The Vincent Boys Read online

  “Ash.” Beau’s voice entered my fantasy.

  “Hmm . . .” I managed to respond as my hand touched his abs.

  “What’re you doing?” His voice didn’t sound right. There was a panicked tone to it that snapped me out of my dream and into reality. I gasped when I realized my leg was hiked up on Beau’s thigh. The hem of my sundress was barely covering my panties. To make matters worse my hand was under his black shirt and his skin felt so warm and soft. The soft circular patterns on my arm had stopped and his hand was no longer touching me. Horror washed over me and I jerked my hand out of his shirt and sat up.

  “Oh my God,” I blurted out. “I’m sorry . . . I didn’t mean . . . I’m sorry.” I couldn’t look at him. Not after I’d been all over him! Instead, I did the only thing I could think of. I ran for my room.

  I pushed the door hard enough to slam it but the loud crack never came.

  “Ash, wait.” Beau’s voice made me cringe. Oh God, WHY did he have to follow me? Couldn’t he have just left?

  I couldn’t face him.

  “I’m sorry. Just . . . go, okay?”

  I crossed my arms and stared hard at the window, waiting for him to leave. His arms wrapped around me from behind and I whimpered as the humiliation just got worse. He was going to try to comfort me.

  “I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours but from the way you’re acting I can imagine it’s pretty bad.” He lowered his head to my shoulder. “You want me to leave and I’m going to go. But first I want to make sure you understand something.”

  My throat was tight and tears clogged my airway. Responding wasn’t possible.

  “I started that in there. Not you. I wasn’t prepared for the reaction I got. I thought you’d push me away, not . . . snuggle closer.” He stopped again and his breath was warm on my neck before his lips touched my bare shoulder. I shivered and his hands ran down my arms until they covered mine. “I shouldn’t have touched you. But I couldn’t help myself,” he murmured against my ear.

  I wanted to argue. It wasn’t his fault. I wanted to tell him I was the one who got carried away. But I couldn’t manage more than just a small snivel. “I can’t do this, Ash. God knows I want to but I can’t,” and then he was gone. I turned to see him walking out of my door. More than anything I wanted to call him back, but I didn’t.

  Chapter 4

  The ding alerting me of a text message woke me up. I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus before reaching for my phone.

  Beau: G’ morning

  The shock of seeing his name on my phone this early had me sitting up quickly and then flopping back down against my pillow as last night’s events rushed back to me. I could almost feel Beau’s lips on my shoulder and I shivered under the covers.

  Beau: When u wake up call me

  I should ignore him. I should ignore these texts and pretend like last night never happened. But the memory of his breath in my ear and his hands caressing my arms threw all my good intentions out the window.

  Me: I’m awake now

  In less than a minute my phone rang. I had a decision to make and fast. I either ignore his call and save both Beau and me the future trouble. Or I answer and forget about the consequences.

  “Hello.”

  “Hey.” His voice made me instantly glad I answered.

  “About last night,” I began.

  “I want to see you today,” he interrupted.

  My heart pounded in my chest and I smiled up at the ceiling. He wanted to see me.

  “Okay,” I replied quickly.

  “Do you mind coming here?”

  “Your place?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I’ve got some things I need to do for Mom. Why don’t you come keep me company?”

  I sat up in bed grinning like an idiot.

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes. Have you eaten?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “I’ll bring breakfast then,” I replied.

  “Sounds good.”

  “Okay, bye.”

  He hesitated a minute then said, “See ya soon.”

  My heart was going at warp speed as I jumped up and headed to the kitchen to make some biscuits before taking a shower.

  Beau

  I reached for my phone for at least the tenth time to call and cancel when Ashton’s Jetta spun into the gravel drive outside.

  Great.

  I’d successfully fought off my good intentions just long enough for her to get here. This was bad. Hurting people isn’t something I have issues with, but hurting Sawyer? That’s out of the question.

