Frayed (21 page)

Both Lindsey and I chimed the same answer to Dimitris. 

We dined al fresco with the chef’s seafood specialties, the food brought out by the three girls—Sonia, Katarina and Bridgette.

When the guys started discussing their own stuff, the three of us took the two-loveseat settees close to the dining table and enjoyed our wine there.

“Ugh, I got an email about the dorm renewal form today. I’m so sick of living there. Do you want to rent an apartment with me Em?” Lindsey asked, hopeful.

“Sure, let’s get a place that’s right on the beach. Is that okay?”

Ever since Amber left for New York, I spent most of my time with Emma and Lindsey. Back in the day, we would hang out every other day. In those times, Amber and I did our thing together. We were close, but we’re much closer now. Now that I’d
bonded with these two, listening to them talk about getting a new place made me feel left out. “How about renting a house? Then Amber and I could move in with you guys.” I added, smiling. “Just as long as Lindsey stops waking me up, I mean.” Yeah, I hated how she tended to wake people up.

Lindsey squealed. “Shit! That’s perfect. Then I could watch Amber more closely and we could have house parties all weekend long. Oh, oh, I’ve got it. I’ll be back in a minute!” She took hold of her phone and left with it.

“She sure looked ecstatic to me,” Emma spoke over the rim of her wineglass. “Make sure you buy a lock so she can’t barge in your room. I’ve already planned to hit Home Depot once I get back home.”

Brilliant! That solves my problem
. “Will do! Now, I have something to look forward to. This is going to be cray-cray. We should have a sign that says ‘Skankerettes not allowed’ to keep ‘em away.” We both laughed at the thought of that.

It took two minutes for Lindsey to return. “It’s all taken care of. We’re moving in to that house with the humungous windows
in the kitchen that looks out over the shore.” Emma and I must have a big question mark on our foreheads because she started to explain herself. “I was on my laptop all afternoon looking for good places to rent once I read that email. Uncle promised to take care of it immediately. So, it’s pretty much a done deal.”

Emma cleared her throat. “Isn’t that house a block away from Carter’s?” she whispered.

“Yeah, but it’s not like
he’s
going to live there with us. It’s the perfect spot. We’re close to the strip so we could have access to do more things there. Besides, just think of all those muscular pieces of perfection jogging along the beach while we sip our coffees in the morning. If that doesn’t sound like heaven to you, then you’re a total lesbian.”

That sounded freaking perfect! “I’d love to enjoy my coffee with a dash of some sweaty, muscled specimens of masculinity to ogle.”

Emma threw a tiny piece of cheese at me. “You’re hopeless. Fine, fine, fine! Just promise me that if we ever get into arguments, we will all discuss it together. Not like we ever do have major issues, but it can get catty for some girls when they live in the same place. Just no talking shit behind each other’s backs, okay?”

“Promise.” I raised my glass at the two of them.

Lindsey did the same. “Yeah, that’s pretty common living with a bunch of girls, but we’re better than that. I trust you all with my life and that’s saying a lot.”

“Damn straight, Doll. I heart to heart your sentiment because I feel the same.” I raised my glass again and blew them both kisses.

***

A slick speedboat took all six of us to shore to enjoy the nightlife Santorini had to offer. First we hit one of the beach bars on Kamari. Golden skin lurked everywhere; drinks flowed constantly, hot women wearing barely anything danced like it was the end of the world and most of all sexy, rich, playboys lurked about.

Dimitris had explained earlier that this was how summer was in Europe. From Spain, France, and Italy to Greece, parties such as these scattered from the Mediterranean Sea to the Aegean Sea all summer long.

Dimitris had secured us a VIP spot in one of the clubs before we arrived. When we decided to head towards the club, not one of us was sober. Yep, we were rolling drunk. “Tris! Look! They’ve got poles to stretch those lovely gams of yours!” Lindsey was dancing on her seat as she pointed enthusiastically to the two poles across from us. “Oh, please, God! You and Emma do it,
pwees
please
!”

Amber, Emma and I had taken pole dance and burlesque classes the previous year, but ended up quitting for no apparent reason. It took me three, two-hour classes to get on that metal pole. Boy, one would think my skinny body could easily climb the metal stick, but heck, I lost count of how many times I slid off that thing. Emma and Amber were pretty good at it, though.

Emma winked at me. “I’m not that drunk, yet, maybe later.” She laughed at Bass’s expression. The man looked like he was going to go ape-shit, but Emma could handle him. “You got dollar bills, baby?”

Or not
.

The rest of us hollered at Bass Cole’s
‘what the fuck did you just say?’
look he gave Emma, “You wouldn’t dare! You’re going to get spankings for being naughty.” Although
,
,
that
didn’t seem to faze her.

She batted her eyelashes at him and gave him a bright smile. “I might just
dare it
, Mister Cole.” Emma taunted him while the man simply just smoldered. I bet that kinky imagination of his was working overtime in that handsome head.  

Yeah, sizzle-dizzle, these two had it in spades.

We suddenly became silent when one of the club managers came over to our table, addressing Bass and Dimitris. “There are twenty girls who want to take pictures and won’t leave until they see me ask. Is that quite possible, Mr. Cole and Mr. Kosta?” The British man pointed at the big line of women who were only blocked by a thick velvet rope. I suppose the Europeans were familiar with Dimitris, but there were a bunch of Americans that were starting to scream Bass’s name when Bass looked toward the line, a line that seemed to be getting longer as the time ticked by.

