Everything I Need (The Everything Series Book 1)

by A. K. Evans

  I looked back to my friends and saw Nikki and Monroe were smiling big and nodding their heads furiously. Emme just laughed at their reactions. Given her laugh I assumed she was ok with it, too. Wes turned while holding my hand to lead us all back to the table his buddies were sitting at.

  “Charley, these are my buddies — Stone, Luke, and Zane. Guys, this is Charley and her friends, Nikki, Emme, and Monroe.”

  I did a quick inventory of Wes’ friends. They were all huge. We’d seen them when they walked in so I knew they were all tall, each of them easily at least six feet tall. They all also had incredible bodies that were very much in shape proven by the presence of their lean muscles. Is this how they made them out here in Wyoming?

  Stone had blonde hair that he wore in a bit of a spiky mess. He had puppy dog baby blues and a great set of juicy lips. His face was clean shaven and he had a strong jawline.

  Luke had the most rugged look. He had short, light brown hair, brown eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. His long-sleeved cream colored henley had the sleeves pulled back on his forearms and I saw the man was serious about his tattoos. Both arms were completely inked.

  Zane reminded me a lot of Nikki in that his look was raw, exotic, beauty. He had clean cut, black hair that was a bit longer on top with ice blue eyes and the most exquisite bone structure I’d ever seen on a guy. He had a few days’ worth of scruff on his face.

  Wes’ friends all nodded at me and then quickly turned their attention to my friends. Stone had his eyes on Monroe (focused mostly on her legs), Luke was grinning at Nikki, and then there was Zane. His eyes were boring holes into Emme, who, when I had glanced over to her, looked like she had the wind knocked out of her.

  Chapter 12

  Charley

  It turns out Wes was right. His friends did not mind my friends joining the table. The guys got up and gave their seats to the girls then pulled a couple of extra chairs up and we all sat down. Everyone turned their attention back to Elle, and while I tried to pay attention to her I was more focused on what had just happened. I was mortified by it. I now knew that Elle was Wes’ sister, but when I thought it was a lover he was with my stomach sank. I jumped to conclusions about what I saw and assumed Wes was playing games. Of course, we hadn’t made anything official between us, nor did we discuss exactly what was happening between us, but it simply never crossed my mind that he might have a different idea about all of this. I knew that if I didn’t talk to Wes about this I was setting myself up for disaster, but I had no intentions of talking to him about it, especially not tonight. Tonight, I was going to try to enjoy the rest of my birthday.

  A little while after my friends and I sat down with Wes and the guys Elle had finished her set. She walked off the stage and came up to our table. Wes stood and pulled me up with him.

  “Great job tonight, Elle,” Wes said, kissing her on her cheek.

  “Thanks, Westley,” she replied.

  Then her attention was directed to the words of praise and hugs she got from Zane, Stone, and Luke.

  After that, she looked beyond Wes to me, a questioning look in her eyes.

  Wes spoke to her, “I have someone I’d like you to meet. Elle, this is my friend, Charley Meadows. Charley, this is my sister, Elle.”

  My friend. Well, there you go.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said holding out my hand to her. Then I continued, “You’re really great. You have a beautiful voice.”

  “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you as well.”

  Then, pointing to my girls at the table I introduced her to them. They all smiled and waved.

  “You hanging for a while?” Wes asked looking at his sister.

  “I wish I could. I’m exhausted from my gig last night and then traveling to get back here today for tonight’s show. I need sleep. I’m going to quickly find Big Lou, say my good-byes, and head out.”

  “Ok, find Lou, say your good-byes, and come back to get me. I’ll walk you out.”

  “I’ll be fine, Wes.”

  “Not up for debate, Elle. Find me after you see Lou,” he said giving her a look that made me realize how serious he was.

  With that, she was off.

  My heart squeezed at this. I mean, he walked me to my car every night I worked, but he also insisted on doing it for his sister tonight. I was beginning to realize just how good of a guy Wes really was.

