Between Us (18+)

38| Sweet Temptations*

***\HOLLIE'S P.O.V/***

We had left the hotel and were walking towards our Uber when Ethan slung his arm around my bare shoulders, "So you really thought that you were going to be eaten by a shark only a couple metres out?" I recognised that smug, amused tone and internally groaned. He knows.

I elbowed his side, "Hey! Some people do get attacked by sharks when they are still in shallow water." I tried to defend myself but both boys were cracking up over it. I shot an annoyed look over at Josh who I specifically told not to tell Ethan when admitting what had happened out in the water.

I knew Ethan was never going to drop this.

After the boys had left me out in the water I had mistaken a sharp coral reef for the tooth of a shark. After letting out quite a high pitched scream, I realised my mistake and tried to get past the embarrassment. However the attractive, blonde lifeguard had seen me causing quite the commotion and decided to save me from said 'sharp coral'. After swimming out to me and blowing on his small red whistle, I then had to go through the mortifying experience of explaining why I had screamed and flapped like a woman possessed.

"Don't look at me like that, you should've known better than to expect me not to tell Ethan." Josh held open the side door to the Uber for me to climb in.

"I don't know why you're both making fun of me, I'm the one who got his number afterwards." I smirked at Ethan and slid inside the car. After swimming back to the shore with lifeguard 'Nathaniel' he had given me his number and told me to call him. There was no way I would call him but still, it was funny to watch both boys getting protective. Plus it gave my subconscious a mental high five, I've still got it.

"I'll make it up to you later." Josh whispered against my ear before stepping back to slam the car door shut. I held on to his words until we got inside the club, Sweet Temptations, where we met up with Michael and a blonde girl outside the doors. We ordered several rounds of drinks before settling down at a booth situated at the edge of the club.

"Ethan and his endless stream of meetings," I mumbled to Michael in response to his remark about our ridiculously oversized hotel suites at the hotel. "Ethan needs about twenty floor length mirrors to sort out his hair."

Michael tilted back his head in a laugh and looked impressed. "You know twilight?"

"Sure." I sipped my drink, making a face at the strong liquor.

"Ethan thinks he's Edward Cullen," Michael explained with a smile. "Aside from that pesky bad habit of drinking blood and slicing up innocent humans." I got the reference with his hair.

"Well," I said carefully, watching his expression, "nobody's perfect."

His large smile rewarded me, and then he laughed aloud. "Hey Ethan, I like your friend."

"You're not the only one mate." Josh placed a hard hand on Michael's shoulder from behind as he made his way over to us, a glass beer bottle suspended in his free right hand. I turned to face the voice and caught eyes with Josh, the unmissable flicker of mischief evident in his gaze.

"To drinking blood and brutal murders," he said in a sarcastic tone with a lift of his beer.

We toasted his words with a communal laugh. We drank. We talked, though much of what we said had to be shouted over the loud house music. I finally relaxed, letting the alcohol and music loosen my tense frame from the photoshoot with Damion earlier.

"I'm out," lifting my empty glass, I made a show of getting up from my place and heading over to the bar, "This round is on me."

"Thanks babe, don't be too long," Michael joked from his place, he soon received a sharp hit to the chest from the girl beside him, who I assumed was his girlfriend.