The Vincent Boys Collection Read online

  “Sawyer,” she replied, a full grin on her face.

  “What’re you doing here?” I asked, thinking more along the lines of What the hell happened to you? She looked nothing like the girl I’d seen about seven or so months ago. That girl had been sweet, prim, and proper. This one in front of me was a walking sexual fantasy.

  “Eating,” she quipped, and I realized I was smiling. A real smile, not a forced one, for the first time in months.

  “Well, yeah, I kind of gathered that. I meant, what are you doing here, in southern Alabama?” She pressed her lips together, and then her tongue peeked out and nervously licked them. Hmmm . . . I wouldn’t mind tasting those lips either.

  “I’m staying with Ashton this summer. My friend is headed to the beach, so she’s dropping me off at Ash’s after we eat.”

  Ash. Damn. Did she have to bring up Ashton? My good mood evaporated, and once again I was forcing a smile. She glanced over my shoulder at my friends’ table and frowned.

  “You guys are already seated at a table?” She shot her frustrated gaze over toward the hostess stand. “Figures,” she muttered. I followed her gaze and saw the blond hostess watching us with an irritated frown on her face.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, turning my attention back to Lana.

  She sighed and looked back at me. “We’ve been waiting on a table for at least fifteen minutes.”

  Ah. The waitress had given us their table. I could fix this problem.

  “Go get your friend, and y’all come sit with us.”

  Lana flashed a bright smile. “Okay, thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  I watched as she spun around and walked back to the bar. Her backside was impossible not to watch as her hips swayed gently from side to side. Damn. Lana looked good.

  LANA

  “Oh my god, did you just flirt with that hottie? Dang, girl, when you decide to flaunt it, you shoot high.” The awe in Jewel’s voice made me want to laugh. But the fact I felt like I was about to throw up kept the humor at bay. Sawyer had checked me out. His eyes had slowly scanned my body. He’d paused at my boobs. I felt the need to fan myself with the stupid coaster under my drink.

  “I know him. And we’re sitting with him and his friends,” I announced, reaching for my purse and soda.

  “Really?” Jewel squealed happily, snatching her purse from the seat beside her and standing up. The scarf thing she called a shirt showed off all of her flat, tanned stomach. The bar in her belly button flashed two small rhinestones on each end, causing eyes to immediately focus on her exposed skin. Then the Daisy Duke’s she was wearing made my miniskirt look classy. The girl turned heads when she walked, if for no other reason than because most of her body was on display.

  “Come on,” I snapped, and headed toward Sawyer, who was standing right where I’d left him, waiting on us. His eyes drifted over to Jewel, and I watched him appraise her the same way he had appraised me. A sick knot formed in my stomach, and I fought the urge to push her behind me. I didn’t want him doing that slow, sexy trek up her body with his eyes.

  “He’s so freaking hot,” Jewel hissed beside me. She’d stuck out her chest farther, and the flip thing she did over her shoulders with her long, blond hair had just happened. She was getting ready to unleash her skills on Sawyer.

  “Not him, Jewel. Pick one of the others. Just not him.” I tried not to sound like I was begging, but there was no masking the desperation in my voice.

  I heard a small gasp beside me.

  “He’s the reason you . . . ” She trailed off as her mind wrapped around what she was just now figuring out. “Oh, wow. I get it. I won’t poach,” she replied.

  No, but she was still tanned, freckle-free, blond, and well practiced in the world of men. Those were all things Sawyer liked.

  When we reached him, as much as I hated it, I knew I had to make introductions. Why hadn’t I just left her at the bar to flirt with the bartender and pretended like she didn’t exist? Sawyer’s appreciative gaze was locked on Jewel, and although she’d promised me she wouldn’t flirt, it was ingrained in her. The girl couldn’t help it.

  “Hi, I’m Jewel,” she drawled out in a sexy voice that had me wanting to slap her stupid.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Jewel,” he replied, taking her hand in his large one and . . . Did he just squeeze it? “I’m Sawyer. An old friend of Lana’s.”

