by Abbi Glines
“I’ll be back in a few,” Jeremy said before heading up toward the house.
Becca Lynn stopped in front of me and cocked her hip to one side placing her hands in the back pockets of her cut off jean shorts. That stance made her tits poke out and the imprint of her nipples was right there for my viewing pleasure.
“So, you getting a break anytime soon?” she asked, staring up at me with a ‘fuck me now’ grin on her face. I was real damn tempted. I could have those tight little shorts off and her bent over my bed in no time. But something was stopping me. Maybe it was the innocent way her blonde curls floated around her big brown eyes or maybe it wasn’t something that moral at all. Maybe it was the fact she’d be harder to get rid of out here in the country once I’d finished with her.
“I’m heading out to bale hay. Jeremy just went to get us some water,” I explained, making sure she understood just how disappointed I was that I wouldn’t get to see exactly what those perky little titties looked like bare.
“Oh… well, maybe tonight you would like to come down to the lake? I’m having a bonfire and inviting over a few friends. My parents are out of town…” she trailed off. Not getting some sexual relief from this pretty little number was going to be hard. But I wasn’t going to turn down her offer at something to do tonight. I was already bored as shit.
“I’m in need of a nice cold beer. Any chance that’ll be available?” I asked.
Becca nodded her head and bit down on her bottom lip teasingly. Yeah, she was hoping for more tonight. Maybe if I just enjoyed having a female in my arms for a little while. No sex, just some playtime. I fucking needed something.
I checked to see if Eva or her dad were standing around anywhere watching us before closing the little bit of distance Becca Lynn had left between us. “That sounds like a real nice offer,” I lowered my voice and placed a hand on her hip. Her mouth made a small little round O as I pulled her up against me. “Do you think you might could sit on my lap while I drink that beer?”
Her breathing was accelerating and the tits she wanted me to notice were bobbing against my chest. I slid my hand up her ribs until my thumb grazed the underside of her soft heavy breast. Yeah, that was nice. I needed to get fucking laid. She managed to nod her head as she stared up at me. Her brown eyes were pretty but not enough to put up with a clingy female the rest of the summer. That reminder had me slipping my hand away and taking a step back.
“I’ll see ya tonight then,” I replied, suddenly thankful that Jeremy was headed our way.
“Okay,” she sighed and flashed me one last smile before turning and running up toward the house. Shit. I wondered if she was going to go tell Eva about this. I hadn’t done anything wrong. Maybe Eva wouldn’t go running off to her daddy to tell him that I was playing with Becca Lynn’s tits. But somehow… I seriously doubted it.
Eva
My face felt hot. I stepped away from the bathroom window and closed my eyes tightly. When I’d seen Becca strutting up to Cage I should have stopped washing my hands and turned away from the window. No. When I’d realized Cage was shirtless and pouring the last of his water over his bare chest I should have stopped looking. But I hadn’t. I couldn’t. It had been fascinating. I’d never seen a chest or arms like his. They were so… so… so sculpted and muscular. I fanned my face glad I had a moment to recover before Becca found me in here.
Becca had been real close to that naked chest. Those large tanned hands had touched her waist and from what I could tell he’d touched a little more than that. I was surprised Becca hadn’t crumpled to the ground. The girl didn’t even have on a bra! Did she have no shame? I was torn between disgust and jealousy. Yes, I might as well admit it. I was jealous. The guy was gorgeous and Becca was free to enjoy just how gorgeous he was. I was jealous of that. Because I knew I wasn’t. I’d never be free.
Even if my daddy were to approve of someone like Cage, I could never move on with someone less than worthy of filling Josh’s shoes. Josh wanted me to move on and I wasn’t sure I ever could. If I did… If I ever attempted to— it would have to be with a guy Josh would approve of. Cage York would never be that guy.
“EVA! WHERE ARE YOU?” Becca Lynn’s voice called out down the hall as she got closer to the bathroom door I knew she would bang on any second. Taking one deep breath I wiped my hands on the hand towel and opened the door.
