by Glines, Abbi
“Oh yeah, lots and lots,” he croaked out.
Pulling them down slowly, I watched his face. He wasn’t breathing. I doubted he even realized it. Once I had his boxers pulled down to his ankles I threw them on the floor and reached for my tank top and pulled it off.
He made some incoherent sounds and I couldn’t help but laugh as I put a hand on each side of his hips and lowered my mouth. I blew gently over the tip of his erection as my mouth hovered over it.
“Holy shit,” Sawyer groaned.
I loved this and I loved him.
“Did you get booboos down here anywhere?” I asked teasingly as I gazed up at him through my eyelashes.
“Yeah, right there. You found it.” He breathed raggedly.
I had him so excited he was panting as my mouth stayed just above his swollen head. Sticking out my tongue I took a swipe across the top of him and he almost came off the bed. His hands were both fisted in the sheets.
“Please,” he begged.
Unable to ignore his plea, I opened my mouth and took him inside me, gently sucking as I lowered my mouth over him.
“Ohfuckbaby,” he moaned, throwing his head back on the headboard and lifting his hips to meet my mouth.
Smiling, I continued to take him to release in a new way for both of us.
SAWYER
Lana had packed her bags back up after we took our shower. That was one memory I would never forget. Lana soaking wet and pressed up against a shower wall was something that would be imprinted on my brain for the rest of my life. She was beautiful. She was perfect. And she was mine.
I’d loaded her bags into the back of my truck while she fixed us something to eat for breakfast. There were people strewn all over the floor asleep. I had wanted to just leave and take her somewhere to eat. But she was determined to see Jewel before she left. I understood that, although the stench of sour alcohol and body odor was extremely unappetizing. I’d sent Lana fleeing into this disgusting place. Still pissed me off when I thought about it. I hated knowing she had dealt with this lifestyle surrounding her for weeks.
I stepped over an arm that was thrown out into the small walkway from the door to the kitchen. A chain-link fence was tattooed across it. Jewel’s words from last night through the door about “Fence” saying things to Lana that had her hold him at knife point came back to me. I was glad I had on my boots. I decided not to step over the arm after all.
A loud “What the fuck, ooow!” came from the owner of the offending arm as I put my full weight on it in my track into the kitchen.
A pierced and tattoo-covered guy with black hair that was sticking up in every direction sat up from his sprawled-out position on the floor and cradled his arm protectively. His eyes scanned the room until his groggy gaze found me.
“What the fuck was that, dude? You about broke my arm,” he whined, still holding his arm like a damn baby.
“That was for whatever the hell it was you said to my girl yesterday. If you’d touched her then it would be broken,” I replied before heading to the kitchen where Lana was standing watching me with her cute little round mouth hanging open.
“What was that? And how did you know about what he said to me yesterday?
“I didn’t know she was taken. Shit, man. The two of you need to loosen up,” the guy grumbled from the living room. The rest of the passed-out occupants didn’t even budge from the noise.
“I was in your room awhile last night,” I started to explain.
“And he heard me come apologize at the door,” Jewel finished for me as she walked into the kitchen running her hands through her messy bed head. “I had a feeling that was you in there when Lana didn’t respond. I’d seen a shadow enter that window from the pool. I’d thought it was Lana. When she wouldn’t talk back I figured out you’d finally figured out my little hint.”
Smirking, I slipped my arm around Lana’s waist and pulled her against me. “Actually, I didn’t figure out your hint until Ethan fessed up to bringing Lana here. I was fully convinced you didn’t have a clue where she was.”
Jewel laughed and slapped the counter with her hand. “Told ya! I’m a freaking brilliant actress. Hollywood needs me! They don’t know what they’re missing.”
Lana smiled up at me. “She really is very good at it. I was almost convinced she didn’t know where I was when she talked to my mom on the phone. She definitely has a talent when it comes to lying.”
