Unfiltered & Undressed (The Unfiltered Series) (6 page)

But there was that other side to him, too. The side I’d seen at the beach, when he’d rescued me, and again at the pool, when Gracie had been too afraid to come down off the step. I doubted that was a side he showed here at The Dunes, at least not all that often, and definitely not on purpose.

He looked up then, and our eyes locked. I didn’t want to blink or breathe, and all I could think was,
I know you’re in there
. And when he didn’t look away I thought maybe, just maybe, he was letting me know I was right.

Then Zane was there, his breath too hot against my ear. “Ready?”

Will’s jaw clenched and his shoulders stiffened, but even that quick flash of emotion only lasted a second before the other Will—the indifferent one—was back. He spent extra time on his next customer, a leggy brunette who leaned all the way over the bar, practically spilling out of her dress.
Like I was one to judge
.

When she ran the tip of her acrylic nail across his forearm, along the veins that bulged over his muscles, he shot one more look my way, and I knew he meant for me to notice.

“Ready,” I told Zane, and reached for his hand again, and this time it was me dragging him through the crowd as I downed my Corona and hauled him toward the dance floor.

‡

Three shots and who knew how many beers later, the floor was wobbly beneath my feet. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost track of Emerson, or she’d lost track of me, and now I was all alone with Zane. He did his best to pull me away from the dance floor so he could get me someplace quiet—and presumably dark—so we could “talk.” But I kept shooting him down. I needed to keep moving to stop the world from spinning.

“One more song,” I insisted. “This one’s my fav’rite.”

“I thought the last one was your favorite.” He laughed when he said it and let me drag him between the crush of dancers.

He gave me the most indecent smile, which I knew was meant to convey the promise of things to come. The night wouldn’t end the way he wanted it to, but I didn’t stop him when he wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed himself to me, because it made me feel steady. We danced for almost a full minute like that, with his hips grinding against mine, while my alcohol-infused brain tried to keep up with the song, even though I was pretty sure we were way off beat.

“You’re beautiful,” he muttered against my ear.

I rolled my head away when I felt his tongue clumsily attack my earlobe, and I tried to laugh it off. “All right, I think we’re done here.”

He ignored my protest and his grip on my waist tightened. Immediately, my head cleared. I needed to put the brakes on before he got the wrong idea. I couldn’t let him think he had a real chance.

“My turn.” An unfriendly voice interrupted us, and I jerked when I heard it, bumping Zane’s chin with my forehead.

“I don’t think so, pal. We’re a little busy here.” Zane took an abrupt step away from me, and when I saw the scowl on Will’s face and his hand gripping Zane’s shoulder, I realized that Zane hadn’t stepped away willingly.

“I wasn’t asking,” Will told Zane, his jaw tense. “Either you walk away now, or I’ll have you bounced.” He tipped his head toward the entrance, to where the enormous bouncer was watching the scene unfolding on the dance floor. But I got the sense, from the way Will was glaring at Zane, that he wouldn’t have waited for the bouncer’s help.

Zane looked from Will to me, and I couldn’t tell if he was more embarrassed or disappointed. “You okay with this?” he asked me finally.

I glanced up at Will, who was scrutinizing me now, and not Zane, and who couldn’t have looked more smug if he’d tried. He winked at me, and I shook my head at him, even as I answered Zane, “I’ll be fine.”

Zane slunk off the dance floor just as the music changed. The song playing now was slower—not slow, but slow
er
—and Will reached for me, pulling me into his arms, a lot like Zane had.

But unlike with Zane, I wanted Will’s arms around me. I liked that he’d come after me, saving me again, even if I hadn’t exactly been drowning this time.

It was almost unnatural how warm he was, and every place our bodies connected, which was almost everywhere, that heat came off him and radiated directly into me…
through me
. I strained to be near that. To breathe him in, his heat and his scent, which was an intoxicating combination of soap and beer and sweat.

The floor was swaying again, but this time I didn’t think it had anything to do with the booze.

Will’s hands were around my waist, but they weren’t demanding the way Zane’s had been. Somehow I doubted Will had ever had to force himself on any girl. “You seem to be making friends.” His words rumbled against my ear, and even his voice made me unsteady.

