calm.

Well my appearance is calm. The rest of me is buzzing with raw energy. If I can hold onto anger I’ll be fine.

“You know, Pet, your uncle is taller than me and has about a hundred pounds on me, right? I’ve been tackled by that man before, he scares me.” He gives a thoughtful laugh. “Sorry, it was you or me, and honestly of the two of us, you look better wet.” He winks, taking another bite then gesturing it back to me.

Don’t let him get to you… hold onto the anger. Moments like this have misled me a lot in my youth. His sweet gestures, nicknames… But I learned they’re just words that he will spout out to any girl at any time to get what he wants. 

Although right now I’m not sure what he wants.

Ignoring his invitation I reach for a piece of celery from the platter, taking a bite I cross my arms in the space between us to study him and his motives for a minute. Suddenly I hear the endless chatter that has been going on in the room behind us. He clears his throat and leans in to speak again when the doorbell chimes. The noise startles me, and the moment is gone. Turning my head to the doorway that leads to the main hall, I can hear his mother’s voice. I glance back at him, raising the celery up to his mouth. As he leans forward to take one last bite I pull it away and shove it into mine with a satisfied smile on my face. Placing my hands on his arms I move him out of the way and hop off the counter, leaving him standing there as I walk down the hall toward the dining room.

I win.

Sitting down at the table I look around at how everyone takes their usual seats. With the exception of Lexi, who doesn’t have a usual seat.

“Lexi, darling, you can sit across from Sidney.” My mother gestures to the seat.

“No!” I shout louder than I meant to. “That’s okay, she can sit next to me.” I wave her over.

“That is my seat.” Simon looks at me when he walks in.

Yes I know.

“Oh, I wasn’t sure if you still sat here.” I shrug.

“I typically don’t, however, you have taken my seat.” He pushes my seat in before pulling his out.

Looking up at Lexi, I watch her try to hide her smile, but she sucks at being discreet.

“So girls, how are things? Sidney, dear, I haven’t seen you in ages. How are you? Still trying to make average people pretty?” Judith’s words are like nails on a chalkboard.

She knows just how to get under my skin.

“No, I’m sorry Judith I don’t work for your makeup company,” I bite back.

Where did that come from?

Control yourself!

Grams laughs into her glass, and my uncles quickly look at their plates when my mother’s head snaps up to stare at me.

Yeah, that’s going to come back to bite me in the ass.

Flashing a fake smile she continues, “Well then, I can see your quick tongue hasn’t changed. Lucky will be the man who gets you.” She raises her glass to me.

I’m in control and in no way am going to freak out.

Simon reaches under the table, resting his hand on my knee that I hadn’t noticed was shaking.

Something about the gesture calms me.

She moves on from me by asking my sisters how they’re doing and what wonderful things she’s heard about their new line.

“She knows she’s getting to you,” Simon whispers next to me, still holding my leg firmly even though it isn’t moving.

“I know. I’m in control.” I give a practiced smile.

“I can tell, you’ve yet to throw your wine at her.” He gives a small smile and removes his hand.

The temperature of the room cooling down the spot he just had his hand on.

“When are you girls going to settle down? It’s not normal for such pretty girls to not be married with kids at your age.” Judith looks directly at me, taking a tiny bite of food. The three of us grab our wine, quickly drinking it to avoid the topic. Simon’s hand is once again on my leg trying to hold it in place.

This time it’s not helping.

“The girls are having fun, Judith, they’ll settle down,” our mother tries to defend us.

Our father is sitting there silent because he doesn’t want to talk about the fact that his three daughters are actually women.

“Or they won’t. It’s hard to find good sex these days,” Grams blurts out. We choke on our wine, the table erupts into commotion as the guys try to help my sisters. Simon’s hand quickly moves from my leg to my back, tapping against it while I cough, his other hand snatching the glass from me. Lexi begins to laugh hysterically into her glass, and all attention is on Grams now.

“What? It’s the truth!” She looks up and around at us. “Don’t marry for love that will fade with time, marry for the sex.” Grams sends me a wink as she lifts her glass.

Even though I know she didn’t mean to embarrass me, my face still begins to burn red.

Mom quickly retrieves the glass from Grams before she has a chance to drink any. Everyone is speechless looking at her, waiting for the next crazy thing about sex to pour from her lips.