After lunch, Jake took Leila and Emma ashore on the speedboat kept moored to the cruiser. Any excuse to get that thing out on open waters and let rip.
He hoped she wouldnât return with some crazy short hair, but what could he do? He had no right to say anything.
He wasnât her boyfriend, just her boss, and as much as he invaded her life at times, he knew where the boundaries lay.
They met the car and driver he had waiting at the port and handed Emma his credit card.
His no-nonsense glare shot down that immediate frown on her face and mouth pouting to verbalize a refusal.
She knew his looks all too well and seemed to think better than pushing her luck on this front.
He had warned her enough at work that he was financing this trip, and if she argued about it, there would be hell to pay.
He had been raised that way, and it wasnât just about taking care of her. It was about his ego too.
Emma slid it into her bag gracefully.
She had used this card for ordering things for him at work, so she was more than capable of using it now.
He pushed away the urge to kiss her on the cheek.
With Leila hovering, he knew that it would just raise more knowing eyebrows, and he knew Leila was the type to point out to Emma that he had the major hots for her.
He had kept his cool this far and thrown everyone off the scent, and he was sure as hell not letting Leila get her teeth into that little-known fact.
Emma would run for the hills if she knew how he really felt about her.
He watched them go before putting the boat into reverse and backing away from the pier.
She was in the red dress today, and much as he tried not to look at her this way, he couldnât help it.
She was irresistible in every way and only so much more in floaty, girly clothes that had made an appearance on this trip.
God, he would keep her this way all the time if he could.
As much as he loved her office outfitsâand he surely didâthis much sexy was hotter than hell. He liked this far more.
She looked like the kind of girl you married like thisâperfect, angelic, softâand he wanted nothing more than to walk around showing her off.
Back at the boat, Jake headed to his room and pulled off his T-shirt.
While Emma was on shore, he would kick back, swim some, and spend some time with Danny and the twins, having a beer and catching up.
He knew that Marissa and Miracle were afternoon nappers, unlike Emma and Leila, and wouldnât show face for a while at this time of the day.
He hated lazy women who partied late and then lounged all day with nothing else in their lives. Emma had more get-up-and-go than that.
Even hungover, she still dragged her ass to work and rarely complained.
He could never imagine someone like her ever being happy with the lifestyle Marissa was effortless at.
Spoiled rich bitch with nothing to do all day except work on a tan.
He made his way to the deck and found Daniel already on a lounger, topless with a beer in hand, and the twins splashing around in the ocean, trying to drown one another.
Jake moved to the next lounger and sat down heavily. Hunter automatically grabbed a beer from the cooler beside him and tossed it to Jake.
He opened it and downed half. Drinking in the sun was pretty dumb, but he had done it for years, and it never affected him like it used to.
âSo, the little women off to abuse your accounts?â Daniel smirked his way, and Jake just nodded his head at him. âProbably.â
He shrugged and sat back, easing his body onto the padded bed fully and lifting his legs, kicking his trainers off the side.
Leila would definitely encourage Emma to abuse his credit card, and he hoped she would.
âWhatâs the deal with you and her? Donât give me that ~friends~ bullshit line again, man⦠Itâs pretty obvious sheâs under your skin.â
Daniel lifted his shades and looked at Jake pointedly, scrutinizing his face with that intense Hunter glare.
âIâll be fucked if I know. As much as I tell myself I have a handle on this ⦠I donât.â He sighed. He had never lied to Danny.
In all the years they had been friends, brutal honesty was always their thing, and he knew he could trust him never to breathe a word to anyone else.
Hunter was a lot of things, but a loyal, tried-and-true best mate above all.
Surprisingly wise when he saw fit and not against love despite his aversion to it.
âBeing honest here, mate ⦠Iâve never seen you this way over any chick. Whatâs so goddamn special about this one?â Daniel frowned his way, genuine curiosity across his face.
âI canât pinpoint itâjust from the minute she walked into my office, I wasnât me ⦠No control, zero ability to function properly, and the longer I know her, the worse it is.â
Jake was stressed talking about this. He had never analyzed it, and he tried not to.
âThere must be something specific?â Daniel was maneuvering his position to stare at Jake more fully, going in for the shrinkâs approach.
He did seem genuinely curious. âHow she makes me feel? ⦠Sheâs Emma. Sheâs not got anything about her thatâs not great.
Except maybe the not wanting me part.â Jake hunched his shoulders and scrubbed a hand down his face.
âMaybe thatâs it⦠Maybe because sheâs probably the first woman in the history of Carrero to actually not want to jump your bones?â Daniel said smugly, and Jake considered it for a moment.
âI genuinely used to tell myself that exact thing.â He sighed. âItâs reverse psychology or some shit.
If she was all over you, then maybe you wouldnât be interested.â Daniel grinned, but Jake knew this was wrong.
As much as he wanted to tell himself Daniel could have a pointâmaybe in the beginning, but not now.
He knew that having her once wouldnât take away this need. If he were right, he would want a one-night stand, and he didnât.
He wanted something meaningful with her. âI wish you were right.â He grimaced. At least Danielâs idea had some sort of resolution.
