Playing His Game (The Reynolds Brothers), Page 2

  I barely get the last word out before I have a dull pain in my shoulder from the punch Autumn just landed.

  "I'm kidding, for goodness sakes. That hurt a little."

  The smile’s back on her face. "Serves you right. Now stop making sexual jokes about my boyfriend. It's inappropriate in so many ways."

  "Alright, I promise." I rub my shoulder with my hand, massaging out the sting. "I was kidding anyway. I got him a personalized LA Kings jersey. I figure he can wear it while watching the games at home."

  "That is a really thoughtful gift, Winn."

  I laugh. Little does she know there's also a personalized Blackhawks jersey in the bag, in Autumn's size with her name on the back. What can I say? I like messing with my sister's boyfriend.

  ★★★

  The birthday boy arrived a few minutes after we did, so we barely had time to get to the backyard before the crowd was yelling 'Surprise’ to an elated Jared. I could see the shock and pure joy on his face.

  I guess he really is into his birthday.

  I've been wandering around, mingling with people I don't know for the past thirty minutes. Autumn's been preoccupied with Jared so she must have forgotten that I know only four of the hundred or so people at this shindig. I'll say this though, Jared's brother's place is beautiful.

  I'm standing on the wooden deck, on the second story of the house, overlooking the small patch of grass surrounding an infinity pool. Past the pool is the beach and then the ocean. People are playing a game of water volleyball in the pool and the beach is filled with Jared's friends and family. The guests are having fun mingling and drinking. There are even a few guys taking advantage of the early evening waves and surfing.

  This doesn't feel like a home, it feels like a five star resort I never want to leave.

  I spot Tawny talking to a few people her age, most likely Jared's friends. They could also be his colleagues, since I know Autumn mentioned a few of them would be here today. Kelly comes up behind her with drinks for the group and they all resume their conversation.

  "Hmm." I breathe out. I want to take in as much of this weather as I can. I have to go back to Michigan in a few days and even though it's April, it's still cold and miserable.

  Summer can't come soon enough.

  Someone clears his throat behind me and I'm startled. I almost drop my drink. I turn around to see a good looking guy a few feet in front of me. He's tall, but not too tall, and he definitely has the surfer look to him. Normally, I wouldn't just stare at a man this way, but he's shirtless, only wearing swim trunks, and his chest is muscular perfection. His almost jet black hair is wavy and cut perfectly. Long enough to run my hands through, but not too long to look unkempt. He has no tattoos or piercings that I can see, but his skin is glistening from the water, making his tan skin look desirable.

  When I look back at his face I see gray eyes staring back at me. Although he looks nothing like Jared, I know this must be one of his brothers. I mean, how many people actually have gray eyes?

  "Hi," I whisper shyly.

  I'm shocked at my response to him, too. Since when do I act shy?

  "Hey. I need another player for our volleyball game downstairs. I was watching you up here from the pool and wanted to know if you would like to play?"

  Sports aren't really my thing, but I'm naturally competitive so I know I won't allow myself to be horrible at this. Plus, I'll take any excuse to start up a conversation with this hottie.

  "Sure, I'll play."

  He grins at me, obviously happy with my answer. "Awesome. Do you have a suit or do you need to borrow one?"

  I have on a pale blue bikini under my sundress. Autumn had warned me about the pool, and I'm suddenly glad I chose this suit. It's made by my favorite lingerie brand. The top is revealing, showing the top of my breasts, with small, thin straps to hold my breasts up, but also giving me full support. The bottoms are small, the material scrunches up by my ass, giving it the cheeky look and putting my ass on display. There are two silver hoops; one on each side of my bottoms that bring the material of the front and the back together, and in doing so reveals the smooth skin of my hips.

  Altogether, it's an extremely sexy swimsuit, or so many men have told me, and it brings out the color of my eyes. Once I'm in the water and my dark hair is wet I'll have the exact look I'm going for. Trouble.

