Drawn to You: Volume 3 (3 page)

“Good morning,” he says with a devilish grin.

“Where have you been?” I ask

His eyes light up with mischief.

“I stayed out late last night.”

Apparently, with the blonde he left with. No surprise there.

“You look like you had fun.” Tristan laughs.

Nicholas’s grin widens. I’m not sure how so many women fall into Nicholas’s trap, but they do. No one seems to be able to resist his charm. I can’t wait for the day some woman puts him in his place. I don’t want my brother to be a manwhore forever.

“So, I was thinking we should go sailing today,” Nicholas says, stepping around us.

“Oh, my gosh. That sounds like so much fun!” Ceci squeals, jumping up from the breakfast counter and grabbing Tristan’s arm.

Her eyes briefly turn back to me.

“Oh! We should totally invite the sexy bartender you met last night. I can’t believe you didn’t go home with him.”

I catch sight of a smirk on Tristan’s face as Ceci goes on recalling how I had left the Oasis without Tyler, the bartender. I wish Augie were here. He would know what to do about this whole ridiculous situation. Why isn’t Tristan pushing Ceci away? Instead, I watch as he sits enraptured by the words spewing from her mouth.

“What do you think, Em?” Ceci asks.

Half an hour ago, she was pissed at me, but now she wants to set me up on another date. I silently watch her with Tristan as they both stare at me waiting for me to speak. I’m not even sure how to act around the man I slept with last night and the friend who seems to think he’s hers.

I smile through my gritted teeth.

“Sounds great.”

“He was totally a hottie,” she says. “And he was totally ogling your ass.”

Tristan clears his throat, and the sound reverberates across the kitchen’s open air straight to my clit. I avoid his pointed stare, but it’s no use. My eyes flicker up quickly and then back down as his hazel eyes tug at my heart.

“I’m going to go get ready,” I offer.

“Make sure you pack some extra clothes because I think we’re going to stay over night on the yacht.”

I gulp. Overnight?

Sleeping in the same place as Tristan and Tyler doesn’t sound like a good idea. Even if it’s a yacht. It’s still not enough room to handle that much testosterone. God help me.

Emily

Tristan’s hot gaze scorches me.

I feel it trickle down my neck like sweat, covering me, overwhelming my senses with its intensity. Despite the breeze and never ending ocean that surrounds us, I feel stifled. The sun beats down on me as we sit sunbathing on the deck of Nicholas’s luxury yacht. I’m going to need more sunblock if he keeps staring at me like that.

Tristan hasn’t said anything to me since we left the beach house. The whole drive to the marina he kept up the small talk with Ceci and Nicholas, but he didn’t even bother trying to talk to me. His silence is a reminder of the hurt I felt the years he spent avoiding me. I look up from my glass of champagne to find him staring intently at something on the deck. As I turn, Tyler’s muscular form pops into view. Tristan’s glare extends to Tyler, but it never quite reaches me.
I shouldn’t care.
I’m fooling myself if I think Tristan could ever be serious about me. It was evident from his response in the kitchen.
Wasn’t it?

“No, I’m not seeing anyone.”

His words taunt me. What was I expecting him to say? He never asked me to be his girlfriend. I was stupid to think we’d ride off into the sunset after last night. The past four years we’ve spent apart changed both of us. My ears strain to hear the private conversation that my brother shares with Tristan. His grin brightens his brooding look, but it quickly vanishes as Nicholas walks away. I’m starting to wonder if his feelings for me are as much a facade as the emotions he portrays.

“Hey, Emily.”

My eyes widen at the ripples of Tyler’s chest. I wasn’t expecting his body to be so lean underneath his t-shirt and board shorts. His grin widens as he catches me staring at the artwork on his skin. A sleeve of tattoos runs up his forearm wrapping around his chest, accentuating the outline of his muscles as his bronze skin is illuminated against the ocean backdrop.

I’m not blind when it comes to men, so it’s not hard to figure out Tyler is definitely a guy who could date almost any woman he wanted. He’s easy on the eyes, and for some reason, he’s interested in me, despite ditching him the other night.

“Wow, when your friend and you called me today, I wasn’t expecting to be spending the day on a yacht.”

I smile, and I’m embarrassed at the awe in his voice. When I first met my roommate Augie, he was a bit star struck at my family’s wealth, too. It’s not something I’ve ever gotten used to. Most of the time, I’m too embarrassed to invite new friends out because they’re either caught up in making eyes at my brother or mesmerized by my family’s lavish living arrangements.

“I’m glad you came.” I smile.

“Are you?”

A strange sensation fills my chest as Tyler leans into me. His gray eyes quietly assess me as I stare out at the ocean waves that break against the yacht. My gaze is distracted by the sight of Ceci walking up from the lower deck of the boat wearing a bright pink halter. The middle of it dips and hangs tightly over her breasts leaving little to the imagination. Her smile widens as she spots Tristan standing near Nicholas. My heart clenches as she sways her hips and flips her hair over her shoulder. Ceci turns more heads than I care to admit. It’s never been a problem until now.

Tristan offers her a smile and the sight of it guts me.
She’s trying too hard.
Her laughter is vivacious and over the top as she pushes her chest up toward Tristan. Who wouldn’t be attracted to my best friend? She’s a lot more outgoing than I am. Maybe she’s the type of women Tristan likes.