âItâs a crush, something you donât ever get⦠You obviously think sheâs beyond hot, and your picky ass self doesnât normally find that in a girl,â Daniel said.
âSheâs beautiful. Perfect even.â Jake shrugged this time. He meant every word.
âOkay, bit strong on that front. Sheâs cute, Iâll give you that, but sheâs not really, like, mind-blowingly beautiful.â
Daniel waved an airy hand his way, and Jake instantly growled back. ~Daniel had to be kidding right now.~
âAre you blind?â Jake was defensive, skin prickling with almost instant aggression at anyone tearing Emma down.
âLeila is my idea of a beautiful girl.â Daniel averted his eyes to the rail of the boat, evasive anytime his emotions came into play.
âDonât even go there. You know that subject just pisses me off because youâre an asshole.â
Jake frowned a warning, and the hostile change of tone rendered them both silent for a moment. Daniel finally shifted uncomfortably.
That topic was a long-done deal; history had proven they couldnât talk about Leila without a heated fight soon after.
âIâm sure your balls are probably blue by now, which would account for the moody-assed nature.â He laughed, and Jake just threw him an amused frown.
Daniel was a dick. âI lost count; it all became pretty mind-numbingly painful after a week, and now it seems like years.â
He sighed and drank more beer, pulling his shades down to cover his eyes when facing the sun this way.
âItâs still fucking fit ⦠Miracle wouldnât say no either, and that chick takes it in every way. Her ass is pretty fine too.â
Daniel laughed dirtily, and Jake only sighed again. He wasnât in the mood for picturing sex right now. His body was barely holding on.
âI think not ⦠on both accounts. I donât need to complicate this shit more than I am.â
He sat up agitated, a stirring in his groin at the sex talk, and for a moment contemplated heading down to Miracleâs room and seeing what she could do with her mouth.
Emmaâs mouth came into his mindâs eye, and he slumped back down in irritation, all urges of any other woman evaporating.
~For the love of God, she was infiltrating every part of his head nowadays.~ âYouâre wimping out big time over this chick.
Just swoop in like you always do and get her naked and screaming in under five minutes.â Daniel hauled another beer out and threw a second to Jake.
He caught it swiftly and propped it against his short-covered hip. âI still have to work with her.â
Jake was starting to feel agitated, the tight ache in his lower stomach growing, and he couldnât decide if it was irritation or something else.
He had the horn. He needed to fuck someone. Daniel was right on that front.
He was a hot-blooded guy with a high sex drive and had never put himself into self-inflicted celibacy.
âThe way youâre acting, Jake, I donât think one night would be your goal⦠Youâre totally pussy whipped over this chick, and you know it. Suck it up and go all in for her.â
Daniel was smirking his way again. This time, he needed a moment just to think. Daniel was right. He wouldnât be happy with a one-time thing with her.
He knew the second he had her, he would want more. He knew it so painfully that it had stopped him from ever trying.
She didnât want this, and, to be honest, having her outright reject him would be agony.
He looked out over the water at the ripples on the surface from the twins and sighed. âUnrequited⦠Thatâs a word I never thought Iâd hear myself using⦠Especially in terms of it being me on the painful side.â
He smarted and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb, avoiding Danielâs eyes. âHave you ever just asked her?â Daniel sprayed beer his way when opening a new can, and Jake snapped his face back, ready to beat him over the head with something in an instant anger spike.
âFuck off, wanker.â He wiped the droplets off his arm and contemplated chucking his unopened can at Hunterâs face as payback.
Ruining that pretty smile would be entertaining. âSeriously, though?â Daniel smirked at him a bit too obnoxiously. âI know her. She gives me nothing.â
No signals, hints, or tiny mannerisms to suggest she would be interested. Emma is completely immune to me in every way, and it fucking sucks.â
He put his can down and crossed his arms over his head to block out the light. He wasnât enjoying this conversation at all, and Daniel seemed to be enjoying it a little too much.
âSheâs not making you wait with any fly teasing or hints of more⦠Fuck someone and end this misery.â Daniel leaned out and pushed him aggressively.
He couldnât explain it. He was already so messed up over this. He just knew that it was pointless.
If he even got close to a woman that wasnât her, he knew for a fact his dick would cease to cooperate. He had a mental block, and until she got out of the way, he was stuck this way.
âIf I could, I would!â he snapped back. âLook, man, can we just drop this shit? Iâm seriously not in the mood for this, and itâs ruining my calm.â
He sulked, childish Carrero on play, and he didnât give a shit right now. Hunter was used to all versions of him.
âRightâ¦as your best mate, Iâm doing you a favor. Stay put.â Jake kept his eyes closed, arms over his face, and ignored him.
Whatever plan he was hatching, Jake wasnât interested. He heard Daniel slide up and pace off toward the other end of the deck and sighed.
Reaching over to Danielâs lounger, he picked up the iPod left there and stuck the headphones in. When Hunter came back, he was killing this conversation. It was pointless and going nowhere fast.
Rehashing his feelings wasnât going to make a damn bit of difference. He switched on the playlist and was immediately blasted with ~Nickelback~, Hunterâs favorite band right now, and went back to covering his face with his arms.
He was tired from last nightâs late one. Maybe a nap would put him in a better mood while she was away.