The Vincent Boys Collection Page 21

  “I only want you,” I told him, staring up into his eyes. Those long black lashes shouldn’t be so ridiculously sexy, but they were. Beau buried both his hands in my hair and sighed.

  “Good, because I want you, too. Now. Forever. Just you.”

  The thought of forever with Beau sent tingles of joy through my body and shot straight into my heart. The dread and fear I’d felt when Sawyer had said he wanted to marry me one day had no place there. Because Beau was who I wanted. It had always been Beau.

  “Come to my truck with me,” Beau said in a husky whisper against my ear.

  Nodding, I let him take my hand and direct me back through the woods to his truck he’d left hidden. Had Sawyer seen him?

  “Sawyer was out here,” I told him as his hand slid up my side underneath my shirt.

  “Yeah, I know. We talked. He’s gone. It’s just you, me, and my truck,” he replied with a wicked smirk on his face.

  Opening the passenger door he picked me up and sat me on the bench seat. His hands covered my knees and pulled my legs apart before he stepped up between them and laid me back against the seat. He hovered over me, never breaking eye contact. I was mesmerized. The hungry gleam in his eyes made me tremble with excitement. This was what I wanted. I wanted to be Beau’s. I wanted to touch him and taste him without guilt.

  “Ash, baby, I need you tonight,” he whispered as he lowered his body over mine until his erection pressed against me. I loved hearing the desperation and need in his voice.

  “Okay,” I replied breathlessly, lifting my hips to press harder against him.

  “I don’t have a condom,” he said tightly as we rubbed against each other.

  “Kiss me,” I replied. I wasn’t worried about a condom just yet. I needed him.

  Beau’s mouth covered mine and his tongue stroked mine in one swift plunge. Arching against him, the low, pleased groan that vibrated his chest made me a little crazy. More. I wanted more. Beau pulled my bottom lip into his mouth and sucked gently before taking a small nip then slipping his tongue back into my mouth and teasing and tasting me. Frantically, I continued to move against him and reached for the hem of his shirt, yanking it up his body and forcing him to lean back so I could pull it over his head.

  He chuckled as he gazed down at me. “You trying to get me naked?”

  “Yes, please,” I replied sweetly, and he reached for my shirt and pulled it off just as swiftly. He undid the clasp on the front of my bra, baring my chest to his view.

  “So unbelievably perfect,” he whispered, running his hands over my erect nipples.

  “Please, Beau.”

  Beau lowered his head keeping his eyes on me as he stuck his tongue out and flicked my nipple several times causing me to squeal and squirm under his attention.

  “Mmmm, sweet,” he said approvingly before pulling one into his mouth and sucking on it intently.

  When he began unsnapping my shorts and lowering the zipper I lifted my hips so he could pull them off. He took my panties off with the shorts and threw them up in the dashboard. His mouth left my right nipple and began kissing down my stomach until he reached to just below my belly button. His hands caressed the inside of my thighs before pushing them back and opening my legs to him. Shivering, I watched helplessly as he continued his downward path. I knew where he was going, but I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I was frozen with desire and need. At the first swipe of his tongue my world exploded, but he didn’t stop. Each lick sent me shivering into a bliss like I’d never known. Digging my fingernails into his shoulders, I held on and screamed his name over and over as he made everything else fade away. All that mattered was Beau and how he was making me feel.

  Chapter 28

  BEAU

  The crowd rushed onto the field as the final seconds of the clock ticked away. We’d won the state championship, 27-6. Families swarmed my teammates congratulating them and hugging them. I didn’t wait on my momma to show up. She was working tonight. I pulled off my helmet as Sawyer and Ethan poured the rest of the Gatorade over Coach’s head. He threw out his hands and laughed loudly. Sawyer was happy. The grin on his face made me smile. This was his element. Winning always had been. It was part of who he was. His mother came up behind him and tightly hugged him around his waist. Aunt Samantha had never been a fan of mine, and now that she knew the truth about my DNA, I was pretty sure she disliked me even more. I couldn’t really blame her for that.

