Page 79 of Damaged Protector
“Cam, cut it out,” she said with a giggle before turning in his arms to face me. “Mallori, remember we’re taking Bella to Disney World in August. I hope you don’t think we’re abandoning you.”
“No, not at all,” I assured her.
“We made these plans a year ago, before we knew you’d be coming to stay with us. I wish we’d known sooner, and we could have arranged to take you with us.” She twisted her hands fretfully at her waist, and I reached out to grasp them.
“Shy, don’t stress about it. I’ll be getting ready to start school and move into the dorm in August. I wouldn’t have time to go anyway.”
She looked relieved. “We’ll be back in plenty of time to help you get moved.”
Blaire walked over and handed me and Shiloh pink frosty beverages in plastic cups. “Amaretto slushies,” she informed us, “with an extra shot of rum.”
“Ooh, I love these,” Shy said, taking a sip, and I followed suit. The drink was delicious, with a tangy bite of sweetness.
Blaire tilted her head to the side and regarded me. “Mal, that swimsuit is darling.”
“Thanks,” I told her, adjusting the string of my white bikini with metallic silver leopard spots. “I got it online. You never know what you’re gonna end up with, but I was happy with this one.”
“Pool time!” Axel announced, and we made our way across the flagstone to where he was standing near the water.
“Babe, turn on the pool lights. It’s getting dark,” Blaire told him, and he pulled a sleek black remote from the pocket of his swim trunks.
“Mallori, you’re the guest of honor. What color do you want?”
I stared down at the pretty drink in my hand. “Uh, how about pink?”
He flicked a few buttons, and the pool suddenly glowed the color of a flamingo.
“I like it,” Cam said, nibbling on his wife’s neck. “It’s the same color as your—”
“Camden Fitz!” Shiloh shrieked, swatting at his arm around her waist.
“Why don’t we play volleyball before Cam starts waxing poetic about Shiloh’s nips or something,” Axel suggested.
“I wasn’t talking about her nips,” Cam replied conversationally, like this was the most normal conversation in the world. “It’s—” His wife shut him up with a hand across his mouth as the rest of us laughed.
Gram rose from her seat beside one of the tables, adjusting her large sun hat. “I’m gonna head on home. Dwayne wanted to hang out tonight.”
Bristol sidled up and asked in a low voice so only Gram and I could hear, “Speaking of Dwayne, how did it go with the… you know… back door stuff?”
Gram smiled and winked. “Easy peasy. Honey, once you get my age, things loosen up everywhere. It was like tossing a Tic-Tac in a whale’s mouth.”
And with that, she said her goodbyes to everyone, leaving Bristol and I gaping at each other in shock for a good five minutes.
We chose up teams for volleyball, and I chewed on my thumbnail as me, Axel, Shark, Charli, Hawk, and Shiloh took to our side of the net. Taz had started feeling nauseous after we ate, and Woody took her home, so we were lined up against Blaire, Cam, Tank, Bristol, Bode, and Landree.
“Why are you about to gnaw your thumb off?” Hawk asked as Tank and Axel adjusted the net.
“I’ve never played volleyball,” I admitted. “I went to a few of the women’s games in college, so I know the gist of it, but…”
“It’s fine. Blaire sucks too.”
“Hey, you big ass,” she said, shoving a mass of water at him from across the net.
He laughed before patiently showing me how to hold my arms to bump the ball. The sight of his large hands encircling my slender wrists made me have certain unsavory thoughts. Thoughts of being bound and at his mercy.
Shit! Where did that come from?
I had no idea, but I was glad I was submerged in the water. Otherwise, I was afraid someone would notice the hard points of my nipples.