“I need some ice. This guy is off his fucking rocker. He about crushed my bones with those big ass-boots of his,” the guy from the living room called out.
Jewel looked over my shoulder at him and then back at me. “Those musician types are easily injured. I hope you didn’t mess his arm up too bad. He’s the drummer. They have a gig tonight and Chain will be furious if his drummer can’t play.”
“He’ll live,” I assured her.
Jewel nodded and opened the freezer to get some ice out. “So, I guess this means you’re heading out,” she said, glancing back at Lana.
“Yeah. Not sure if I’m going home or to Ashton’s. Aunt Sarah may be mad at me for just running off.”
Like hell. She wasn’t going back to Georgia without me.
“She’s going back to Grove. She’ll stay with me if she has to.”
Jewel raised her eyebrows in surprise as she shifted her attention from me to Lana.
“Hmm . . . and what if Ashton comes running to you again? You gonna drop Lana like a hot cake?”
Lana tensed up in my arms and I hated that that idea still scared her. I pulled her in front of me and tilted her face up to look at me. This was something I would need to repeat over and over until she could believe me. It was my fault that she had this fear.
“I will never. Ever. Turn my back on Lana for anyone or anything. She’s my number one. She will always be my number one. I love her so much. So very much.”
Lana’s eyes welled up with tears and I bent my head to kiss her lips. “I promise. I mean every word,” I whispered against her mouth before covering it with mine.
“Okay, now I think I’m gonna cry. That was too dang sweet,” Jewel said behind us. I felt the smile on Lana’s lips before she opened her mouth just enough to let me in.
Chapter 25
SAWYER
“Dad,” I called out in way of a greeting as I knocked once on his office door and stepped inside. He was sitting behind the large mahogany desk that he’d had shipped over from somewhere he and Mom had visited. I didn’t remember the details.
“Sawyer,” he replied, looking up from the paperwork on his desk. “How was practice?”
“Good. I’m going to learn a lot this year. Being red-shirted was a smart move.”
Dad nodded in agreement.
“Beau had a good week too. They’re starting him on the offensive line.” It drove me nuts that he never asked about his other son. The one he ignored. The one he never claimed.
Dad frowned and looked back down at his paperwork. “That’s good. Your cousin has always excelled as a receiver.”
“You mean my brother. Beau’s not my cousin. He’s my brother.” I’d never forced my dad to face this. I’d been so angry with Beau about Ashton when this all came out, I’d let this slide. If Beau didn’t want to deal with it then I’d figured why should I? But it wasn’t fair. This farce my dad lived wasn’t fair.
Clearing his throat, he took off his reading glasses and leaned back in his chair to level his gaze on me. “You want to talk about that? Is that what this is about?”
“Yeah, it is. I want to talk about that.” I didn’t snap. I kept my tone level. Yelling wouldn’t get me anywhere.
“Beau is biologically mine, yes. But I didn’t raise him. I didn’t love his mother. Your uncle did. Not me. I do not see Beau as my son. My nephew, yes.”
“But he is your son. His dad died when he was six years old. He’s needed a dad for twelve years now, and you’ve done nothing. Not once did you check on him. Not once did you tell him you were
proud of him. Not once did you make his life easier.” I stopped as my voice got louder and louder.
“Tell him I was proud of him? For what? Being a loser? Coming to football practice with a hangover? Spending time in bars? What the hell was I supposed to be proud of? Huh? Please tell me that.”
My hands balled into fists, and I took a deep breath. I was so close to taking a swing at my own dad. “He was stuck with Aunt Honey, who left him at home alone when he was just a kid. If he hadn’t lived in a trailer park where people deal drugs and God knows what else, maybe he would’ve known better. But he didn’t. He made mistakes. He had to learn things the hard way. He had to learn everything the hard way. Because you weren’t there.” I pointed my finger at my dad and snarled. “Beau straightened himself out. He got a football scholarship to the University of Alabama for crying out loud. He found a way to make money so he could buy himself a truck. He loves his mama and takes care of her even though she did nothing to earn his help. Why? Because he loves her. She’s all he has ever had. He made himself, and what he made is one damn fine man. I am so proud to call him my brother I am bursting with it when I see him. And you, you did nothing. Not one damn thing to make him. Nothing,” I finished, and turned to leave his office. I didn’t want to stay here. Not under this roof. Not with him.