  Ashton stepped out of her car wearing another short dress and carrying a plate of food. Watching the sway of her hips under the wispy fabric as she made her way toward me, the corners of her mouth turned up in a shy little smile, I decided I didn’t care if I was being a dirtbag. Sawyer wasn’t here and I couldn’t seem to help myself.

  My cousin should have stayed his ass home.

  “I made sausage biscuits,” she said as she approached the door.

  “Yum, I’m starving,” I replied, holding the door open for her. The breeze ruffled her hair as she walked past me. Why did she have to smell so damn good? I closed the door and turned around to drink her in. Last night when I’d left her I’d gone straight to Nicole. Reminding myself who I was had been vitally important. Nicole had been very willing but my body couldn’t seem to forget how good Ashton felt curled up against me.

  “I didn’t expect you to call me,” Ashton said softly while studying the plate of biscuits in her hands. I’d had a moment of intense weakness when I’d woken up from an incredibly good dream she had starred in. All I could think about was being near her again.

  “I hated the way we left things last night.”

  She blushed and glanced up at me. “I’m really sorry about how I acted.”

  Damn, damn, damn, I wasn’t going to be able to resist her. Pushing Sawyer to the deep dark forgotten part of my mind I walked over to her and took the plate of biscuits and sat them down on the counter.

  “I told you last night, I started it. I should be the one apologizing.”

  She let out a small laugh and stared down at her feet.

  “No, I distinctly remember it being my leg that was hiked up in your lap and my hand that was up your shirt. You had completely stopped touching me. Thanks for trying to take the blame off me but I was there, Beau.”

  I slipped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me. Right now I didn’t care who she belonged to. I wanted her and I couldn’t see past my need.

  “Look at me,” I whispered, slipping my finger under her chin and tilting her face up so I could see her eyes. “The only reason I didn’t grab you and haul you onto my lap last night was because for the first time in my life I want something that belongs to the only person I love. I started touching you last night because I couldn’t keep my hands off you. I thought if I could touch you just a little bit I’d be able to handle it. But then you didn’t react the way I expected.” I stopped and closed my eyes. Staring down at her while I talked about her reaction to my touch was difficult. Those big innocent green eyes soaking in every word out of my mouth. God, she was perfect.

  “And my good intentions were fading fast. If you’d kept touching me for just a few more seconds I’d have lost it. I was hanging on by a thread. A very thin thread.”

  She stepped back out of my embrace and gave me a little grin.

  “Okay. Thank you for saying that.” She turned and walked over to the counter then began taking the plastic wrap off the biscuits. “We both love him. Neither of us want to hurt him. But . . . we’re drawn to each other. We have history. The three of us. For the past few years it’s been just me and Sawyer. I didn’t want it to be that way, it just happened. I think we can all be friends again. I want us to be. So, while he’s gone let’s just enjoy being friends. I promise to keep my hands to myself if you promise the same.”

  She peered at me over her shoulder as she moved
to set the biscuits on plates she’d found in the dish rack. Telling her how I’d do anything she asked wasn’t exactly the best move. I nodded and went to get glasses and orange juice so we could eat breakfast together. Just like we used to.

  “STOP IT, BEAU!” Ashton squealed as she ran around the side of the truck away from the water hose I’d aimed her way.

  “But you’ve got soap all over your arms. I’m just trying to wash it off,” I replied. Her laughter made something inside me tighten and I forced myself not to think about it.

  “Sure you were. By soaking me. I’d prefer the soapy arms, thank you very much.”

  “Ah, come on, Ash. I was just trying to help. I promise I won’t do it again. Besides, you aren’t even wearing a white shirt. I’ve got no reason to hose you down.”

  She walked around the front of my truck cautiously. She didn’t trust me. I dropped the hose and held up both my hands. “See, I promise,” I assured her.

  She tilted her head to one side and bit her bottom lip. “Hmmm, okay.”

