The Vincent Boys Collection Read online

  “You were mean to me because you wanted me to smart off to you?” I asked.

  He nodded, then bent down to kiss the tip of my nose.

  “You really like my ugly side, don’t you, Beau?”

  “Nothing about you is ugly. You’re just as beautiful inside as you are out, but you don’t see it. That’s what kills me. Sawyer’s my cousin and I’d do anything for him. But he’s insane for keeping you up on some damn pedestal. I want the real you. The one that likes shimmying out of a pair of shorts knowing you’re driving me wild. The one who runs through the woods to my truck smiling like nothing else matters.” He cupped my face with his hand. “The real Ashton Gray is perfect, and I’m crazy in love with her.” My gut clenched. I had feelings for Beau. We shared a history together and now we had this summer, but love wasn’t supposed to factor into the equation. There was Sawyer standing between us.

  Beau’s lips found mine and everything else fell away. I didn’t care about all the worries and arguments in the back of my head. I just wanted to be me. In his arms I knew I could be.

  Chapter 9

  ASHTON

  Everyone in the town somehow managed to pack themselves into the church to pay their respects to Grana. I hadn’t been able to talk myself into going up and looking at her lying there still and pale. They couldn’t have done her makeup right. She was a makeup expert and always had herself fixed up pretty. I’d liked knowing I had the prettiest seventy-year-old Grana in the world. When Mom and Dad hadn’t wanted me to start wearing makeup yet, even after my begging and pleading with them, Grana spirited me off to stay the weekend with her so she could teach me the technique of “putting on your face,” as she called it.

  A tear trickled down my cheek, and I reached up to catch it with the Kleenex someone had handed me earlier. So many times I’d stood in the third row with Grana while Dad preached. We’d write notes back and forth until Mom would cut a sharp warning glare at us. It always made us giggle. Grana would act like we were putting the paper away. In reality she’d just get sneakier. Grana was a lot like Beau; she embraced the bad girl inside me. Thinking of Beau caused another lump to form in my throat. I was starting to depend on him so much. Sawyer would be home soon and everything would change.

  Thinking about how I’d let my own selfish desires come in between Beau and Sawyer made the guilt in my stomach thicken. Beau made everything feel better. I craved him. And without question he gave into me. He said he loved me. He wasn’t supposed to love me. I couldn’t come between Sawyer and Beau. Ending this was the only way to keep from hurting everyone.

  “Hey.” Beau’s deep voice startled me, and I lifted my head to find him standing in front of me. I hadn’t expected him to come that night. Besides the fact he never stepped foot in the church except on Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve, I figured he would spend his one night free of me with friends . . . or Nicole.

  “Hi,” I replied in a hoarse whisper. “I didn’t expect you to—” I stopped myself from saying more. He raised both blond eyebrows and tilted his head slightly to the left as he frowned at me. I noticed his short blond hair, which normally had that messy, sexy look, was neatly brushed. My eyes drifted down to his broad shoulders and chest, taking in the pale blue, button-up dress shirt I was positive he’d never worn until then. The shirt was tucked into a pair of tan slacks I’d also never seen him wear. When I lifted my eyes back up to meet his, I smiled for the first time in hours, enjoying his obvious discomfort.

  “You dressed up,” I said quietly, not wanting to attract attention to us. He shrugged and glanced around as if to see how many more people would notice his attempt at cleaning up. When his eyes settled back on me, he leaned closer.

  “Have you gone up to see her?” His soft whisper caused tears to spring back into my eyes. I shook my head and took a deep breath to keep from breaking down and hurling myself into his arms for comfort in front of the whole town. His warm hand covered mine, and he stepped closer to me as he laced his fingers through mine. Confused, I quickly looked around the church this time to see who was watching us.

  “Come on, Ash. You’ll regret not going to see her one last time. You need to do this for closure. Trust me.” There was a sadness in his eyes as he stared down at me, pleading. “I didn’t go see my dad. I regret that. Even to this day.”

  His admission caused the ache in my chest to throb harder—not just for me and my loss but for the little boy who had lost so much. Somehow he needed me to do this. I let him gently pull me up the aisle toward the open casket holding the one woman I’d always depended on to be there no matter what. We’d talked about my wedding and how she would fix my hair and makeup. We’d planned the colors of the bridesmaid dresses and the bouquets of flowers she would arrange. We’d talked about her making the christening gowns for my children to wear on the day they’d be dedicated in this church. So many plans had been made. So many dreams had been cast as we’d sat on her front porch drinking sweet tea and eating sugar cookies.

  The casket was a lovely marble, white with pink lining. She would love it. She loved pink. The massive splay of white and pink roses that lay over the bottom half of the casket would have delighted her. Those rosebushes she babied and cooed over every spring and summer had been one of her life’s joys. I wanted to thank everyone who had sent her the large flower bouquets lining the church walls, especially the ones with roses.

  A warm trickle fell from my chin and splashed against my hand. I reached up with my free hand and wiped at my face, but it was pointless. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I hadn’t even realized I was crying.

  “I won’t leave you, but you need to go on up and say your good-byes. I’ll stand right here behind you,” Beau whispered from beside me.