I looked up and found his gaze. “You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

He grinned down at me. “I guess that depends on the friends.” He wasn’t all that subtle. Zane wasn’t the kind of friend he wanted me to have.

I let my eyes wander to my arms, which were draped around his neck. His blond waves tickled the backs of my hands, and I wondered what it would be like to tangle my fingers in his hair, to feel those silken strands. “What about you?” I asked, turning my attention back to him again. “Are you my friend?”

Will’s face fell, his eyes going distant. “I don’t know what we are. I don’t really do friends.”

I smiled. “That’s funny, I didn’t ask you to
do
me.”

His eyes snapped back to mine and he studied me for second, and then he dropped his chin on the top of my head and laughed. It was maybe the first time I felt like I’d gotten the upper hand since we met. His grip on my waist tightened. “You’re something else.” And then he whispered against my ear, “He was right, you know? You really are beautiful.”

My face, all the way down to my neck, felt like it would burst into flames. I didn’t know why—or maybe I did, because it was Will saying it—but it was entirely different, those exact same words coming from his lips. Yet somehow I couldn’t accept he might mean them. There was nothing special about me, not when all these other girls would do anything just to spend a minute with him. “He just said that because my rack looks so good in this dress.” I dared a quick look up.

Will was watching me, a wicked grin finding his lips. “I’m not saying he’s wrong, but that’s not what I meant. I meant you—
you’re
beautiful.”

I lowered my lids but kept my eyes on him. “And distracting?” I challenged.

“Yes,” he growled, his glare falling on me. “And distracting.”

“Is that why you cut in? Because you couldn’t keep your eyes off me?”

Will stopped moving, but his grip remained secure. “No. I cut in because your date couldn’t keep his goddamned hands to himself. And because I saw the way you were squirming, and I figured you could use a hand.” He was angry, there was no mistaking it—his eyes had grown dark and his lean muscles, rigid. “You really need to be careful. Not all guys get the memo that no means no, especially after a few drinks.”

I could feel myself bristling against his warning, even though I knew he was right. “Zane’s harmless,” I defended.

“You don’t know that. You hardly know the guy,” he shot back.

“I can take care of myself.” I pulled out of his grip, and he didn’t try to stop me the way Zane had. I didn’t need a lecture, and I pushed my way through the crowd. But I could feel Will right behind me. “I’ve done all right so far,” I shot over my shoulder. “I don’t need a bodyguard.” I reached the table where Zane was waiting for me, and he shot to his feet hopefully, but I kept on walking.

Will reached for my arm and pulled me to a stop. “Okay, look. I’m sure you’re right. Zane’s probably…charming.” The word dripped with sarcasm, and I crossed my arms, petulantly averting my gaze from his. “I shouldn’t have chased your boyfriend away.”

I rolled my eyes. “Stop it. You know that’s not what he is,” I admitted.

He grinned, that smug expression of his firmly back in place. “Good. I’m glad you see things my way. Can we stop fighting now?”

I considered whether this was the right time or not as I saw several girls eye-balling Will, but I wasn’t sure I’d get a better opportunity.

“Fine. On one condition.”

“I’m listening…” His grin grew as he crossed his arms over his muscular chest, making us look like we were in a standoff, and I wondered exactly what he thought I was planning to propose.

I crooked my index finger toward him, and he leaned closer so no one could hear what I had to say. “I know you said you couldn’t, but I need you to teach me to swim. No kids this time, and no one else knows,” I said, stating my demands. “I want private lessons.”

He reached for a strand of my hair and twisted it around his finger. The glint in his eyes made it clear he was toying with me. “And if I agree…what’s in it for me?”

Tugging away so my hair fell from his fingers, I reached into my purse and pulled out the envelope. When I handed it to him, he regarded me with a suspiciously raised eyebrow.

I indicated the envelope in his hand. “Cash,” I said somberly. “There’s a thousand dollars in that envelope.” He jerked back, the playful gleam becoming wary.

“Jesus, Brown Eyes, is this some kind of joke?” He tried to pass the envelope back to me. “I don’t want your money.”

