Devour

by E. K. Blair

  “Fuck, what the hell is wrong with you? I’m not stupid. She’ll be okay with me. We’re just going on a gentle sail on the SMOOTH LAKE, nothing rocky. Stop worrying ‘mom’.”

  Fucking hell, he was going to be meeting my fist before long.

  “Thalia, come on. Ignore Jack, everyone else does.”

  All I wanted to do was strangle my brother, but instead I shoved my hands into the back pocket of my jeans.

  “That’s not nice, he’s done nothing but help me, which is more than I can say for you. You know I’m frightened of going out there,” Thalia told Liam, after hitting him in the chest.

  How the hell I didn’t burst out laughing, I’d never know. I glanced over to her and noticed her pissed expression, which was directed at my brother.

  She then turned to me. “Thank you, Jack.”

  She’s the first person that I could remember to ever get pissed on my behalf. I needed to get out of there.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” I said and caught the look on Thalia’s face. Panic.

  Keep walking. Keep walking.

  Without glancing back, I walked to my car and climbed in, but couldn’t bring myself to put the key into the ignition. I’d promised Thalia that I would stay around. Fuck. I climbed back out of the car and went up into the café so I could keep watch without Liam or Thalia noticing.

  Chapter 16

  Thalia

  As Liam led me towards the boat all I wanted was for it to be Jack. Why was Jack more worried about my safety than my so called ‘boyfriend’? Since we’d eaten breakfast, Liam had been in a snit about something. What it was, I had no idea. He was annoying the hell out of me, and knew good and well that I was nervous about going out on the water, but he’d still disappeared to the car to retrieve his cell phone. His response had been that if something happened out there, we’d be stuck without a cell. I’d pointed out that I had mine with me, but oh no, he still had to leave me alone and go fetch his.

  If Jack hadn’t appeared when he did, I’d have thrown my preserve off and gone into the café to wait for Liam. Yeah, it would have looked like I was acting like a five year old, but inside I was freaking out. There was a lot of water in the lake.

  Jack had realized how freaked I was, but not Liam. As I climbed into the boat I looked around for Jack, he’d said he would hang around and for some reason that gave me the extra boost of confidence that I needed. I couldn’t see him, but his car was still in the lot.

  “Thalia, who you looking for?”

  “No one.”

  He grinned. “I’m not blind, or contrary to what my brother thinks, an idiot.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Could I have been any more obvious? Ugh!

  “Yeah right.” He pushed us off from the small pier and started to row.

  “Do you want me to help?” I honestly didn’t fancy moving, but I felt a bit mean just sitting and letting him do all the work.

  “No, I’m fine. He’s in the café making sure I don’t drown you.” Liam looked worried. “Thalia, um, you haven’t forgotten Jack’s getting married, right? Nothing or no one will change that.”

  “Liam...”

  “Don’t say anything. I know we aren’t going anywhere. I like you Thalia, but there’s no spark between us... Do you mind carrying on pretending to be my girlfriend; it kind of saves me from my mom?”

  I watched him closely trying to work out his body language. Something wasn’t right. Liam was handsome, which was what first attracted me. As I got to know him, I liked him more, but didn’t want to take it further. There were plenty of girls out there who would like nothing more than to have him as a boyfriend.

  “Liam...why? I mean you’re a hot guy, I don’t understand why you’d want me to pretend to be dating you when you could have anyone.”

  He looked to be sulking. “I can’t have anyone.”

  This whole conversation was weird. “Okay, but don’t get fresh with me.”

  He roared with laughter, which made the boat rock. I clung to the side as though my life depended on it. “Liam, please stop,” I whispered, feeling sick to my stomach. The boat carried on rocking.

  “Thalia, stop being a wimp. You have a life preserve on for one, but the boat is not going to tip with a slight rocking.” He carried on laughing at me.

  We weren’t too far out from the shore, but too far out for me to get out and walk. I looked around frantically and caught Jack, running down the steps of the café.

