My gaze sweeps over to him at the grill, flipping burgers. His lean hips and ass are nicely hugged by his navy basketball shorts. The gray tank he’s wearing shows off the sinewy muscles in his forearms and his bulging biceps. Dammit. I want more than a piece of him. I want the whole enchilada, but it can’t and won’t ever happen. When it comes to Marshall, my head has to win out over my heart and my libido.
I force my eyes to focus on the beautiful landscaping surrounding the pool. Colorful flowers overflow from large terracotta planters, and beds of seagrass are mulched to perfection.
“Come and eat,” Marshall calls out. I hurry to the table where he’s placed the platter of burgers and dogs. Settling into a chair, I build the perfect burger, adding a little of all there is. I’m so focused on my food, I don’t notice him watching me until I take the first bite.
Self-consciousness makes me react. “Wha?” I say with my cheeks full like a chipmunk’s loaded with nuts.
Marshall laughs. “Wha?” he repeats teasingly.
I take a swig of water and swallow it all down before I reply, “What? Is that better?”
“I don’t know. I kinda like wha.” He winks.
My lips curve in a reluctant grin. “You’re impossible.”
His watchful orbs study my face. “And you’re beautiful.”
My smile fades. “Don’t say things like that.”
“That you’re beautiful?” he questions, and I nod. “How is that a bad thing? I mean it. You are beautiful.”
“Thank you, but I’d prefer if you don’t compliment me like that.” Or at all.
I know I sound batshit crazy to him. Hell, I sound crazy to my own ears. The thing is, I can’t have him saying sweet things like that and not have it affect me. It’ll only get my hopes up, even though I’m aware of what a player he is.
When it comes to Marshall, there’s a sizable part of me that wants to be the one girl to change his roguish ways. The rest of me is strong enough to be the voice of reason. No matter how much praise Marshall heaps on me, I’m never going to be with him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever known another girl like you,” he states.
“With your track record, I’ll take that as a good thing.”
“You should. It’s meant to be positive.” He raises his index finger before I can retort. “I know. I know. I’m not supposed to praise you in any way.” He shakes his head good naturedly. “Since I can’t dole out any compliments, I’ll say that you don’t smell bad.”
I scrunch my face up. “What?”
“I can’t tell you how fantastic you smell, so I said you don’t smell bad. It’s the closest I can get to a compliment without going against your wishes.” He looks inordinately pleased with himself for finding a loophole.
I snort. “That seems like a lot of work to put in for someone who doesn’t like you.”
His expression shifts, becoming glum. “You don’t like me?” His masculine lips flatten in a pout. “That’s kind of mean.”
I shrug. “It’s not mean, it’s brutal honesty.”
“Come on. I’m a likable person. You’ve gotta like me a little bit at least.” I shake my head. “Are you sure?” He sounds unconvinced.
“I don’t know what to say. Maybe you’re not all that after all.”
“Oh no, I’m definitely all that. The defect must lie with you. Maybe you’re just heartless.”
I gasp with annoyance. “I’m not heartless.”
“You’ve gotta admit you can come across a little icy toward me.”
“Toward you? Sure. But not toward others.”
He ticks his head from side to side. “You don’t see anything wrong with your answer?”
“Nope. I’m only being honest.”
“Then I think I deserve to know why you’re so icy toward me.”
“Do you really not know?”
“Should I?”
“I guess I overestimated your intelligence.”
“Ouch.” He rubs his hand over his chest. “You went right for the heart.”
“Do you remember the night you cornered me in your kitchen and trapped me against the counter?”
“No. Maybe? You should reenact it so it’ll trigger my memory.”
“You wish, bud.”
“It wouldn’t be the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he says, and I narrow my eyes. “I’m messing with you. I remember what you’re referring to.”
“Do you also remember how you had another girl come over the next morning?”
“Vaguely. But it sounds about right.”
“Well, you were an asshole for doing that, and you’re still the same asshole as far as I’m concerned.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on me? I was only seventeen at the time.”
“Yeah, you were, but I can’t see that you’ve grown up much in the four years since.”
“What are you talking about? Have you seen these guns?” He flexes both arms, showing off his bulging biceps. “I didn’t have these back then either.” He makes each one of his pecs jump too.
“Very impressive,” I droll. “But I was trying to be serious.”
“I can be serious. I’d like to point out that you and I don’t spend enough time together for you to be able to judge me fairly.”
“That’s possible, but it doesn’t change anything.”
“It could change everything. How can you have a solid opinion about me when you’re uneducated on the subject?”
“Does it really matter? You and I don’t need to be friends.”
“What if it’s not friendship I’m interested in?”
“We don’t need to be friends to sleep together either.” His face sparks with hope. I shake my finger at him. “Buddy, that option is not even on the table. Your sister is my bestie. I’d never do anything to jeopardize our friendship.”
“Whoa. Hold up right there. She’s in love with my best friend. Seems like she doesn’t have grounds to give an opinion when it comes to our relationship.”
I arch a brow. “You and I don’t have a relationship, and we never will.”
“We could.” He flashes a charm-filled smile.
“Not in this lifetime.”
“Then kill me now so I can get to the next one,” he replies.
“Don’t tempt me.” I point my knife at him.
He grins, not intimidated by my threat in the least. “How about a swim after we digest?”
“The water sure looks tempting.”
His eyes drink me in. “That’s not the only temptation out here.”
Oh, crap. He’s flirting now. I need to remain resistant, no matter how much charm he fires my way. I’m stronger than he realizes. He won’t be able to handle being turned down. After a few times, he’ll give up and everything will continue as usual, just like I prefer.
Chapter Seven
Marshall