Sibling Rivalry

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

“COULD YOU HAVE been any more annoying today?” Aimee tossed her towels toward the washroom, missing the open door and hitting the wall, instead. She couldn’t believe her sister behaved the way she did in front of Clint, but even more so in front of Abigail. It was beyond inappropriate.

“Oh please. Pull your bathing suit out of your ass and relax. I didn’t say anything a three-year-old was going to catch. And besides, your Mr. Mom seemed to like the teasing.” Karla opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. She stood by the counter as she took a deep swallow, her body covered in sweat and suntan oil. Aimee would be envious of her sister’s size six if she weren’t so pissed off at the moment.

Aimee turned and faced her sister, her hands on her hips. “Why are you being such a b***h? You ignored the way I wanted to handle the car repair. You’re being rude to Clint. You’re doing everything you can to dictate my life to be the way you want it to be and not what I want. Why?”

“I’m being a b***h? Oh, dear sister, you are far from the sweet, little angel you seem to think of yourself. All I did is try to help you have a little fun. You don’t seem to know how to enjoy yourself or even joke around. You really need to get over yourself.”

“I do enjoy myself, thank you very much. I just don’t see the need to f**k every man that comes through my door.”

“No, you just like to collect them and then tease the hell out of them. There is nothing wrong with having s*x with someone who excites you. There is something wrong with getting them all hot and bothered, and then running off.”

Aimee stared at her sister. Was she just teasing them? No, no that didn’t make sense, because she was about to go through with it at Clint’s place until his daughter screamed from a nightmare. Right? As she thought about it, she couldn’t honestly say that she would have, because she didn’t know. She thought about it. She even thought she wanted it. But would she have followed through? And what if Mitch had pressed her for more last night? All he did was kiss her, which she admitted surprised her after he banged her sister, but then again, maybe he was just trying to prove that he wasn’t the typical male.

“You’re right,” she said, as she walked over to the kitchen table and surrendered to one of the chairs. “I haven’t exactly been playing fair with either of them.” She didn’t want to look at her sister and see the look of triumph on her face, so she stared at her hands resting on the table.

Karla walked over to where she sat and took one of the empty chairs. “Men are used to being treated poorly. They’ll get over it.” She took another swig of her water. “The real question is, what do you want?”

Aimee glanced up at her, a weak smile on her face. “I thought for sure you were going to tell me to go after Clint and leave Mitch alone.”

Karla shrugged. “What the hell? That was a long time ago. Rules change, right?”

Aimee wasn’t sure what brought about the sudden change in her sister, but she wasn’t stupid enough to take it at face value. Still, it felt good not to be fighting again. They did enough of that over the past few days. However, she would keep her guard up while enjoying the brief reprieve. “So, are you going to join us for the cookout tonight?”

“Why not. Sounds like fun. I may need to get to know Mr. Mom a little bit better if you’re going to be hanging around him more.”

“Good. Now, I need a shower to wash the sand and salt off my body.” Aimee stood, her body already stinging from where the sun had reached her before the lotion did. Before walking away, however, she gave her sister a smile. “Thank you for helping me see things differently. I know I don’t always act like I appreciate it, but I do.”

“Anytime. That’s what sisters do, right?”

She reached a hand out and gripped Karla’s shoulders, giving it a light squeeze. “That we do.” She left her sister sitting there, feeling better about the way things were between them. She knew it wouldn’t last, of course, but it was nice to enjoy while it was there.

She turned the shower jet on and then slipped out of her bathing suit. As she did, she thought about what Karla said, about how she was teasing Mitch and Clint, about how she never really intended to go through with any of the flirting she did with them. She didn’t really think she was flirting with them, though. They asked her out, after all. She only agreed to go out with them. It wasn’t like she behaved like Karla and made all the first moves or slid her body up and down theirs. She hadn’t shown them her breasts or wiggled her ass at them. She just herself. To be honest, she hadn’t expected either of them to ask her out, especially not Mitch and especially not after he had slept with her sister.