  Yep, I was in trouble.

  “Time to dance, birthday girl,” Monroe announced.

  I realized that after Elle had finished her set music boomed out from the speakers and people were up dancing and having a good time. At Monroe’s declaration, Nikki bolted up out of her seat and I looked to Emme for help. She was getting up out of her seat. I guess she wouldn’t be helping me out of this.

  She looked to me, “It’s your special day. I’m making an exception for you.”

  I looked back to Wes, “I guess I’m dancing.”

  “Have at it, gorgeous. I’ll be here until I have to walk Elle out, then I’ll be back.”

  “Ok.”

  I followed Monroe, Nikki, and Emme out to the dance floor. I couldn’t remember the last time I had danced and doing it now I remembered just how much I missed it. We had easily been out there for at least three or four songs when I felt a hard body behind my back and hands came around my waist. I knew immediately it was Wes. He wasn’t dancing, but he was standing there with me while I danced. I turned around put my arms around his neck. He bent down so his cheek was pressed to mine, his mouth at my ear.

  “You aren’t moving,” I informed him as though this was news to him.

  “I don’t dance, Charley,” he said.

  “So why are you out here on the dance floor?” I asked as I continued to move while he stood there.

  “You are out here wearing this dress, showing off these fantastic fucking legs, dancing with your girls, and you’ve got the attention of every guy in here. I’m just here to make sure they know that you’re mine.”

  I tensed and stopped moving.

  “What?” I whispered.

  Wes pulled my body closer to his. “Do you feel that?” he asked.

  I did. I could feel his hard length pressed into my body. I nodded and bit my lip.

  “That’s from watching you dance, Charley. Two days ago, I was inside you. Twice. All these guys here are looking at you dance thinking they’d like to be right where I was. Unfortunately for them, I don’t share. The day my mouth tasted the sweetness between your legs, gorgeous, was the day you became mine.”

  I think I came on the spot. “Wes?”

  “Yeah?”

  “My friends are here until tomorrow early morning visiting me from California. They came over a thousand miles to spend my birthday with me.”

  “I know,” he replied, seeming slightly confused at my response to what he just said.

  I pressed my body into his, whispered in his ear, “I would like to be back in your bed right now so I could wrap my mouth around you. I can’t leave my girls tonight, though.”

  He groaned.

  “Enjoy your friends tonight, Charley, because I’ve changed my mind. Tomorrow, instead of breakfast I’m coming to pick you up after your friends leave and I’m going to make sure you and I celebrate your birthday.”

  At that, Wes stayed close by while I turned back to my friends. When I did I noticed that Zane, Stone, and Luke were all standing around them. None of the guys were dancing and my girls did not mind. Nikki was close to Luke thoroughly enjoying herself, but not too far from Emme while Monroe danced for Stone. She was literally dancing for him and he seemed to be enjoying the show. Emme, though, was a different story. She was still dancing trying to enjoy herself, but I could tell she was not comfortable. Zane was still caught up in watching her and she knew it. Unfortunately, I knew at that moment I needed to help her out.

  “Emme, I need to run to the ladies’ room. Come with?” I asked, grabbing her hand.

  She nodded and I could see the relief i
n her eyes.

  I turned back to Wes, told him we were running to the restroom, and we took off. Nikki and Monroe continued dancing and waved as we walked off.

  Once inside the bathroom I turned to Emme and could see how worked up she was. It broke my heart.

  “Emme, honey,” I said as I put my arms around her and hugged her.

  She hugged back, but didn’t say anything. I stood there for a moment while she settled.

  Eventually, she pulled her face back, dropped her arms, and spoke, “I’m sorry, Charley. It’s your birthday and I’m totally ruining it.”

  “Stop, Em. It’s fine. My birthday would be ruined if I knew that you were doing something that truly made you uncomfortable.”

  “When, Charley? When will I be able to have a normal night out with friends and not feel this way? Did you see Zane? My goodness, he’s beautiful. I see the look in his eye and I know he’s attracted to me. As much as I want to dance and just have a good time, I can’t do it,” she said tears pooling in her eyes.

