Chapter 17

Bethany

Bethany woke to the quiet room around her, Erica nowhere in sight. The crimson rays of light coming through her open door brought in the awareness that it was close to dinner time. Bethany slipped out of the sheets and picked up her phone, three messages from Damon looking for her. They stopped just after lunch. He must have realized that she was taking a nap.

Running her fingers through her long hair, she yawned loudly and walked to the bathroom as the conversation with Matt and Damon rolled over her again. She was making too much of it.

"Let it go. Stop letting shit threaten to ruin what you guys have going." She looked at herself in the mirror before picking up a container of powder. She brushed some over her nose and put her earrings back on before dressing in a coral sundress and slipping on her sandals. The cut of the dress made her breasts center stage for the outfit, but it wasn't slutty or inappropriate, just extremely feminine.

She walked out of the room and texted Damon to find out where they were. He was on the beach just outside of the dinner patio. She walked down the long hall, breathing in the salty smell of the ocean and wishing she had another week she could lay on the beach and soak up the sun.

School would be back in session next week, which not only meant a thick load of classes for her but working for Kendal and Damon at the same time. It was sure to be a testing period for her patience and ability to survive on little to no sleep.

Bethany walked out onto the warm, white sand and moved toward the dark-haired man who had stolen her heart. She slid her hands around his waist and pressed her cheek to his back. His hands brushed over hers, holding her to him.

"I was getting a little concerned," he spoke, but the wind carried away the strength usually found in his voice.

"Just tired from last night." She snuggled in closer.

He turned and pulled her against his chest, kissing the top of her head. "I think I'm just on a high from being here. I feel great."

She glanced up at him, a smile moving across her lips. "You look great."

"So do you." His eyes moved down her as he pulled back a little. "Your breasts look huge. I love it."

She smirked and moved to stand beside him, slipping her hand into his. "Your breasts?"

"Now we're talking." He winked and moved toward the waves, stopping short of where the sand darkened. "Have you figured out your schedule for school starting next week?"

"Somewhat. I'm going to meet with Ben early next week to lock everything down."

"Sounds good. Just let me know if you need me to help somehow."

"You have enough to do." She turned her gaze to move across the horizon as the sun began to pull behind the edge of the earth.

"Yeah, but I want to do you more than any of those other things." He moved in behind her and slid his hands around her, his fingers pressing into the bottom of her breasts as he leaned down and kissed the side of her neck.

"I like the sound of that." She turned her face a little and kissed the soft skin beside his eye.

"We're due for dinner in a few minutes, but how about me and you come out here and walk the beach afterward? I have a bet that's owed up on..."

"Surely you're not expecting me to get naked on the beach with you." She leaned against him, honestly not caring if he did. He was adventurous, and she wanted to experience anything he had to offer.

"I most certainly am. Sand has a certain attraction. It just feels so good in your ass when you're trying to limp back to the room."

She laughed and moved from his hold as Kent called for them to come join the family.

"You're too much." She slid her hand into Damon's as he chuckled.

"You seem to take every inch of me quite well."

She groaned at the thought and moved up to the patio as everyone started to arrive. Damon released her and moved to help with a few things. She huddled close to her mom and Aunt Patty, listening to their adventures with a sexy lifeguard. Patty was single and damned and determined to find a man half her age. She needed someone to keep up. When she started talking about her overly aggressive sex drive, Bethany excused herself, not wanting to lose her breakfast.

She moved toward Matt and Erica, the two of them talking casually. She almost turned away, but Matt called her over, putting an arm around her.

"We were wondering where the hell you had slipped off to." He gave her a warm side-hug and released her.

"I tried to sneak out when I realized you were sleeping." Erica took a drink of something fruity looking, her glass matching Matthew's.

"I just didn't get much sleep last night. I'm in college and still not able to pull all-nighters without suffering." She smirked and turned as a server moved toward her. She ordered whatever Matt and Erica had.

"I thought you didn't drink fruity drinks." Matt lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't usually, but those look really good."

"They are." Erica took another drink and gave a soft snort. "There’s the DJ. The dance floor is ready, and the buffet is almost set up. You guys ready for a long night of partying?"

"I don't think we have a choice." Bethany let out a short laugh and pointed as her mother and Aunt Patty pulled Kent out on the dance floor. Everyone joined them as the food was being uncovered. Bethany walked over to check out the goods, snagging a strip of grilled chicken and turning to find Damon walking toward her.

"Looks like dad pulled out the stops for this one." He smirked and pulled her against him. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm happy to hear it again." She smiled and licked at her fingers.