“You’re right,” my dad’s voice called out after me, and I stopped and squeezed my eyes closed tightly before turning back around to look at him.
“I wasn’t there. I let him figure it all out on his own. I was afraid of your mother finding out. I was afraid of this town finding out. I didn’t want to lose this life I’d built for myself. You’re wrong about one thing, though. I did check on him. Why do you think you got away with sneaking out to go get him out of jams or going to stay with him when he was alone? Did you think you were just that good at being sneaky? You weren’t. When you left to go to him, I followed you. I watched you both. I watched as you fixed his problems, got him out of messes, and stayed by his side when he was alone. I was always there. I was proud of you for being there for him when I wasn’t. I’m not proud of myself, Sawyer. I’ll live with this regret the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I am proud of Beau. He has turned into the man I always hoped he would be. He’s tougher than you because of the life he lived. He is harder around the edges, but he’s a good boy.” My dad reached down and opened the drawer in his desk that he had always kept locked. He pulled out a large scrapbook and laid it on the desk. “Go ahead, take a look.”
I walked over and opened the leather binding to see pictures of Beau as a baby. Pictures of the two of us in our football helmets when they were bigger than we were. Each page held memories of Beau’s life. Every article where he’d been mentioned in the paper had been carefully clipped and placed in the pages. After I turned the last page, I saw a picture of Beau in his practice gear, standing on the field at Bryant–Denny stadium last week during practice. Lifting my eyes, I stared at my father and saw a man I didn’t know existed.
“I went to both your practices last week. You both made me proud.”
Shaking my head, trying to take this all in, I sank down into the chair behind me. “Why don’t you reach out to him? If you have all this, you have to love him. You have to care about him. Why aren’t you doing something about it? He needs you, too.”
“He hates me and I don’t blame him,” Dad said, taking the binder and placing it back in the drawer.
“Hell yeah, he hates you. You’re his father, and he thinks you care nothing for him.”
“You know Beau. Better than anyone. Do you really think he’d listen to me? That he’d forgive me?”
“Dad, he doesn’t have to forgive you. He doesn’t have to like you. But he needs to know you love him. That you’re proud of him. All you have to do is tell him. How he handles it or takes it isn’t what’s important. What’s important is that he knows. What’s important is that you tell him.”
Dad sat down at his desk and neither of us spoke. There was nothing more to say.
LANA
My mother was sitting on Aunt Sarah’s couch, drinking tea, when Sawyer and I stepped into the living room.
“Mom?” My aunt and uncle had welcomed me back and assured me they were just glad I was safe. They didn’t know the details but understood I had a lot going on with my parents.
“Lana.” My mother smiled at me and then turned her smile to Sawyer. “Hello, Sawyer.”
“Hello, Ms. McDaniel,” he replied politely.
“I didn’t know you were coming for a visit,” I said, trying to figure out what was going on.
“Paperwork came that you needed to sign, and I figured we could go do that shopping for your dorm room,” she explained.
I hadn’t told Sawyer about Florida vet. I was afraid my mother was being optimistic, and we might not actually be able to make it work. “Oh, um, okay . . . ” I trailed off, trying to think of a way to get Sawyer out of here before Mom said anything else about college.
“Would it be okay if I came too? Lana did get to help pick out my dorm necessities, so it’s only fair I get to help pick hers out,” Sawyer drawled in an amused voice as he walked over to sit down in my uncle’s recliner.
“Of course. That would be lovely! Wouldn’t that be lovely, Lana?” my mother asked a little too enthusiastically.
How was I going to get out of this one?
