Page 23 of Insta Bride
“What the fuck, man?”
“What?”
He seemed visually taken aback. Did the guy have no emotional intelligence? What part of his attitude did he think I’d let him get away with?
“What’s with you and Elena? You’ve already got a woman.”
One that I would have hit on in a heartbeat in the outside world. Scratch that, I already had—at the mixer. Sami and I had even exchanged ways of getting in touch after the show if one of us hadn’t made it. Not that I would—single mums were too high maintenance and I refused to involve innocent kids. No need to get involved if I wasn’t gonna stick around.
“Your point is?”
He didn’t even bother good grace to admit he was out of line.
“Elena’s here with me.”
“Doesn’t look like it from where I’m sitting.”
“You’ve got a woman,” I pressed. “Sami is as sexy and open for business as you’ll get. Stick with the woman you were paired with.”
“If you think Sami and I are going to go off into the sunset, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“But—” I started to sell Sami’s qualities and only hoped Elena wouldn’t walk in and hear us. Yeah, prize one idiot reporting for duty—the microphones were fully functional, and I knew how easily any word or conversation could be edited out of context.
“Sami’s an awesome chick, and you should give her a chance.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” I paused for a breath. “I think Elena and I could make something work on the outside.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
My reaction wasn’t even about the warning from the producers that they wanted to see Elena and I as a real couple. Seb was that special sort of asshole pretending to be a nice guy. Calling him out wouldn’t help my cause. I needed to plea to his ego.
“I’m asking you man-to-man, to back off.”
“Why?”
“Because Elena isn’t the sort of girl I normally hook-up with. She’s special and there’s a spark—you saw our kiss.” I waited until he nodded, “That isn’t normal, not for me.”
“Still not a reason.”
“How’s this. I know that you might be her type. I know you care about her, but so do I. I want a chance to get to know her. She’d never look at me if we met on the mainland.”
“Still not a reason.” Except, now his voice sounded shaky, and eyes darted around the pool deck. I didn’t care. I needed him to back the fuck away from my girl.
“Okay, how about some home truths. Elena is out of my league.” I didn’t care who heard, it was the truth. “She’d never look twice at me if we met in the street or around a boardroom. She’d look straight through me and if she thought about me at all, it would be forgotten quicker than she removed gum from her shoe. I’m asking you to back the fuck off and give me a chance to get to know her.”
“How are you gonna have time, when you’re spending all your time chasing every other pussy on the island?”
“Breakfast changed everything.”
With each step towards Seb, he backed away until his heels rested on the pool edge. “Maybe I saw what the relationship experts saw,” I hissed. “We fit together. I know what she thinks of me, I’m just asking you to back off while we’re on the island. Give me a chance—I know she’s the woman I want. I just want the chance to make her feel the same.”
“Kye?” I didn’t need to turn, but I did. Seb’s smirk told me our entire conversation had an audience.
“Elena.” My eyes didn’t open until I felt her stand in front of me, and she’d lifted one of my hands, cupping it between hers. She calmed me. I hadn’t noticed the extent of my anxiety, until she calmed me.
Elena touched me and I wanted to melt inside her.