“That’s fine. Give us a five minutes.” Both actors agreed to please their fans.

Lindsey stood up and took two champagne bottles. She then addressed my ex-sex stud. “Taylor, I hope you have enough moves to please three insatiable ladies.”

Dimitris stood up dramatically and pulled Lindsey close to him, the glow in the dark blue eyes was possessive. “Stay with me,
moro mou. I want you close. This will be quick.”

Lindsey cocked her head at him with a weird expression on her face. “Uh, you want
me
to take pictures with your fans, too? People might think I’m the celebrity and you’re my butt boy.”

He gave a hearty laugh before he kissed her. “I do not care about petty things such as that.
Ne, moro mou
?”

Lindsey looked bored and rolled her eyes. “See this? Two days and he’s addicted to me already!
Fine
, okay? I don’t want you to run out of air when I’m not around.” She handed Emma and I the champagne bottles. “Here, you two go and dance the night away.” She patted both of our
asses
butts
to see us off.

Bass amorously glanced at Emma. “You can stay too, Em.”

My friend just gave him a little wave as she stood up. “Bass, I’m not going to dance with another guy except for Taylor. I’m not giving anyone a lap dance and I won’t dry hump anyone. Sit tight, I’m going to be a good girl.”

The golden boy look exasperated, provoked. “Hell, woman. If you hadn’t worn such a short skirt, I wouldn’t be paranoid. I don’t know why you find it funny to taunt me.” 

Emma giggled and pointed at his discomfited state. “
This
is why babe. Now, be the charming Hollywood heartthrob that everyone wants to take pictures with. See you later, lovah.”

We left with Taylor right behind us. We were halfway across the dance floor when a woman grabbed Taylor, and within a second, he was gone.

Okay, he can go fuck off
.

“You guys are fighting again? I can’t believe you let your monster boss go,” Emma said close to my ear, as the music thumped loudly around us.

Who cares? “It’s blah. It’s not like he’s the love of my life. It was a good ride, but it’s not that big of a deal. Time to shake it and finish these bottles off. Then we can head over to the dancers, borrow short-shorts then bust some moves on the pole.”

Emma randomly pulled me towards a pathway packed with people dancing that led to the beach. It was still packed with blue and white cabanas and people partying the night away.  The moon was high and torches were everywhere. This spot was definitely rockin’ it.

Emma grinned at me before she took a long gulp of her champagne. “Love the master plan. Bass will definitely be pissed off. The angrier he gets, the more he will want to prove a point in bed, and I want that all night long.”

“You’re bad, Emma.” I was grinning from ear to ear
,
though.

Her eyes lit up with a knowing smile. “I know, right? But damn, he’s made me into this starved woman—sexually, emotionally, mentally. It’s scary, really, but I can’t stop wanting him. It’s been going for two months now, yet each time he touches me, it feels like it’s the first time. I keep thinking, what happens when he’s got his fill of me? He’s got so many options out there, Tris and these women are much more sexually experienced and prettier than me.” The light in her eyes was gone,
and
she seemed perturbed.

“You knew the downside of dating him, Em. Don’t let this get to you. Once this movie releases, he’ll be fighting the men off you, too. Give yourself a little credit, Doll. You’re just not a normal, pretty, beach babe. You’re so fucking stunning it makes me want to barf looking at you sometimes.” Emma looked like she didn’t believe me. “Okay, of all of us women, you got Carter on his knees right now, begging for you. Hell, that man would strip naked playing football if you asked him to. Not to mention you’ve got Bass Cole getting all possessive because your skirt is too short. Tell me,
aren’t you the luckiest bitch in town or what?
”

She snorted at that, shaking her head. “Carter playing football naked would be awesome.” She cleared her throat and stopped walking. “I dreamt of him last night, Tris. That’s never happened since I started things with Bass. It’s that damn ring. I think it’s making me doubt everything. It’s making me think that what I have with Bass is only temporary.”

Yikes.
“Did you ever think of getting back with him after the boathouse? Be honest with me.”

Emma studied the champagne bottle before she finally managed to speak. “Yeah, I was close to accepting him back, again. I was happy to leave for Greece because it let me off the hook of having to make a decision about getting back with him. Now I realize that I want to be with Bass more than Carter and he starts messing with my head.  I just don’t appreciate it when Carter does that. He loves doing it, too.”

“That’s Carter for you—” I was going to say more but she interrupted me.

“What made you leave
him?
I knew if you had your way, you wouldn’t have. I won’t tell Lindsey, but you have to tell me. You have to talk to someone. You’re fake smiles aren’t convincing me anymore, Babe.” The angelic face gave me a serious look.

Shit, she tricked me. She brought us out here to confront me. Damn it, very sneaky, indeed. “We’re at a club somewhere in Santorini and you want to talk about my
problems
?” I tried to play it off, but she wasn’t buying it.

Emma glared at me before she pointed us towards an empty, nautical-striped cabana. “I don’t care if we’re in the Vatican. I would still ask you the same question. Now spill or I will dog you all weekend.”

“Damn it, Emma. This is not funny,” I whined and tried to look irritated, but her unwavering cool stare didn’t falter.
Oh, fuck it
. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to calm my nerves. Emma was going to be the first person I was going to confide in. This was a major deal to me. I knew talking about it would make it more
real
—it would finally be out there—another person would know my dirty dark secret. “I was pregnant. Harry asked me to terminate it. He—”