  “You’ll get there, honey. I promise.”

  She stood there staring back at me, defeat in her eyes. She blinked back her tears and took a deep breath.

  “Why don’t we go out, get Nikki and Monroe, and head home?”

  “No, Charley. It’s your day. I’ll be fine. And I don’t want to ruin their only night here. I will just sit at the table, grab a drink, and watch them have a good time. Really — I’ll be alright.”

  “I’m giving them two more songs and then we’re heading out. I don’t want to hear anything from you. You said it yourself — it’s my birthday, so I get to say what we do.”

  She tilted her head, her eyes warmed, and she said, “Thank you.”

  I winked at her and took her hand as we walked back out.

  Emme and I approached the table we had all been sitting at before to find Wes and Zane sitting and in the middle of a conversation. I glanced to the dance floor and saw Nikki and Monroe both dancing still and the guys hadn’t left their spots. Nikki was a bit more hands on, Monroe was just a great performer. I smiled at them, held up my hand with two fingers showing, and they nodded at me. They knew what that meant. We had reached the table. Wes and Zane came out of their conversation and looked at us as we sat. I sat down next to Wes, but had Emme right next to me.

  “All good?” Wes asked.

  “Yep,” I answered.

  I chanced a look at Zane to find him looking at Emme again while she looked out at the dance floor. Zane’s look was pensive as he studied her.

  I turned my attention back to Wes and informed him that we would be leaving shortly. Disappointment flickered in his eyes. Seeing that made my belly warm and the butterflies started fluttering. I decided to play a little with him.

  I leaned into him and whispered in his ear, “I’m very much looking forward to a private birthday celebration with you tomorrow, though.”

  Pulling back from his ear, I looked at his face and saw his eyes were starting to smolder. Yep. That worked.

  When I glanced back I saw that Emme was looking at Zane and she had a pained expression on her face.

  “So Zane,” I spoke up directing his attention to me, “Wes tells me you snowboard?”

  “Wes speaks the truth,” Zane answered.

  “Nice. Are you as good as he is?”

  Zane glanced to Wes, grinned, then turned back to me and full blown smiled. Gosh, he was good-looking already and that bright white smile just took it up a notch.

  “Wes spends more time working on the business than he does riding, darlin’. I’m training every day. It’s safe to assume that I’m as good as he is,” he answered.

  “It’s true, Charley. Zane’s one of the best pipe riders in the country, and definitely in the top ten in the world,” Wes chimed in.

  My eyes nearly popped out of my head. “Wow. That’s awesome.”

  I heard Emme giggling. I looked to her to find that she was looking out at the dance floor. Nikki and Monroe were trying, with not much luck, to get Stone and Luke to dance with them. The guys were standing there watching my friends, but refusing to join in on the fun.

  “It’s times like this when having your camera would come in handy,” I said to Emme, “At least we could have had pictures of this and then used them to help convince those two to move out here with us.” I turned to Wes, “Emme is a photographer and your friends are very good-looking. I think, with a little bit of effort, they could persuade my girls to move out here.”

  He smiled at me then turned to Emme, “You’re a professional photographer or it’s something you do for fun?”

  “That’s my full-time gig; though, I do it because I love it.”

  “And she’s freaking amazing at it. Emily James Photography, best in the business,” I added.

  At that moment, Nikki and Monroe came up to the table with Stone and Luke following right behind them.

  “Is it time to go already?” Monroe asked as she walked up. “I was just getting started.”

  We laughed. Monroe could dance all day, every day.

  Nikki chimed in, “Seriously! I’m thinking we need to at least plan our next trip out here since I’m not totally convinced yet that I should move. And you four,” she said, pointing to the guys, “better be available for good times with the four of us when Monroe and I get back!”

  They all smiled at her and Luke spoke up, “You got it, babe.”

