The Vincent Brothers 2 (3 page)

              Ash. Damn. Did she have to bring up Ashton? My good mood evaporated and I was once again forcing a smile. She glanced over my shoulder toward the table I had been headed to and frowned.

              “You guys are already seated at a table?” She shot her frustrated gaze over toward the hostess stand. “Figures,” she muttered. I followed her gaze and saw the blonde hostess watching us with an irritated frown on her face.

              “What’s wrong?” I asked, turning my attention back to Lana.

              She sighed and looked back at me. “We’ve been waiting on a table for at least fifteen minutes.”

              Ah. The waitress had given us their table. I could fix this problem.

              “Go get your friend and y’all come sit with us.”

              Lana flashed a bright smile, “Okay, thanks. I’ll be right back.”

              I watched as she spun around and walked back to the bar. Her backside was impossible not to watch as her hips swayed gently from side to side.
Damn,
Lana looked good.

Lana

             
“Ohmygod, did you just
flirt
with that hottie? Dang girl, when you decide to flaunt it you shoot high.”  The awe in Jewel’s voice made me want to laugh. However, the fact I felt like I was about to throw-up kept the humor at bay. Sawyer had checked me out. His eyes had slowly scanned up my body. He’d paused at my boobs. I felt the need to fan myself with the stupid coaster under my drink.

              “I know him. And we’re sitting with him and his friends,” I announced reaching for my purse and soda.

              “Really?” Jewel squealed happily, snatching her purse out of the seat beside her and standing up. The scarf thing she called a shirt showed off all of her flat tanned stomach. The bar in her belly-button flashed two small rhinestones on each end causing eyes to immediately focus on her exposed skin. Then the Daisy Duke’s she was wearing made my mini skirt look classy. The girl turned heads when she walked if for no other reason than most of her body was on display.

              “Come on,” I snapped and headed toward Sawyer who was standing right where I left him, waiting on us. His eyes drifted over to Jewel and I watched him appraise her the same way he had me. A sick knot formed in my stomach and I fought the urge to push her behind me. I didn’t want him doing that slow sexy trek up her body with his eyes.

              “He’s so freaking hot,” Jewel hissed beside me. She’d stuck out her chest further and the flip thing she did with her long blonde hair over her shoulders had just happened. She was getting ready to unleash her skills on Sawyer. 

              “Not him, Jewel. Pick one of the others. Just not him,” I tried not to sound like I was begging but but there was no masking the desperation in my voice.

              I heard a small gasp beside me.

              “He’s the reason you...” she trailed off as her mind wrapped around what she was just now figuring out. “Oh, wow. I get it. I won’t poach,” she replied.

              No, but she was still tanned, freckle free, blond, and well-practiced in the world of men. Those were all things Sawyer liked.

              When we reached him, I knew I had to make the introductions as much as I hated it. Why hadn’t I just left her at the bar to flirt with the bartender and pretended like she didn’t exist? Sawyer’s appreciative gaze was locked on Jewel and although she’d promised me she wouldn’t flirt, it was ingrained in her. The girl couldn’t help it.

              “Hi, I’m Jewel,” she drawled out in a sexy voice that had me wanting to slap her stupid.

              “It’s nice to meet you, Jewel,” he replied, taking her hand in his large one and... did he just squeeze it?! “I’m Sawyer. An old friend of Lana’s.”

              The fact I was leaving them to make their own introductions wasn’t lost on me. I just couldn’t open my mouth, afraid I’d let out the angry snarl vibrating in my chest. At the moment, I really hated Jewel. She was going to spend her summer with a guy that was supposed to be her boyfriend but she was unleashing all her charms to get what out of Sawyer? A one-nighter? I shivered at the thought. I just might kill her if she dared.

              “Lana?” Sawyer’s voice startled me from my vicious thoughts and I blinked several times to clear my head.

              “Um, yes, I’m sorry,” I replied.

              “She’s exhausted from the trip,” Jewel explained, covering for me. No doubt she knew what was wrong.

