Double Coverage (4 page)

“Now that you’re here, I’m freakin’ awesome,” Bullet said, his eyes flashing dangerously when she stepped close to Trig and pressed her lips to his right there in front of everybody.

“Hey there, Trig. I think I missed you today,” she said, and before he could pick his lower jaw up off the beach, she walked away.

“Fuck! Who was that? Do I know her? Can I know her?” Bullet looked at him. The blatant, lustful anticipation in his eyes had Trig seething.

“That was Kailey Whitmore, and I’ll tell you right now, man, I will kill you. Friend or not, hands off.” He didn’t know what knotted in his belly, but the way Bullet was looking at her had him twisted up in so many damned knots he didn’t know what else to do.

“Sexy nerd babe. Christ, that must have been one hell of night, Trigger—one hell of a night.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Trig sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to play high school games. Especially with Bullet.

* * * *

Bullet watched his best friend walk toward the shower, and echoed his sigh. Right up until that moment Trigger had been his same old happy self. After the shock of seeing him again that was. And for a little while Bullet thought they could go back in time, that past mistakes could be forgotten.

That is until he recognized Kailey Whitmore from this morning. The sex kitten with the killer smile who had starred in an incredibly vivid X-rated fantasy while he waited for Trigger to show up. Kailey Whitmore had no idea what she was getting herself into by hooking up with Trigger. Bullet sighed; even after ten years apart he and Trigger still had the same taste in women. Yeah, Kailey Whitmore was going to be a problem.

Bullet sighed again when a dark-haired blur separated from the group of women at the pool. Shit, Kailey wasn’t the only problematic female he had to worry about. Jennifer Hunter was still on the prowl and still had her sights set firmly on him, it seemed.

He really didn’t want to deal with her right now. Pretending he didn’t see her, he set off at a Bullet-paced jog down the beach.

* * * *

“Hey, Kailey.” One of the Rah-Rah girls ran up to her, her voice perky, as if she was Kailey’s best friend and she was so glad to see her. Maybe that stunt on the beach had sent a message to the girls lounging around the pool, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted this kind of attention after all.

“Hi, uh…” God what was her name? They’d had history together for four years, and gym, and she could not remember her name.

“Heather. You remember me, right? We had gym together. You had a mean spike in volleyball, and we all wondered why you never went out for the team.”

Heather McDaniel, right.
That
was her name. Well, it was before she married, anyway. Now, she was round with her first child and just about the cutest little thing out there.

“Of course I remember you, Heather, but I am not really good with names.” That wasn’t exactly true. She could remember the name of every fourth-century king from every country in existence. She had trouble with real people. “You sat in front of me in history. We did a project on the Revolutionary War together once.”

“Yeah? That was you, wasn’t it? I remember that. That was a fun project. I actually learned something that time. Usually, history wasn’t interesting to me. Okay, well, the girls and I were wondering if you’d like to come and sit with us. We’re all just hanging out by the pool having drinks.” Heather, looked back at the gang of pep girls and former cheerleaders and waved. Most of them waved back, one or two didn’t, and one actually staring daggers at her.

She felt so out of place. None of the kids she’d hung out with had shown up. She was the lone academic surrounded by stay-at-home moms, hairdressers, secretaries, and hygienists. Not that there was anything wrong with those professions; it was just that they all had one thing in common. They were the popular kids, and she was still a geek.

“Yeah, sure, I guess.” Kailey pasted on her perkiest smile and hoped she didn’t look like a lunatic as she followed Heather over to the umbrella-shaded tables where the girls sat sipping colorful drinks.

“Ladies, all y’all remember Kailey, don’t you? She was our valedictorian, and she was a mean volleyball player. Kailey, this is Becca, Heather—we still call her Bunny so we don’t get mixed up—Veronica, Marissa, Caitlyn, Georgia, Sarah Beth, and Lori—oh, and that’s Jennifer chasing Bullet down the beach. She’ll be back later.”

Heather M rattled off a bunch of names of which Kailey only knew three—Heather, the one they’d called Bunny back in the day; Marissa Carpenter who had been in most of her classes, and Sarah Beth Lawrence who’d lived down the street from her. She and Trig had ridden the same bus as Kailey throughout elementary and middle school. In high school, it had just been Kailey on the bus.