  I watched her slowly approach the bucket of soapy water to retrieve the sponge she’d dropped. Before I could respond she stood up and hurled a large, wet, soapy sponge at my face and squealed in delight before turning and running back to the other side of the truck.

  “You’ve asked for it now,” I yelled at her and took off around the opposite side of the truck to catch her.

  “I’m sorry,” she screamed through her laughter.

  “Too late for apologies, darlin’. I’m taking you down.”

  “Beau, I promise I won’t! Please don’t throw it at me!” She ducked down behind the back of the truck.

  “Well, isn’t this sweet.”

  Nicole’s voice caught me off guard. I stopped chasing Ashton and tossed the wet sponge into the bucket before turning around to find Nicole leaning up against her mother’s candy-apple-red Camaro. The scowl on her face was directed toward Ashton. I glanced back to see Ashton standing beside the bed of my truck holding the soaking wet sponge in her hands while studying Nicole nervously. The comparison of the two girls was like night and day. Where Nicole fit into this run-down trailer park, Ashton looked completely out of place. Old man Macklery stepped out of his front door with a beer in his hands, yelling back over his shoulder at his wife before slamming the door. Everything around me faded away when I was with Ashton. It was no wonder I’d missed Nicole’s arrival. Turning back to Nicole I shot her a warning glare.

  “I didn’t hear you drive up.”

  She raised her eyebrows and shifted her angry gaze toward me. I knew why she had stopped by. The skin-tight mini skirt and halter top that barely covered her boobs meant she’d come over looking for some action.

  “You were having a little too much fun to notice anything but her.”

  Crap! This wasn’t good. Ashton was the one person Nicole felt threatened by. It didn’t matter how nice Ashton had always been to Nicole. Nicole hated her. Catching her soaking wet in a skimpy little sundress washing my truck didn’t look real innocent. Ashton was sexy as hell all wet and soapy. A fact I knew wouldn’t go unnoticed by Nicole. She would love to see Ashton crash and burn. I needed to say something but I couldn’t think of anything to say.

  “Hello, Nicole. It’s past time for me to leave. I’m glad you’re here to take my place,” Ashton said, breaking the tense silence.

  I studied the worried frown tugging at the corner of her mouth. If shoving Nicole back into her Camaro and forcing her to leave would make those pretty lips smile and laugh again I would. Ashton’s eyes met mine and she gave me a bright smile. The kind she used to give me. The kind she had to force. Not the smile I’d grown accustomed to the last few days.

  “I’ll let Sawyer know I checked in on you and entertained you in his absence like he requested. Looks like you have someone who’ll no doubt be much more your speed here now,” she said, staring back at me. Then she swung her attention toward Nicole and blasted her with the same fake smile.

  “Have fun, you two,” she waved to Nicole. “See ya around.”

  I watched as Ash walked to her car and slipped inside all dripping wet. I wanted to run after her and beg her not to leave but I knew this was her way of saving our butts with Sawyer. I hadn’t been able to think of anything to say and I’d left all the explaining to her.

  “I find it hard to believe Sawyer meant for her to come over here and have a soapy water fight with you,” Nicole said as she walked toward me.

  “Shut up,” I replied and bent over to pick up the hose so I could rinse off my truck.

  “I hate her, Beau. You know that. If she needs babysitting, someone else can do it. She isn’t your concern.”

  “You don’t tell me who I can and can’t spend time with, Nicole.”

  “Hell yes I do! The last time I checked we’re an item. You’re mine. I don’t want you around her. Stay the fuck away from her or I’ll tell Sawyer just how friendly you two were when I drove up. I’m not blind, Beau. I saw the way you were looking at her. The girl might as well have been nekked.”

  I swung my head around and glared at her. “No one threatens me, Nicole. You know better. Don’t make that mistake.”

  “So, what, you can paw all over your cousin’s girlfriend and I just have to sit and take it?”

  “I wasn’t pawing her. We were washing my truck. We’re friends, Nicole. She was my best friend growing up. Our being friends now is not a big deal and Sawyer’s okay with it. Ashton’s too good for me. She knows that. I know that. Sawyer knows that. You should know that.”