              “I asked if you wanted me to drive you back to Ashton’s, after we eat, so that Jewel doesn’t have to.”

              Oh, he was offering me a ride. Jewel would be gone. Yes, please.

              “That would be great. Thanks,” I managed to keep the excitement out of my voice.

              A pleased smile touched his lips and I wanted to reach over and feel them. See if they were as smooth as they looked. How weird was that?

              Sawyer led the way over to the booth and two other guys were smiling up at us. You could see the surprised curiosity in their eyes.

              “Guys, this is Lana, Ash’s cousin, and her friend Jewel. They were waiting on a table and I offered to share ours.” Sawyer turned back to us, “The guy to the left is Ethan and the guy to the right is Jake.”

              Ethan had a nice smile and short dark hair. It was just barely long enough to flip up some in the front. His dark brown eyes appeared warm and amused. I liked him instantly. I needed to pick a side of the half circle booth to slide into and he seemed less threatening of the two. Taking a quick peek at Jake I saw he was drinking in Jewel’s bare stomach with his gaze. The blond curls peeking out of his baseball cap were cute but the sexual gleam in his gray eyes was a little unnerving.

              “Jewel,” Sawyer said, motioning for her to slide in on Jake’s side. I moved to slide in on Ethan’s side. I felt extremely grateful; I wouldn’t have to sit beside Jake.

              Then I watched as Sawyer slid in behind Jewel and my stomach dropped. He’d had to pick a side and without a second thought he’d chosen Jewel’s. His offer to drive me to Ashton’s now seemed unimportant. He’d done it to be considerate because that’s was what he was. Not because he had been attracted to me or even remotely interested. I was an idiot.

              “I didn’t know Ash had a cousin,” Ethan said beside me. I tore my eyes off Sawyer as he sidled up to Jewel and focused on the guy beside me. At least he didn’t look upset about getting stuck with me, instead of Jewel.

              “Um, yes, I’m the only one. I live in Georgia and only get down to visit her about once a year, at the most.”

              Ethan’s easy smile showcased straight white teeth. I liked good teeth on a guy. And Ethan wasn’t bad to look at either. His dark eyes were outlined with really long lashes.

              “So, you staying long?”

              “All summer,” I replied. Ethan’s smile looked approving and he nodded his head.

              “Nice,” he replied, then lifted his gaze to the waitress who’d just walked up.

              “What can I get y’all to drink?” she asked, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear and forcing a smile that didn’t meet her eyes.

              “Coke,” Ethan announced, then glanced down at my almost empty one. “Make that two cokes.”

              He’d ordered for me. I liked that. No guy had ever ordered for me. It made me feel oddly special.

              “A screwdriver for me,” Jewel said as if she was going to get away with this. I glared at her and she gave me a small smirk.

              “ID,” the waitress replied and this time I smirked as Jewel immediately went from looking cocky to irritated.

              “Don’t have it with me,” she replied in an annoyed tone.

              “I bet you don’t,” the waitress muttered.

              “Are you saying I don’t look twenty-one?” Jewel asked as if she were shocked someone would even question it. Because, of course, an eighteen year old girl could pass for twenty-one easily. Whatever.

              “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” the waitress deadpanned.

              Jewel opened her mouth to argue, no doubt, and I knew I needed to step in and stop her, before we all got thrown out.

              “Just bring her a Diet Coke, please,” I told the waitress with an apologetic smile and then sent a warning glare over toward Jewel.

              She harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest in a pout. Luckily, she didn’t have much in the way of cleavage so Sawyer wasn’t leering down her shirt as she pushed her small boobs up with her ridiculous posture.

              Everyone else ordered their drinks. Sawyer leaned down to whisper something to Jewel that made her giggle and I decided I needed to focus on the menu and just get through this. I don’t know why I’d hoped for anything different.

              “You handled that well,” Ethan whispered, opening his menu beside me. I peeked over at him and smiled, “Thanks. It happens a lot.”

              He grinned and studied his menu. I did the same.

