Lisa's POV I wake up to a ding from my phone at the bedside table. I yawn, then roll languidly to the side of my bed to pluck it up and squints at the screen. It's a W******p notification. Selena added me to a group called 'The Wedding Train'. With a string of all kind of emojis she could lay her fingers on attached. Bride emoji, love emojis. Brrr. Selena: Rise n' shine, bitches!!! Breakfast downstairs for everyone by 8! Jeremy: huh? TiffanySpicey: Okeydoke! I sit up quickly on my bed and rub my eyes. Sunlight is pouring in from the wide window that offers a terrific view of the sea and beautiful sunrise. I breathe, breathe, breathe in the salt breeze, then burrow back into my covers. I hadn't realized the pre-wedding getaway Selena had in mind involved everyone, including the groomsmen. Including Damien. I don't feel up to eating with them right now. Especially after that stunt Damien pulled on me last night. "What the hell was that for?" I whirled on him the moment we left
Lisa's POV "Hey! Lisa! Damien! Over here!" Selena's shrill voice rents the air as she waves us over to the terrace. "Hi." I wave back, exchanging a couple of greetings with a few others. Glenn is looking at me like he's a wolf and I'm red meat, or maybe I'm just imagining it. The sun is mild, but it might be playing tricks on my eyesight. A low Japanese table replaces the lilac table I saw yesterday, and has already been set for eleven with platters of soft-scrambled eggs, smoky bacon, potato and cheddar hash, sour cream coffee cakes, toast bread, slices of avocado, apples and frozen berries. It's like food for a small county. "Hey man," Damien goes over to exchange handshakes with Wade. "Good to see you," Wade greets. "Wow," I breathe, settling down atop the only available, soft velvet cushion beside Damien, and put Willow on my laps. She coos at the sight of food, and reaches out with grubby hands to snag herself an avocado slice. I pull her against me, as far away from
Yvette's POV The breakfast is over, but some people are still lingering by the terrace, discussing mostly about Damien's revelation. "I knew this day would finally come, trust me." Glenn is saying to Jeremy and Tiffany. "The day Damien would make some chick his baby mama. Turns out this chick is pretty as hell. He's so lucky, man." Wow. I don't know what to make of that. Speaking about his friend that way when Damien is just a couple of feet away, speaking with Lisa, Willow in his arms. Or perhaps that's how male friendships work. I don't know. I don't give it much thought. My eyes and thoughts and attention are all on Jeremy. He was good looking yesterday under the light of the tiki torches, but he looks even better now that I see him in the light of day, curly caramel hair spilling onto his forehead, the high cheekbones, the full lips. His brown eyes are twinkling the same way they usually do, but not with mischief. They are dreamy as he talks animatedly to Glenn about
Lisa's POV Ally Rose took everyone to what looked like a private sand volleyball court, apart from the rest of the beach. A grove of lush palm trees are outlined against the azure of the sky, ruffled slightly by the salty ocean breeze. Sun rays peek through the leaves to dance around in patterns on the sugar white sands I wish I can taste. My first impulse is to flop down on these cushion-y grounds and snooze my way through the game. Especially when… "Hey," I lean in to whisper to Yvette, who happened to be closest to me. "I have not even the teeniest idea how to play…" "I know right. Me too," Yvette concedes, fiddling with a halterneck strap of her one piece peacock blue swimsuit. " I never had a chance to try out for the volleyball team back in school." A sigh slips past my lips. I know, I know, Selena can be a bit controlling sometimes. "Girls." Selena stops in her tracks and suddenly wheels on us, balled fists stuck on her hips. She's wearing oversized Prada sunglasses
Lisa's POV His lips are as soft as feathers as they meet mine. And sensually warm. His large hand comes up behind me to steady me, to pull me even closer to him. Like the last time we kissed, it isn't really a kiss. More like a prolonged peck. Yet I feel a damp ache pooling in between my thighs, and hear my heartbeat rise to a tempo. I ease back on my heels, but Damien follows me, filling the gap in between our mouths, and pressing me tighter to himself, so tight I can feel the ridge on his groin again my lower stomach. Oh. It's like all the desire I've been holding back unleashes themselves on my senses. I snake my arms around his neck and rub against him like a cat on heat, moaning against his mouth. He groans, a deep guttural sound that intensifies the heat in the apex of my thighs, and I part my lips, letting him delve his tongue into my mouth. I remember not wanting this. I remember avoiding any kind of intimacy with him. But this feels so right, and so wrong at once, but I de
Damien's POV Most of the ride was spent silent, and with Lisa huddled in the passanger's seat, an ice pack pressed to the ugly bump beside her right eye, a loose fitting tee I found amongst her possessions hiding most of her delectable body from view. I am not used to fearing for another, or being especially terrified for Lisa either. She had always been to me an unattainable goddess that belonged to my brother, only to be glimpsed at at rare moments, and to be venerated at those times. But watching her tumble heavily onto her side made my own heart lurch just as painfully, in a way I have never experienced before. Made me realize that this goddess is just as human, as fragile. And left in me a fierce urge to shield her from any form of harm. At least for my brother's sake. Liar, liar, pants on fire. A voice jeers in my head. You want her, that's why. You desire her. We manage to climb up the spiral staircase, with Lisa leaning heavily on me, and locate her room. I wrench ope