  Not that anything will happen with this man. It's obvious he's Jared's brother and that would just be too weird, for my sister and Jared that is. I don't mind. I'm only here for two more days, so hooking up with him could be fun.

  I grab the hem at the bottom of my dress and pull it up my body, lifting it over my chest, shoulders and then head, before tossing it on the deck railing.

  "Don't need a suit, I come prepared."

  "I like a girl who comes... prepared," he says cockily.

  Little does he know I love a man who likes making sexual innuendos. That's my favorite way to flirt.

  "I'm Scott, by the way. And you are?"

  We walk down the steps of the deck. The steps lead to the yard and stop directly in front of the pool.

  "I'm Winnie, Autumn's sister."

  He stops mid-step and turns around to look at me. "So you're the infamous Winnie. I've heard some stories about you."

  "Hopefully bad."

  "Don't you mean hopefully good?"

  I ignore his question and gently push his shoulder so he'll get the hint to keep walking down the steps. When we reach the ground he wastes no time and jumps into the pool. When he resurfaces on top I can't help but stare at him for a few more seconds.

  Who knew Jared had such a gorgeous brother?

  "So whose team am I on?" I ask, walking over to the edge of the pool where Scott is standing in the water.

  "You're with us, Winnie." He barely gets my name out when I feel his hand on my forearm and he's pulling me into the water.

  My body submerges into the shallow depths of the saltwater pool and I'm momentarily in shock. I rise from the water, coughing up the small bits of water that went up my nose. When I get a hold of myself I push my wet hair back and stare at the gray-eyed traitor in front of me.

  "Did you forget I'm on your side?" I ask him jokingly. My hands move to pull my hair off my neck and I gently ring it out before pulling it across one shoulder. I wore waterproof mascara today so I hope that it's still in place and I don't look like a giant raccoon.

  "Oh, I didn't forget. I just wanted to get you wet."

  So that's how he's going to play it. If it continues this way, I’m going to have a fun time playing with him.

  "I'm disappointed in you," I tease, shaking my head. "There are many other ways to get me wet."

  His grin turns to shock as I watch his mouth slightly open at my innuendo. Poor Scott, he has no idea who he’s trying to mess with.

  The game starts and I quickly discover that my team never needed me. Even if they were outnumbered by one player, Scott, a man, and a woman I was introduced to as Angela, can clearly win this game on their own. I try my best to stay involved. I'm able to spike the ball and get us a point. I set the ball a few times so that Scott can spike it down on the other side, but that's my extent of playing the game. After a long game, which ends in a score of forty-two to eighteen, we start to get out of the pool because the food has been served.

  Scott pulls himself out of the water, and then turns around and reaches a hand out to me, offering to pull me up.

  "What's the catch? Are you going to pull me out just to throw me back in again?"

  He shakes his head at me, amused as water trickles down his face. "Sometimes a nice gesture is just that, a nice gesture."

  His hand grasps mine and he pulls me up and out of the water. Cold chills run down my body from the wind coming from the ocean. With his hand still holding mine, Scott walks ahead, dragging me with him until he opens up a brown wicker storage bench near the beach chairs and pulls out two towels. He opens the first one, and moves it behind my body before bringing t
he ends to my front, wrapping me completely.

  The gesture is sweet and I can't help smiling up at him.

  "See, I can be nice," he says, opening his own towel and wrapping it around his shoulders.

  "You call it nice, I call it wanting an excuse to touch me," I retort.

  Scott laughs at my response. "Yeah, that too."

  We walk past the pool and up the stairs of the deck. A large spread of food is lined up on tables that back up to the deck railings. We have to stop halfway up the stairs because there are about twenty people in line before us. I turn around to face Scott, ready to make small talk as we wait for our turn in line, when Autumn comes up behind me.

  "There you are. Sorry I ditched you earlier. I was so focused on Jared that I forgot you know no one here."

  I look up at my sister who is now looking back and forth between Scott and me.

  "How's it going, Billy?" Scott asks her.

  "You better stop that now. You know your brother doesn't let anyone call me that but him."

