Their eyes are the exact same shape but their colors are at the opposite ends of the spectrum even if they’re both blue. One ice, transparent blue and the other a deep, dark blue.
They’re looking behind Valeria where Oliver is standing with an amused little smirk, like the proverbial cat that got the cream.
As soon as Valeria releases me from her hug, his smile widens and he steps toward me. “Let me hug the birthday girl too. Happy birthday, darling.”
He holds me way too close and the scent of his expensive but subtle cologne invades my nostrils as his breath fans over my ear. “I can’t stop thinking about that kiss last night. I hope I’ll get to give you a birthday kiss later?”
When he lets me go, I open my mouth to tell him no, that he can’t kiss me again but the words die in my mouth at the sight of Parker and Bryce who are standing by Chase and Reid’s side in a straight line formation.
I have no time to marvel at how handsome and formidable they look when they show a united front, because the front door opens and Dustin and Mom come out to greet us just in time for the occupants of the other Aston Martin to step out.
After my parents hug me tight and wish me happy birthday, Dustin’s attention focuses on the middle aged, elegant couple that’s standing just a few feet away from us.
“Lord and Lady Wellesley, welcome to our home! Have you met our daughter Kaya, our sons Chase and Reid and their good friends Parker and Bryce?”
I look at the man Dustin addressed as Lord Wellesley and I immediately spot his resemblance to Oliver.
He greets Dustin with a very similar British accent to the one of the Gamma president. “How do you do? And happy birthday, by the way. I trust you’ve met my son Oliver and my daughter Valeria?”
Chase is the one who voices the surprise of all of us: “You two are siblings?”
“Step siblings.” Oliver explains as we’re all ushered into the house and through to the backyard for a light lunch.
My mom and Lady Wellesley apparently went to NYU together and met when they both joined ΖΘΒ.
The two women immediately begin reminiscing the past and expressing their excitement at the fact that Valeria and I will get to be sisters just like they did two decades ago.
Mom sighs as she takes a sip of her martini. “Well Rena, I’m just glad that after two disastrous first marriages we both found the men of our dreams.”
Valeria’s mom agrees and lifts her glass. “Cheers to that.”
Everyone is making small talk and I learn that Valeria’s mom met Oliver’s dad when one of her girlfriends chartered a yacht for a cruise around Italy and the Greek islands.
“Oh, so your stepdad was on the yacht too?”
Valeria explains that Lord Wellesley owns a huge company that charters luxury yachts and that during their vacation, he happened to be on his own yacht in Capri.
“They met at a local restaurant and Henry saw Mom and offered to buy her a drink. When they discovered that we were on a cruise on one of his yachts, he invited us aboard his own boat for dinner. They’ve been together ever since. They’ve been married for ten years.”
“So you and Oliver grew up together?” I ask realizing that their situation is different than mine with my stepbrothers because they were pre-teens when their parents met.
“Yeah, I guess you could say so.” Valeria agrees with a giggle that makes Oliver wink at me with one of his trademark smirks.
I don’t have time to dwell on why those two seem so amused as the house staff come to clear our dishes and Dustin and Lord Wellesley stand up from the table.
“Right, ladies. Henry and I have some business to discuss but we shouldn’t be long and would like Chase, Reid and Oliver to join us in the study, since one day they’ll be the ones in charge. It’s a nice day, so enjoy the beach or the pool. And we’ll definitely see you later on, we have a little surprise for the birthday girl.” Dustin winks at me and I can’t help but smile back. He’s given me the love and the warmth that my own father never did. In fact, I didn’t receive a card or a phone call from him and I know for a fact that he’s back from his latest deployment. He simply doesn’t care, there’s no other way to put it.
Mom and Rena decide to move their cocktail sipping endeavor to the pool but I prefer to go to the beach, since it’s still warm enough. The sea is beautiful in the winter too but I miss swimming in it when it gets too cold.
Changing into our bathing suits doesn’t take long and for a second, I feel a little sad at the memory of one time at the yacht club in Star Cove when Bryce snuck into my changing room and we had a hot make out session. I wish he did the same thing now but instead he knocks on my door and Parker and Valeria are right behind him.
The beach is beautiful and quiet, it couldn’t be any different since this stretch is private and belongs to Dustin’s estate. There’s a boat house on one side where jet-skis and other water toys are kept along with a small catamaran and a few kayaks.
Parker decides to take one of the kayaks out but I really want to swim and I’m joined by Bryce.
I don’t really want to ask Valeria to join us but I know my host duties, so I invite her to come swim with us.
“No eww,” she says scrunching her nose. “I’m sorry but I don’t swim in the ocean. There’s too much shit inside that can brush against you. I’m gonna be lazy and top up my tan, since it’s a really nice day.”
So I find myself alone with Bryce and I take his hand as we run into the calm water, squealing at the slight chill it causes against our overheated skin.
We stop when the water reaches our chests and Bryce takes me into his arms. His eyes reflect the color of the water and they’re the brightest green I’ve ever seen, making his strikingly handsome face look even more stunning than normal.
His nose and his forehead touch mine and he has that easy, bright smile I’ve learned to love firmly planted on his face.
“I got you a birthday present sweet stuff, but I really want to give you my birthday kiss right now. Away from everyone else.” His voice is as soft and smooth as melted caramel and it feels like a caress that descends deep inside me, making my heart pick up its pace and my body come alive with desire. I close my eyes and tip my head toward him, meeting him half way.
Bryce’s kisses are sexy and playful at the same time, just like him. His lips are gentle at first, coaxing mine open unhurriedly. He has the softest lips and I love that he uses them a lot when he kisses. It’s not all about shoving his tongue into my mouth, his kisses are skilled and seductive. When his tongue enters my mouth, we start a playful dance, he chases me and lets me chase him, stroking and massaging. Our kiss grows hotter with each stroke of our tongues and his hand leaves my waist and begins tracing my side, coming up to cup one of my breasts.
I gasp into his mouth, melting against him as his fingers begin teasing my hard nipple.
His lips are still against mine when he says: “I love you, Kaya. God help me but I fucking love you. I’ve tried to slow it down, to keep it casual, to give us time. But I’ve known since I decided to kiss you at the beginning of the summer. I’m done going slow. I love you and I don’t care if the whole world knows.”
I don’t even think about it, I say it back because it’s true. The sting of guilt that makes a tear slide down my face is not because of what I did with Chase, it’s because I’m keeping it from him.