  Since I’d walked into those familiar double doors, I’d had a tight knot in my chest making it hard to breathe deeply. Then, as I stood there getting ready to say good-bye to the woman I loved so dearly, a peace settled over me. I released the tight grip I had on Beau’s hand and stepped forward.

  She was smiling. I was glad she was smiling. She smiled a lot. They’d used her makeup. I’d know the color of that ripe raspberry lipstick anywhere. The smell of roses was thick, reminding me even more of the afternoons we’d sat outside her house talking.

  “They dressed you in your favorite dress,” I whispered as I stared down at her still body. “And they used your makeup. Although you would have done a better job putting it on. The eye shadow is a little too dark. Whoever put it on apparently doesn’t know about the ‘less is more’ rule.”

  It was odd talking to her like this. She would have chuckled at the makeup comment. We’d have concocted a scheme to give the morgue beauticians or whoever put makeup on the recently deceased a lesson in the art of “putting on your face.” The corners of my mouth lifted.

  “Remember when we talked about how we hoped we got to hang around earth long enough to be at our own funerals? Well, in case you convinced God of this idea and you’re here somewhere listening”—I paused and swallowed the sob threatening to escape—“if you’re here . . . I love you. I miss you. I’m going to think of you every day, and all those plans we had—I’m going to keep them. Just promise you’ll be there. Promise you’ll convince the big guy to let you come back down to visit.”

  This time a sob made it past my lips. I covered my mouth and dropped my head as the memories washed over me. Knowing that this was the last time I’d ever see her tore a hole through my chest. A comforting arm wrapped around me and pulled me against his hard chest. Beau didn’t say anything to comfort me. He just let me get this last good-bye out the only way I knew how. When the tears subsided and the ache in my chest seemed to ease, I lifted my head to stare up at him.

  “I’m a firm believer God doesn’t snatch you right up and haul you off to heaven. I think he lets you say your good-byes. And your Grana wouldn’t have gone anywhere until she got this good-bye in.” I let out a small chuckle and nodded. He was right, of course. Even God c
ouldn’t have moved her if she wasn’t ready.

  “Bye, Grana,” I whispered one last time.

  “You ready?” Beau asked, lacing his fingers through mine.

  I turned and walked back down the aisle, nodding and speaking to others who made their way to pay their condolences. Beau stood quietly and patiently beside me. I noticed several people curiously flick their gazes at the town’s black sheep stationed beside me. This would be all over town before the night was over. Somehow that didn’t matter right then. Beau had been my friend since he’d pulled my hair on the playground and I in return grabbed his hand and twisted his arm behind his back. After the preschool teacher corrected us both and threatened to call our parents, Beau had looked over at me and asked, “Want to sit by me and my cousin at lunch?”

  They could all talk. Beau had come to my rescue when I needed rescuing the most. He might not be the perfect citizen, but Grana always said perfect was boring. She would love that I’d snubbed my nose at the gossiping betties at her funeral. I glanced back over my shoulder, smiling. She was there somewhere, and I could almost hear her laughter as I walked out of the church holding Beau’s hand.

  BEAU

  “I don’t know that they will ever recover from that,” I said as I held open my truck door and helped Ashton inside.

  “What?” She asked, frowning down at me.

  Did she really not know what I was referring to or was she trying to act like it was no big deal? Because it was a big deal. My showing up tonight was a step I’d taken knowing Sawyer would find out about it. I hadn’t cared about the repercussions. I just couldn’t stand the idea of Ashton having no one but people who had no idea what she was going through or feeling surround her. She had needed me.

  “They’ll talk, Ash,” I said carefully, waiting to see if she’d just been so broken over her Grana that she hadn’t thought about the statement we had just made walking out of there together.

  She shrugged her shoulders, “So. That’s what they do, Beau. They talk. They’ll get over it.”

  Damn if I didn’t want to crawl in and press her back against the worn leather seats and kiss her until we were both begging for more. But even I didn’t do it in the church parking lot. Closing the truck door I made my way around the front of the truck and climbed inside.

  I didn’t ask if she wanted to go home. I was taking her to my place instead. Mom worked tonight and I wanted Ash in my room. I wanted to see her in my space. Know what that felt like. Smell her close even after she’s gone.

  Ashton scooted over until she was up against my side. “Where we going?”

  “Does it matter?” I asked, instead of answering her.

  She let out a small sad sigh. “No. Not really. Just so I’m with you.”

  My chest thumped against my chest, and the possessive beast inside me roared with pleasure. She was mine dammit. I had to fix this. I couldn’t give her back to Sawyer.

  “I want to see you in my room. I want my pillows to smell like you. I want to have the image of you lying back on my bed imprinted in my memory.”

  Ashton titled her head back to look up at me. I glanced down at her big green eyes before looking back at the road. “When did you get all sweet and charming?”

  Since I’d been buried deep inside the only girl I’d ever loved. I didn’t tell her that though. She wasn’t ready for me to repeat my feelings again. She’d frozen up on me the last time I’d told her how I felt. “Don’t tell me you are just now figuring out how charming I am?”