  The fact that I was leaving them to make their own introductions wasn’t lost on me. I just couldn’t open my mouth; I was afraid I’d let out the angry snarl vibrating in my throat. At the moment, I really hated Jewel. She was going to spend her summer with a guy that was supposed to be her boyfriend, but she was unleashing all her charms to get what out of Sawyer? A one-nighter? I shivered at the thought. I just might have killed her if she’d dared.

  “Lana?” Sawyer’s voice startled me from my vicious thoughts, and I blinked several times to clear my head.

  “Um, yes, I’m sorry,” I replied.

  “She’s exhausted from the trip,” Jewel explained, covering for me. No doubt she knew what was wrong.

  “I asked if you wanted me to drive you back to Ashton’s after we eat so that Jewel doesn’t have to.”

  Oh, he is offering me a ride. Jewel would be gone. Yes, please.

  “That would be great. Thanks.” I managed to keep the excitement out of my voice.

  A pleased smile touched his lips, and I wanted to reach over and feel them, see if they were as smooth as they looked. How weird was that?

  Sawyer led the way over to the booth where two other guys were smiling up at us. You could see the surprised curiosity in their eyes.

  “Guys, this is Lana, Ash’s cousin, and her friend Jewel. They were waiting on a table and I offered to share ours.” Sawyer turned back to us. “The guy to the left is Ethan, and the guy to the right is Jake.”

  Ethan had a nice smile and short, dark hair. It was just barely long enough to flip up some in the front. His dark brown eyes appeared warm and amused. I liked him instantly. I needed to pick a side of the half-circle booth to slide into, and he seemed to be the less threatening of the two. Taking a quick peek at Jake, I saw he was drinking in Jewel’s bare stomach with his gaze. The blond curls peeking out of his baseball cap were cute, but the sexual gleam in his gray eyes was a little unnerving.

  “Jewel,” Sawyer said, motioning for her to slide in on Jake’s side. I moved to slide in on Ethan’s side. I felt extremely grateful; I wouldn’t have to sit beside Jake.

  Then I watched as Sawyer slid in behind Jewel. My stomach dropped. He’d had to pick a side, and without a second thought he’d chosen Jewel’s. His offer to drive me to Ashton’s now seemed unimportant. He’d done it to be considerate because that’s what he was. Not because he had been attracted to me or even remotely interested. I was an idiot.

  “I didn’t know Ash had a cousin,” Ethan said. I tore my eyes off Sawyer as he sidled up to Jewel and focused on the guy beside me. At least he didn’t look upset about getting stuck with me instead of Jewel.

  “Um, yes, I’m the only one. I live in Georgia and get down to visit her about once a year, at the most.”

  Ethan’s easy smile showcased straight white teeth. I liked good teeth on a guy. And Ethan wasn’t bad to look at either. His dark eyes were outlined with really long lashes.

  “So, you staying long?”

  “All summer,” I replied. Ethan’s smile looked approving and he nodded his head.

  “Nice,” he said, then lifted his gaze to the waitress who’d just walked up.

  “What can I get y’all to drink?” she asked, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear and forcing a smile that didn’t match her eyes.

  “Coke,” Ethan announced, then glanced down at my almost-empty one. “Make that two Cokes.”

  He’d ordered for me. I liked that. No guy had ever ordered for me. It made me feel oddly special.

  “A screwdriver for me,” Jewel said, as if she was going to get away with this.
I glared at her and she gave me a small smirk.

  “ID,” the waitress replied, and this time I smirked as Jewel immediately went from looking cocky to looking irritated.

  “Don’t have it with me,” she replied in an annoyed tone.

  “I bet you don’t,” the waitress muttered.

  “Are you saying I don’t look twenty-one?” Jewel asked, as if she was shocked someone would even question it. Because, of course, an eighteen-year-old girl could pass for twenty-one easily. Whatever.

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” the waitress deadpanned.

  Jewel opened her mouth to argue, no doubt, and I knew I needed to step in and stop her before we all got thrown out.

  “Just bring her a Diet Coke, please,” I told the waitress with an apologetic smile. Then I sent a warning glare over toward Jewel.

  She harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. Luckily, she didn’t have much in the way of cleavage, so Sawyer wasn’t leering down her shirt as she pushed her small boobs up with her ridiculous posture.