Frowning, I shook my head and refused to take it. “I’m serious. I need your help. This is…embarrassing for me, and I don’t know a lot of people here. You’re the only person I’ve met who gives lessons.” I flashed him a knowing smile. “Unless you’d rather I ask Zane to teach me.”

His eyes narrowed as he seemed to be deciding whether he thought I would actually ask Zane for help. Then he reluctantly pocketed the cash. “Fine,” he muttered. “You win. Meet me at the pool after hours tomorrow.” And when he realized I might not know what “after hours” was, he added, “Eight o’clock.” He shoved his hand and the money in his jeans pocket. “If you’re even a minute late, though, deal’s off.”

And then he turned and stormed back toward the bar just as I heard Emerson’s voice behind me, and I wondered how long she’d been standing there. “Who pissed in his snowflakes?”

I spun around to face her. “Corn,” I said absently, looking past her to where Zane and Lucas were talking, probably about how Will had all but dragged me off the dance floor.

“What?” Em asked, dragging my attention away from them just as Zane caught my eye.

“Cornflakes. Who pissed in his cornflakes?” I grinned at her, avoiding her answer with a question of my own. “You know what sounds good right now? Denny’s Grand Slam. We should get outta here and get something to eat. What’dya say?”

She draped her arm around me just as Lucas and Zane joined us, and I realized we weren’t ditching them just yet. But a booth at Denny’s was a safer place to be than a dance floor at The Dunes.

And tomorrow, Will would teach me how to swim.

LAUREN

Will was already in the pool when I stepped out of the locker room and onto the pool deck, my heart lodged in my throat.
What the hell had I been thinking
? I wondered, suddenly nervous about dropping my towel.

“This works better if you actually get
in
the water,” he joked, when I continued to cling to the plain white terrycloth.

Sighing, I let it fall to the ground as I held my breath.

I know he didn’t mean to, but his eyes went wide. I could feel them burning into me, roaming over me for several beats too long. It wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t help it, I told myself, any more than I could help the twinge of satisfaction I felt.

I had that effect on men. I might not have gotten my mom’s bold Latin complexion, but I’d definitely gotten the whole curves-in-all-the-right-places thing, and I knew how to play them to my advantage.

Today was one of those days. At our first lesson, I’d worn a one-piece that had covered pretty much everything.

But after last night, after our dance and feeling his body pressed right against mine, I’d decided I didn’t want to play it so safe, so I’d picked my most revealing bikini, the one I’d bought mostly on a dare from Emerson. The one that barely contained my
assets
.

“I…uh…” Will stammered. He cleared his throat, which was probably the third time he’d done that since I’d let go of my towel. Finally, he tore his gaze away and scowled. “What are you waiting for? We only have about an hour of light left.”

I made my way toward the edge of the pool. “You’re the boss,” I managed before biting my lip to keep from smiling.

The water was warm, and I stepped all the way in, letting it glide over my skin. Only when I was submerged to my neck would Will even look at me again, like somehow the water would shield him from seeing too much of me—because clearly water worked like that, as a barrier.

But his mood immediately lightened, and he was back to being the teacher he’d been during that first lesson. He eased closer to me as his voice softened. He ran through several drills, things like hanging onto the side of the pool wall while I practiced kicking, even though I assured him I already knew how to kick. Mostly, though, I felt ridiculous.

Finally, I stood up in the waist-high water to complain. “This is all fine and good, but when am I going to learn
actual swimming
?”

Will started to argue, but then as if his eyes had accidentally been seared by lasers, he hastily looked away again. His gaze slipped past me as he concentrated somewhere past my shoulder. “When you’re ready,” he answered distractedly. “Trust me, you’re not even close yet. Swimming’s not something you can master overnight. It takes time…practice….
patience
.”

Patience. Great. That wasn’t exactly one of my strengths. I exhaled, lifting my hands to my hips, and silently wishing I’d worn my stupid one-piece so he’d just look at me. “I just…” Now I was the one who was stammering. “I only have a couple of weeks to figure it out.”

His eyes shot down to mine, and I swear it felt like he could see right through me. “A couple weeks? For what? You’re not leaving, are you?”

“No,” I answered. “Nothing like that.” How was I going to explain it to him without actually explaining? “You know, to learn…” I started, more unsure than ever. “…how to swim.”