Silverwood Academy Book 1 Read online

  I pulled my red pumps off to walk through the sand and up the pier, stopping at the very end where the small building stood, turning to look at Sterling, who paused in front of the building, watching me curiously. I shrugged out of his jacket, handing it back to him. “Thanks,” I told him, smiling.

  He took the jacket. “You’re welcome.” His voice was husky as he smiled back at me, his dimples on full display, making my heart patter even though I had told myself I wasn’t going to let myself feel that way about him.

  Turning around, I walked along the pier, standing in front of the bungalow, pushing the key into the lock, hearing it click, and opened the large sliding doors, pulling the curtains aside. I gasped, my eyes widening as my heart stopped for a moment as I took it all in.

  A wooden oval table sat slightly off centre in the room, three chairs sitting around it, looking out towards the back deck, a cream rug sat underneath it. A three-seater lounge facing the open pocket doors so you could see out into the beautiful lagoon and the deck, in front of the couch was a small glass rectangle cut-out in floor that you could see into the water from, fish swam beneath weaving in and out of the coral.

  On the deck was a large cream rattan day bed that faced the lagoon, a small table sat beside it, to the left of the daybed was a spa built into the deck, to the right the deck kicked out and underneath a gazebo, with a grass and rattan roof, was a table and some chairs, off of that was another small gazebo and a small ladder that led out to the lagoon.

  Walking through the open double doors on the left side of the room, a single armchair sat in the corner of the room in front of open pocket doors that led out to the deck and out to the lounge. A large queen size bed stood in the centre of the far wall, looking out over the lagoon, the bed had white linen. Another of the small rectangle glass cut-out panels sat on the floor at the end of the bed so you could look straight into the water at more coral and fish swimming below you.

  A small door led into the bathroom, with a double vanity and oval shaped sinks set into it, drawers underneath, a free standing shower with no screen sat in front of a large curved bath with a window next to it so you could see out the at the lagoon.

  The bedroom had all three of my suitcases in it, I pulled everything out, placing them in the closets provided, hanging my dresses up, lining my shoes up beneath the dresses, and co-ord sets I brought with me. I changed out of my jean shorts and crop top, pulling on a white bikini set. The top was a push-up bikini top, the bottoms were a Brazilian cut, so they exposed some of my ass. I applied sunscreen, smothering myself in it, rubbing it in, even on the parts of my ass that weren’t covered.

  Walking out of the bungalow, and onto the deck, sunglasses perched on top of my head as my hair hung straight around the top of my hips, I looked out along the water, smiling. A feeling of overwhelming happiness set deep inside. Sterling stood out on the deck of his own bungalow, he turned, eyeing me from across the lagoon, his eyes trailed up and down my body, he licked his lips and his eyes glazed over.

  My heart raced, my palms grew sweaty and my mouth dried up as I looked him over from top to bottom. He stood shirtless, his abs and the v dipping below his low-riding boardshort, his biceps flexed as he leaned against the wooden railing, his hair was messy and windswept, making him look even sexier. I bit my lip.

  I shook my head to stop myself from falling into the trap of his gaze and the way he made me feel, I turned around, my back towards him as I stepped into the spa, turning the dial which turned the jets on, and sat beneath the water as it bubbled up around me.

  I pulled my hair up onto the deck to avoid getting it wet or sucked into a jet or filter, it pooled in a black mass. The sun beat down on my body, heating me from the inside out, the slight wind carrying the smell of the ocean over me, I tipped my head back, loving the way the sun heated my skin.

  I heard footsteps on the ladder to my bungalow, turning towards the sound as Sterling climbed up. Water covered his body, droplets fell from his hair, gliding down his body, his bulging biceps shone as the light reflected the water, droplets sliding down his muscular chest, down his abs and the “v” that travelled from his hips and below his shorts.

  My body stiffened, my head tilted to the side as I licked my lips, desire filling every part of my body as I imagined licking my way up his wet abs. His face broke out into a grin, noticing I was checking him out, and heat rose from my neck to my cheeks coating me in a pink blush. I shook off the feeling that washed over me and turned away from him, looking out across the water. No way was I risking looking at him straight on again.

