I Hate, I Bake, and I Don’t Date! by Alina Jacobs

19

Tess

Ispent the next few hours after lunch with the girls, unpacking, while Beck’s phone was blowing up. It must have been some sort of super-duper important business thing.

“We have to go to the pool,” Enola said, showing me photos of one of the building’s pools on the amenity level. It was like something out of a magazine.

I am so going to have a hard time giving all this up whenever Beck gets the adoption officialized.

Ah well, I was going to enjoy it while it lasted!

I had brought a swimsuit with me. I knew what a swanky tower in Manhattan meant after all!

“I look hot!”

I inspected my reflection in the mirror. The leopard-print one-piece looked great on me. It had been on sale from a high-end fashion retailer, and I had bought it last year, thinking I was going to land a high-paying job and be able to afford to treat myself to an awesome vacation. Ha! As if!

I had worn it once to pose for Instagram photos.

“Totally worth the credit card debt,” I decided.

I threw on the matching wrap and knocked on Beck’s door.

“We’re going out!” I yelled through the door. “You want to come with, or are you still working?” I didn’t hear an answer.

“Okay, be a lonely sad sack,” I called. “We’re leaving.”

“Going out where?” my boss demanded, flinging the door open. I spun around and almost fell over.

“Now who’s parading around, flaunting their tits?” I said, flustered.

“I never said you were flaunting your—” He gestured in the general vicinity of my chest. “Those.”

“Boobs,” I said helpfully, pushing them up.

Beck stared at the ceiling.

I used the opportunity to ogle his chest. He had on workout pants slung low on his hips. His torso, with his washboard abs, tapered up to a broad chest that I wanted to lick frosting off of or, hell, just lick period. I wasn’t picky.

Beck cleared his throat, and my eyes rose to meet his gray ones.

“We’re just going to be off to check out the pool,” I said, holding up my towel.

He frowned. “I’ll meet you up there.”

I started drooling.

The girls and I rode the elevator to the pool level. I was in a daze.

Could I handle Beck, my boss, in a swimsuit? It was going to cling to his junk, and I was going to stare. I couldn’t tell if I was about to die from the awkwardness or if I was really turned on at just the thought of it.

When we walked onto the pool deck, a number of Beck’s brothers were already there with their sisters. They were pushing each other into the water, jumping off the diving board, and playing chicken in the shallow end while their sisters paddled around.

It was all watched by a very happy group of senior citizens.

“We all left naked yoga early because Rose heard there was a pool party,” one older lady said.

“And you wanted to go out for dinner when there is an amazing buffet right here, Vera!” her friend said with a cackle.

“Don’t take it the wrong way,” another older woman with bright-pink hair said, elbowing me. “They’re a bit on the young side for us.”

“We’re just window-shopping,” Vera added. “But you—” She pulled down her sunglasses. “You should definitely go into the store and buy something. Those men should come get some of what you’re offering with that banging body.”

“Drink?” a woman wearing black slacks and a vest with the tower logo offered.

I accepted the cocktail with its little pink umbrella.

“Isn’t it great?” Vera asked, toasting me with her own cocktail.

“I don’t think I ever want to leave,” I said happily, sipping the drink.

“Will you get in the pool with us?” Enola begged.

I shrugged off my wrap and slipped into the shallow end of the pool with my drink.

“Man, this is the life!”

“How about an attractive man to give you a shoulder massage?” one of the Svensson brothers offered, swimming up to me, a megawatt smile on his face and chest glistening with droplets of water.

My rule was “thou shalt not sleep with thy boss lest thou turn into Cressida,” but the boss’s hot brother?

I winked at him.

“I don’t know,” I told him. “I like my massages deep and hard. I’m not sure you have the stamina for it.”

His eyes flicked down to my chest, and a beach ball hit him in the face.

“Watch it, Beck!”

“Stay away from her, Mike,” Beck snarled, slipping down in the water next to me.

Mike rubbed his head and asked me, “Does my face look puffy?”

“Your face always looks puffy,” Beck said, slapping a wave of water at his brother.

Mike tackled him, and they both went under, only coming up for air thirty seconds later.

“You are not going to hit on my assistant.” Beck shook his brother.

“Just trying to keep things interesting around here.”

“We don’t need any more drama.” Beck swam back over to me and positioned himself protectively on my right.

I waited a beat then said, “Since you scared off my masseuse, you’re going to have to give me a good, hard massage.”

“What?” Beck said in alarm then turned to look at me warily. Then he realized what I was talking about, and his nostrils flared. “You were going to let Mike—” He searched for the words.

“Rub me down, get me nice and relaxed, and put his hands all over me?” I joked.

Beck glowered.

“I had been looking forward to some male interaction,” I teased, egging him on. “My shoulders are feeling very tense. You know, after having to carry around these all day.” I pushed up my boobs with one hand, and they bobbed in the water.

Beck’s eyes flicked down. I could see his pulse jump in his neck. His eyes met mine.

“I suppose it’s only fair.”

I froze as one hand slipped to caress the back of my neck while the other moved to my shoulders. He pressed his thumb right between my shoulder blades, rubbing slow circles.

“Yesss,” I moaned. “That feels so freaking good.”

My head lolled back as his strong hands worked over my back. Then they were abruptly gone.

Shit, maybe the moaning had been too much. But it had felt really freaking good.

I opened my eyes to see Beck swimming over to where Enola and Annie were perched on top of each other, balancing on Liam’s head.

“Get down from there!” Beck barked.

“What? Why? It’s going to be cool, just like the circus,” Liam insisted.

Annie waved to me then did a perfect backflip off of Enola’s shoulders and into the water.

I applauded.

“Don’t encourage her!” Beck yelled, clearly having some sort of fit.

“I’m always going to encourage excellence!” I replied.

While Beck played with his sisters and brothers, I changed locations to one of the oversized lounge chairs on the pool deck. The server brought me a plate of snacks and another drink. I sipped it and snapped a few pictures to send to my friends.

Holly:I’m so inviting myself over! Free snacks!

Maeve:More importantly, free drinks.

Tess:This is the life!

I looked for stuff to buy for Beck’s new condo while I ate my snacks, every once and a while sneaking a peek over my phone to enjoy the eye candy Beck was providing.

I could still feel his hands on me. I was going to become as addicted to that as I was to the upscale living and free snacks.

My phone buzzed with a picture from an unknown number.

Frowning, I opened the attachment while taking a sip of my drink.

I had to set it down on the side table when I saw what the image was and who it was from. Hands shaking, I scrolled through the message.

Unknown:I saw you at the diner the other day. I knew it was fate. I went by your apartment, but you weren’t there.

The photo was of me angrily stuffing a handful of fries in my mouth the day I had met Beck’s sisters.

Unknown:I want you to know I’m still thinking about you and still in love with you. One day soon we will be together. I know it *smiley face emoji*

For fuck’s sake. I can’t have anything nice in life.