Victim of Love (7 page)

“Goddess?” she said. “I wouldn’t go
that
far.”

Beck’s giant grin appeared and he leaned in close to her. “Oh I definitely would.”

“You would?”

“I would.”

I saw Townsend roll his eyes as he speared an asparagus with his fork a bit too violently.

Beck looked radiant himself this evening in a pale yellow button-down shirt, his hair neatly combed. As I’d suspected, he cleaned up nice, evolving his cuteness into all out hotness, and I was as aroused by him as I was annoyed. Beck was making me salivate. But Townsend was my friend, and I was furious on his behalf.

I wasn’t sure what was up with Pippa, but supposed I could explain her behavior away as fueled by wine and being in an extra good mood after her day of fishing. But there was one thing I’d learned about Beck the mystery man after spending the day with him. He was clever. He was
damn
clever, so there was no way he was oblivious to Townsend’s jealous irritation. So what the hell was he doing? Trying to prove how
straight
he was? By proving he could charm the pants off my friend’s girlfriend?

I volunteered to help Laurie when she got up to clear the plates, and the two of us stood in the kitchen washing up. Laughter drifted in from the other room, Beck being annoyingly witty no doubt.

“This is a great crowd.” Laurie smiled as she dried a plate with a rag. “I’m so glad we all came here.”

“Yeah. It’s great.” I glanced at her as I washed a bowl. “Your brother is certainly...friendly.”

She smirked at me. “And what is that supposed to mean, Mr. Innuendo?”

“Nothing. He’s just, you know. Getting a little cozy with Pippa. Not sure Townsend’s too happy about it.”

“Oh please, he’s harmless and I’m sure Townsend realizes that. Pippa’s just reacting the way everyone reacts to Beck. Everyone who meets my brother loves him. It’s like they can’t help themselves.”

“Hmm.”

After we finished washing up, Laurie suggested that everyone take their drinks and move outside to the patio. After a time, I relaxed into the laughter and easy conversation, relieved that Pippa was now sitting beside Townsend, where she belonged, and Beck was positioned closer to Laurie and Kamal.

But Kamal, despite his self-proclaimed wisdom and experience, appeared to be mesmerized by Beck now, smiling widely while the other man regaled the crowd with amusing stories about his travels. Why it annoyed me that Kamal seemed to be drinking the Beck Kool-Aid, I didn’t know. There was something at the root of all this anger I was suddenly feeling. And that’s when it hit me.

Beck had been showering everyone with attention this evening. Except for
me
. He’d barely glanced my way all night. I was jealous. How pathetic.

I stared out at the ocean view and tried to get a grip, remembering that I’d ordered myself to have a good time on this trip no matter what.

“So, Kamal, you’re a pathologist, right?” Beck asked.

Kamal nodded, smiling. “I am. And my partner is an infectious disease specialist. I wish he could have been here, but he had work.”

“Hey.” Beck grinned devilishly and playfully slapped Kamal’s arm. “Do you and your partner ever play sex games where you get naked and wear nothing but your lab coats at home?”

“Beck!” Laurie scolded, but she laughed along with everyone else. Including Kamal. It seemed I was the only one that found Beck’s question grossly inappropriate. And not just a little flirtatious. The man seemed bound and determined to woo everyone in our group. Everyone but me.

“We do not,” Kamal said. “Lab coats make me think of blood and feces and other unsavory things. Not sexy.”

“Not sexy at all,” I concurred. “But thanks, Beck, for treating all of our brains to that disturbing window into Kamal’s sexuality.”

Beck finally looked directly at me. “Oh come on, Olsen, I’m sure
you’d
peer through that window every day if you could.”

Everyone laughed.

I smiled, but pinned Beck with my eyes, letting him see what was behind them.
Don’t push me, asshole. I will take you down.

“It’s getting kind of chilly out here,” Pippa said, rubbing her arms.

“I think it’s warm,” Townsend said. “It’s probably your sunburn, babe.”

“I know what you need,” Beck said, pointing at Pippa. “Hot tub!”

“Yeah, we haven’t used the hot tub yet,” Laurie said.

Pippa grinned, taking a sip of wine. “I think I’m too lazy to change into my bathing suit right now.”

Beck stood and trotted down the short steps that led to the hot tub, which sat directly below us. “Who needs bathing suits?” he said, unbuttoning his shirt. “I’ll go in.” He tugged his shirt off and started on his pants.