  He slipped down into the bubbling water, watching me as I pretended like he wasn’t there. “Tash,” he implored. I turned towards him, his eyes were wide with sincerity, his brows furrowed. I was very aware of how our legs were touching in the small space, but I tried to ignore the electricity that it sent over my skin.

  I crossed my arms over my chest, raising my eyebrows, my mouth turned into a scowl, and eyes narrowed. “What?” I demanded, grinding my teeth.

  “I’m sorry,” he sighed, he ran his hand through his hair. “I know I’ve been shitty.”

  My eyebrows rose, and I scoffed. “Yeah, you have,” I told him, my voice layered with disdain. “You are kissing me one minute, telling me you can’t keep away from me and the next you are ice cold, pretending like I don’t exist!” I groaned, running my hand through my hair, rolling my eyes. “I’m sick of being played, Sterling. I’m done.”

  His eyes widened at my outburst. “I know,” he spoke softly, his voice thick with emotion.

  “I can’t do this Sterling,” I spoke, my voice betrayed me by breaking as I said his name.

  “Tash,” he begged. “I’m trying here.”

  I looked him in the eyes. “I don’t trust you anymore, so why bother?” His lips parted as he sucked in a deep breath, hurt flashing beneath in his eyes. “You don’t deserve me.”

  “Then let me prove you can trust me,” he spoke softly.

  Standing up, my waist at his eye level, he reached out as his hands landed on my waist, gently tugging me towards him, I pulled away, turning my back on him and stepped up onto the deck, walking away without looking back. A moment later I heard a splash as he jumped from the deck into the lagoon.

  Heading back along the pier and across the sand towards the pool. I knew I did the right thing, but my heart was telling me I didn’t. I rinsed the sand from my feet under a shower near the pool and slipped into the cool water. It was about ten in the morning now, and I was on vacation, so I swam to the bar. A shirtless guy with bronzed skin stood behind the bar, I pulled myself up onto one of the stools.

  “What can I get you?” he asked with a grin.

  “Something good,” I told him, grinning back.

  “Coming up,” he responded with a chuckle, turning around, he grabbed a tumbler and shaker, pouring drinks in it with skill. He’d toss the bottle around in the air, catching it, spinning it upside down with one hand and shake the contents of the drink into it. I recognised a few of the liquors: vodka, coconut rum, pineapple juice, limes and some bright blue liquid I didn’t know the name of. He poured the concoction into a cocktail glass, it was a beautiful green, he added a small triangular slice of pineapple and it turned slightly green where it hit the liquid. A cherry and tiny umbrella were added, he put the drink on the table, sliding it towards me. “A green drink for a beautiful green-eyed girl,” he told me flirtatiously.

  Grinning at him, I took a sip of the drink through the straw. My eyes widened in amazement as the liquid fell on my tongue, it was delicious. I could taste the coconut rum and it was very subtle, mixing in with pineapple and vodka, with a hint of lime. “This is amazing,” I commented.

  “Drinking already, little monster?” Oliver asked from behind me, wading up to me in the pool.

  “You know it Olly,” I stated, looking up at him smiling.

  His whole body glistened with water droplets. “Rum and coke,” he requested to the bart
ender.

  The bartender turned away to grab the rum and a glass, he added ice cubes to the glass, pouring the rum in and adding coke. He placed the glass down in front of Oliver who took the drink, taking a large sip.

  “Up for a game of volleyball later?” he questioned, raising his eyebrows.

  “You’re on,” I challenged, smirking.

  Oliver laughed, the sound deep and throaty. “I’ll come find you later.” He downed the rest of his drink and walked away from me, his muscly back flexed.

  I shook my head with a laugh, finishing my drink and put the empty cocktail glass on the bar. “Can I get another one?” I asked.

  “Sure thing,” the bartender said with a smile.

  I stepped off the stool and pulled myself up the side of the pool as I got out. A few moments later he passed me another of the green cocktails.

  Dancing away from the bar, swaying my hips to the music playing over the speakers, I headed over to one of the hammocks, lying down in it, trying not to spill my drink as it swung back and forth slightly. I pulled my sunglasses over my eyes, soaking in the sun, sipping on my drink with the tiny umbrella.