  Scott and I exchange glances and both start laughing at how angry Autumn is. He must know how easy it is to push her buttons, too.

  "I'm sorry. How's it going, Autumn?"

  "It's going great. Your brother was happy about the surprise. If I forgot to say it before, thanks for letting us have the party here."

  "My pleasure."

  The line moves and I'm able to move up a couple steps on the stairs. As we get closer the smell of fried chicken invades my nostrils and makes my stomach rumble. I'm suddenly starving.

  "I see you met Scott." She smiles, gesturing to my flirting partner. "Find me after you two eat."

  I nod my head and she walks away, leaving me to converse with Scott privately.

  "I like your sister, but she's wound a little tight. It's fun to tease her."

  "I know what you mean. Teasing her is one of my favorite past times. The good thing is that as uptight as she is, she's not judgmental. She has the purest heart of anyone I know."

  The line moves again and we continue talking while waiting for our food. By the time I pick up my paper plate and plastic silverware I'm ready to eat straight off one of the tables.

  The two long tables are overflowing with food. There's fried chicken, ribs, hotdogs, burgers, and veggie burgers for anyone who prefers not to eat meat. Then there's a large green salad that could feed a hundred people. Next to the salad filled with healthy veggies are my three favorite salads- potato, pasta, and fruit.

  I move through the line as fast as I can, grabbing a chicken leg, a biscuit, a heaping spoonful of potato salad, some fruit salad, pasta salad, and a fudge brownie from the plate at the end of the buffet. I grab a bottle of beer from one of the coolers at the end of the table and I'm ready for my feast.

  "So I guess we've skipped right past the part where you pretend to eat healthy in front of me."

  I turn my head and try to hold back my smile. "I wasn't aware I was supposed to pretend to do anything in front of you. I'd never pass up on this kind of food."

  I look around for some place to sit when Scott grabs me by the elbow and gently pulls me in his direction. The action loosens my towel so I tuck the beer under my armpit and refasten the towel as we walk. He takes me to the side of his house where there is bricked pavement and a swinging love seat, a small metal table and a patio chair.

  "We can eat in peace here and get to know each other a little better," Scott says as he sits on one end of the love seat and pats the cushion next to him.

  Oh, what the hell.

  I move and sit next to him, putting my beer on the metal side table. Placing the plate on my lap, I lift the chicken to my mouth and take a bite. Yumm. It's juicy, tender, and delicious.

  Not even caring that Scott is watching me a moan escapes my lips. "This chicken is so good."

  "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you've never eaten before."

  Any other girl would be embarrassed by a comment like that, but not me. I love food, and I may never be model thin because of it, but that's okay with me because I embrace my curves.

  "You'll have a similar reaction once you start eating."

  He listens to my suggestion and eats while we talk and get to know each other. He tells me a little bit about his life and I let him know a little bit about mine. He asks for a few juicy stories about Autumn, or maybe some inside jokes because he might need them for ammunition at the next family gathering.

  And of course I'm happy to spill the dirt.

  I finish the last bite of food on my plate, setting my plate down on the side table and rubbing my stomach. "Stick a fork in me, I'm done."

  "I don't have a fork, but there's something else I'd like to stick in you."

  My head falls back as a giggle leaves my mouth. "You can't say shit like that, Scott."

  "And why not?"

  "It's incestual."

  "Incestual? Is that even a word? Besides, it's not incest. You have to be related for that to be the term. We're not related, not even by marriage."

  "We might be, and soon. Those two have marriage, kids, and a happily ever after written all over them."

  "It still wouldn't be a problem. It's not like my mom and your dad are getting married. It's our siblings, so we're in the clear." Scott's quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I never thought my brother would ever settle down, but your sister's been the best thing for him. I kind of love them together."

  "Me too. Jared's been great for Autumn, too. He's gotten her to lighten up and live a little."

  "A little? Babe, if you only saw some of the things I've witnessed between those two. It makes my eyes hurt."

