Merry with a Brewmaster (The Love Beach Holiday Collection)

14. Wells

14

WELLS

I brace my hands on the counter and let my head drop, my chin almost touching my chest as I try to get myself under control. My jeans and boxers are soaked and I need to change, but I can’t make my feet move.

I fucked up.

Bad.

I shouldn’t have kissed her, but hell if I’d known she was going to act like that after. I grip the marble until my knuckles are white, the edge biting into my palm.

But it’s not enough.

I crossed a line because I needed the comfort of someone else after a day of guilt and stress of not being there for my child.

But I didn’t need someone ; I needed her. God, I wanted to get lost in her so badly, and knowing how it felt to be inside her and not being able to have her was a special kind of torture.

Steeling myself for the inevitable, I stand and bite back a curse at the cold, sticky mess I’ll need to shower off before I have any chance of pulling myself out of this downward spiral.

Buzz. Buzz.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I have the sudden urge to launch it into the wall just to watch it shatter. That feeling only intensifies when I see who the text is from.

KIM: I can’t get Haven this weekend

A million responses run through my head, but I don’t have it in me to fight with her. Not tonight. Not when the woman who consumes all my waking hours and half my sleeping ones is regretting dry humping me on the couch.

Fuck.

WELLS: Okay

KIM: That’s it?

She wants to feel validated—she wants me to make it okay, but I’m done trying to gloss over the fact that she’s doing a shit job of being there for Haven and that doesn’t deserve a pass.

So, I leave her text unanswered as I drag myself up the stairs. I stop and peek my head in to see Haven sleeping soundly, and it’s one of the many things I can be thankful for today. I’ll check her one more time before I go to sleep, but first, I need a shower. The denim is starting to chafe and it’s just as unpleasant as I remember.

Vienna’s door is closed, and I force myself to walk into the master bedroom and do the same, stripping out of my clothes and cranking the water all the way to hot.

Steam fogs up the mirror as I step under the spray and blow out a heavy sigh. I was an idiot to think that Vienna and I could occupy the same space forever without crossing that line. And no matter how hard I try, I can’t make myself regret the feel of her riding me, of her desperately chasing her own pleasure.

Siren.

I’d never been one for nicknames, but that one had slipped out one night over the summer and it just fit.

Like we do.

We fit.

Standing straight, I grab the bar of soap and run it all over my body as an idea takes shape and Isaac’s words echo in my head.

“If that look on your face is any indication, I’d start making a plan, and a couple of backup plans too.”

A plan, indeed.

VIENNA

JACE: This woman is maddening

VIENNA: Poppy?

JACE: Of course, Poppy

JACE: She’s like you but on six cups of coffee and has zero fucks to give

VIENNA: That sounds pretty dramatic

JACE: It’s not

VIENNA: Great, so while you’re in denial…

VIENNA: Vault

JACE: Uh oh

VIENNA: VAULT

JACE: Obviously

VIENNA: Wells and I sort of hooked up

JACE: What do you mean sort of

VIENNA: We made out like teenagers on the couch rubbing all over each other

VIENNA: We both finished and I freaked out

JACE: I’m sorry did you say he…

VIENNA: WE ARE IN THE VAULT!

JACE: I know

JACE: But it’s still hilarious

VIENNA: Don’t think I don’t have plenty of things to tell Poppy about you

JACE: All right—all right—fine

JACE: So you guys hooked up

VIENNA: And I freaked out

JACE: What did he do?

VIENNA: Mostly went along with my crazy

JACE: Guess you need to decide what you want to do

VIENNA: This is not helpful

JACE: Neither is having to deal with two women who are trying to test my life expectancy

VIENNA: That’s a bummer for sure—especially considering you’re not getting sex from me

JACE: I’m going to bed

VIENNA: Thanks for loving my crazy

JACE: Always