  Everyone else ordered their drinks. Sawyer leaned down to whisper something to Jewel that made her giggle, and I decided I needed to focus on the menu and just get through this. I don’t know why I’d hoped for anything different.

  “You handled that well,” Ethan whispered, opening his menu beside me. I peeked over at him and smiled. “Thanks. It happens a lot.”

  He grinned and studied his menu. I did the same.

  Chapter 3

  SAWYER

  If that girl giggled one more time, I was going to rip off pieces of my napkin and shove them in my ears. Damn, she was annoying. When I’d first seen her, I’d thought she could potentially distract me from Ashton tonight, but I’d been so very wrong. All she was managing to do was get on my nerves. If her hand slid up my thigh one more time, I was going to end up pushing her toward Jake.

  Soft laughter caught my attention, and I turned to Lana. She was smiling brightly at whatever Ethan was saying to her. He’d been talking to her in whispered tones throughout the entire meal. That was grating on my nerves as well. Ever since she sat down beside him, he’d taken up all her attention. It was as if the rest of us weren’t even at the damn table.

  “Looks like she’s interested in your friend,” Jewel said, obviously noting where my attention was focused.

  “Hmmm” was my only response.

  “How long have you known Lana?” she asked. I thought back to the days of her bright orange ponytails and skinny legs with knobby knees and realized she’d come a very long way. Those freckles that had once made her unattractive now somehow enhanced her looks.

  “Since we were kids. I always used to have to take up for her with Ash and Beau. They tormented her.”

  “Beau?” Jewel asked. Apparently, Lana didn’t talk much about Ashton to her friend. If she did, she’d know exactly who Beau was.

  “My br—uh, cousin,” I replied.

  Lana threw her head back and let out a real laugh this time. Not one she was trying to silence, but one that meant she was thoroughly delighted about something and didn’t care who heard her. Her long, silky, auburn locks brushed the edge of the table, and I wondered how she’d react if I wrapped one of those locks around my finger.

  “You think that’s funny, huh?” Ethan replied, grinning like an idiot because he’d made her laugh so hard.

  Lana nodded her head, reached out, and squeezed his arm. “Yes, I do. I’m sorry,” she replied, trying to keep the huge grin off her face.

  Ethan’s body language said he didn’t mind at all as he leaned into her touch and began that damn whispering again. Those two were lost in their own little world.

  “She isn’t normally good with guys. They make her nervous,” Jewel pointed out.

  She didn’t look nervous to me, although I had to agree that the Lana I remembered was quiet and reserved. What had changed other than the fact that she had gone from forgettable to gorgeous in a few short months?

  Jake said something to Jewel, and she turned her attention to him. Finally I had some relief. Maybe she would grope his thigh now and leave mine alone.

  Lana reached for her drink and her eyes met mine. She paused briefly, then smiled at me. She really had a nice smile. And those freckles . . . damn, they were cute.

  “Enjoying your dinner?” I asked.

  She snuck a peek over at Ethan, who was still staring at her like a lovesick puppy. She’d managed to wrap him around her little finger rather quickly. “Yes, thank you,” she replied, then took a sip of her drink. Those lush lips wrapped around the straw, and I had to swallow hard to keep from groaning. How had little Lana McDaniel become so skilled in the ways of seducing a man?

  “Lana mentioned we were giving her a ride to Ashton’s,” Ethan said, and I tore my gaze off Lana and her straw to glare at him. Why I was glaring, I wasn’t sure. He’d done nothing wrong. He’d entertained Lana and made sure she felt comfortable at the table. Forcing my face to relax, I nodded. “Yeah, I figured since we were going that way, I could take her and Jewel could continue on toward the beach.”

  Ethan appeared a little too pleased. “Good idea,” he replied with a smile, and leaned over to say something to Lana that caused her to grin.

  * * *

  Paying for the meal and getting out of there had been my number one priority. I was ready to send Jewel on her way. Girls who didn’t take a hint annoyed me. I signed the receipt and stuck my debit card back in my wallet.

  “Here,” Jewel said in an unhappy tone as she handed the waitress her receipt and a twenty-dollar bill.