The steam billowed over the top of the shower curtain as she stepped under the hot spray. So why did they ask her out? She allowed the water to beat on her head and cascade down her back. It didn’t matter why they asked her out, she finally decided. They did and now she would just see where it all went. Hopefully she figured it all out before anyone got hurt, especially her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Karla watched her sister step into the bathroom believing all was right with her world. She had no idea how wrong she was. Pushing herself away from the table, Karla escaped to her bedroom to pick out her outfit for the evening, something sultry, seductive. She wanted to turn Clint’s head and see just how hot blooded he really was. If her sister wanted to break the rules they had maintained for years, then Karla had every intention of showing her how rules were to be broken.

Clint already her in her bathing suit. Twice. Now he needed to see her in something more provocative. Bathing suits were great for showing flesh, but to entice a man one needed to reveal without truly revealing, give them a hint of what was behind the drapes so that they wanted to rip them open themselves to bask in her sunlight. Karla was good at that. Exceptionally good. She almost felt sorry for Clint.

She didn’t feel sorry for her sister. Aimee started it, after all. Well, Karla was determined to finish it, and the fact she wasn’t even interested in Clint Asher had nothing to do with it. She wanted him simply because Aimee wanted him, and right now, that was reason enough.

She picked out a short sundress with daffodils strategically placed to catch the eye that would show she possessed cleavage without giving away all her more intimate secrets. As she sat that evening, the fabric would sneak up her legs, exposing just enough flesh—flesh now bronzed with just a hint of red—to prove there were more treasures buried underneath. She tossed a pair of light brown sandals at her bed to finish off the ensemble. She would arrive just a little late, allowing Aimee to leave the condo before she did and not be able to compare the outfit she wore to Karla’s, which she would do without doubt. Furthermore, if Karla knew her sister at all, Aimee would be wearing something comfortable and baggy, something meant to hide her body and not tempt the male libido. By the time Karla arrived, it would be too late for her to dress to counter the effect that the sundress would be having on Clint. It was going to be a gorgeous evening.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aimee picked out a simple red pullover and a beige pair of shorts. She had enough sun today and didn’t need to get burnt any more. Granted, the sun would be down in just over an hour, but why chance it? As she slipped into her deck shoes, her cell phone trilled.

Mitch.

She took a deep breath before sliding the lock to accept the call. “This is Aimee.”

“Oh, so serious. You working on a Sunday?”

“Sorry. No, it’s just the habit I got into back in college and have never changed it. How’s it going?”

“Nervous?” He laughed as he said it. She must have sounded off. It wouldn’t surprise her. She felt off. She wasn’t expecting him to call her. Luckily, he didn’t wait for her to answer him. “I just wanted to call and see how you were doing, and to tell you again that I was glad you made it out last night. I was hoping we could see each other again this week.”

Another date? “That sounds nice. I’ll have to see what my week looks like.”

“Dance card all filled up, huh?”

“Well you know, a girl has to keep busy.”

“I bet you do,” he chuckled. “What’s on tap tonight?”

“We’re doing a cookout here at the condos with one of the other residents. As a matter of fact, I’m running a tad late, so I better scoot.”

They both said goodbye and he told her to have a good time before hanging up. She felt a pang of guilt about not telling him about Clint, but she pushed it down. Mitch did not need to know who she was with or what their relationship was like. It’s not like the two men would ever meet each other.

“I’m heading down to the pool,” she called out as she passed through the living room. She could hear Karla in her bedroom still getting ready. She wanted to get there before her sister did to make sure she was the one sitting beside Clint and had his attention first.

“Okay, I’ll meet you down there.”

Aimee locked the door behind her, wondering what took her sister so long. It wasn’t as if they were going out dancing or anything. Of course, she didn’t really care. It allowed her to be first to the party.

Clint and Abigail were already there, the three-year-old playing with some dolls on the table where she sat. Clint was cleaning up the grill from whoever had used it last and from the way he grumbled, someone had not left it in good condition. The sky overhead slowly turned to dusk, the sun sinking its way into the horizon. It was still hot and humid, but Florida almost always was. A couple sat by the edge of the pool as their children bounced a beach ball around, and another man sat off at the deep end, sipping a drink and reading one of the thickest books Aimee ever saw. At least it would be quiet while they cooked out.

She walked over to where Abigail sat and tousled her hair. “What’s up, sweetie?”

“Hey, Aimee.” The little girl smiled up at her, and then continued to play with her dolls. Many kids had a short attention span, but when Abigail played dolls, nothing could shake her game.

Aimee joined Clint at the grill. “How’s the cleaning coming?”