  “Oh, look, lover boy coming to the rescue.” He sneered.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? One minute you’re asking me to be your ‘pretend’ girlfriend, and the next you’re acting like a first class jerk. At least someone’s bothered as to whether I end up in the water or not.” If I hadn’t been so scared of falling in, I’d walk up to his end and hit him over the head with one of the oars.

  As we got closer to the dock, I chanced a look behind me to see Jack standing, waiting for us with his hands on his hips, looking furious. As the boat nudged the side, Jack leaned in wrapping an arm around me and lifting me from the boat.

  He didn’t speak, just quickly unstrapped me from the life preserve, and then threw it at his brother. I didn’t stay to hear what was said. I was too shaky and needed a minute on my own. The last thing I wanted was to show them both my tears. I ran behind the boating shed, resting my forehead against the wall and finally gave in to them.

  Not long afterwards I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “Thalia, are you all right?” Jack asked.

  Without thinking, I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. He paused briefly then wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in tight against him. I knew straightaway that it was a bad idea, but I couldn’t stop. I’d been terrified and wanted to be held.

  He felt good against me, letting me cry while he stroked his hand down my back in a soothing motion. As my tears started to dry up, I started to notice other things. Like how Jack’s hand on my back shook, or how fast his heart was beating against my chest. My body started to feel hot and tight. My nipples pebbled.

  Pulling back slightly, I met his gaze. He put his forehead against mine while he held my gaze. “Nothing can come of this...between us, but damn it, you feel good. All I want is...”

  “What Jack? What is it you want?”

  For a minute I thought he was going to answer me, but he took a deep breath and, pulling completely away, walked off in the opposite direction. It was at that instant that I heard Liam come up behind me, mumbling.

  Chapter 17

  Jack

  I needed to leave, and I needed to leave fast. Thalia had felt amazing in my arms and it had been the first time in a long time that I’d been held. She’d held on to me so damn tight, I hadn’t been sure I’d have the strength to let her go. I’d felt her pebbled nipples against me, which had me hard as hell.

  When I’d looked into her eyes, I’d nearly told her that all I wanted was her arms wrapped around me. Then I’d heard Liam approach so left her alone to face him. I sure as hell hadn’t wanted him to see my reaction to her.

  He’d been a bastard to her out on the lake. When I’d questioned him about it, he’d told me to go back to my fiancée and to leave ‘his’ girl alone. The only thing that had stopped me from connecting my fist with his face was the fact Thalia had gone off crying and I’d had a deep need to comfort her. I’d turned and left him to deal with the boat himself, while I ran after his girl. Although she probably wouldn’t be for much longer at the rate he was going. If she reacted like that with me, she couldn’t be all that into him.

  Unfortunately, whatever that was, couldn’t happen again. I was getting married. I had to get married, or I’d have to leave college. I’d worked damn hard these past few years, I sure as hell wasn’t prepared to throw it all away, even if it did mean marrying someone I didn’t like all that much. There was divorce once I’d gotten my degree; at least that’s what I’d planned. All I wanted to do w
as pack a bag, leave and never look back. No one would miss me. In fact it would probably be weeks before anyone would know I’d left. Thalia. She’d know; I’d bet my left nut she’d know within hours of my departure.

  Fuck. I took a deep breath and climbed into my car, not having a clue in which direction to head; I turned the car south, away from town. Mia was there, so no go. Home would end with a run-in with my mom.

  With a bit of maneuvering, I managed to yank my cell out from my back pocket and pressed speed dial four – Reece.

  “You home?”

  “Yeah, some fucker woke me up.”

  Grinning at his choice of words, I just hoped he didn’t have a sleepover there. “You up for company?”

  “That’s fine.” He laughed. “Slept alone last night.”

  I hung up the cell after telling him I’d be there in twenty.

