Blade

Chapter 34: An unexpected companion

Sienna

I stare at my reflection in the mirror, tracing the curve of my body in the one-piece swimsuit. I can already picture Blade's reaction when he sees me. He's going to lose his mind. My thoughts drift to what he might do to me with just his mouth, and heat rises in my chest. Yesterday's experience was incredible. Just replaying the moment in my head makes me ache with desire.

Shaking off the lingering thoughts, I slip on my robe and take a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in my stomach. When I turn, Cam is still standing by the bed in her sundress, staring down at the swimsuits spread out across the sheets. She picks one up, inspects it, and then tosses it to the floor with a frown.

"You really need to pick one, Cam," I mutter, bending to retrieve the swimsuit she rejected.

"I know, but... they are all so pretty. It's hard to choose, you know?" she grumbles, frowning as she glances at the swimsuits. She picks one up, studies it thoughtfully, then sets it back down when it fails to catch her interest.

"Relax, Cam. It's just a brief hangout by the pool. There's nothing to get worked up about." I shrug and flop onto her bed, crossing one leg over the other. I raise an eyebrow at her when she freezes and shoots me a shocked look.

"Are you crazy, Sienna? There are going to be a few people there. Aren't you nervous at all?" She studies my expression with a puzzled frown before turning her attention back to the swimsuits.

I'm always the nervous one between us, but being around people—some of Blade's business associates that were invited to his mansion for a mini pool party—doesn't actually make me anxious. It's kind of surprising.

My nerves are just lying in wait for the perfect moment to turn me into a complete mess.

"Not really, Cam, but everything is going to be fine. Unless, of course, you have another reason for being nervous?" I run my fingers along the lace of the swimsuit, smirking as a blush creeps up her cheeks. "Come on, spill it."

"Fine," she says with a huff, sitting down next to me. She tucks her brown curls behind her ears, takes a deep breath, and fidgets with her fingers. "There's this guy I kind of like. His name is Lucas. We met at an art gallery in San Francisco. He told me about the pieces he was interested in while I listened, and since then, we've grown close. We went on a few dates, hooked up a handful of times, and even took a trip together for my birthday, but we never really defined what we were. I like him a lot, but I'm not sure how he feels about me. I want to figure things out before it goes too far."

I swing my arm around her shoulders and pull her close, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. "Like I said before, you need to relax. I can't be sure how he'll react, but just know that I'm here for you. It might not be ideal, but if he says otherwise, just get drunk and have fun. If we can, we'll ask Blade to take us to the club downtown and let loose."

She chuckles softly and rests her head on my shoulder, her hair brushing my neck. "Thanks, Sienna. You remember how last time ended, right?"

I groan, rolling my eyes. "Please don't remind me." I playfully punch her arm, making her laugh as she falls back onto the bed.

"Come on, pick something and let's go." I nudge her thigh with mine, feeling her sigh against me. After a moment, she finally settles on an outfit, and within minutes, she's ready.