Kiss and Don't Tell(59)
“Noted. I mean, I don’t have a passion for Annie, but I’ll be sure to never bring it up. I don’t want to upset anyone.”
“Smart.”
I take in the in-ground hot tub, which is surrounded by teak wood decking and illuminated by purple and blue lights beneath the water. It’s positively gorgeous.
“This is so beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a house like this.”
“Yeah, we all have an agreement that the house will stay with us no matter what. So, if Taters wants to sell, I’m next in line to purchase, then Hornsby, then Holmes, and last would be Posey.”
“Why would Silas ever want to sell?”
“Not sure, but we’re contractually bound to each other and this house.”
“Very smart.” I stand at the edge of the hot tub, my hands still clutching at my robe, while Pacey sets everything down and pulls two towels from a shelf. He sets them on a lounger and turns toward me.
“Are you going to get in?”
“Yes,” I answer while dipping my toe in the water. “You know, just trying to find the best way to take off this robe.”
“I don’t think there is a best way. I think you just take it off,” he says with a smirk.
I sigh and look off to the side. “Just feeling self-conscious is all. It comes in waves. Give me a second and I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
Pacey’s lips twist to the side and then he walks behind me. He places his hands on my hips and moves in close. Without saying anything, he very slowly moves his hands to the knot of my robe and undoes it, letting the ends of the belt fall to the side.
“You’re really fucking sexy, Winnie,” Pacey whispers. “There’s nothing you should be self-conscious about.” The smooth, evening breeze caresses my heated skin exposed by the gap in the robe. “And I’m not the only guy in this house who notices how fine you are.” His breath tickles over the back of my neck. “In fact, Eli had all the wrong intentions where you were concerned.”
“Wh-what?” I stutter as he pushes one of the sleeves off my body, exposing my right shoulder.
“You heard me. I just seem to be the lucky one who gets to hang with you, who gets to share this moment with you.” He pushes my other sleeve down, exposing my other shoulder. “Fuck, Winnie. When I was thinking of what color you were wearing, I was hoping it was pink.”
A burst of heat sears through me as his finger draws a lazy circle on my back, right above the clasp of my bra. I envision him snapping it open and letting it slowly fall down my arms just like this robe, which is only being held up by my ass now.
“I didn’t consider light pink, though. I like it. Does your underwear match?” He pushes the robe down and sucks in a sharp breath as my thong is revealed. “Ah, hell, Winnie.” The robe pools at my feet and I quickly turn around so he’s not staring at my bare ass. His hands fall to my hips, though, and he shows no shame checking me out. He wets his lips and says, “You’re going to have to sit on the other side of the hot tub. Got it? Because there’s no way I’m going to be able to share space with you and not touch you.” His hands smooth up my ribs and then back down to my hips, where his fingers glide under the string of my thong.
“I didn’t have any clean underwear that isn’t a thong,” I say, not sure what I should be talking about in this moment.
“I’m glad,” he says, moving his hands to my back but keeping them in neutral territory, despite me wanting to feel them all over my body. “Now get in the hot tub, before I do something I shouldn’t.” I look up into his eyes, and the question I’ve been wanting to ask is on the tip of my tongue. He must notice because he asks, “What’s on that mind of yours?”
Unable to stop myself, I ask, “You truly, honestly, find me attractive?”
He grips my chin and asks, “Who the hell fucked with your head? Who made you think you weren’t attractive? Who put those ideas into this gorgeous, beautiful mind of yours?”
I look away and tears fill my eyes. Flashbacks to the night Josh and I broke it off flood through me. The pain just as hurtful now as it was back then.
“Tell me,” Pacey says.
Swallowing hard, I say, “Uh, when Josh and I broke up, he said that— God, this is so embarrassing.”
“What the fuck did he say to you?” Pacey asks, his voice sounding angry.
“He told me . . .” I bite my bottom lip and look toward the sky. “He said I had gained weight and that he didn’t really find me attractive anymore. He told me it was one of the reasons why he stopped trying in bed.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Pacey says in a low, menacing tone. The level of malice in his voice is quite startling as he stares me down. Then he grips my chin and forces my eyes up to his. “You listen to me, Winnie, and you listen to me good. The only reason a man would ever say something like that to a woman is because he’s insecure with his own self. He was trying to put you down to make up for his insecurities.”
“That’s what Max and Katherine said too—well, something along those lines—and even though I’ve tried to lose the weight that my mom’s health issues brought on, it’s been hard. It’s why I’m so self-conscious around you, because, I mean, look at you.”