  Reece was my closest friend along with Donovan. We’d become thick as thieves in high school and no matter how much my folks tried to keep us apart, they never succeeded. Mia hated them. Having grown up in the same town, she knew what good friends we were. She’d told me that they wouldn’t be welcome in our home after we married. I think I’d shocked the life out of her because for the first time since we’d become engaged, I disagreed with her. Basically she got told that although they’d probably opt not to, they could visit anytime they wanted. To say she’d been pissed was an understatement. She hadn’t spoken to me for two weeks after that. Two weeks of heaven!

  Reece spent about as much times as I did outside and at the gym. He loved nothing more than to go without his t-shirt or shirt so that the ladies got to see his toned abs. What they didn’t know was that he was a pussy. He’d gotten a new tattoo a couple of days ago and did nothing but complain via text message to myself and Donovan about the pain. So, yeah, he was a pussy. I was surprised though when he said he’d slept alone. I thought he’d have left Kix last night with one of the women he’d been talking to when I left.

  My car bumped along the road leading up to his cabin, which was hidden back from the road by hundreds of trees. I brought the car to a stop and spotted him sitting on the steps leading up to his cabin.

  “Hey, more awake now?” I asked, climbing from the car.

  He seemed happy if the grunt was anything to go by.

  Although I didn’t have anything to grin about, I grinned and kept it in place as I walked passed him straight into his cabin where I poured myself a much needed coffee, then I went back outside, sitting on the opposite side of the steps to him.

  Peace, something I rarely got when I was home. Over these past few years I’d hated coming home during vacation time, more so the past twelve months. I know that sounded selfish, considering I’d grown up in a large house, which sat on thousands of acres of land.

  Yeah, I’d been offered every opportunity there was while growing up, but all I wanted was to have a life of my own with a woman who would love me for who I was. Not for who my family were, and who wouldn’t turn her nose up at my friends. I wanted a woman, who would look at me as though her world started and ended with me. Who would be my whole world, someone I could love just as much. Who wanted to grow old with me. Thalia popped into my head.

  “Fuck.”

  Reece paused mid-drink. “Something on your mind?”

  “No.” I stood and started to pace in front of the porch. “Yes.” I continued to pace. “Liam’s home.”

  “I know you two can be a bit hit and miss, but he doesn’t usually get you so worked up. What’s going on? And stop walking in circles; you’re making me dizzy.”

  Staring at him, I came to a stop with my hands on my hips. “He brought his girlfriend home.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “And?”

  I let out a whoosh of air. “I can’t get her out of my head. She’s there no matter what I’m doing. Hell, he only brought her home yesterday.” I ran my hands through my hair and tugged. “Today he took her out on the lake. She couldn’t swim and was nervous as hell, but she put on a life preserve, which I strapped up for her because my brother was more interested in retrieving his cell from the car.”

  Collapsing onto the bottom step, I slouched forward and placed my head in my hands. “I watched them from the café and after a few minutes out there he started rocking the boat. I saw red and ran out of the café and waited on the dock. As soon as she was in reach, I leaned over and lifted her out, undid her preserve and threw it at the bastard.”

  Dropping my hands, I flexed my fingers wanting to punch my brother. “But for Thalia running off upset and my need to comfort her, I would have hit him. Instead I ran after her and held her while she cried. She felt damn good against me. For the first time since I accepted that I was going to be with Mia and basically shut down, I want someone else and she’s my brother’s girlfriend. How fucked up is that?” I looked back at him sitting on the top step.

  “So that’s why you were out last night? It’s not screwed up. Okay, the brother’s girl part could be a problem, but Donovan and me have told you to blow the engagement and get on with your life. You’re the one who’s stuck it out. You need a medal for dealing with Miss Snobby’s shit.”

  I held his stare for a few minutes before changing the subject. “What you planning on doing today?”

  “Nothing much, thought I’d grab some food in town, and then head over to Donovan’s to go fishing – you’re supposed to be coming with us.”

  I’d forgotten. How had I managed to forget I was supposed to be hanging out with my best friends? They gave me the sanity that I needed. I’d go crazy without them.