  She snickered and pressed her mouth against my arm to keep from laughing louder. I loved hearing her laugh. Especially after seeing her fall apart and listening to her weep earlier. That had torn me apart. I didn’t want her sad. I didn’t want her to have to feel any pain. I just wanted to protect her from everything. I knew it sounded ridiculous, but I couldn’t help the way I felt.

  Pulling my truck in between the oak trees that led into the trailer park where I’d lived my entire life, I leaned down and kissed the top of Ashton’s head. This was the way it should have been all along. Ashton beside me. It was meant to be this way.

  “So what are we going to do in your room?” Ashton asked.

  I opened the door and slipped my hand over her thigh and pulled her to me as I moved to get out.

  “Monopoly?” I replied with a smirk.

  Ashton put her hands on my shoulders, and I pulled her against me and lowered her to the ground. “I stink at Monopoly. You know that.”

  She sucked at Monopoly was more like it. Sawyer always let her beat him when we’d played as kids. Not me. I always took every dollar she had. Ashton didn’t like things to be easy. She liked the challenge. I recognized that even back then.

  “Yeah, you do,” I agreed, and put my hand on the small of her back, directing her to the front door. “We could play strip poker.”

  Ashton laughed and shook her head no. “You always beat me at that too. Well, poker at least. I’ll be naked in less than fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay you sold me. We’re playing strip poker,” I interrupted.

  “If you want me naked you don’t have to beat me at cards,” she replied teasingly.

  Hell, yeah. That was my girl. “Deal. Strip,” I demanded as I closed the door behind us.

  Ashton threw her head back and laughed. The sadness lurking in her eyes was gone now. That’s what I’d wanted to accomplish. Well, I wanted her naked, too, but it hadn’t been my top priority. That came in second.

  “Can I have a drink first?” Ashton asked, running a hand up my chest.

  “I guess if that’s what you really want,” I replied, lowering my mouth to drop kisses along her jawline before nuzzling the soft skin behind her ear.

  Ashton’s hands slipped behind my neck and she arched against me. We might not make it to my bedroom if she kept this up.

  “I changed my mind,” Ashton whispered before slipping her hand down to my jeans and tugging on the button.

  “You sure?” I asked, nipping at her earlobe.

  She shivered in my arms and nodded.

  This could never be wrong. It felt too right.

  “I want these off,” she whispered as she unfastened my jeans and started tugging them down. I wanted them off too, but not in my living room. I wanted her back in my bedroom. On my sheets. So when she was gone, I could smell her.

  “To my room,” I replied as I kissed a trail down her neck. The small shiver that ran through her only excited me more. I reached down and grabbed the hem of her short dress and pulled it up until I could cup her ass. Both soft cheeks were bare. I froze and stared down at her while I slipped my hand down and found the thin strap.

  “Holy shit, baby. You’re wearing a g-string?” I needed her dress off now. The sweet little pastor’s daughter was naughty as hell and I loved every inch of her.

  Ashton only nodded and pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her amused smile. She loved knowing that she could drive me crazy.

  “Off. I want this dress off,” I demanded. I didn’t wait for her to help me. I found the zipper and slid it down to the curve of her hips, then pushed it off her shoulders. The forgotten fabric fell to the floor as I stood taking in the sight of Ashton in a black lace bra and matching barely there panties. I didn’t see the point in wearing panties that covered so very little but I wasn’t complaining. They were doing very good things for my imagination.

  “I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t make it to my room,” I apologized before I captured her mouth with mine. I needed in her, but right now I needed to taste her. Have her close to me. Know that she’s mine.

  The sound of my zipper and Ashton breaking our kiss was the only warning I had before she fell to her knees in front of me. Oh, hell no. She was not doing that.

  “Get up, Ash. Right now.” I reached down and she swatted my hands away as she pulled my jeans and boxers down until my cock was free. “I mean it, Ash. You are not going to—holyfuckingshit!”

  Sweet mother of Go
d, her mouth was on me. I wanted her to stop because she shouldn’t be on her knees in front of me. She was my Ash. But fuck, it felt so amazing I couldn’t move away. Her tongue swiped across the top of my swollen head, and I cried out. I couldn’t hold back. Having Ashton holding my dick in her hands as she covered it with her mouth, taking it in until it touched the back of her throat, was unbelievable.

  “Baby, AH, Ash, so good.” My thoughts were hard to form. I slipped my hands into her hair. This was my Ash. On her perfect knees, giving me a blowjob. No fantasy I’d ever had was this damn good.

  “You’re gorgeous. This is fucking mind blowing, that’s it baby. Suck it.” I couldn’t stop the words from falling from my lips. I let her lick and suck until I couldn’t take it anymore. Reaching down I grabbed her under her arms and hauled her up against the wall. With one hand I reached under her dress and ripped the tiny panties she was wearing off before filling her in one fast thrust.

  “Oh God yes,” Ashton cried out.

  “You make me crazy. All I want to do is touch you and taste you. I want to bury myself up inside your hot little hole and never come out,” I said as I pulled back and thrust into her again.