  Scott dramatically takes his fingers and starts to claw at his eye sockets, making me giggle at his playfulness.

  "Back to us. Since I can't stick it in you, humor me. What was your first impression of me?"

  I sit up straight on the rocking love seat. This question seems like dangerous territory. "I... umm-"

  "There you are," Tawny half yells as she walks towards us from the backyard. Her dark hair is flowing through the wind. "We're about to play another game of water volleyball if you both want to play."

  "Sure!" I'm a little too enthusiastic with my answer as I jump up from my seat. Taking my plate from the side table, I turn towards Scott, "Are you playing?"

  "I never back down from a competitive game of volleyball," Scott replies while winking at me.

  "Alright, let's go." Tawny reaches for Scott's arm and pulls him towards the back of the house. I'm happy that Tawny interrupted that moment. I don’t think Scott would back off if I told him that my first impression was that he's extremely hot and the V-shape leading down into his trunks makes me want to explore.

  Tossing my plate in the nearest trashcan, I walk towards the pool, drop my towel at the edge, and jump in. There's nothing like a game of volleyball to distract my hormones.

  Chapter Two

  The party dwindles down to about a dozen of us. Jared and Autumn are talking to another couple I don't recognize and wasn't introduced to. I'm sitting at the bonfire near the beach with Tawny, Scott, Kelly, some porn star named Don, Kelly's friend, Parker, and another one of Jared's brothers. I'm having a hard time remembering his name because I've had about four tequila shots too many.

  The six of us have been playing a drinking game similar to a non-alcoholic game I used to play as a kid. The dealer gives everyone a card and the high card wins. If you don't have the high card, you drink. It's a stupid game, and you lose almost every round, but the point of the game isn't to win.

  It's to get drunk. Fast.

  The temperature has cooled down and there's a strong breeze coming from the ocean, so the fire is doing a great job of keeping me warm. I have my dress back on over my bathing suit, but it's not enough fabric to keep me warm all by itself.

  Scott has a really nice set-up out here on the beach. He's made a permanent fire pit out here on the sand and there are ten Adirondack chairs surrounding the blaz
e. We've all opted to ignore the chairs and huddle together on the sand.

  Easier access for us all to the tequila and cards.

  An hour ago I was seated Indian style just like everyone else, but with every shot I’ve found myself inching closer to Scott or maybe he's scooting closer to me. It isn't intentional, at least not on my part. He's just really good at taking advantage of the situation in front of him. Now I'm sitting with my back to Scott's front. His legs are spread apart and bent at the knee, and I'm nestled between them. I would have put up more of a fight, but every few minutes Scott will rub and caress my legs and it makes me all tingly and warm inside.

  Bad judgment. Just another side effect of alcohol.

  Scott won the last round and I watch as he shuffles and deals out a card to each of us. On the count of three we all flip over our cards.

  My card's a three of hearts.

  I turn my head to see his face and a smug smile is drawn across his lips.

  "You," I say accusingly. "You rigged the deck. You gave me a low card on purpose."

  "Me?" He lips mockingly.

  "Yes, you. You know I'm right."

  His smug smile becomes a huge grin as he squeezes me tightly and says, "Drink up."

  I roll my eyes and down my shot. I can barely taste the alcohol anymore. The tequila numbed my lips and taste buds three shots ago.

  "You know you rigged the game, Scotty," Tawny shouts across from me in our small circle. "That's why I never play with you. You’re a card shark."

  "Alright, I think you've had enough, Tawny. Game’s over." Scott's voice is suddenly stern, so I know he means it.

  I stand up and wobble a little on my feet when Scott's arm swoops around my waist to hold me steady. Tawny continues on ranting about how she'll never play cards with Scott again, but I ignore it. I'm too focused on walking back up to the house without falling on my face.

  We take a few steps in the sand when I spot something small a few steps ahead of me. It's lit by the light of the fire and looks so beautiful half covered in sand. I squint my eyes, trying to focus on the object in front of me.

  "A shell!" I shout out.