“Hi, everyone. It’s nice to see you all again.” She hoped she sounded confident and collected. She hoped she wasn’t using her teacher voice. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all, Kailey,” Georgia Sutherland replied, her accent thick and sweet with the South Alabama upper-class twang. Georgia was Junior League/Dr.’s wife/volunteer material if she was anything. “We were just talking about you.”

“Be nice, Georgia. It’s not her fault Trigger is so yummy. She’s not stupid. Get him while he’s still hot, sugar, and don’t apologize. But Bullet, honey, Bullet you have to watch out for. He plays dirty. Of course, Jen will likely scratch your eyes out if you mess with him,” Sarah Beth said in her mommy voice, but her eyes were veiled. “It’s nice to see you again, Kailey. Your mom tells me you’re a doctor now, up there in one of those Yankee states.”

“I have a doctorate, yes, but I’m not a medical doctor. I’m a professor of archaeology.” Kailey took the chair so recently vacated by Jennifer, which reminded her … “Who’s Bullet? I can’t remember anyone by that name.”

“That guy on the beach with Trig. You saw him, right? You spoke to him?” Georgia sounded exasperated, as if she were the stupidest thing in shoe leather. “Robert Brady—everybody calls him Bullet. He’s famous, plays for the Broncos.”

“Oh.” She was still drawing a blank. “Did he arrive in a limo?”

“Yeah, this morning.” Heather M flagged down a passing waiter. “We were all surprised when he walked in; no one expected him, you see. Since then, he and Trigger have been thick as thieves.”

“Trigger and Bullet, you can’t have one without the other. They go together like coke and rum. Speaking of which, I’ll have another,” Bunny drawled, glancing up at the waiter. “What would you like to drink, Kailey?”

“Uh, well, rum sounds good. How about a daiquiri? Strawberry will be fine.” Kailey watched the women as they primped and preened for the waiter, who winked at her. He was the drop-dead gorgeous bartender from the previous night, the one who preferred guys like Trig and Bullet to women like them.

“I see you caught the hottie after all,” he whispered in her ear, making her blush. “And by the way, thanks for the tip.”

“You’re welcome,” she whispered back, still blushing when he left to fetch their drinks.

“Kailey, you little tramp, look at you go,” Sarah Beth said, a genuine smile tilting her pretty blue eyes up at the corner. “You should have hung around more with us back in the day.”

I wasn’t invited
, she couldn’t help thinking, but she wouldn’t say so aloud. She knew the score. They were just sizing her up because she’d slept with Trig. The question first and foremost on her mind was which one would be the one to go for her throat in the end?

“That would have been nice.”

“Hey, ladies, mind if I join you?” Six-foot-two, eyes-of-blue. Damn, he was probably taller than six-two and his eyes definitely were blue. Crystal blue and dangerous. He looked her up and down before he sat down between Georgia and Bunny, draping a pair of long muscular arms over both their shoulders. “Little Kailey Whitmore—look at you, all grown up and stunning. No wonder my boy Trigger is out of sorts this morning.”

“Now, I remember you. You were in my math classes, you and Trig, but I thought your name was Bobby or something like that.” Kailey took her drink from the waiter slash bartender who nearly dropped it on her. He was staring at Bullet so hard, his face had gone so white one would think it was the second coming or something.

“Yeah, good old Bobby Brady, that’s me, was me. Now I go by Robert, Rob, or Bullet. I prefer Bullet.” Bullet grinned lazily at her, oblivious to the waiter staring at him as if he wanted him for supper. “Hey, buddy, could you bring me a beer, something cold? I don’t care what.”

“Yeah, sure thing, Mr. Bullet, sir.” He disappeared quickly, returning with a frosted glass faster than she could even blink.

“Okay, Rob.” She had no idea why the girls were laughing, one humming the theme to some old TV show that was older than they were. “Could you tell me what a bronco is, besides a horse?”

“Oh God, Kailey, come on. You are kidding, right?” Heather M looked embarrassed for her.

“No, I’m not sure what type of work a bronco is. I’ve never heard of it.” Damn, she had never felt more stupid in her life than right at that moment.

“He’s a football player for the Denver Broncos, Kai.” Trig came up behind her, his eyes taking in the group, especially Bullet, who was grinning like a fool. “He was drafted right out of college, makes five million dollars a year, and thinks he’s God’s gift to women. He’s also sizing you up for the kill.”

