Evelyn Vine Be Mine (18 page)

I followed behind Liam as he snuck up on his sister. He clamped his hand over her eyes and deepened his voice as he whispered, “Guess who.”

Briar squealed and shoved his hands away, turning around and throwing herself at him in a fierce hug. “Liam!” she cried excitedly, “What are you doing here?”

He snorted. “Duh, it’s your eighteenth birthday,” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek, “Happy Birthday sis.”

She whacked him on the arm with a laugh. “You just wanted to come and get drunk,” she said playfully.

“That too,” he agreed.

Fredi gave Liam a brief hug and then made her way onto the stage to get ready with the rest of the band. Briar went to join Candy and Mason at a table, but I stayed at the bar to buy myself a drink. I opened my purse to take out some money as I waited to be served, but Liam placed a strong hand over it.

“What are you having?” he asked me, “My shout.”

I considered arguing, but knew that, like the rest of them, it wouldn’t do me any good.

“A glass of coke please,” I asked softly. He wrinkled his nose at me.

“Do you want rum or bourbon with that?” he asked, taking his wallet from his jean pocket. My eyes got caught on that sexy, jean encased ass for a moment, so it took me a second to register what he’d asked.

“Neither,” I responded with a frown, “We’re underage.”

“Shhh,” Liam muttered, pulling me close to talk in my ear, “They don’t know that.”

“Stone won’t like it,” I murmured uncertainly.

Liam laughed. “No,” he agreed, “He won’t. But he isn’t the boss of you Evie…and he’s sure as fuck not the boss of me.”

He had a point…

“One drink,” I said, my voice soft, but firm.

“Atta girl,” Liam grinned, flagging down the bartender.

***

One drink turned into many as we watched and listened to the band play. Liam looked steady on his feet, but Briar, Candy and I were wrecked. Mason, the only sober one as designated driver, laughed at our clumsiness and bizarre conversations.

We’d just managed to stop laughing after a particular long attack of the giggles, when Stone went into a short drum solo and we stopped talking to watch. I watched him thoughtfully for a few moments, before turning back to Briar with a small frown of curiosity.

“Why do you call him GG?” I asked.

She giggled. “That’s my special nickname for him. He’s my GG and I’m his BB.”

I waited for her to explain further.

“Why?” I prompted.

She frowned. “Because we’re best friends!” she exclaimed happily.

Liam rolled his eyes. “GG is for Grant Graham Stone,” he explained, “And BB is for Briar-Rose Marie Brighton.”

“Ohhh,” I said with a heavy nod, “I understand.”

Briar leaned over the table and beckoned me closer with a finger. I willingly obliged her, wondering what secret she was about to offload.

“It’s his birthday tomorrow,” she whispered quietly, “But don’t tell anyone. He doesn’t like the attention.”

I knew what he meant. I hated being centre of attention. I was lucky though. I managed to fade into the background. Someone like Stone though, could never be ignored. I wondered if any of the band members knew that his birthday followed Briar’s.

Liam leant back in his chair and casually asked, “So what’s the go with you and Stone?”

I froze at the unexpected question and tried to clear my foggy brain enough to answer.

“He sleeps in her bed,” Candy said with a giggle, her head falling limply onto my shoulder as she smiled dopily.

“What?!” Briar asked, her face comically surprised as she gaped at us, her body swaying slightly.

“Sshhhhh!” I hissed at Candy with a forced frown, raising my finger to my lip. I couldn’t keep it up though. I burst into giggles, letting my head fall backward as I slid down a little in my seat. Beside me, Liam pushed my slack legs closed with a grin.

“He sleeps in your bed,” he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Since when?” Briar demanded, standing up too quickly. She would have fallen on her ass if Mason hadn’t caught her.

“Since, semester started,” Candy supplied sleepily, “Didn’t you know?”

“No. I didn’t,” Briar pouted. She turned and glared at me. “I can’t believe neither of you told me you were sleeping together!” she accused.

I choked on my drink, my eyes going wide as I shook my head rapidly, making myself dizzy. “No,” I said, “No no no no. No sex. No kisses. Sleep.”

Everyone stared at me hard for a moment, before they all started laughing. Candy and Briar were the last to stop…or rather, they kept giggling uncontrollably, gasping for breath.

“It’s not funny!” I protested, getting up and storming away, stumbling in my high heels as I made my way toward the bar. Stone intercepted me though, grabbing my arms firmly to steady me. I craned my head backward to look up at him.

“You’re so tall!” I whispered in awe, then collapsed against his chest in giggles. His hands tightened briefly, cutting into my skin with a pinch of pain, before he took a deep breath and loosened his grip. He wrapped an arm around my waist and guided me back to the table at a fast pace. He whacked Liam across the head when we reached it and gently pulled Briar from her seat to stand on his other side.

“GG!” she cried happily, wrapping her arms around him while Liam rubbed his sore head, “I’m having so much fun.”

“I can see,” he growled and I shivered at the erotic, rough sound. He abruptly turned us, and without saying goodbye to the others, led us out to his car (he’d dropped it off at the bar earlier that afternoon). He helped us into the back seat and slammed the door after us.

“I think he’s angry at us,” Briar whispered loudly to me and we collapsed in another fit of giggles as Stone opened the driver door and got in. He shot us a glare in the rear view mirror, which only made us giggle harder.

Surprisingly, Alec was waiting for us when Stone pulled into his usual parking space at the University. He smiled wryly at me when he opened the back door and pulled Briar out. Good luck, he mouthed. I frowned at him in confusion, until I realised that he was carrying Briar away and I was being left alone with a very annoyed Stone. Suddenly his anger didn’t seem so funny. I gulped nervously and ducked down in the back of the car, hoping that he’d forget I was there. My body tensed as I waited for him to open the door and get out.