  Samantha Vincent was everything my momma wasn’t. Polished, polite, educated, and loving. Not once growing up could I think of a game when Aunt Samantha hadn’t been up in the stands cheering her son on. As a kid, I’d pretend she was my momma too and that all her cheering was for me as well. The older I got the harder that was to pretend. Especially when her face pinched up in a frown every time she looked my way.

  Sawyer’s eyes met mine and his smile faded. He was doing better with me and Ash but the betrayal was still there. I knew it would be a long time before it was forgotten. If ever. I nodded my head and said “Good game,” knowing he could easily read my lips. He replied, “You too.” That was enough for now.

  Harris Vincent stepped in front of Sawyer, blocking my view. I watched as the man who had been always been my uninterested uncle patted the son he loved and acknowledged on the back. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I didn’t have to. The beaming smile on Samantha’s face told me that he was praising Sawyer’s win. He leaned forward and pulled him into a hug. A sudden tightness in my chest surprised me. I couldn’t let that in. This was something I had to forget and move on from. My dad was gone. I didn’t have one now. That man’s sperm may have been a factor in my creation, but he was not my father. I didn’t need a hug from him and I sure as hell didn’t need his approval.

  Sawyer’s eyes met me over his father’s shoulder. I could see the concern in them. I knew what he was thinking. The little shit was worried about me. I didn’t want him to worry about me. I was fine. I didn’t need anything from Harris Vincent. I’d made it eighteen years without him. He was as good as dead to me.

  “You won!” Ashton’s squeal broke into my thoughts, and I turned to see her as she pushed her way through the crowd until she was free to throw herself in my arms.

  “Hey you,” I replied, holding her tightly. I needed this. I didn’t want to think about why I needed a hug so bad right now, but I did. Ashton was the perfect person to deliver it.

  “You were amazing. I am going to be hoarse tomorrow from screaming so loudly. That last catch you made on the twenty was beautiful,” she informed me as she placed kisses all over my face.

  “I’m all sweaty, baby,” I told her as I laughed at her excitement.

  “I don’t care. You just won state. It’s cause for celebration.”

  I buried my head in the curve of her neck and inhaled her sweet sexy smell. Much better than a field of sweaty guys. “I can think of a few ways I’d like to celebrate,” I said against her neck.

  “That sounds promising,” she giggled, and ran her hands through my hair.

  “Oh, it’s real promising,” I assured her.

  Ashton pulled back so she could look up at me. “My parents want to know if they could take us out to eat tonight.”

  The anxious tone of her voice told me she was actually worried I’d say no. The fact her parents were even considering accepting me as good enough to date their daughter made me willing to do anything they asked, short of stay away from Ashton.

  “Sounds good to me,” I said, pressing a kiss to her nose. “Where are they taking us?”

  “Hank’s of course. I want a burger.”

  I pulled her to me for a kiss and enjoyed the soft feel of her lips against mine. She didn’t shy away or worry about who may be watching. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. I may not have parents that love me but I had Ashton. Nothing else really mattered. She was all I needed.

  ASHTON

  I hadn’t been in bed long when my phone started r
inging. Reaching for it, I picked it up to see Lana’s name appear on the screen. I hadn’t talked to her in about a week. Curious as to why she was calling so late I pressed OK and put the phone to my ear.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey, I hope it’s not too late,” she replied.

  “Nope. Not at all. What’s up?” I asked, knowing she wasn’t calling me at midnight because she wanted to chat.

  “Um, well, I was wondering if maybe you think this summer I might could come visit you.”

  The idea of having Aunt Caroline in my house even for a week this summer made me cringe. But I did miss Lana. I couldn’t not see her because her mom drove me nuts.

  “Sure. What week are you thinking of coming?” I asked, hoping it was only a week.

  Lana paused a moment. “I was kind of wondering if maybe I could come down after graduation and stay the summer with you. Before we go off to college maybe have one last summer to hang out.”