Lisa's POV It is already well past dusk when I open my eyes, as the sky is already inky black with night. I am on my bed, alone. I slap my head over my forehead. The headache is gone. Alongside the body pains. And Damien. Though he had thrown a blanket over me. A groan escapes my mouth at the thought of him. At the thought of what happened earlier today. I finally told him. I told him how I felt about him all those while. But I told him a half-assed lie. A lie that rolled off my tongue like a mudslide. Quick and unpremeditated. A lie that I was too afraid to take back. I like him. I still do. But for some reason I don't understand, I couldn't tell him. I sit up and take a pillow, pressing it hard to myself in a hug. Back at the volleyball court, when Damien rushed over to take me home, I was kind of glad I fell. I wanted us to finish what we started under that palm tree, especially when we'd have the whole house to ourselves. My core had throbbed and twitched with anticipatio
Lisa's POV I begin to cough. "Did you choke on your cake? Hang in there, let me get some water." Selena hurriedly disappears into the kitchen. I hack and cough some more. Damien stares incredulously at Glenn. "What the fuck, man?" "I think you know damn well, Damien." "Hey, Glenn." Wade lurches to his feet and goes over to Glenn, his hand on Glenn's shoulder. "It doesn't have to be this way." Glenn smoothly knocks Wade's hand off. "I don't know what you're talking about, Wade. This is just a game. I didn't choose the question. I got asked by Tiffany." Tiffany is wringing her hair from over her shoulder, the excitement gone. Like me, she probably also sensed that this is going beyond more than just a game. "Maybe I should ask some other question? I didn't know this was going to be this personal." "No, Tiffany," Glenn objects. "I particularly love this one. Go get the Nutella." She pauses for a bit to look at the faces of everyone in the room except mine. Then sh
Lisa's POV "I heard there's a really good ice cream shop around here," Leigh is saying from behind the steering wheel of Selena's Mustang, while I'm sitting in the passanger's seat with Willow in my laps, wondering why in the world Leigh chose to drag me along with her. "What a way to combat all this sun, am I right?" I couldn't agree more. Even my hair is beginning to frizz up from the humidity. But the pool should have been much more better. "So why did it have to be me?" I moan out loud. Willow yips in agreement. I should have been lazily lounging around in the pool with others. Or having a nap. Not moving around on a hot day like this in search of an ice cream shop. "Everyone else is… busy?" Leigh turns left, manoeuvring the steering wheel with one hand while slipping strands of her brown hair behind one ear with the other hand. "Consider this a thank you outing for Willow, for letting me borrow one of her storybooks. You're just tagging along." "Who says my dau
Glenn's POV I watch Yvette attack the tub of ice cream it seemed like she forgot it existed. She reminds me of Skylar in many ways. The obvious love for food. The round cheeks. The big eyes. The cuteness. Yvette and Skylar both have these in common. I used to like watching Skylar eat. She made the simple act of filling her mouth with tuna sandwich the sexiest and most fun thing to watch. Wait a minute, what? Why am I thinking of something like this now? Even before we all came together in this holiday villa for Wade and Selena's pre-wedding vacation, I've known Yvette Jones. I've met her multiple times in the gaming software company where Wade works as a director. And in those times, we always end up exchanging banters. Why did she not remind me of Skylar then? Why now? There's a smear of ice cream beside her lips. I should pretend I didn't see it. "You have a bit of ice cream beside your mouth," I'm already saying in spite of myself. "Let me get it for you." I lean
Yvette's POVWhat the hell is wrong with me?! I stomp to the kitchen and collapse into the stool next to the granite island. Jeremy isn't my boyfriend. I'm at fault for having a crush on him in the first place. I'm at fault for mistaking him for a prince charming, for allowing him to sweep me off my feet the night of that luau party. It should not be any business of mine if he decides to date someone else instead. If he decides that all he wants to do is make out with her in front of everyone. But it does hurt. My heart is cracked open, and it hurts like a knife wound to my chest. Hot tears sting the back of my eyes, but I squeeze them back by pinching my nose between my thumb and forefinger and counting to ten on a deep exhalation through my mouth. Don't cry, I tell myself. Don't cry. Jeremy doesn't care if you do. Right now he's only interested in his new lover. I hear approaching footsteps and lurch to my feet, checking my eyes on the reflective screen of my phone