Laurie stood. “I’ll go in too. But Beck, I’m giving you a warning right now. Your underpants stay
on
.”

Beck dropped his pants and kicked his shoes off, standing only in his boxer briefs. I tried to look away out of spite, but my annoyance wasn’t that strong, and my eyes drank him in. He had a tattoo I hadn’t noticed last night, above his right hip. I couldn’t quite make out what it was, some sort of design that looked like various knifes crisscrossing over each other.

“You don’t let me have any fun,” he said, pouting. “I hate clothes.”

I had a flashback of Beck last night on the beach, shouting ‘
Fuck clothes!
’ as he ripped open his wet shirt.

Laurie undressed down to her bra and panties. She glanced at me. “My brother likes to be naked. It’s quite disturbing at times.”

“It’s our natural state of being,” Beck said, stepping into the tub and turning on the jets. “Everyone should be naked, all the time.”

“Except when your
sister
is around, freak,” Laurie said, easing into the water.

“Okay, I’ll go in.” Pippa stood. “You want to come in, baby?”

Townsend shook his head, a tight smile on his face. “I’ll pass.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“Speaking of suits, you should go change into yours,” Townsend said.

Pippa waved him off. “What difference does it make if I’m in my bra and panties or a bikini?”

“That one is underwear and the other is a bathing suit,” Townsend said.

Pippa moved down the steps, pulling her sundress over her head. In a red lace bra and panties, she stepped into the water.

Beck grinned up at her. “Hey, Red. Lookin good.”

Townsend was shooting laser beams at Beck with his eyes.

Kamal stood. “You want a drink?” he asked, looking at Townsend.

Townsend handed him his glass. “Margarita.
Strong
.”

“You got it. Olsen?”

“I’m good.”

Kamal disappeared inside, and I glanced at Townsend. His expression was hard as he watched Pippa in the hot tub, laughing and joking with Beck, who’d positioned himself very close to her.

“If I were you,” I said softly, “I’d break him in half.”

Scowling, Townsend glanced at me. He sighed, then shrugged. “What’s the point?”

“That he’s an asshole and he’s all over your girlfriend.”

“She’s gonna do what she’s gonna do,” he muttered. “Face it. I’m not some fast-talking sex flirt with washboard abs. I can’t compete with that.”

“She loves
you
.”

“Yeah.” Townsend shrugged again. “I guess we’ll see about that.”

Kamal returned with Townsend’s drink.

“Kamal!” Beck shouted. “You coming in?”

“No, thank you. I’m fine right here.”

I was pleased Kamal seemed temporarily over the spell of Beck. He clearly sensed Townsend’s discomfort as well.

After a time, the three in the hot tub decided they were too hot, and Beck suggested they all run down to the beach for a quick jump in the ocean. Apparently this was the final straw for Townsend, and he stood. “Pippa. We’ve had a long day. We should get to bed.”

She stepped out of the tub. “Oh. Yeah, you know, you’re right, hon. I am tired.”

Townsend’s barely disguised relief was evident, and he and Pippa bid their goodnights and went inside.

“I think I’m gonna skip it too,” Laurie said. “After food, wine, and hot tub, I’m exhausted.”

Beck stretched his back as he stepped out of the tub, wet body glistening in the moonlight. “Okay. Party pooper.”

She smiled over her shoulder as she made her way up the steps. “Good night, dear brother of mine. Don’t get in any trouble while I’m not here to watch you.”

Grinning, Beck said, “Me? Never.”

Kamal glanced at me. “I’m tired, too.” He lowered his voice. “I’ll stay up if you don’t want to be left alone with him.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem,” I said, nodding toward Beck, who’d already moved away down the path and was heading toward the beach.

Kamal laughed softly. “Guess
you’re
not invited for a swim.”

“Guess not. Don’t think Prince Charming is too happy with me.”

“Well, you did kind of push it with him today. With your comment about his views on men kissing. I thought you were gonna leave it alone?”

I sighed. “Yeah. I know. I probably should have kept my mouth shut.”

Kamal stood. “I’m going to bed. You staying up?”

“For a little while. Not quite tired yet.”

Looking down at me, Kamal tilted his head. “Don’t follow him.”

“What? I wasn’t planning on it!”

“You should stay away from him. You’re playing with fire.”