  Wait . . . the whole summer? There was no way I could put up with Aunt Caroline all summer. My dad may even move out if that happened. But surely Aunt Caroline wouldn’t have Lana calling me to see if they could stay the summer. She’d just call my mom. So did that mean . . .

  “Do you mean just, you, come visit for the summer? Not your mom?”

  Lana let out a small laugh on the other end of the line. “Yes, I mean just me. Mom has things to do this summer. I need some distance from her before I go crazy. Her and Dad are still at each other’s throats.”

  “Then, YES! I would love for you to come spend the summer.” I paused, realizing that Lana wasn’t a fan of Beau and that he would be with me all summer. Was this a good idea? I didn’t want her to make him feel unwanted. He had enough of that with his stupid father and his aunt.

  “I think this is a great idea. I’d love to see you but you understand that I’m with Beau now. . . . ” I trailed off, waiting on her to respond.

  “Oh, yes, I know. I’m glad y’all worked this all out. How are things going with those two these days? Is Sawyer handling the fact you and Beau are together better now?”

  Not exactly. Maybe. I didn’t want to give her cause to dislike Beau more so I decided on a small white lie.

  “Yes, we are all moving on. Sawyer and Beau are even bonding again. Soon it will all be water under the bridge.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m so glad it’s all worked out so well for you.” The sincerity in her voice made me feel guilty. I loved Lana, but her sweet, innocent, trusting heart made me feel like an awful person sometimes.

  “Yep, life is good.” That wasn’t a lie. Life was good. I had Beau.

  “So, do you think you might could talk to your mom about calling my mom and convincing her this summer thing is a good idea?”

  She really must need to get away if she was already planning her escape. The least I could do was get Mom to help her out. Besides, it would be fun. I could fix her up with Kyle, or Ethan, or Justin. Ethan was the sweetest out of those three. He was probably a better fit.

  “I’ll talk to her in the morning. I’m sure she’ll love the idea.”

  “Thank you so much,” Lana replied. I could hear the excitement in her voice. Yeah, I’d be excited too if I was going to escape Aunt Caroline a few months sooner than planned.

  “No problem. It’ll be fun,” I assured her.

  We said our good-byes and hung up. I rolled over on my back and stared at the ceiling fan. Tonight had been amazing. Both my parents had been nice to Beau and congratulated him. We’d had a good dinner. Then Dad had even let Beau drive me home. He’d gone very slow, and I’d taken full advantage of him while he was driving. A smile tugged at my lips when I thought about how sexy he looked trying to drive and remain calm while I teased him.

  Then, an image of Sawyer flashed in my head. I hadn’t spoken to him after the game. His parents had been with him, and I wasn’t ready to face them just yet. He’d also had a few cheerleaders hanging on his arms. I didn’t care, but I figured it was best I kept my distance. Maybe he’d move on with one of them. I wanted to find a way for us to be friends again. I missed him. He was important to me. We didn’t belong together, but we had been friends way before we’d entered into a relationship. Reaching for my phone, I decided I’d leave him a text before I chickened out. Small steps to help bridge the gaping hole between him and Beau and me.

  Me: You played an excellent game tonight. I’m so proud of you.

  I pressed send and waited. Just when I thought he wasn’t going to respond my phone dinged.

  Sawyer: Thanks.

  To Ava, my baby girl. Your smile makes everything better. I’m so thankful that you’re mine. Dream big, sweetheart, and never settle for second best.

  Prologue

  SAWYER

  Ashton pulled herself up onto our branch and sat down. Once upon a time she’d needed me to give her a boost. Now she didn’t need me for anything. I’d let her down in so many ways. I’d heard the term heartbreak before and never really understood it—until now. Sitting here, looking at her, my chest literally hurt. Taking a deep breath had become difficult since the day I’d walked outside the church and seen her with Beau. I’d known. I’d wanted her to tell me anything to prove me wrong. Still, deep down, I’d known. Ashton was no longer mine.

  “Impressive. You made it look easy,” I said loud enough so she could hear me. She’d texted me to tell me she was out here. I’d come down here to think hours ago. This was where it all started. It was fitting that it ended here too.