  Chapter 18

  Thalia

  Sitting in the car with Liam while he drove us back to the house, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jack.

  When the boat reached the dock, I’d turned and seen Jack standing there and all I’d wanted to do was throw myself into his arms. He’d looked furious. When I’d run off not wanting them to see me cry, I’d had no idea that Jack, not Liam, would come after me, but when I’d turned around and seen him standing there, the most natural thing in the world was to throw myself into his arms. He’d felt amazing against me, and yes, I’d felt his erection. Thick and long. He’d tried to hide it by pulling away, but he wasn’t quite quick enough.

  Liam had been pissed when he’d found me there and had wanted to know what was going on with Jack stalking off. I’d told him he was still mad with him for being an ass.

  I’d known Liam for a while and he’d never acted like an idiot before, and, but for the talk on the lake, I’d have said he was jealous of how Jack and I reacted to each other. I didn’t think that was it though.

  “Thalia, I’m sorry, okay? I really am. I acted like a jerk out on the lake. I was curious.”

  I brought my gaze from looking out of the window to Liam. “Curious?”

  “I’ve never known my brother to act with anyone the way he is with you. I wanted to see how he’d react if he thought you were in danger of falling into the water. He wanted to kill me when we pulled up at the dock. He doesn’t even react like that around Mia.” Liam looked jealous.

  What did I say to that? I couldn’t exactly deny it, because it was true, at least the worry about me had been true. Ugh, I needed a distraction.

  “Hey, why don’t we go fishing? I haven’t done that for a long time. It’ll be fun.”

  “I don’t fish!”

  Well that said it all, and he was sulking.

  My temper was close to the surface with his attitude. “Liam, stop acting like a two year old and grow up. If you didn’t want me to come here, just say and I’ll catch the next flight to Texas.” I turned back to stare through the window.

  He pulled up outside the house and turned the engine off, climbed out and ran around to open my door. He took my hand and pulled me out, keeping my hand in his.

  “Okay, let’s call a truce. I want you here I just wasn’t expecting this thing between you and Jack.”

  I let out a sigh. “There isn’t a
‘thing’ between me and Jack. He’s getting married remember. Can we leave that alone and go and do something where we aren’t going to get into an argument.”

  “Yeah. What do you want to do?” He turned and started to walk up the porch steps with me trailing behind him.

  “What about walking to the river?” I sighed in relief as we entered the air-conditioned house. “We could take a picnic.”

  Perhaps if I made an effort we would hopefully get the kind of friendship back that we had before we arrived at his family’s home.

  “Oh, you’re back. I wasn’t expecting to see you both until dinner,” Stephanie commented walking out from the kitchen.

  “Yeah, Thalia doesn’t like the water.”

  I smiled, but felt like punching him. Stephanie glanced at me, as though it was unheard of.

  Changing the subject, I said, “We thought we’d go on a picnic by the river.”

  “Make sure you wear bug repellant, Liam. You don’t want to get bitten again.”

  I hid a grin and turned to Liam, “Do you mind if I go upstairs for ten minutes, I need to return Callie’s call?”

  “No,” he replied.

  “Thalia, please don’t feel like you have to ask. While you’re here, please treat this as your home,” Stephanie informed me, which took me by surprise.

  “Oh, okay. Thank you.”

  With that out of the way, I turned and headed up the stairs.

  “Wait up,” Liam shouted, and then he looked to his mom. “We’ll see you later.”

  As I was entering my bedroom, Liam caught my hand and tugged on it to get my attention. “Give me an hour and we’ll go and raid the kitchen to have our picnic, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “It’s a peace offering. I was a bastard earlier and I’m sorry. We need to have some fun.” My eyes widened and he burst out laughing. “Go rest.”

  I opened my door and walked through turning around to look at him. “I’ll accept, providing you don’t chuck me in the river.” He chuckled and walked off to his room shaking his head.