I’m so caught up in my own thoughts I barely hear Tyler trying to talk to me. It isn’t until I feel his hand grazing my shoulder that I turn. My cheeks flame as soon as I realize he’s called my name about two or three times. He steps forward closing the space between us, trapping me between him and the railing allowing him to lean forward and grab the necklace Tristan gave me between his thumb and forefinger. His eyes quietly assess it with interest. A slight jab hits me in the chest as I watch him. I’ve been wearing this necklace since Tristan gave it to me, a silent truth my heart is still claimed.

The small charm lands softly against my chest as he lets go. Tyler’s face tilts as his gaze washes over me.

“Thanks for inviting me. I kind of thought you weren’t into me after you left last night.”

A shy grin lights up his face as he brushes his fingers through his hair. Tyler’s black rebellious hair sort of makes him look like Tom Cruise in
Top Gun
and his sleeve of tattoos only add to his outward bad boy persona.

“Well, I’m glad you decided to join us today,” I say, avoiding his underlying question.

A throaty chuckle fills the air as I catch Tristan playfully punching Nicholas in the shoulder. If he’s too busy to notice me, then I might as well enjoy my time with Tyler.

“Do you want something to drink?” I ask.

“That would be great.”

I smile. “I think my brother brought a bottle of Dom Pérignon. I’ll go get it.”

I can feel Tyler’s eyes trained on my backside as I leave. My heart is conflicted. Part of me is happy Tyler seems so interested in me and the other half wishes it was Tristan. I’m halfway to the kitchen on the lower deck of the yacht when I hear Ceci calling to me. Surprise fills me as a bright smile flashes across her face.
I thought she was pissed at me.

“Hey, how is it going with the cute bartender?”

“Fine.”

Despite my curt tone, Ceci continues babbling on about how dreamy Tyler is and how we would look so good together. Uneasiness fills me as she continues her sales pitch. I’m not sure why, but I get the feeling she really wants me to hook up with Tyler.

“So, do you like him?” she asks.

“He’s nice.”

“Just nice?”

“I don’t really know him.”

She huffs at my answer with annoyance as she combs a manicured finger through her long brown hair. I nearly yelp as she impatiently pulls me to the ice chest across the deck. She pours herself a glass of champagne and tips it back, swallowing it in one gulp. Her peculiar attitude has my head spinning as I try to figure out what’s really going on in her head.

“I think you should give him a chance. It’s not like you’re involved with anyone else, right?”

It’s a loaded question.

Ceci’s gaze lingers over me as she waits for my response. I briefly look up at Tristan, and to my surprise, he’s staring right back at me.

“No, I’m not involved with anyone,” I lie.

Emily

Sandwiched between two men might sound like every girl’s dream, but the tension that vibrates off of Tristan is enough to shake my whole world.

The day sped by a lot faster than I had anticipated, but I guess it helped having Tyler to talk to—even if it meant constantly having to deal with Tristan’s strange mood. It was manageable up until the point that Tristan decided to sit on the other side of me.

I stab a marshmallow into the fire pit in front of me as I try to distract myself. It sizzles and pops. I smile as I pull it out of the fire. It’s burned to hell. Just the way I like it. Before I have a chance to grab it off my stick, Tyler grabs it.

“Here you go.” He smiles.

He holds the burned marshmallow to my mouth. It feels strange having him hand feed me. His eyes are fixed on me as I force my mouth to open and take a bite. Warm sweetness fills my mouth as its sticky texture clings to my lips.

I turn my head at the sound of a low growl coming from Tristan’s lips. His eyes connect with mine with a furious heat. My heart palpitates in my chest as the awkwardness of the situation grows. Fortunately, Nick, Ceci, and Tyler seem too oblivious to notice the silent conversation that passes between us. This morning jealousy got the best of me after watching Ceci parade herself around Tristan. The worst part is he didn’t even push her away. It’s like watching them openly flirt at the beach all over again. I can’t help but feel everything he’s told me this morning isn’t true.

I smile at the thought of Tristan feeling jealous over Tyler feeding me a marshmallow. A simple, but effective way to even the playing field.

“Hey, Tristan. Nick said a few of your paintings are being auctioned off for charity.” He smiles.

“They are! I’m really excited about it.”

“That’s amazing! You should show them to me sometime,” Ceci says, tipping back a shot of tequila before giggling and groping his arm.

The yacht sways as it breaks across bigger waves. A sickening feeling spreads across my stomach. I’m not sure if it’s being on the ocean that’s making me sick or watching my best friend throw herself at Tristan.

“Are you okay?” Tyler asks, rubbing his tattooed thumb over my wrist. “You seem a little tense, and you’re looking a little green.”

I flinch involuntarily and look away as my best friend exchanges a secret conversation with Tristan. The sound of waves crashing against the side of the boat drowns out their words. The only other sound is Ceci’s nauseating giggle.

“Did you hear me?”

I look up to find Tyler’s curious blue eyes watching me. The sympathetic smile he wears gives him a boyish appearance.

“I’m fine.” I smile.

Tristan’s voice breaks across a gust of wind as the yacht starts to sway harder.

“You should all come to the fundraiser a colleague of mine is hosting. You remember Sebastian, right, Emily? Sebastian Wolfe.”

The image of Selena, the slave I met at Tristan’s studio creeps into my mind. My cheeks burn. Of course, I remember the mysterious Dom. How could I forget the man who walked a woman on a leash in front of me like she was a pet? A flicker of amusement flashes across Tristan’s face as he watches me from the rim of his beer. He’s bringing up that day to rile me up? Or is it to distract me from Tyler’s conversation?

Ceci stares up at Tristan with a curious gaze as she glances from him to me. I can only imagine the look on her face if she knew the kind of paintings Tristan does. Then again, she might like it. I have her to thank for ending up at the Pleasure Chest.