Eve calls out, “You guys coming or what?”

Lauren paddles away, ahead of me, cursing under her breath.

Shit.

Back on the boat, Vincent pulls out our lunches, packed by the hotel. Mine is a crusty baguette filled with ham, cheese, and honey. Lauren seems to have taken one with vegetables and cheese.

“Vincent, you were right on this one.” I take a huge bite while the sun beats down over my shoulders. “Bringing food from the hotel was a total win.”

We’re sitting on the couch beds in the front of the boat while the girls scroll through their phones, showing each other some more clothes. Finally, Lauren opens her sandwich, picking out the vegetables inside like a bird might do.

“You have something against bread?” I open another beer. My third.

“Um, of course I do.” She shrugs, munching on a slice of cucumber. “My body doesn’t process grain.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that bread makes her fat.” Eve laughs, and Lauren grabs a small white pillow, hitting her in the shoulder.

“People are hungry in the world, Lauren. You shouldn’t waste.”

I’m back to acting like a dick, but I need to stop my feelings. She yelled at me a few minutes ago, and it only makes me want her more. Her strength and confidence are a turn-on like nothing else. I’m protective of her. I want her, but I can’t have her. And that makes me mad.

“Seriously, that makes no sense. Regardless of whether or not I eat this bread, children are still hungry.”

Vincent takes another bite of his sandwich, staring at me a little too closely. “What the fuck does it matter to you if she eats the damn bread?”

“Yeah, Slade. What does it matter?” Lauren parrots, picking up a sliced tomato and placing it in her mouth.

She’s … taunting me.

I take another drink. “You’re wasteful. There are people around you who are unfortunate, but you couldn’t be bothered. Girls like you are selfish, sitting on an expensive boat, barely touching the fresh food prepared for you by a chef, and shopping, for fuck’s sake.”

Her face guts from my insult. I’m branding her as a materialistic and selfish bitch with my comment. It’s fucked up, and it’s mean. Most of all, it’s untrue. But I need to create distance, and I don’t know how else to keep her away. It’s a sick attempt at short-circuiting the electricity I feel for her.

“I can’t stand you,” she spits out.

“All right, you guys. Let’s all relax.” Eve comes over, placing her tiny self in Vincent’s lap before whispering, “I hope this is your version of flirting, Slade. Because you’re being an absolute asshole. Lauren doesn’t deserve the way you spoke to her.”

I take my food and walk to the back of the boat, uninterested in hearing shit from Eve. Vincent’s glare reaches me, but I pretend not to notice. Lauren leans against the front, seemingly watching the water. I want to force her to turn her body, so I can watch her face and not her back. I hate her hiding from me.