Liam is here.

In the Maldives.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Letting the water cascade down my skin,  I can't bring myself to wash my hair or do anything other than stand here, utterly in shock.  Liam and Everett's voices filter in from beneath the door, but they aren't clear enough to hear over the pounding of the shower. 

What the hell are they saying?

This is all wrong. I was supposed to call Liam and make a plan for us to meet somewhere so I could break the news to him gently about dating his best friend. He was never supposed to show up right outside the door after we just got done fucking.

And that sex? God, that sex.

I inhale deeply, shaking my head to try to clear the images of Everett's dick, but it seems to linger on them, the space between my legs beginning to pulsate from the already created soreness.

How are we supposed to tell him now? He seemed so happy to see us. It's been forever since I've seen his dimpled grin—the one that always made me feel comforted no matter what mood I was in.

Now, that smile brought a wave of guilt washing over my body, filtering out any reminisce of happy memories between us. I should be happy to see Liam, but I'm dreading his presence instead. I haven't had the chance to speak with Everett about this yet.

What is he feeling?

Will he change his mind about us?

Before my anxiety eats me alive, Everett finally knocks on the door. "He's gone," he says.

I lean out of the clear shower to unlock the door so he can step inside. He's still shirtless, but he must have taken his shorts back off because all he's in is a pair of briefs that barely cling onto his hips. Curls are tumbling onto his forehead, and again, that guilt creeps back. Not because I'm feeling bad for not telling Liam, but because I don't want to tell him. The only thing I'm craving to do is run my fingers through Everett's section of curls.

We stand in silence, unsure of what to say, and I would be the first to speak up, except I can't determine what he's thinking. His expression remains impassive, void of any emotion, but his eyes roam over my body, seeming to track each and every droplet of water as they cascade down my skin.

His lips are swollen from either our kiss or my teeth biting on them during sex. Whatever the case, he's fine as hell, and I hate that I'm resenting Liam for showing up right when he did because it's not his fault, but damn. He really put a damper on the mood.

"Look..." Everett starts, leaning against the sink. That tone of his voice doesn't sound good. It's not reassuring whatsoever. It sounds like he's about to give me the it's not you, it's me speech. Tears are already pricking the backs of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I should have seen this coming. Liam is his closest friend. "I understand Liam being here probably confuses you, and I don't want to add to your stress. If you need space..." He sighs like it's the last thing he wants to admit. "Or if you'd rather stay with him, you can. I won't stand in your way."

A breath of relief whooshes out of me. "You don't want to end things?"

His eyes pop up to mine. "Why the hell would I want to end things?"

"Because Liam's here, and I thought... You know, when he caught us..." I try to grasp for more words, but Everett takes a step closer, and I'm breathless from how dark his eyes are.

"I didn't stop wanting you when you were dating him, Emery. Why would I walk away now that you're finally mine? I assumed you would be the one to change your mind. I know how close you are."

"No, not at all, I..."

This is all so new. We just admitted our feelings for each other, and now we have to deal with my ex, who is also his best friend, putting him right in the middle of our chaos. Liam deserves better than this, but when Everett takes another step closer, for once, I let my sense of rationality go.

When am I going to stop thinking of others and put myself first? When is what I want going to be important? I deserve happiness, too. We both do. If Liam decided to come to the Maldives, that's on him. Will I still sit him down to explain it to him? Of course, but I'm done being concerned about everyone around me other than myself.

"We'll tell him after the wedding," Everett says, following where my mind has trailed. "I know it'll suck trying to fake this for a few days, but it's my sister's wedding, and if Liam doesn't take it well, I don't want to bring any unnecessary drama."

"Right. That makes sense." The last thing I want to do is make a bad impression on Everett's family.

Everett strips his briefs off and joins me In the shower, tugging me close until my breasts are against his chest. My nipples are hard from the intricately crafted muscles of Everett's body, and I tilt my head to the side, letting him trail his lips down the exposed skin.

"I'll have to learn to keep my eyes to myself until we come clean. Do you have any idea how hard that's going to be?" His breath is hot and heady against my ear, and my skin is tingling from the huskiness of his voice.

"I imagine it'll be very hard for you," I hum in amusement.

He rolls his eyes. "Smart ass mouth. C'mere."

I'm expecting him to take me right against the shower, but instead, he spins me around so my back is now pressed into his chest. He reaches over to grab my shampoo, putting some into his hands before he brings it to my hair. The sensation of his fingers rubbing the serum into my scalp is exquisite. I lean my head back into his shoulder, granting him further access. "That feels so good."