  Nicole didn’t say anything. I started rinsing off the truck, hoping this conversation was over.

  “But you like her.”

  It didn’t sound like a question. More like a statement.

  “Yes, Nicole. She’s my cousin’s girlfriend. She’s nice and kind and everything we aren’t. Everyone likes her. Everyone but you.”

  “I mean you like her-like her. The way you were looking at her. You want her.”

  There were a million things I wanted to say. But saying any of them would be a bad move. Keeping Nicole’s mouth shut was more important.

  “She’s Sawyer’s girl.”

  “Does that matter?” she shot back at me.

  It did matter. It should matter. It had always mattered. My fist tightened on the hose in my hand and I suppressed the need to yell out how fucking unfair this was. I didn’t need Nicole questioning me. I had to deal with this shit on my own.

  “You know it matters. Sawyer always matters.”

  Chapter 5

  Ashton

  “Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” Leann assured me for the hundredth time.

  I scowled at her back as she got out of the car. Somehow she’d managed to drag me to the Masons’ field. When she’d asked me to hang out with her tonight I’d thought she meant a movie and maybe shopping. I hadn’t thought she meant to bring me to the field. I stopped boring holes in her back and glanced over at Beau’s parked truck. I hadn’t heard from him since I’d left him and Nicole at his trailer. At first I’d expected him to text or call but after twenty-four hours I began to realize I wouldn’t be hearing from him. Nicole hadn’t seemed very happy about my being there. I should’ve expected this reaction.

  “Come on, Ashton.” Leann opened my car door and smiled down at me. Her short, curly brown hair bounced as she waved her arm out toward the field.

  “There’s a life outside of Sawyer Vincent. I swear there is,” she teased while adjusting her black-framed glasses that had slid down her nose. Only Leann could make glasses look chic.

  “I know that.” She had no idea how much I knew that. “But coming to the field without Sawyer seems pointless. I mean, Noah will be here soon and I’ll be the third wheel.”

  “Nonsense. Noah will be both our dates.” She flashed me a grin and pulled me into the clearing.

  The bonfire and music were already pumping. The smell of burning pecan wood filled the night air. Different groups gathere
d around the lit-up clearing while some couples were already making their way into the privacy of the shadows inside the trees. I walked beside Leann, listening to her chatter on and on about the new truck Noah had bought. I’d been trying so hard to ignore my surroundings and everyone around me that I was caught by surprise when Leann sat down on a log and pulled me down beside her.

  “Look who I pulled out of hiding,” Leann announced to the group.

  “Ashton. She lives,” Ryan Mason called out from across the fire and attempted to strut over to us. His alcohol intake, however, made it appear more like a bad dance move.

  “Missed that pretty face around here,” Ryan said teasingly as he motioned for Leann to move over so he could take her spot beside me. “I see how it is. You only come around when Saw’s here. No love for me.” He leaned toward me and leered. I could smell the beer on his breath and I knew he’d already consumed one too many. This was a typical Ryan reaction to drinking. He flirted with everyone.

  “This is a couples’ kind of place and my other half isn’t around.” I forced the smile on my lips to stay in place. He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me up against his side.

  “I can fix that for ya, sweetheart. I’ll ditch the bitch I’m with if you promise to follow me out into those woods.”

  I glanced over at Leann for assistance and all I got was a wild-eyed panicked expression. She began scanning the crowd. I knew she was searching for Noah to come to the rescue.

  “Um, that’s okay, Ryan,” I said and started to stand up. I wasn’t fast enough because both his hands were on my waist and pulling me onto his lap before I could get away. My heart was racing and I fought the urge to scream.

  “Let her go, Ryan. If Sawyer hears about this he’ll kill you.” Leann’s demand fell on deaf ears. Ryan chuckled and ran his hand up my leg. I slapped it away and struggled to stand up again.