  “Ethan, no.” Lana’s voice broke into my thoughts, and I watched as she frowned up at Ethan, who in return was grinning.

  “I need out. I’ve got to go to the restroom before I hit the road again,” Jewel said. I stood up and let her by but didn’t take my eyes off Lana and Ethan, who appeared to be arguing—or at least Lana looked like she was arguing and Ethan was enjoying himself.

  “Those two are about to make me gag,” Jake muttered, getting out of the booth. “Besides, why the hell would he go and pay for the chick’s meal if he just met her? It ain’t like this is a date.”

  He’d paid for her meal? Why hadn’t I thought of that? It was the polite thing to do. She was Ash’s cousin. I should have paid for it. Except, I’d been so focused on getting away from Jewel that I hadn’t thought of anything else.

  “Come on, E., let’s roll.” Jake didn’t try to mask his annoyance. He must have struck out with Jewel.

  Lana quickly scooted out of the booth and stood up. Ethan was right behind her with her small red purse in his hand.

  “You forgot this,” he said as he stepped behind her.

  Lana flashed him a grateful smile and thanked him.

  Stalking toward the door, I didn’t glance back to see if anyone was following me. I needed to get outside and get some fresh air before I went off on someone for absolutely no reason.

  LANA

  Sawyer was quiet. I tried not to stare at him as he and Ethan took my things from Jewel’s car and loaded them in the back of Sawyer’s truck. He seemed in a hurry to leave. Maybe Jewel had laid it on a little too thick and he was ready to get away from her. The thought made me smile.

  Peeking over at him through the veil of my hair, I could see he’d relaxed since we’d gotten in the truck. Ethan had offered Jake the front seat and said he’d sit with me in the extended cab, but Sawyer had said he wasn’t making me crawl into the back of the truck. I didn’t really consider sitting in the roomy cab with the comfortable seat “crawling” into anything, but I hadn’t argued. His angry scowl had made me scramble into the front. Thankfully, he’d seemed to calm down once the other two got into the back.

  “You can change the station if you want,” Sawyer said, glancing in my direction.

  I hadn’t been paying any attention to what was on the radio. I’d been more worried about figuring out why he was being so surly all of a sudden. This wasn�
�t the Sawyer I remembered. Normally, he was all smiles and politeness. This must be Sawyer after Ashton. The thought made me sad.

  “Ah, man, don’t let her choose. She’s a chick. She’ll pick some awful boy band shit,” Jake complained from the backseat. “Umph, ow, what the hell?” he snapped. I turned to see Ethan glaring at him.

  If only Sawyer liked me as much as Ethan obviously did. Then again, Ethan was more in my league.

  “I’ve a good mind to let her crawl back there and slap you,” Sawyer said with an amused tone to his voice.

  “S’okay. I think E. bruised my ribs. I’ll shut up.”

  * * *

  The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. There wasn’t much talking, except for Sawyer asking me if I was comfortable. He’d turned the air vent toward me and told me to close it if I got cold. He’d changed the channels several times and always asked if I liked that song. This was the Sawyer I was used to: the attentive, polite one. Not the moody guy I’d witnessed all night.

  When Sawyer pulled onto the dirt road that I knew led to the field parties, I searched the parking lot for Ashton’s car or Beau’s truck. I wasn’t sure I was ready to witness Ashton with both of the Vincent boys just yet. If Sawyer was still hung up on her, it would almost kill me.

  “I’ll see y’all later. I’m going to go ahead and take Lana to Ash’s.”

  Ethan cleared his throat, drawing my attention from the parked vehicles to him.

  “Uh, I can take her,” he said in a cautious tone as he stared at Sawyer. Sawyer, on the other hand, hadn’t even turned around to look at him.

  “I got this, Ethan,” he replied in a cool, hard voice.

  Ethan shifted his gaze from me to Sawyer, then let out a defeated sigh and opened the door and got out.

  Once he’d closed the door, Sawyer backed up and turned around. I was silently thrilled he’d wanted to take me to Ashton’s, but then the nagging reminder that he was probably doing it in hopes of seeing Ashton squelched my joy.