Becca had just stopped outside the door and had her fist up ready to knock.
“There you are! Ohmygod Eva! I think I’m gonna kiss your Uncle Mack next time I see him. I swear my body hasn’t gone this crazy over a boy ever. Cage makes me feel like I’ve just had the world’s best orgasm when he hasn’t done anything more than smile at me with those delicious full lips of his. DEAR LORD HAVE MERCY his thumb touched my boob and I’m more than positive I DID have an orgasm right there in your yard,” Becca pushed past me, closed the toilet lid, flopped down on it and began fanning herself. “I am so going to do him tonight. I don’t care that I just met him. I want that boy naked! Did you see him out there with his shirt off?”
Yes, I’d seen him.
“Don’t have sex with him, Becca. He probably has STDs. He will screw you today and move on to someone else tomorrow. Don’t give him that part of you.”
Because I was pretty sure I’d die of jealousy at having to hear her relive it over and over again.
Becca Lynn rolled her eyes, “Whatever Eva. He does not have STDs. That’s silly. It isn’t like he screws prostitutes. The boy can pick and choose. Besides, I will make sure we use a condom. Anyway, who else is he going to move onto? He’s stuck here all summer. Other than you and me, no one else is coming around here for him to move on to.”
I thought about the girls who would be at the lake party tonight and wondered if that had ever crossed her mind.
“Deedee and Farah are coming tonight, aren’t they?” I asked, leaning a hip against the sink.
Becca frowned for a moment then lifted her gaze to meet mine, “Deedee is back with Brett and Farrah is seeing Hayden Morris, you know the boy who was quarterback at Sea Breeze our junior and senior years. Josh outplayed him during the championship game and we…” she trailed off like she always did when she mentioned Josh’s name. It was as though she was afraid I’d burst into tears and fall to the ground. I couldn’t blame her. I had been a major recluse for over eight months after Josh was killed. Other than Jeremy I had closed everyone else out during those months. Becca had been away at college most of that time so it hadn’t been difficult to hide from everyone. Jeremy had dropped out that semester and I’d been so wrapped up in my pain that I hadn’t thought about how my grief was affecting him. When I’d heard my dad talking to Jeremy one night after he thought I’d gone to bed, I realized what I was doing to him. Dad had been telling him that he needed to go back to school that fall. He couldn’t stay here with me forever. Jeremy had refused to leave me.
I’d done everything I could to prove to him that I was better. That I could make it without him. In the end it had been pointless. He’d enrolled at a local college and he commuted. By the winter semester I’d enrolled too. We commuted together. It had worked.
This was our last summer together. Things were changing. Jeremy wanted to go to LSU. He had family in Louisiana and he wanted to get an apartment with his cousin. He had no idea I knew all this. But I did. I was doing everything I could to prove to him that he could tell me his plans. I would be okay. It was time he lived his life and stopped holding my hand.
“I didn’t mean to…” Becca’s voice broke into my thoughts and I realized she thought my quietness was because of her mentioning Josh.
I smiled, “It’s okay to say his name. I don’t want to pretend he didn’t exist. I can hear his name now and not fall apart. Josh was the biggest part of my life for eighteen years. I like remembering things about him,” I assured her and reached out to squeeze her shoulder.
“He was awesome that game. We were the ones picked to lose and he dominated that field.
He showed all those college scouts that the hot shot quarterback Hayden Morris wasn’t so big and bad after all.”
Becca’s smile was sad. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he? Why didn’t he take that scholarship to South Carolina for football?”
My chest tightened. I wasn’t ready for that just yet. Shaking my head, I straightened up from my relaxed stance. “Because he said life was more than football. He wanted his life to mean something more.”
That was all I could manage. I turned and walked out the door. I needed a moment. I thought back to that day he’d left for boot camp and I’d cried my eyes out begging him not to join the army. I had promised him I would go to South Carolina with him. We wouldn’t have to be apart and he’d be safe. Away from guns and bombs.