“Six million. The Saints offered me six million, and I took it. I’m coming home, babies, back to the coast where I belong, and I’m getting season tickets for all of you.” All of the girls screamed, one covered him in kisses. Only Kailey and Trig sat there looking something less than ecstatic.

“The Saints are the New Orleans team, Kai. They won the Super Bowl last year,” Trig explained to her, his eyes still on Bullet. There was an accusation in them. “You told me you were traded, Bullet. Why did you lie?”

“Traded, free agent, what does it matter. I hated being all the way up there in Denver. I wanted to come home, to be near my family and friends.” Something strange swept across Bullet’s eyes, his voice serious for the first time since he’d sat down. “Aren’t you happy we’re going to be neighbors again?”

“Yeah, Bullet, I’m happy,” Trig said, though Kailey didn’t hear a bit of happiness in his voice. Something wasn’t right here, something she wasn’t sure she wanted to have anything to do with.

“Oh come on, Trigger—you and Bullet back together after all these years. How can you not be thrilled?” Sarah Beth said. She must have seen Trig tense up as well.

“Trig, Sarah Beth. I’m not Trigger anymore.” Trig sat down next to Kailey, his arm grazing hers. Electricity and longing shot along every nerve ending, and she decided she didn’t much care for the superficial conversation after all.

“You’ll always be Trigger, Trig. You need to get over yourself.” Bullet looked from Trig to her; his eyes were almost predatory when he smiled at her, and she shivered. Now was definitely the time to leave.

“I need to get over myself! Look who’s talking.” Trig bristled beside her. Yes, definitely time to go before things turned ugly.

“Trig, Rob, ah, Heather, Bunny, Sarah Beth, everyone, thank you for letting me rest for awhile, but if y’all don’t mind I’m going to go inside. I’m not used to this much sun,” she said into the tense silence, standing and taking her drink with her. She escaped to the cool interior of the hotel with no idea what to do with herself for the next couple of hours, but damned if she wanted to pretend she knew what was going on with people she didn’t remember.

“Where were you this morning?” Trig caught up with her, taking her arm before she managed to get too far inside the hotel. His hand was warm on her skin, and she trembled despite herself. “I looked all over for you.”

“I’m sorry. I had an appointment in the city. I couldn’t stay.” Though she wished she had. She wanted more than just a few hours with Trig Morgan.

“Oh.” He looked defeated for a moment, and somewhat flustered, much as he had been when he first approached her at the bar last night. Almost as if he were unsure of himself. Almost as if he were shy. “Hey, about all that out there. Don’t mind them. They’re just trying to one-up each other.”

“It looks like your friend Bullet has the upper hand over everybody. Six million a year, that’s impressive. That should buy him a lot of friends.” She wandered over to the indoor pool, which was thankfully deserted. “I think I’m going to take a swim, Trig. Would you like to join me?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She could hear the hesitancy leave his voice. His face lit up with a smile that had her gasping for breath. She set her drink down on a table near the pool edge and reached for the knot that held her peach silk sarong. She untied it, feeling his eyes on her body. She wished that they weren’t in such a public place, because she really wanted to slip out of her suit while he watched.

*

“Damn, Kai, you have a beautiful body.” He watched her stand there in a white one-piece suit that showed very little skin but left nothing to the imagination. Her hips were round, her waist small. What little cleavage that showed was tan and firm. Her nipples grew hard and sharp against the material while he watched.

“Thank you, Trigger.” She smiled brightly just before she dove in, leaving him standing there hard and horny and stunned by the desire that nearly overwhelmed him when she was around. “Are you coming in?”

“Right behind you.” He kicked off his flip-flops, dropped his T-shirt on the chair with her skirt, and dove in, surfacing right in front of her.

“Hi.” She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her body close to his, her lips only inches from his, her hair slicked back, her eyelashes spiky. Damn, she was a beautiful woman. He wanted her for more than just a weekend romp. He could happily spend the rest of his life with this woman wrapped around him, and he didn’t know one damned thing about her.

“Hi yourself.” He touched his lips to hers. “I missed you this morning.”

“You said that already.”

Her tongue was pink and warm; she flicked the tip of his nose before moving back to his lips.

“Yeah, right. You said you had an appointment in the city. Nothing serious, I hope.” He naturally assumed a doctor’s appointment. “I mean you look and feel pretty healthy to me. Trust me—I know what I’m talking about.”