  Ashton’s expression was slightly confused. I loved that look. It was adorable. “I was here when you sent the text,” I explained, and a small smile touched her lips.

  “Oh,” she replied.

  “To what do I owe this visit?” I already had a good idea as to why she was here. I just wanted her to say it out loud. It was time we cleared the air for good. Standing up, I made my way over to where she sat on the limb, but not before I noticed the audience hidden in the darkness. It figured that Beau would come looking for me too. Or maybe he’d followed her.

  “I wanted to check on you. Beau said you had a concussion.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. I had a concussion all right. I skipped a rock across the water. “He tell you how I got the concussion?”

  “Yes.” The guilt in her voice was thick. He must have admitted to bashing my head in. It wasn’t her fault, though.

  “I deserved it. I was shitty to you all week.” My chest ached harder. Seeing everyone treat her so cruelly, while I sat back and did nothing, would haunt me for a long time.

  “Um . . . ” She seemed unsure of what to say next. I’d let her down. I’d let myself down. The guy I’d been, the way I’d reacted—that wasn’t me.

  “I shouldn’t have let them do those things to you. Honestly, Beau beating the crap out of me was a relief. I’d been beating myself up. Having someone physically beat me was a nice release.”

  “What?”

  She was surprised that I felt bad about what I’d let them do to her. Damn, if that didn’t make this even harder. Breathing was becoming more difficult.

  “Ash, you were my girl for years. Even before that, we were friends. The best of friends. I should’ve never let one bump in the road cause me to turn on you like I did. It was wrong. You took all the blame for something that wasn’t entirely your fault. It was Beau’s and it was mine.”

  “Yours? How—?”

  “I knew Beau loved you. I’d seen the way he looked at you. I also knew you loved him, more than you did me. You two had a secret bond I didn’t get to share. I was jealous. Beau was my cousin and you were the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. I wanted you for myself. So I asked you out. Without going to Beau first, never once asking him how he felt about it. You accepted and, just like magic, I broke up the bond you two had. Y’all never talked anymore. There were no more late-night roof talks and no more bailing y’all out of trouble. Beau was my family and you were my girlfriend. It was as if your friendsh
ip had never been. I was selfish and I ignored the guilt until it went away. Only, the times I saw him watching you, with that pained needy expression, did the guilt stir in my gut. It was mixed with fear. Fear you’d see what I’d done and go to him. Fear I’d lose you.”

  That was the first time I’d verbalized the truth. For years, I’d held it inside, even pushed it away when my conscience nagged at me. Watching Ashton transform her personality and never saying one word to stop her. All of it. This all was my fault.

  Ashton’s hand played lightly with my hair and I wanted to close my eyes and sigh from the small innocent touch. Would I always love her like this? Would I spend my life paying for my sin by living with the constant pain in my chest?

  “I loved you, too. I wanted to be good enough for you. I wanted to be the good girl you deserved.”

  Hearing her say she’d wanted to be good enough for me reminded me once again why we hadn’t worked out. She’d been perfect since the first day I’d met her, but I’d let her believe I expected more.

  “Ash, you were perfect just the way you were. I was the one who let you change. I liked the change. It’s one of the many reasons I feared I’d lose you. Deep down I knew one day that free spirit you’d quenched would fight for release. It happened. And the fact it happened with Beau doesn’t surprise me in the least.”

  “I’m sorry, Sawyer. I never meant to hurt you. I made a mess of things. You aren’t going to have to watch Beau and me together. I’m stepping out of both your lives. You can get back what was lost.”

  When Beau didn’t come charging out of the woods cursing like a sailor, I knew he was too far back to hear us. I reached up and grabbed Ashton’s hand. I was the only one who could convince her that she didn’t need to do that. It was time I let her go.

  “Don’t do that, Ash. He needs you.”

  Shaking her head, she gave me a sad smile. “No, it’s what he wants too. Today he hardly acknowledged me. He only spoke to me when he was making a point to everyone else; I was to be left alone.”