The door didn’t open, so I cautiously poked my head up to see what was happening. Stone had a firm grip on the steering wheel and was glaring at the dash board. He took a deep breath and then turned abruptly to face me. I squeaked in alarm and grabbed desperately for the door handle. I shoved the door open, but my body jarred sharply as I tried to jump out of the car. I tried again, only to realise my seat belt was still on. I blushed at my stupidity as Stone watched me quietly. I frantically jabbed at the button, trying to release the belt. I had little success. In fact, the seatbelt only got more restrictive as I battled against it.

I heard Stone get out of the car and froze. He opened my door slowly and leaned over me to release the belt. I watched, transfixed, as he carefully let the belt slide back up. My heart stopped its slow, worried thumps and kicked up to an erratic pace. My body warmed in response to his proximity and my nostrils flared at his familiar scent. I loved the way he smelt; warm and masculine, but almost sweet at the same time. Like the inside of a candy shop. He often smelt like cigarettes too, but tonight there was no trace of it. Instead, his freshly shaved face smelled faintly of shaving cream and after-shave.

He pulled away and held out his hand to help me from the car. I took it hesitantly and stumbled from the vehicle. I giggled at my clumsiness, but Stone looked unamused. My head spun and I let go of him to clutch at my head, willing the dizziness to ease. My stomach lurched and I hastily pushed past him to vomit in the garden bed.

I heard Stone swear and slam my car door, but when he knelt beside me, he simply laid a hand on my lower back and waited for me to finish. I groaned, wanting to just fall to one side and sleep where I was for the night. I didn’t want to trek up the stairs to my room, especially if Stone was joining me. I could still feel the anger in him and I flinched, remembering that he’d already been upset with me for unknown reasons all week.

He pulled me to my feet though and swung me up into his arms. He carried me into the building and up the stairs to my floor, his tread heavy with suppressed annoyance. He leant me against the wall beside my door as he searched my bag for the key. Once the door was opened, he picked me back up and kicked the door closed behind him, stalking into my shared bathroom and putting me on my feet in the shower. I’d taken my heels off in the car and my bare feet slid on the wet floor of the stall. Stone caught me though, propping me against the wall as he backed his body out. I looked down at my pretty dress and examined it for vomit. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found no traces. I relaxed against the wall and my eyes drifted closed.

A wall of cold water hit me and my eyes flew open. I shrieked in shock and nearly bashed my head against the wall. Stone left the bathroom and came back with a singlet and a pair of sleep shorts. He placed them on the bathroom counter and moved a fresh towel to the rack beside the shower. He didn’t look at me once as I stood shock still, the cold water running down my face. He closed the door behind him on his way out and I slowly slid down the wall. I let the water cool me down and wash away the alcohol’s effect. I sobered up, worrying all the while if he’d still be in my room when I got out. I didn’t know what worried me more…the thought that he was still in there, ready to yell at me or snub me…or the thought that he’d left.

***

We’d left the bar fairly early, but I’d spent at least half an hour in the shower. Once dried and dressed, I cautiously tiptoed over to my bed, glancing at the alarm clock to read the time.

0100 hours.

Stone lay in my bed, his back to me and his breaths low and even.

Was he asleep?

I didn’t know why he’d been so angry at me, but he’d looked after me anyway, and I felt bad about making the first hour of his birthday a bad one. I didn’t know what to apologise for, but felt that I should at least attempt to say something. I crawled into bed behind him, lying on my side, facing his back. I tentatively reached out to place a hand on his covered shoulder (he’d not changed out of his jeans and band t-shirt).

“Grant,” I whispered, not comfortable with directly calling him ‘Stone’. It seemed too impersonal and weird. Beneath my hand, his body stiffened and I bit my lip worriedly. A few heartbeats passed in silence, before he carefully rolled over to face me. My breaths shortened and came more quickly as he stared at me, waiting.

“Happy Birthday,” I murmured, unable to tear my gaze from his. He raised an eyebrow and looked past me to read the clock. His lip twitched in one corner in a way I was becoming familiar with. His eyes met mine again and something flashed in them. My breath ceased altogether and I felt the air in the room change. It was as if time stood still, waiting for Stone to make whatever decision he was mulling over.

Something changed between us, but I couldn’t tell you what it was. Suddenly, the Earth was spinning again and my breath returned, rushing in and out of my lungs with soft pants. My chest heaved up and down in frantic, but quiet movements and my blood thrilled through my veins, as electric thrills travelled up and down my spine.

Stone’s arms came around me, gathering me close in a slow, careful move that was in direct contrast to the explosive energy charging the room. Instinctively, I titled my head back to look at him, parting my lips on an expectant sigh. His silver eyes darkened to a thick, liquid mercury, but his thick, dark-blond eyelashes lowered, shielding them from view. I felt his eyes narrow on my lips as his face bent down, torturously slow as I waited with mixed feelings to feel them claim my own. A part of me filled with dread, fearful of furthering a relationship with him, of what other liberties he might be expecting this night. A bigger part of me was lost in the moment and damned terrified that he’d pull away.

My stomach clenched as his lips met mine with a chaste brush. My body instinctively melted into him and his body seemed to relax in response. One big hand made its way into my wet hair as his lips parted and drew mine into the most powerful kiss I’d ever felt. His kiss wasn’t hard. It wasn’t soft. It was slow and thorough, and filled with a throbbing intensity that left me shaking. His tongue slid along mine languidly and I squeezed my thighs together as I clutched at him for support.