“If people can’t clean it, they should not be allowed to use it.”

“I say that every time Karla cooks.”

They both laughed as Clint finally fired up the grill. “Speaking of your sister, where is she? I thought she was joining us tonight.”

“I am. Just took me a little longer to get dressed.”

Aimee turned and felt her eyes widen as she took in her sister’s outfit. Karla was actually particular in what she wore. Aimee went for comfortable. Karla went for sexy. And it was sexy, not slutty. The swell of her breasts were tempting, but not openly exposed while her legs seemed to peek out of the dress, drawing people’s attention with promises of where they led. It was not her usual fare where her body parts were jiggling all about for everyone to see and gawk at.

And she had pulled it off. Aimee knew she looked like she was dressed in a potato sack compared to the simple sundress her sister had chosen. By the look on Clint’s face, it was having the desired effect. How on earth could Aimee be so stupid? All that talk about rules changing was just Karla’s way of setting her up for revenge. It would be a long night.

Clint’s eyes perked up as he watched Karla walk closer. “You look nice.” He glanced down at his bathing suit and bare feet. “And I look like a bum.”

Karla laughed as she sashayed over to where Aimee was standing. “I just needed something light on my skin. Too much sun today, I think. I can feel the sting of the sunburn beginning to come out.”

“I can understand that. I’d be the same way except I covered Abigail and myself with a carpet of lotion. Lasers couldn’t cut through how much we were wearing.”

Karla giggled at his comment as she touched his upper arm lightly. “Now, that’s funny.” She only touched him briefly, but it was enough for Aimee to see red before her eyes—and green. She was never jealous before, but she was definitely feeling it now. If Karla was trying to make a point, she was doing a damn good job. Aimee took a deep breath. It was obvious that since Aimee went out with Mitch, Karla would retaliate by making a play for Clint. It was her way of teaching Aimee a lesson. She needed to talk to her and get the mess straightened out. For now, she would just enjoy the evening.

“Don’t you hate how some people leave the grill?” Karla shook her head a little. “It really is sad how people won’t take care of things.”

Clint nodded. “We were just talking about that.” He gestured between Aimee and him. “It gets frustrating. Part of the problem with our society. Everyone expects things for free with no responsibility.”

Aimee watched as Karla left them and walked over to where Abigail played with her dolls. “And who are these lovely ladies?” Karla sat down as she pointed to the dolls on the table.

Clint glanced at Aimee, a smile decorating his face. “You okay?” He whispered it in order not to draw Karla’s attention. Aimee was glad for that.

She nodded. “Yeah. Thanks.” She forced a smile upon her face as she stepped closer to him. She couldn’t explain what was going on, so she pushed it aside. “How are we doing here?”

He stared at her a moment, and she knew she hadn’t fooled him. Yet, he wasn’t going to push. “We’re ready to light it up. Ribeyes for the adults and a hot dog for the little one who hasn’t developed taste buds yet.”

“What can I do to help?”

There wasn’t much for her to do. Clint prepared everything ahead of time—corn on the cob wrapped in foil and seasoned, potato salad and even beans in a pot ready to be heated on the grill when the steaks were ready. A bottle of wine sat on the table along with a pitcher of tea. Abigail had juice boxes. All Aimee was supposed to do was sit back and relax, which she found hard to do. The others who were at the pool teased Clint about how good the food smelled and that he should have told them he was grilling; they would have brought silverware and plates.

Aimee poured the wine in three glasses and handed it out. She set a juice box next to where Abigail played as she handed Karla a glass of wine. Her sister smiled up at her as she thanked her and Aimee smiled back. They clinked glasses as if to say let the games begin and both sipped the warm, red liquid. The evening started to cool down as night swallowed up the day and the security lights started to sputter into existence.

Both sisters set the plates and utensils out when Clint announced the steaks were almost ready. Abigail tucked her dolls back into their bag and sat spinning her juice box until Karla asked her to help with the spoons and forks. The little girl eagerly hopped up and helped. Aimee felt her jealousy rise again as Karla developed a little rapport with the girl, but she quickly tamped it down and forced herself to smile at how the two were getting along. She kept reminding herself that it was not a competition and Clint was not a prize to be won, that her sister was just making a point. She just hoped her sister saw it that way, as well.

