Out of Ink

Chapter7

Feeling relaxed, Zack floated around the pool on a giant inflatable pineapple. Sunglasses on, eyes closed, and hands folded behind his head. Emmett was splashing around, playing with an inflatable basketball hoop. Suddenly, a wave of water washed over the side of the pineapple, soaking Zack. He opened his eyes and instantly saw Emmett’s best pouting puppy dog impression. “I’m bored.” He complained. “Play with me?”

“No.” Zack said. “I’m sleeping.” He and Emmett had been running around, splashing and jumping into the pool for ages. They’d even engaged in a pretty competitive water pistol shoot out. “Go grab the swan and join me.” Emmett made a face at the giant inflatable white swan.

“Nah, too girly.” He announced. “Do you have an inflatable gorilla or something?” Zack put his hand in the water and used it to splash him.

“We should have let Serina and her friend come with us.” Zack said. “You could have annoyed them instead.”

“Sydney’s kind of cool. But Serina? No way. She’d probably just be curled up over there with her nose glued in a book.” He nodded at the lounge chairs by the side of the pool.

“Speaking of books. Do you know what kind of stuff Serina’s reading?” His tone let on that he knew something Emmett didn’t.

“Some romantic girly crap probably.” Emmett shrugged.

“Dude, the thing’s practically porn.” Emmett pulled a face.

“Eww gross. I don’t want to think about my sister and sexy stuff at the same time. But if that’s the kind of thing she’s been reading, then she needs to get herself laid.” Some part of Zack found itself agreeing with Emmett. And volunteering to do the job itself.

“Does she even have a boyfriend?” He found himself asking.

“Not that I know of. But then who’d put up with her?” He eyed Zack suspiciously. “Why?” He asked.

“Hey, you’re the one who said she needed to get laid.”

“But not by you right?”

“Obviously not by me.” Zack scoffed. No, not by him. Emmett was his best friend, and if he didn’t want Zack boning his sister, then he wouldn’t. He’d just have to ignore the strange attraction he’d been felling towards her lately. Although it wasn’t just recently was it? If he were honest, there had been something about Serina that had been turning his head for a while now.

“Good.” Emmett shuddered. “Because that would be like my sister doing it with my brother.” And on that lovely note, Zack changed the subject.

“You know dad said I could have a party while they were away. How about a pool party?” He asked. Emmett’s face lit up with a huge grin.

“Hell yeah!”

Eventually the boys had to get out of the pool and head back to Emmett’s house. They stopped to get burgers and chips on the way. It was getting late and everyone else had likely already had dinner. In fact, Emmett’s parents were already in bed. Sam had to be up at four thirty for her shift at the hospital and Patrick had pulled a back muscle while trying to get out of a sand trap. So, he had taken some ibuprofen and headed to bed early. Serina was sprawled on the lounge watching a movie. It looked like a period drama, but with zombies. It oddly suited her, Zack thought. She completely ignored the boys when they came in. “I’m just going to run my stuff upstairs.” Zack told Emmett. He’d be staying in the guest room, since two weeks was a long time to share a bed with another guy. Sam had texted Emmett to let him know she’d made up the bed. It normally didn’t have sheets on it. Just a bunch of stuff the family had dumped there. Mostly clean sheets, towels and blankets that no one had gotten around to folding yet. When he got upstairs, Zack saw that she had folded and put away everything before making the bed up for him. He reminded himself to thank her in the morning. When he got back downstairs, Zack couldn’t see his friend in the kitchen. “Where’s Emmett?” He asked Serina.

“Don’t know.” Her voice came over the back of the lounge. He couldn’t see her from where he was standing by the sink. Grabbing his chips he walked over to her and leaned over the back of the lounge.

“Hey.” He said softly. He wasn’t sure where Emmett was and didn’t want his friend to overhear their conversation. “I’m sorry about all that stuff earlier.” He held a chip out as a peace offering. She took it, but didn't say anything. Serina just looked at him, making full eye contact and waiting for him to continue. "I shouldn't have been in your room. And I shouldn't have read your book. I was just curious." He said.

"Why were you in there?" She asked.

"I was looking for your phone charger."

"So, when I busted you snooping, you were actually there to steal my charger?" She didn't look very impressed with him.

"Not steal, just borrow. But yeah." He gave her a goofy, yet charming smile that made something in her belly flip flop. Not good. She though. She ate the chip he'd given her, delaying her reply.

"Don’t do it again." Zack felt an odd sense of relief at her answer. It looked like he was going to let him off the hook. Smiling again, he offered her another chip. She took it too.

"I promise." He told her. Serina didn't say anything. She just went back to watching her movie. The zombies were trying to eat some chick in a fancy dress. He went to straighten up off the back of the lounge went a sudden impish urge overtook him. Her head was right there. With a puckish grin, he dipped his head and placed a quick kiss on the top of her blonde head. She reacted like he'd just bit her, ducking away quickly and swinging her arm at him. Laughing, Zack lunged away from the back of the lounge, narrowly avoiding her strike.

"What the hell?" She demanded. Zack only chuckled at the angry look she was shooting him.

"What are you guys doing?" Emmett asked, coming in just in time to see an empty sprite can bounce off his best friend’s shoulder. Serina had thrown it at him. Still laughing, Zack picked the can up off the floor and tossed it in the correct bin.

"Nothing." He told Emmett. "Just teasing your sister."

"Just teasing your sister." Zack’s words repeatedly intruded into Serina’s thoughts as she lay in bed later that night. Teasing. Thats all he'd been doing. So then why did her lower belly do a small warm roll every time she thought about it? She groaned softly to herself. For a second there, she'd actually believed he was sorry for being in her room and looking through her things. Sorry he got caught more like. Then he went and did that. Her belly rolled again. Ugh!. Zack was an ass.