Chapter Three

Sawyer

             
If the girl giggled one more time, I was going to rip off pieces of my napkin and shove it in my ears. Damn, she was annoying. When I’d first seen her I’d thought she could potentially distract me from Ashton tonight but I’d been so very wrong. All she was managing to do was get on my nerves. If her hand slid up my thigh one more time, I was going to end up shoving her toward Jake.

              Soft laughter caught my attention and I turned my attention to Lana. She was smiling brightly at whatever Ethan was saying to her. He’d been talking to her in whispered tones throughout the entire meal. That was grating on my nerves as well. Ever since she sat down beside him, he’d taken up all her attention. It was as if the rest of us weren’t even at the damn table.

              “Looks like she’s interested in your friend,” Jewel said, obviously noting where my attention was focused.

              “Hmmm,” was my only response.

              “How long have you known Lana?” she asked. I thought back to the days of her bright orange ponytails and skinny legs with knobby knees and realized she’d come a very long way. Those freckles that had once made her unattractive now somehow enhanced her looks.

              “Since we were kids. I always used to have to take up for her with Ash and Beau. They tormented her.”

              “Beau?” Jewel asked. Apparently, Lana didn’t talk much about Ashton to her friend. If she did, she’d know exactly who Beau was.

              “My br—uh, cousin,”  I replied.

              Lana threw her head back and let out a real laugh this time. Not one she was trying to silence but one where she was thoroughly delighted about something and didn’t care who heard her. The long silky auburn locks brushed the edge of the table and I wondered how she’d react if I wrapped one of those locks around my finger.

              “You think that’s funny, huh?” Ethan replied grinning like an idiot because he’d made her laugh so hard.

              Lana nodded her head, reached out, and squeezed his arm. “Yes, I do. I’m sorry,” she replied, trying to keep the huge grin off her face.

              Ethan’s body language said he didn’t mind at all as he leaned into her touch and began that damn whispering again. Those two were lost in their own little world.

              “She isn’t normally good with guys. They make her nervous,” Jewel pointed out.

              She didn’t look nervous to me. Although, I had to agree, the Lana I remembered was quiet and reserved. What had changed other than the fact she had gone from forgettable to gorgeous in a few short months?

              Jake said something to Jewel and she turned her attention to him. Finally, I had some relief. Maybe she would grope his thigh now and leave mine alone.

              Lana reached for her drink and her eyes met mine. She paused briefly then smiled at me. She really had a nice smile. And those freckles... damn they were cute.

              “Enjoying your dinner?” I asked.

              She snuck a peek over at Ethan who was still staring at her like a lovesick puppy. She’d managed to wrap him around her little finger rather quickly.  “Yes, thank you,” she replied, then took a sip of her drink. Those lush lips wrapped around the straw and I had to swallow hard to keep from groaning. How had little Lana McDaniel become so skilled in the ways of seducing a man?

              “Lana mentioned we were giving her a ride to Ashton’s,” Ethan said and I tore my gaze off Lana and her straw to glare at him. Why I was glaring, I wasn’t sure. He’d done nothing wrong. He’d entertained Lana and made sure she felt comfortable at the table. Forcing my face to relax, I nodded. “Yeah, I figured since we were going that way I could take her and Jewel could continue on toward the beach.”

              Ethan appeared a little too pleased. “Good idea,” he replied with a smile and leaned over to say something to Lana that caused her to grin.

              Paying for the meal and getting out of there had been my number one priority. I was ready to send Jewel on her way. Girls who didn’t take a hint annoyed me. I signed the receipt and stuck my debit card back in my wallet.

              “Here,” Jewel said in an unhappy tone as she handed the waitress her receipt and a twenty dollar bill.

              “Ethan,
no
,” Lana’s voice broke into my thoughts and I watched as she frowned up at Ethan who was grinning in return.

              “I need out. I’ve got to go to the restroom before I hit the road again,” Jewel said. I stood up and let her by but didn’t take my eyes off Lana and Ethan who appeared to be arguing or at least Lana looked like she was arguing and Ethan was enjoying himself.