  “I’m in. It was pure entertainment tonight,” Stone said. “Though, can we not be on a dance floor next time?”

  Emme, Nikki, and I laughed.

  Monroe gasped. “How dare you?” she shrieked.

  He looked at her confused.

  Surprisingly, it was Emme that spoke up, “Monroe is a dancer. You’ve just insulted her livelihood.”

  “In that case, maybe we’ll come to California to see you dance,” Stone said, as he cocked an eyebrow.

  Monroe realized they got the wrong impression. “I’m not a stripper. I TEACH dance.”

  “Even better. And we’ll still come to California. There are great mountains out there for riding. Besides, I haven’t seen the beach in a while.”

  Fuck.

  Emme looked to me and I saw the hurt in her face. I’m certain my pain registered and it was like looking in a mirror when she saw me.

  “Hey, you ok?” Wes asked.

  Shit.

  “Yeah, I’m good. It’s been a long week and I’ve had a long day. We should really get going now, though,” I said.

  We said good-bye to the guys and as we made it to the door we noticed that they were right behind us.

  “What are you guys doing?” Emme asked and I could hear a bit of the panic in her voice.

  Zane looked directly at her and said, “Lots of bad people in the world, sweetheart. Lou’s lot is well lit, but not going to let you and your girls looking the way you do, which is hot as all fuck, walk out to your car in the parking lot this late at night without making sure you get there safely.”

  Emme’s eyes got glassy and I knew she was fighting not to cry. Nikki and Monroe understood the significance of what Zane just said.

  To distract everyone from Emme, Nikki yelled, “Reason number six!”

  Monroe and I giggled.

  “What? What the fuck does that mean?” Luke asked.

  Monroe answered, “Nikki is making a list. All the reasons she and I should move here. She’s up to six now.”

  “How many reasons do you need?”

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Nikki answered.

  At that, everyone laughed and the men walked us to the Jeep. I glanced to Emme as she mouthed a thank you to Nikki.

  Chapter 13

  Charley

  It was eleven o’clock Sunday morning. Emme and I had just said our good-byes to Nikki and Monroe, who promised to let us know once they arrived back in Ventura. I had to admit how great it felt to have the four of us back together again and I was really hoping they decided to make the move t
o Wyoming. The fact that they had even considered it was enough for me for the time being.

  Wes had texted me shortly after I arrived back home last night to make sure we arrived safely and to let me know that he would be by to pick me up around one o’clock for my post birthday lunch and private celebration with him. I could not deny the excitement I was feeling over spending time with him.

  Since I had some time before he arrived and Emme had gone back to bed for a nap after the girls left I decided to work on my art. I figured I’d give myself an hour with my art before getting ready. I pulled out my supplies and got to it. An hour later, I did not stop and continued to work. When I had only a half hour left before Wes would be there I quickly got up to get ready. Since there wasn’t much time I left my art where it was and would take care of putting it away when I came home later.

  I settled on a pair of black skinny leg jeans and a pale pink, off-one-shoulder knit sweater. It was cute and comfortable. I kept my makeup natural, only dusting a bit of blush on my cheeks, a swipe of mascara, and a hint of lip gloss. My hair was finished off with a loose curl at the ends. As I turned off the curling iron I heard the knock at the door. One last glance in my full-length mirror and I went to the door. I turned the lock on the dead bolt and opened the door.

  “Hello, gorgeous.”

  “Hi, Wes.”

  “Ready?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  I grabbed my purse, set the alarm, and locked up. Wes and I walked to his truck and he took me out for lunch. We went to a local Italian restaurant with a menu that was pages long. I settled on the vegetable stromboli while Wes went with the chicken cheesesteak.

  “So, did you have a good birthday yesterday?” Wes asked.

  “Yes, surprisingly, I did. I had no idea Nikki and Monroe were coming out to visit. They showed up at our door at six thirty in the morning and we spent the day shopping, getting pampered at a spa, and then dinner and dancing at Lou’s. It was hard to let them leave this morning. I miss them so much already.”