Chapter Four
Cage
I knew enough about country music to know that it was George Strait’s voice singing over the speakers. Becca Lynn’s hand squeezed mine as she walked beside me toward the big ass fire they had going. The moonlight was the only other light out here in the woods. The small area was crowded with unfamiliar faces. A couple of them I wouldn’t mind getting to know a little better. A flirty little brunette flashed me a teasing smile before pressing her nice sized chest against the arm of the guy she was holding onto.
I surveyed the rest of the crowd. I still wasn’t sure I was going to be doing anything with Becca Lynn tonight. I couldn’t make up my mind. I just had a feeling she was going to be the kind you couldn’t get rid of after the one-nighter. There were a few other options out here in the dark. My mind went to Eva and I wondered if she’d be here. This probably wasn’t her scene. I doubted Eva Brooks went to bonfires at night. But damned if the idea of getting her snobby little ass pressed up against a tree didn’t sound real good. She might be a bitch but she was so fucking sexy it didn’t even matter. I’d have to keep reminding myself that she was off limits. I had too much riding on her daddy liking me to get too attached to the idea of getting her out of her panties.
“Let me go get you that beer,” Becca said, reminding me she was beside me.
“Thanks,” I replied, smiling down at her.
“Here comes Jeremy and Eva. You can talk to them while I’m gone,” she beamed then turned to hurry toward the large coolers full of ice sitting as far away from the fire as possible. Of course, Eva had shown up with the boyfriend that didn’t suit her at all. She needed someone who could show her how to loosen up. Good ‘ole Jeremy wasn’t that guy.
“Hey man, Becca dragged you out here tonight, huh?” Jeremy said in an amused tone as he stopped beside me.
“Yeah. I thought I’d check out the night life around this place,” I replied, shifting my eyes from Jeremy to Eva. She wasn’t looking at me but I could tell she was trying real hard not to. Her stiff posture told me she was very aware that I was watching her. Dammit why’d that make me fucking happy?
“Thanks for sending out the cold ice rags today. Those sure were nice,” I said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to ignore me now.
She took a deep breath that she tried to hide but I was watching her too closely. Then she turned her eyes my way and it was like a damn kick in the stomach when the light from the fire illuminated her face. I’d been with a lot of gorgeous women but never had I been so affected by their looks before. There was something in her eyes that drew me in. I wanted to make the sadness she tried to hide go away. Eva Brooks was haunted and my protective tendencies were being tugged on.
“You’re welcome,” she replied in a clipped tone.
“I realize that those were probably meant for Jeremy but he shared and it was much appreciated.”
A small frown puckered her brow. “I sent two out there, didn’t I? One for each of you.”
Ah, so she was admitting to thinking about me too. I liked that.
“Really. Well, thank you. I was under the impression you wouldn’t spit on me if I was on fire.”
Jeremy’s amused response was a low chuckle that was beginning to get on my nerves. He did that a lot.
“As long as you do the work that Daddy has for you and you work hard then I will be more than happy to supply you water and cold towels.”
Her responses were all so matter-of -fact. Did she ever get passionate or emotional about anything? It would be a damn shame if she was that cool and controlled during sex. Something in her eyes told me she was holding back. There was something I was missing.
She lifted her hand to tuck a stray lock behind her ear and I saw the twinkle of a small diamond that sat securely on her left hand. I stared at it as understanding slowly began to sink in.
Eva was engaged.
Words left me. The world tilted a little off center. I jerked my gaze off the ring to Jeremy who was watching me closely. Jeremy was her fucking fiancé?
“Here ya go,” Becca Lynn said as she held out a can of Bud light to me. I took it from her outstretched hand and opened it taking a very long swallow. I had to get my head on straight. I hadn’t been expecting this. Jeremy and Eva dating was crazy enough but engaged? How the hell did that happen?
“Want to go swimming?” Becca asked sweetly. I needed to remember I was here with her. I needed to focus on anything other than that diamond ring on Eva’s hand.
“Sure,” I managed to reply.