Glenn's POV Damien was once my most favorite person. He used to be my best friend. We met when we were eight years old, during a housewarming party both of our fathers attended, and automatically drifted towards each other in the crowd filled with boring old people, busy with champagne and boring old people's talk. We played hide and seek that day within the new mansion our fathers' mutual friend just built, and accidentally, I pushed down a huge Ming dynasty vase. While everyone else made a huge fuss about the decorative item that they said cost more than a first-class ticket to the Maldives, Damien stood by me, and we bore the punishment together. We were both grounded throughout the holidays. And when I met him again in grade school, I knew instantly we would be great friends. Friends that will always have each other's backs. We both had wealthy fathers, so he was equally familiar with the perks and demerits that came with it. If only I can meet that eight year old me and give him
Yvette's POV I can't stop thinking about yesterday. "Everything all right, Yvette?" Leigh tips herself towards me to peer in my face. We've just had breakfast, and I'm lounging outside beside the pool with Leigh. Her hair is set in multicolored rollers, and with her Versace sunglasses perched at the bridge of her pert nose, and her mouth painted a dark red, Leigh looks every inch a formidable queen, half as formidable as Queen Charlotte looks in the Bridgerton series, her long legs folded carefully under her like a gazelle. She is wearing a crisp white shirt over her blue swimsuit. "Yeah, of course." I look over at the swimming pool. There were gasps and moans coming from here last night, and when I peeked to see who the sources of the noise were, it turned out to be Damien and Lisa. It was so passionate, though I couldn't bear to look any further while imagining it was Jeremy and I. No wonder the mood today during breakfast was significantly better than it was last night. Almos
Ally Rose's POV While in the shower, I scrub my hair in utter frustration. Truthfully, I arrived at my uncle's villa without the knowledge it's being rented out for the summer. Because I have the keys to the front door, and because my benevolent, wealthy uncle, Maurice Singer, granted me access to his luxurious beach house at anytime I desire to crash at the place, I took advantage of my annual leave at my uncle's firm and hopped into the next available flight to Miami right after ending my relationship of three weeks with a really cute doctor, hoping to have the entire house to myself. It was Selena I met first the minute I set foot in the house. She was at the kitchen island, nursing a cup of coffee meditatively and staring out the window at the approaching sunrise when I rolled in my suitcase. After she learned of my identity, the kind lady had no qualms with letting me stay for some time, bless her heart. I believe it's the universe that let me come over to Palm Paradise. If I di
Lisa's POV Fireworks explode in my chest when his soft mouth meets my lips, tentative and gentle at first, though it inspires the opposite reaction in my heart. I can almost feel the beating against my ribcage. It isn't our first kiss, though it's different. It is the first kiss that's ours, and i savor it for long moments. Damien pulls back and catches his breath, as if the kiss took him by surprise, then presses against me again. The second assault is shockingly sensual too. It slams into me, defeats all my senses. It's almost appalling how much I want this. How much I want to feel his hands all over me. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He stands against the wall of the pool, with my body tight against him. His hand slides low, down to my ass, and he squeezes roughly. I gasp into his mouth, and he plunges his tongue deeper into my mouth. Our tongue war and collide, the tips circling one another. "How about this for criminal evidence?" He whisp
Damien's POV "Lisa." She turns sharply, and exhales when she sees it's me. She attempts a small smile that still brightened her face in an instant. I suck in a breath at how beautiful she is. "Damien. Hi." "Hello." I settle down beside her and deep my own feet into the pool. The water is a little bit on the icy cold side, but I think that's just what I want. "What are you doing out here alone?" "I don't know. Stargazing?" I glance up at the starless sky. "Yeah right. The stars are exceptionally pretty today. Look at that big one over there." I grab the base of her ponytail and shake her head from side to side. "You moron," she laughs, smacking my bicep. It's a far cry from the fake laughter I just listened to moments ago. Lisa doesn't laugh as daintily as you might think she does because of her ethereal looks. It's a boisterous kind of laugh that sometimes sounds weird, but it's like music to my ears nonetheless. I can listen to her laugh all day. And stare at her forev
Damien's POV Willow is asleep. I'd just taken her to Lisa's room and barricaded her with several pillows so she won't roll off the bed, a trick I picked up from some random TikTok video. Now I open the door and step out to find Ally Rose in front of me. She smiles at me. The kind of dollish smile that curves her lips in an almost 'U' and pushes up her cheekbones. She looks so different from the last time I saw her. Thinner, and prettier. Fortunately, her wonderful makeover has absolutely no effect on me. "Hey, Damien," Ally Rose simpers. "It's really been long." Back at Tennessee, when I'd been dispatched with my team to provide security at a charity event, she offered this same smile at the bar where I and my colleagues came to cool off. I found it charming then. Now I find it distasteful. I close Lisa's door behind me. "Has it?" "Yes, duh." Ally Rose disregards my attempt at a rebuff with a flick of her delicate wrist. "I've been meaning to talk to you."