"Watch it, vixen. Your little pink tongue makes my heart race." He wagged his eyebrows. The man with too many burdens and an aggravated disposition was nowhere to be seen. She needed to get him away from the office more often. Hopefully, she could be a part of alleviating some of his stress in the future.

He moved beside her and slipped his arm around her, his fingers brushing rhythmically over the top curve of her rear. She crossed her arms over her chest and followed Matt and Erica as the pretty blond pulled him onto the dance floor.

"You wanna go join everyone?" Damon leaned down and pressed a kiss just behind her ear, sending chills racing through her.

"Yeah. I do." She intertwined her fingers with his and walked toward the dance floor, pausing only for a moment as he almost ran into her. "Wait. You don't like to dance."

"I don't, but remember what I told you?"

"Oh yeah. Only at large events like weddings and when you want to seduce someone." She winked and started toward the floor only to have him tug her back.

"The wedding is great, but I'm working hard to seduce this saucy little brunette who seems to have me under her thumb without much effort."

"You should teach her who’s boss." Bethany lifted her eyebrow.

"I think that's a brilliant idea. I plan to put it into action after dinner tonight."

She laughed as her mind raced through the possibilities. Turning on the floor, she reached for him and began to move with the salsa music. Damon tucked himself against her and moved across the floor, his skills far better than she imagined possible. The man fucked like a minx. There was no way that his ability to dance so well wasn't linked directly to that.

Bethany held on and tried hard not to pant, but no one would believe she was that out of shape.

***

Dinner was incredible, the number of meats and variety of cheesy potatoes left her feeling full and almost uncomfortable. Having sex anywhere, especially on the beach, did not sound like fun. She glanced over at Damon, watching the way his face lit up when he and Matt were teasing each other. He might not have a solid foundation of what the word "love" meant, but she did. She would spend the rest of her life showing him.

Getting up, she bent down and kissed the top of his head. "I need to run to the restroom. I'll be back in a minute."

"Okay, baby. Just don't slip away for another six-hour nap." He winked and turned his attention back to Matt.

Bethany walked off before anyone else could question where she was headed. Tugging at her dress, she wished like hell she would have worn something a little more comfortable. Trying to impress Damon seemed silly, but she wasn't sure she wouldn't be striving to do that for the rest of their lives.

She turned the corner and stopped short, a tall woman almost plowing her down. A scowl formed on the other girl's face, realization running over Bethany. It was Bridget. The model, the ex, the perfect girl Damon didn't seem to want anymore. The one he had professed his love to after a few days of being around her.

"Oh. Excuse me." She took a step back, her eyes running down Bethany. "I'm Bridget. Damon's first girlfriend."

"I'm Bethany. Damon's current girlfriend." Two people could play at this game.

Bridget smirked and pursed her lips as if fixing her lipstick. "Good luck keeping him. He's a player and a half. I was back in his bed a week or so ago. The sex is just so good. I swear I'm an angel until he's around. He has this way of turning all of us into needy sluts. Odd really."

Bethany moved around her, pushing into the bathroom and muttering 'excuse me' as the other girl laughed loudly. She was in Damon's bed a week ago? That wasn't possible.

Heat washed over her, forcing her to stop by the sink and catch her breath. A wave of nausea pulsed through her, the food from dinner threatening to make a violent exit. She splashed cold water on her face and patted it dry, trying hard not to mess up her make-up.

"Bridget is a liar. Matt already told you that." Bethany stared at herself in the mirror, a frown turning her mouth down. Bridget was everything she wasn't. Had Damon dropped her or was the situation reversed? Maybe she dropped him. Did he still want something with her?

"No. Fucking stop it." She patted her face quickly and slipped out of the restroom, determined to forget all of it. It was nothing but a dark spot on their time together. She wasn't going to let it ruin everything.

She rounded the corner and made her way over to the table to find Damon missing. She looked at Matt with question.

He rolled his eyes and pointed to the dance floor. "I told you that bitch was a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Surely not.

Bethany glanced at the floor, Damon in the middle of a large crowd of women. Bridget waved at her, the smug look on her face causing Bethany to stiffen. Surely he wasn't dancing with them. What would possess him to do that?

He glanced over at her and waved for her to join him. She wanted to react, but her family seemed to be watching closely. She smiled and shook her head as if none of it bothered her at all. Damon didn't like dancing, and he didn't fall to peer pressure, so was he simply wrapped up in the activity of the big event happening around them, or working to seduce his old girlfriend that he was obviously still fucking on the side?

Bethany turned on her heel and walked out onto the beach, breathing in deeply and refusing to cry. She wouldn't be the victim. She had been that for far too long.