The process is very...domesticated. I'm still getting used to having these experiences with him. We used to despise each other. At least, I assumed. Maybe that's why I blurt out the question I've always wanted to ask. "When did you know?"

His fingers still in my hair. "Know what?"

"That you... That you had feelings for me. Your family mentioned you never stopped talking about me for years, Ev. When did all of this really start?"

He moves me closer to the water so he can begin to rinse the shampoo out, and he clears his throat before he replies, "There are many different answers to that question. If you're asking when I first thought you were attractive? The first day you came to our school. I fully intended to do something about it. You know, ask you out or something, but Liam beat me to it. Later that day, he called dibs, and I didn't know you well enough to fight for you. I didn't know..." He sighs. "I didn't know what a huge fucking mistake it'd be."

As he begins to rub conditioner through the strands of my hair, I let myself think about how crazy all of this is—just a few hours determined how my life would pan out. What would have happened had Everett called dibs first? Dibs. The whole thing sounds completely juvenile, but we were in middle school, after all. 

"However, if you're asking when I truly fell for you? That would be our first day of freshman year in high school. In the locker room before Gym, some of the guys said that Sarah and her pose of friends made fun of the way your jeans fit, and they said you called her an uppity skank and then proceeded to give her a black eye."

I turn to face him, a devious smile on my lips. "She deserved it."

"I wholeheartedly agree."

"And that's what made you fall for me?"

He nods. "You always knew exactly who you were, Em, and you never let the opinions of girls like Sarah change anything about you. You've always been determined, and..." His lips twitch, threatening a smile. "And stubborn. It also helped that I, too, hated Sarah. She was a bitch."

I narrow my eyes, but my heart is fluttering all the same. "I wish you would have said something. You know, about your feelings. If you confessed everything sooner, then I'd... Wait." My eyes widen as realization dawns on me. "Was it you who ruined her cheer uniform?" The same day I gave her a black eye and got suspended, Sarah's skirt at the football game tore into two, and it just so happened that she wasn't wearing any underwear that day. I heard she was mortified, and her father later tried to sue the school for purchasing such cheap material, but I always had a suspicion it was something more. After all, the skirt seemed to split directly up the middle as if it had been created that way.

Everett smiles brightly. "Well, my sister was the team captain at the time, and she did have a knack for sewing. I may or may not have persuaded her to help me out."

"I can't believe you did that!" I say as I rinse the conditioner out of my hair. My heart feels so fucking tight from how many emotions are swarming it. Everett has been looking out for me since day one, even when he claimed to hate me. He's been infatuated with me for years, and now we're finally on the same page. I'm not going to let Liam interfere with this. Not when I'm so  freaking giddy right now that it feels as if I'm walking on a cloud.

We finish our shower in silence. When we're finished, Everett gets out and opens up a towel for me to step into. He wraps the fluffy fabric around my body and then swoops me off my feet, earning a fit of laughter from me. The man carries me back into the room and sets me on the bed. It's our first night sleeping here, and damn, the mattress is soft.

"Want a t-shirt?" He asks, already rummaging through his suitcase.

"Sure," I reply with a grin. "After our second round."

He brings his eyes to mine, my mouth drying out at the sight. He's on his knees in front of the bed, and my thighs are spread wide for him, already in the perfect position.

Shoving his suitcase to the side, he crawls the small space left between us. "I didn't realize you wanted more."

How could I not?

Has he taken a look in the mirror recently?

I'm resting on my elbows when he brings his lips to the inside of my knee, lazily kissing across the sensitive skin. My chest is heaving in anticipation of what he'll do next.

"I suppose I should repay you for the gift you gave me earlier, hm?" His nose scrapes against my inner thigh, and I inhale a sharp breath from the feeling. "Is that what you want?"

Relaxing fully on the mattress now, I arch my back, willing him to move that talented mouth to the spot I'm craving him to be. "Please," I beg.

"Well, when you ask nicely..."

His tongue licks up my center, and any distraction Liam brought not even a half-hour ago doesn't matter anymore. The broken vase is still shattered in the foyer, pieces of glass scattered everywhere, but right here, at this moment, I've never felt more complete.

Author's Note:

HI LOVELIES !

HOW IS EVERYONE?

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Sorry it's a little late. I added a bit more to make it longer for you guys :)

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