The four of them sat around the circular patio table, sipping wine and cutting into their steaks, laughing and sharing more stories about each other. Karla set her wine glass back on the table as she glanced at Aimee and smiled. “I have to admit, Clint, you have brought out some life in our girl here. It’s good to finally see her out and about, instead of sitting around moping all day.”

“I do not mope,” Aimee said, as she reached for her glass.

Clint smiled. “We love having Aimee around. It’s been fun spending time with her. And I must say, I’ve never seen her mope.”

Aimee tensed a bit. “That’s because I don’t mope.”

“What’s moop?”

“Mope. It’s how you get when I tell you no more candy.”

Abigail made a scrunched-up face and bit into her hot dog.

“She’s so cute. I can see why Aimee enjoys babysitting her.”

Clint gazed at Aimee and his eyes twinkled so much that it made her blush. “Your sister has been a life saver on many occasions. I would be stranded without her and Abigail seems to really enjoy having her around.”

Karla held her glass of wine in front of her with both hands, the breeze slightly toying with her hair. “Aimee was always great with kids, even when she was one herself. She loved to play mother hen and take care of all the neighborhood kids.”

“Were there a lot of kids in your neighborhood where you grew up?”

“About average, I think. Mostly boys. Aimee and I were two out of the five girls in our neighborhood, which consisted of about twenty kids. There was a lot of football and stick ball games and very few tea parties.” Karla took a sip of her wine. She ran her tongue over her lips as she smiled at Clint. “With so many boys in the neighborhood, it was like having a million over-protective big brothers. Until it became obvious we weren’t their sisters and started turning into eligible girls, that is. Then the games started following a whole new set of rules.”

“I bet they did.” Clint turned to Aimee. “Any of those boys ever turn into boyfriends?”

Aimee shook her head. “No. I could never get past seeing them as the boys down the street. They acted like brothers all my life and it never changed in my eyes. Of course, that doesn’t mean some of them didn’t try, but I could never give in to them.”

“How about you?” He turned to Karla as he took another bite of his steak.

Karla grinned as her eyebrows popped up for a second. “More like boy toys than boyfriends.”

Clint bounced his head up and down, not sure what to say. Aimee just shook her head. If Karla was anything, she was honest. And blunt. She always upfront about her sexuality, though. It was one of the things Aimee admired about her, even if she didn’t always agree with her actions. At least Karla had the guts to do what she wanted with her life. Aimee always seemed to hold back, afraid of shaking up her world too much.

Karla settled back in her chair, holding her wine glass in her lap. Her sundress sneaked up her leg, revealing more of her tanned flesh, without exposing her secrets. It was just enough to invite without giving away the party altogether. “I discovered at an early age that boys weren’t ready for commitments, just…” She paused, looking at Abigail. “…fun. If I was going to get into a relationship, it was going to have to be with a man, which meant it wasn’t going to be during high school or even college.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Those are merely playgrounds that can leave an unsuspecting girl dangling from the monkey bars with her panties around her ankles wondering when her lover was ever coming back. They almost never come back.”

“Sounds like someone was hurt a lot during her younger years.”

Karla shrugged a little as she glanced down at her wine glass. “Only once, maybe twice. After that, I was the one who did the hurting. It works out better for me that way.”

Aimee just sat back and listened. She never really heard her sister talk serious about relationships.

“So, you’re Aimee’s age, since your twins. Does that mean you haven’t had any serious relationships?”

“I’ve had them. They just never last long. Either I get bored or the guy I’m in the relationship with can’t handle me for who I am. I like to be a free spirit. I like to have fun. Enjoy life. There is adventure to be had before we die, and I plan on having it.”

“I, on the other hand, think life itself is the adventure,” Aimee said. “I also think that with the right person, the adventure can be more intense.”

“You’re probably right. I just have never found the right person.”

Clint leaned forward, his fingers laced together as he rested his hands on the table. “I thought I had, but obviously I was wrong. I still think there is someone out there who will finish the journey with me. We’ll find each other. Until then, I just carry on and enjoy the company that comes my way.” He smiled at Aimee as he spoke, his eyes full of hope.

“To the adventure,” Karla said, as she lifted her wine glass in the air.

Aimee lifted hers and smiled. “And to finding the right one to enjoy it with.”

All three clinked glasses and drank, Aimee wondering if she found the right person and whether it was Mitch or Clint.