“Kamal, I’m not going to follow him, for crying out loud. I’m not interested.”

His eyebrow shot up.

“Just go to bed.”

Kamal went inside, shaking his head. I couldn’t believe he thought I was going to go running after Beck. Was my attraction that obvious? I never should have told Kamal about the kiss, now he was over focused on my behavior around Beck.

To prove him wrong, I got up and went inside. In the kitchen, I washed the leftover wine glasses. As I dried my hands, I looked out the window and spotted Beck returning from his dip in the ocean. Alluringly wet and still in his underpants, he scooped up his discarded clothing from the patio, and moved off around the side of the bungalow.

Since all of the bedrooms were taken, he was staying in the enclosed porch with the pullout couch at the far end of the bungalow. It had an exterior entrance as well as one inside. He’d chosen to avoid coming in again, and I tried to tell myself this had nothing to do with me. But my insecurity insisted he didn’t want to take the chance of running into me if I was still up.

I heard muffled voices from behind one of the closed doors down the hallway.

“You’re being ridiculous, I didn’t...
”

“
...all over the guy, and...
”

“
...I don’t even like him, stop being so...
”

Great. Townsend and Pippa were fighting. And I didn’t have to guess what, or rather
who
it was about. Twenty-four hours in town and Beck had managed to stir up nearly every member of our group, throwing chaos into our peaceful little getaway. He’d upset his sister, caused friction between Pippa and Townsend, and after the drunken kiss on the beach last night, had turned me into an emotional and sexual basket case. He was like one of those charming, evil characters in a Stephen King novel that drifted into a quiet town and turned all the simple country folk against each other.

Perhaps I was being a tad dramatic, but I was seriously annoyed that he’d upset Townsend. Townsend was the most easy-going guy on the planet. I supposed I could give Beck the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was unaware of the trouble he’d caused with his flirtations. But someone should speak to him. At least make him aware, so he didn’t do it again.

Yeah.
Someone
should.

I was out the door and heading around the side of the bungalow before the logic centers of my brain could talk me out of it. When I reached the enclosed porch, the blinds were all down, but the lights were on inside. Beck was still up. Every sane instinct I had told me to turn around and walk away, to let it go. This wasn’t my fight. But I shooed logic away, and instead thought of Townsend. Summoning all the righteous indignation I could muster, I approached the door and knocked.

The door creaked open slowly, as though Beck was afraid to see who was on the other side. Then he stepped into view, shirtless in a pair of cotton lounge pants that hung low on his hips. His frown deepened when he saw me. “Olsen. Um...what’s up?”

I forgot why I was there, having a duh moment at the sight of Beck with his messy, towel-dried hair and bare torso in those soft lounge pants. I shook myself. “Just wanted to talk to you about something. Have you got five minutes?”

“I guess.” He stepped back and waved me inside.

The porch room was cozy and ocean themed, with buoys hanging on the walls and a lobster trap for a coffee table. Beck had pulled the bed out of the couch already. An open black duffle bag sat on the floor, toiletries lined up on a short chest of drawers. A whiff of spicy deodorant hung in the air.

“What’s the matter?” Beck asked. “Is Laurie okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine. She’s in bed.”

His eyebrows rose as he stood by the door, hands on his hips. “So what are you doing here?”

“Townsend and Pippa are fighting.”

Beck shrugged. “And?”

“And, I think it’s because of you.”

He laughed. “Are you drunk?”

“No, I’m not drunk. You were flirting with Pippa all night. I wanted to warn you to ease up on that. Townsend didn’t like it.”

Beck rubbed his face and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Oh, Jesus. Listen, Olsen? I’m a grown man. I do not
flirt
. Teenage cheerleaders flirt. Are you kidding me with this high school shit?”

“Come on. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

“I was being
myself
. I like women. I like Pippa. She’s the least uptight of the lot of you. So we had some fun together. So what? The big guy’s afraid I’m gonna steal his little ginger biscuit?”

“Should he be?”

Beck stood, moving toward me. “What’s it to you?”

“It’s not
your
biscuit!”

He laughed. “
It?
”

“She. She’s not your biscuit.”

“Oh, geez.” He turned away, pacing in a circle. “Look, pal. I don’t want Pippa’s biscuit, okay? I don’t want anyone else’s biscuit. I can find my
own
biscuits, thank you very much.”