“Becca, don’t do that.” Eva’s obvious disapproval surprised me. What the hell was wrong with swimming? Was she against that too?
“Why not?” she chirped as she began pulling her tank top over her head. WHOA.
“Then at least go strip in the shadows and not right here in front of everyone. Especially Jeremy. You’ll make him uncomfortable.”
Strip? Were we going skinny-dipping?
“It ain’t like Jeremy hasn’t seen me naked, Eva.”
What?
“Ugh, just go undress away from us,” Eva replied.
“I wasn’t exactly complaining. Becca Lynn has some nice knockers,” Jeremy piped in.
It came out of nowhere. I suddenly saw red.
I reached over to grab Jeremy by the collar and lifted him off his feet. “Apologize, now you stupid fucker.”
Jeremy’s wide-eyed expression told me I’d scared the shit out of him but I didn’t care. He was engaged. To Eva. What the hell was he looking at other girls’ tits for and talking about how nice they were in front of her? Asshole.
“I’m sorry Becca,” he croaked out.
“Not her you idiot! Eva! Apologize. To. Eva.”
Why the hell did he look confused? Was he a moron?
“Uh, sorry Eva. I didn’t mean to uh, say that,” he stammered nervously.
I felt a hand on my arm tugging at me but the blood pounding in my ears was drowning out everything else. I turned my angry glare off Jeremy to see Eva’s horrified expression as she screamed and pulled on my arm.
Focusing on her words I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down
“STOP IT! STOP IT NOW! CAGE.”
Slowly, I let Jeremy down and watched as Eva shoved me back and went to fuss over Jeremy like she was his damn momma.
“Are you okay? He’s insane. What was Uncle Mack thinking sending him here? I’m so sorry, Jer.”
Jeremy shook his head and gently pushed her hands away. “Eva, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me. He was just offended by my comment and apparently thought you would be too.”
Well, hell yeah. Low would have killed Marcus with her bare hands had he said something like that about another woman. Eva was not reacting properly. She was mad at me. Me. Not Jeremy.
“Because he’s insane. He’s a drunk and he’s had too much to drink.”
That was it, “Excuse me Mother Teresa but this is my first damn beer in three days and I’ve only had half of it. This is not what constitutes a drunk. “
She opened her mouth to respond and snapped it closed again. Then she turned to Jeremy, “Let’s go. I’ve had all the fun I can handle for a night.”
Unable to control my mouth any longer I had t
o comment. “You don’t know what fun is Eva Brooks, but baby, I could show you a world of fun if you’d loosen up just a little bit.”
Her cheeks flushed bright pink and she stiffened her back before turning and stalking off into the dark. Jeremy shook his head and then followed her.
How was I the bad guy in this?
Eva
“Can you believe him? Is he crazy? I mean, he just snatched you up and you let him. Take up for yourself, Jer,” I was furious and just maybe a little turned on. Cage’s arms had some serious bulging muscles.
“He thinks we’re engaged,” Jeremy replied.
I froze.
“What?” Where did he get the idea that Jeremy and I were engaged?
Jeremy took my left hand and held it up. “You wear an engagement ring and the only guy you are seen with is me. It’s an honest mistake, Eva. He was taking up for you. Which I gotta say I didn’t get that at first. Then it dawned on me that he wasn’t going all caveman possessive over Becca Lynn but he was pissed that your fiancé had just made a suggestive comment about another woman. He was defending you.”
Me?
I replayed in my head everything that had just happened. Becca had been about to strip right there in front of us. I didn’t want to watch Cage’s appreciative gaze take in her very naked body. It bothered me. A lot. Then Jeremy had made the comment about her nice boobs. Which I knew he really liked. He had mentioned them more than once. Then… then… Cage had lost it.
Because he thought I was engaged to Jeremy. In a weird scary way he was defending my honor. It was… sweet. Well, crap. I didn’t need him doing sweet things for me. Especially weird, scary, sweet things. He could have hurt Jeremy.
“You get it now?” Jeremy asked, reminding me that he was standing there in the dark with me.