“Mom, we need to make sure everything is squared away and okay before we go buying dorm stuff. I mean, there is still a chance this might not work and I’ll need to stay home two years and go to a community college. What if the house doesn’t sell?”
Sawyer sat up from his relaxed position and leaned forward. “What? Why might this not work? I was under the impression it was a done deal.” He was directing his question to my mother like he knew what the heck he was talking about.
“Sawyer—” I began, and was cut off by my mom.
“It is, Sawyer,” she said soothingly. “Lana, the house is sold. I made enough money to pay for all four years of your education and buy myself a nice-size condo on the beach. That way, when you run off and leave me for Florida, I can still be close enough to my sister when I need some company.”
She said Florida. Would Sawyer think I was chasing him? Smothering him? Cringing, I forced myself to meet his gaze. He grinned, stood up, and walked over to me.
Both of his hands wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me up against him and bent his head down to whisper in my ear, “Did you really think I would be this excited about college if I thought I’d be leaving my girl behind?”
“You knew.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Yes, I knew. And if you for one second try and back out of following me to Florida, I will personally kidnap you and haul you there with me,” he teased and then pressed a trail of kisses across my face until his mouth hovered over mine. “I’m not losing you again. You’re with me. I want you there beside me. Always.”
“Isn’t that sweet.” My mother’s pleased voice reminded both of us that we weren’t alone.
Squeezing my waist one more time, Sawyer stepped beside me so we were both facing my mother.
Her smile was so bright and happy. It was rare for my mother to smile. I’d grown up with her scowling so much at my father that it wasn’t something I was used to. I liked it. She wasn’t so unattractive when she smiled. Why couldn’t she have smiled more at me when I was growing up? Maybe our home would have been a happier place. Maybe she did love me after all. She’d sold her house. She loved her house. It was a status symbol for her in Alpharetta. She was giving that up . . . for me.
“Thank you, Mom. For everything. I can’t believe you sold the house. But I’m very thankful. I promise one day I’ll make it up to you,” I assured her.
Frowning, she stood up and shook her head. “I’m your mother, Lana. You will not make it up to me. This is my job. Your entire life you’ve been a sweet, kind, loving child who caused me not one whit of trouble. You took whatever yo
ur dad and I threw at you and you made it work. It’s your turn, baby girl. It’s about you this time. Not me and my desires or your father and his selfish choices. This time it is all about you.”
I let go of Sawyer’s hand and closed the distance between my mother and me. I hadn’t hugged her in years. But right now I wanted to hold her tight and let her know that I did love her. Very much. She may have made mistakes while I was growing up and she might not have been perfect, but I loved her. For once in my life I realized she loved me too. She really loved me.
Her arms held me tightly against her as she patted my head. “You go live that life you always wanted. There’s a big world out there waiting for you and a wonderful future. And a really handsome boy waiting to live it with you.”
Laughing, I turned my head and looked back at Sawyer. He winked at me and my heart did a little flutter in my chest.
“All right you two, that’s enough of the mushy stuff. Let’s go shopping before I need to head back home and start packing up,” Mom said, patting my back before letting go of me.
Sawyer held his hand out for me and I slipped mine into his. “Let’s go shop,” he said with an amused look in his eyes. I was sure his idea of shopping wasn’t anywhere near what shopping with my mother was actually like. He had no idea what he was in for.
BEAU
Sawyer bailed on me this morning—for a girl. I couldn’t help but smile. I was the one who normally bailed on workouts. It was a nice change for it to be him not showing up. I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to go shopping with Lana and her mom. That woman was whack. Not to mention it was shopping. Who goes shopping with their girl? Then again, Ash had never asked me to go shopping with her. If she asked, I’d go.
Running down the bleachers, I slowed my pace. This had been my hundredth trip up and down. It was time for weights. When I reached the bottom, I wiped my forehead with my towel and took a long swig from the water bottle I’d left on the bottom bleacher.