  “Of course, you’re drinking,” came Sterling’s rich, smooth voice with a laugh.

  Looking up at him from beneath my sunglasses, I took a long sip. “Obviously,” I told him. “I’m on break!” He chuckled, shaking his head as he walked away.

  I sat in the sun like that for a few hours, eventually hopping off the hammock and walked back to the bar, ordering another drink and asking for sunscreen. The bartender passed me some sunscreen and left my drink on the bar, and I started to reapply sunscreen on my arms, face, stomach, my chest and the tops of my breasts that were exposed to sunlight.

  A hand grabbed the bottle from me, I looked up to see Sterling put his drink down on the bar. “Turn around,” he demanded. I turned, pulling my inky black hair over my shoulder, with a firm hand he applied the sunscreen on my back, rubbing it in like he was giving me a massage, his hands were on my shoulders, slowly working their way down my back, rubbing small circles as he applied the sunscreen to just above the strap of my bikini bottoms, his hand lingered there, still rubbing small circles.

  Looking up at him over my shoulder, I squirted some sunscreen into my hand, lifting my leg on a bar stool, applying sunscreen up my legs and all the way up to my ass cheek. His hand didn’t move, but his eyes followed the movements of my hands as I did my other leg. “Are you done?” I asked, my voice breathy as my heart raced from his touch.

  He cleared his throat, moving his hand quickly. “Yeah.”

  “Thanks,” I told him, grabbing my drink from the table, turning around, my hair flicking out in a black halo as I sauntered away back to my hammock, pulling my sunglasses back over my eyes. Whatever was happening, was dangerous and I felt like I had been on the verge of flirting.

  Anna and Isaac came walking over. Anna wore a pink bathing suit with a matching pink cover which she left, undone so her long legs and toned torso was left on display. Isaac wore boardshorts, shirtless.

  It was the first time I’d seen them since getting here, they both glowed with happiness. “Hey!” Anna beamed, skipping up to me, sitting on a sun lounger.

  “Hey,” I responded, looking at her with a smirk. “Have fun?”

  She blushed, Isaac grinned at me. “Our bed is so soft!” he admitted. Anna smacked him playfully in the shoulder.

  “This place is amazing!” she exclaimed. “It’s so romantic!”

  Isaac grinned at me. “You chose a good destination,” he praised. “My sex life has never been better, and we only got here this morning!” He winked.

  Anna hid her face in her hands. I laughed, lightly kicking him from my hammock. “I’m glad you’re having fun,” I mocked sarcastically.

  My eyes automatically landed on Sterling, he was smirking over at me, my heart jumped around wildly in my chest. “This place is great,” I breathed, and before anyone could notice I turned back to Anna. “Up for a game of volleyball later? Us girls against Isaac and Oliver?”

  Anna nodded. “Definitely.”

  Isaac looked at us, his eyebrows slightly raised. “Maybe we should invite Sophia and Nic?” he asked. “To tell you the truth, Nic is crushing on her.”

  I squealed at the same time as Anna. Isaac looked at us with wide eyes and a look of shock mixed in with amusement. “We have to set them up!” I exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Anna’s hand. “I always thought they’d be cute together!”

  “Me too!” Anna squealed. Isaac roared with laughter, and Anna pouted at him, her eyes wide and pleadingly. “Will you help baby?”

  He groaned. “I can’t say no to you.”

  She grinned. “Okay, you go get Oliver and Nic! We’re going to get Sophia! Meet you in an hour at the volleyball net?”

  “Okay,” he replied, standing up and walking away, shaking his head.

  “Let’s go,” I told Anna, getting up before we raced back across the grounds towards the bungalows.

  Chapter 10:

  We ran to Sophia’s bungalow, knocking loudly on her door, she pulled the door open, raising her eyebrows, looking like she had been taking a nap. I pushed through into her bungalow. “Take this,” I handed her my half drank cocktail and she took it, looking at me questioningly. “Drink.” I pushed the glass to her mouth, and she gulped the rest down. “You have to get ready.”

  Anna nodded. “We’ve been challenged by the boys in a volleyball match.”

