Taking Chances by Ann Omasta (books for 7th graders .txt) 📕
Read free book «Taking Chances by Ann Omasta (books for 7th graders .txt) 📕» - read online or download for free at americanlibrarybooks.com
- Author: Ann Omasta
- Performer: -
Read book online «Taking Chances by Ann Omasta (books for 7th graders .txt) 📕». Author - Ann Omasta
“Are you a waiter now?” Jessie teased her brother.
Sam shrugged a shoulder. “She likes to be pampered, and I humor her.”
The hair on my arms was already prickling from being this close to him, so when his elbow brushed lightly against mine, I almost jumped out of my skin. Did I hate him so much that he literally made my skin crawl? I wondered. It didn’t feel like hatred, though. As much as I wanted to dislike him, I knew that deep down, I didn’t. It must just be confusion because he looks so similar to Seth, I decided. I refused to think about the fact that I didn’t have this strong of a physical reaction when Seth was nearby.
“I’ll go rescue Seth from kid patrol, so he can spend some time with you,” Jessie said to me as she left for the playset.
Sam turned and my skin heated as his eyes bored into me. With every pore, I could feel how close he was. “Alone at last.” He grinned and raised his eyebrows at me. “Did you tell Seth about us yet?”
“I didn’t feel it was important enough to mention,” I lied.
“Or too important to mention,” he guessed correctly.
He was so cocky and infuriating. I willed my body not to react to him, even as I could feel my barely-covered nipples puckering as if they were reaching out to him.
His eyes travelled slowly down to my breasts and lingered there. I prayed that my erect nipples weren’t visible through the top of my dress.
Seth walked up to us, saving me from Sam’s intense gaze. He casually put his arm around me, completely unaware of the tension vibrating between his brother and me. “Hi, Gorgeous,” he said giving me a quick peck on the cheek. I smiled at Seth, glad for the distraction from Sam.
All three of us had our attention diverted when the long-legged beauty arose from her sunbathing chair. I couldn’t blame the boys for gawking because I couldn’t look away either as she stretched her gorgeous, lean body. She was a vision with her long, golden hair; perfect, pouty lips; and lovely, tan legs peeking out of her barely-there sarong. Her voluptuous, perky breasts were covered by the tiniest red triangles that I had ever seen claim to be a bikini top.
As she walked towards us, all three of us were openly staring. She must have been used to such attention because she didn’t seem to notice as she placed an arm possessively on Sam and whined, “When will the servants bring the food? I’m starving.” I cringed inwardly at her condescending choice of the word ‘servants.’
“Soon, Baby.” He soothed her with a kiss on the cheek then introduced us to Jenni. I tried to ignore the twinge of jealousy in my gut by telling myself silently that I was just envious of her astounding good looks.
Jessie rejoined us, indicating that Grandpa had taken Katie for a walk down to the pier. She greeted Jenni with an obvious lack of enthusiasm, and I was surprised by her near-rudeness.
The surprise wore off when Jenni spoke next. She turned to Seth and told him that he was just as handsome as ‘her Sam.’ He smiled politely, but didn’t respond. Unfazed, she continued. “I’ve never been with twins before, but I have enough holes to entertain you both. You would never forget the experience.”
I was completely astounded. I had never heard anyone say anything so outrageous, especially to someone she had just met. I was also a little hurt that she would say this right in front of me, as if I didn’t even exist. I did feel invisible next to her radiant beauty, but there was no reason for her to openly come on to Seth with me standing right there.
The three siblings all looked as taken aback by the brash statement as I felt. Jenni giggled, then added, “Another time, then. Come on, Babe,” she said to Sam. “Let’s go crack the whip on this incompetent wait staff.”
“That will be the end of her.” Jessie shook her head after they walked away. “Did you see the look on Sam’s face? I’m surprised he didn’t ask her to leave right then.”
Seth said, “I can’t escape the mental image of being with her while my brother fills another of her holes.” He gave an exaggerated shiver of disgust. It was just the comic relief we needed, and the three of us started laughing uncontrollably.
The brunch was going well after our hysterics calmed down from Jenni’s scandalous and outlandish comment. She and Sam were seated at the far end of the table from Seth and me, so I pointedly ignored them. I was a firm believer that women need to stick together, but this chick had seriously crossed the line.
The conversation became boisterous as Seth and Sam got into a competition of one-upmanship. For each story that Seth told, Sam told one that was a little bigger and better. They both looked so handsome as they tried to top each other with their tall tales. We all laughed as the tone of the game switched and they started telling stories on each other.
We heard about the time in high school when Sam yanked down Seth’s shorts and shoved him in the girls’ locker room. “Joke was on you,” Seth taunted him, “because seeing me naked is just like seeing you naked.” I shifted in my chair, trying not to think about that.
“It must not be exactly the same, or I wouldn’t bag all of the hottest babes,” Sam quipped, making Jenni preen. His mother inhaled a sharp breath, shocked by his words. “With the exception of one, apparently.” He turned and looked directly at me. I could feel my cheeks burning red as the whole group turned their eyes towards me.
Seth narrowed his eyes, clearly not liking where his brother had taken things. “No matter what you win, you’ll never be older.”
“You always make sure it comes back to that, don’t you?” Sam sat back in his chair looking annoyed that Seth had brought up their miniscule age difference.
“Boys.” Their father’s deep voice made the simple word a warning.
Seth lightened the mood by saying, “No, what it comes back to is that you saved my life, and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.” He held up his glass and said sincerely, “Here’s to Sam, my hero.”
“Here, here.” The group clinked glasses and the merriment of the day resumed, but my eyes were drawn to Sam. His gorgeous, green eyes had taken on a dark look, and I wondered why. He caught me looking and raised his glass towards me, but his smile didn’t reach his haunted eyes.
After eating more fantastic food than I remember ever ingesting in any three full days, I excused myself from the table to go find the bathroom. The pool house was larger than most people’s homes, so once I was finished in the powder room, I decided to have a look around. The décor was island-y and comfortable with a plethora of wicker and Bahamian artwork. It was the kind of place where you could plop down with a good book and take a nap.
I was studying a family portrait from when the boys were toddlers, when I felt him come in. It was so strange how my senses of sight and hearing took a backseat to some sixth sense of heightened awareness where Sam was concerned.
He looked so handsome standing in the tall archway of the entrance. Just like Seth, I reminded myself, annoyed that I was so drawn to Sam. I couldn’t make myself stop looking at him as he sauntered over. “Can you tell us apart?” he asked, leaning over me. I could feel his hot breath on my ear, and it made me tingly.
“You’re the one on the left,” I responded confidently. My voice sounded remarkably calm, considering the visceral reaction my body was experiencing from having him so near.
“Impressive.” He seemed surprised that I had been able to determine which one he was in the photograph. “Or was it just a lucky guess?”
“I knew it was you.” I didn’t offer further explanation.
“We confused caretakers and teachers for years. Hell, half the time our family couldn’t tell us apart. So, Miss Brown, do tell how you were able to know me from my brother.”
I pointed to his face in the photo. “It’s something about your smile. You have a slightly crooked grin. Seth’s is perfectly straight.”
“Oh, I should have known you’d find a physical flaw in me that perfect Seth, my identical twin doesn’t share.”
“It’s not a flaw, necessarily. Some people might find a slightly crooked smile to be attractive,” I told him honestly.
“Do you find it attractive?” He grinned at me.
“There it is now.” I pointed at his mouth, trying to avoid answering his question.
Comments (0)