Red Nova

Chapter Six - You show me yours, I'll show you mine?

I was too busy literally sniffing the man to notice he was heading straight for the pool. How deep is this pool? My feet don't even reach the bottom yet when Roman hands wrap around me pulling me up. Too focused on trying not to inhale pool water, my legs instinctively wrap around his waist. Hm ...firm. Like a tree- ew.

Surfacing, we both get shot in the shoulder by ... Fucking Hayes. I'm gonna kill him. "Guess we lost Shortcake," Roman says with a shrug, his wet hair falling on his forehead. I would rip him a new one if his hands weren't squeezing my ass and distracting me. "I know a game we can play where we both win." His hot breath fans my face as he whispers, mint and chocolate.

Before I can respond Noelia is jumping in the pool, and yelling something about playing chicken? I have no clue, I'm frozen with thoughts that shouldn't be, dancing around my brain. Collecting myself I push off of Roman and tug my cardigan off my shoulders. Wool is heavy when wet, noted.

In a matter of seconds, I'm lifted up by Roman on his shoulders as he surfaces from beneath me. "You're on Matinez." Boom, switch flipped and now I'm in competitive mode. Taking my pointer finger and my middle finger I gesture between my eyes and hers. I'm coming for you. With Roman's hands wrapped tightly around my thighs, I'm ready for the fight.

When it comes to Noelia and I, we get competitive. Neither of us grew up with close siblings or a sister, so we get to start over as if we were blood sisters and experience all the same things, including competitiveness. Fortunately unlike real sisters, we leave out competing over boys or successes. But chicken fights? She's going down.

"Bring it on, Evangeline Athena Love." Oh, it's serious serious. I see. Leaning down to Roman I whisper, "Here's the plan, I focus on Martinez and you try and distract Lee, got it." Looking up at me through his lashes, he squeezes my thighs in approval, fuck this man is beautiful.

Looking around the crowd that has now formed around our fight to the death I spot Beau. Pointing at him, Beau points to himself in reassurance and looks behind him acting as if he couldn't possibly be involved, stupid. "Beau, you're referee, count us down!" With a sigh, Beau moves to the front of the crowd, "Listen, if anyone gets hurt, I was never here." Oh I found the Dad who was running the BBQ alright.

"Yes, Dad!" Noelia and I call out in unison. "On the count of three," Beau calls while reaching to Hayes, who automatically hands him his shirt. That poor boy is trained for God's shake. "Three," Shirt is raised, "Two... One". The flag is waved.

In a blur of splashing and laughing, and I think Roman tripping Chase, shrug, Noelia and Chase go down with a shriek. Bouncing slightly on Roman's shoulders I notice Beau filming and cheering so I flash him a toothy smile and pop out my 'guns' kissing each arm. Roman flips me around and brings me down to his waist with a genuine smile, "See, I told you I knew a game where we could both win," Okay, that one was funny. "Shut up" I say in between giggles when Noelia jumps up dragging me away.

"This isn't over Love!" She yells as I hop out of the pool running towards the house with her hot on my tail. When we reach the main floor bathroom I used my first day here, we stubble in together laughing and closing the door behind us.

"Here," she says, throwing me a towel. "Thanks" I say while shaking my hair in it like a wet dog. "Hey, Evan?" Noelia asks as I stand up, woah, dizzy. "Yeah," I mutter, collecting myself and sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Did you notice that, well, with Roman you didn't even hesitate or protest when he picked you up?"Oh. I guess not. I guess I felt safe when physically in his arms. I mean it's contradicting to my conscious that is always telling me otherwise when we speak but it just felt, different?