  Sophia sighed. “I don’t really feel up for that.”

  I groaned. “You have to!” I begged. “Nic’s going to be there!”

  “What about him?” she demanded, looking exasperated as she blew a breath.

  Looking at Anna, I pursed my lips. “I shouldn’t tell you this,” I spoke slowly to Sophia, “But Nic’s got a crush on you.”

  Sophia’s eyes widened and she gasped. “Oh. How do you know?”

  “Isaac told us,” Anna replied.

  “Yeah, so we have to get you looking hot!” I exclaimed.

  Sophia giggled and led us to her room. I rifled through her drawers until I found her swimsuits, she had mainly one pieces, prude, Anna curled Sophia’s hair as she did her own makeup in the mirror. I pulled out a yellow two-piece. “This!” I exclaimed. “This is it!” Turning around and handing it to, Sophia.

  She raised a brow sceptically. “Really?”

  “Definitely,” Anna answered, looking up from Sophia’s hair.

  When Sophia was all dolled up, and Anna had brushed Sophia’s curls loose with her fingers, we exited the room, closing the door so she could get dressed. When Sophia came out, I couldn’t help but grin, I spun her around and she laughed. “Hot,” I told her.

  “Nic won’t know what hit him,” Anna smirked.

  “Let’s go!” I told them.

  We raced along the beach to the volleyball net out the front of the seating area where the fire pit was, standing on the sand as the boy’s strolled up, shirtless and looking hot.

  “Let’s do this,” Oliver declared.

  Nic admired Sophia, and I couldn’t help but smile, hoping he’d ask her out. We moved to the volleyball net, us girls on one side and the boys on another. Oliver threw the ball up into the air, Isaac jumped up hitting it into the air, Nic jumped up and slammed it in our direction.

  I jumped up, pushing the ball up and towards Sophia, who hit the ball up and over to Anna. Anna jumped high in the air with a mean spike, the ball slammed into the ground. Point one for the girls. I grinned.

  The boys’ eyes widened, their mouths dropped open, looking back up at us in a challenge. I served the ball, Anna jumped up, hitting the ball back to Sophia who jumped up and hit the ball, sending it flying over the net. Oliver jumped up blocking the ball, Isaac hit the ball up into the air, and Nic spiked it, I blocked the ball, hitting it towards Sophia and she set it up for Anna. Anna jumped high into the air, smacking the ball hard, it soared over the net, heading straight for the sand. />
  Isaac jumped forward before it could hit the ground, pushing it up into the air as he fell onto the sand, then rolled out of the way as Olive came up and set the ball for Nic to spike. I tried to block, but the ball slipped and fell, hitting the ground, sending sand flying everywhere.

  We played a few more games, finishing up as the sun began to sink in the horizon. A few of the lanterns were lighting up around the place. A fire burned bright in the pit, Nic had his arm around Sophia’s shoulders, leading her to the sun lounges. Oliver walked off with towards his room.

  “We’re going to the room,” Anna told me, biting her lip as Isaac whispered something in her ear, she giggled.

  I laughed. “Have fun!” I winked. Love birds.

  Walking away and rolling my eyes, I headed towards the bar. “Can I get another of those green cocktails with the coconut rum?” I asked a bartender.

  It was starting to get crowded by the pool, people dancing and drinking as music played loudly over the speakers, the party was just starting.

  “Sure thing!” he called out, turning around to start making the drink.

  From the corner of my eye, Sterling strolled up to me, standing beside me and our arms brushed. “Will you have dinner with me tonight?” he asked, his voice gentle as he looked down at me.

  My heart jumped into my throat, my jaw dropped slightly, and I looked up at him wide-eyed. “Are you asking me on a date?” I questioned, confused and a little astounded.

  He cleared his throat. “Yes,” he answered, firmly.

  A small smile worked its way to my mouth, giddiness filling me. “Really?” I asked.

  “Definitely,” he responded. He raised an eyebrow at me, biting his lip. So sexy. “Will you?”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, unsure if this were real or not and I couldn’t say no, not to him about this. “Okay,” I answered.

  “I’ll meet you outside your bungalow in an hour,” he stated then walked away.