The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories (247 page)

“That’s smart.”

I glanced at her. I expected her to question me, to freak out about the gun, or something like that. But I definitely didn’t expect her to praise me. Yes, she was full of surprises.

“Smart? I like to be prepared. I mean, just in case.”

“It’s a 9 mm, right? Beretta?”

My curiosity peaked. I specifically respected females who appreciated firearms. “You know guns?” There was a definite note of disbelief in my voice, and I scolded myself for sounding like a freakin’ chauvinist, which I wasn’t. Many of my Marine comrades were women and they kicked a major ass. Girls weren’t fragile flowers or shit like that. They could fight, fire guns, and punch when necessary so it hurt like a son of a bitch.

Luckily, she didn’t catch the unfortunate hint. I exhaled with relief.

She was silent for a few heartbeats before she answered my question, “I lived on the streets for a while. Not just once, but many times. You learn stuff when you’re on your own. I had friends who did... stuff. I’m not proud of it, although that’s just the way it is on the streets—you stick with the others, and you learn from them all you need: the bad, the good, and the ugly.” Her face pinched with some distant memory, making her look much older than twenty-three.

“I know what you mean,” I commented quietly. “I meet kids like that all the time. We’re often called to the fires that result from the homeless folks’ negligence. There’re teens and even younger kids on the streets. They usually run when we try to take them in. They don’t want Social Services or foster homes. It’s tough.”

She nodded, deep in thought. By then we arrived at the cabin. Jack stood there, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot, hands in his shorts pockets.

“Hello Gloria, good to see you again.” He stuck out his hand to shake hers.

She took it and smiled. She didn’t give him her real name. “Good to see you too, Jack. I wish it was under different circumstances though.”

His smile disappeared. “Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah. It’s really peaceful here,” she said. That was a vague answer, but what else was she supposed to say?

“Look, I’m sorry about earlier today.” He scratched his head, looking guilty. That was something to behold—Jack was one of those tough guys that rarely showed guilt or remorse. “I was an ass. Didn’t quite think this through.”

She cleared her throat and tilted her head, looking at him. Jack squirmed under her scrutiny.

“You gave me a scare for sure. I almost passed out when Ethan came back,” she said it in a matter-of-fact tone, no accusation, no anger.

Jack rubbed his chin. His day-old stubble made a scraping sound against his hand. “Sorry, Gloria. I’m an idiot.”

She giggled. “Okay. Apology accepted.”

“Let’s go inside,” I told them, chortling inwardly. I was impressed with how she handled Jack’s unfortunate sense of humor. “Time for some lunch. I’m starving.”

Jack’s truck was parked by Ryley’s cabin, not far from mine, because he didn’t want to leave any tire tracks on the ground here.

Jack told us how he swept his footprints with a leafy branch so we wouldn’t see any signs of him walking around. Damn, like some freakin’ wannabe assassin. I bet he had a huge, toothy grin on his face the whole time while doing so. But I couldn’t be mad with my best buddy. He could be odd like that sometimes, still a kid at heart.

He jogged back to get his truck. When he returned, he brought some food with him, including two extra-large pizzas from Dominos, bagels, cream cheese, milk, and—yes, some awesome beer. I hooted with appreciation when I saw that last item. He knew my favorite: Workhorse IPA and the Boneyard IPA.

I clapped him on the back, “That’s what I’m talking about, bro. Colton drank all my good beer and left some piss as a replacement.”

“Typical.” Jack snorted. “He’s an awesome dude, but his taste in beer is highly questionable.”

I was glad Jack was here after all. He would provide a distraction from what was going on between Lisbeth and me. But then he told us that he’s staying in Ryley’s cabin. It was bigger and swankier than mine, but I knew Jack, and that couldn’t be a reason why he chose to crash in there.

I looked at him suspiciously. “Why won’t you stay in the spare bedroom upstairs?”

Before he answered, his eyes flicked between Lisbeth and me. It was a tiny movement, but I caught it and understood—the little shit got in his head that I’d already lured Lisbeth into my bed.

“I told Ryley I wanted to spend my two days off by the Lake, and he was okay with it,” Jack said lightly, but I heard underlying notes of guilt in his voice.

“Really? He was so eager to give you the keys just to do what? Kick around and relax here?” I doubted. Ryley and Jack weren’t on the best terms. I was sure promises were made, and now Jack had some serious obligation to my brother. It would be interesting to find out what kind of deal they made. Ryley was a hard ass who rarely made it easier for others. The truth was, my brother only cared about his own gain and comfort. Amazing how different he was from the rest of us, especially from Brooklyn, his own twin.

Jack reclined in the bench and took an enormous bite of pizza. I waited for him to chew and swallow. He wasn’t getting out of this so easily.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and said through the mouthful of pizza, “Well... I was sure you didn’t want anyone to know you’re here, in case the whole McCoy clan decided an impromptu visit. So I asked Ryley.”

“Huh.” I took a swig of my beer. “Interesting. Okay, fess up. The family didn’t know I was actually here anyway, and you didn’t have to inform anyone where you were going. One phone call to me would be enough. So why the conspiracy?”

That got him. A fleeting look of uncertainty shadowed his good-natured features. “Uhm...”

“Yeah,
uhm
.” I snorted.

Throughout this whole exchange Lisbeth sat quietly, watching and listening. Her face was impassive. I couldn’t decide what she was thinking. Maybe she shared my reservations? Or didn’t quite understand what was going on? After all, she didn’t know Jack as I did. He would never hesitate to just pop in here. I wouldn’t make a fuss. That’s why him arranging an alternative accommodation was suspicious to me, but not necessarily to her.

Jack chuckled, stretched his burly arms over his head, and looked at Lisbeth. Then at me—with a sheepish smile. “Okay, bro. Okay.” He knew what I meant.

I shook my head and changed the subject, “You scared the crap out of us. What the hell were you trying to do? Get yourself shot?”

“I was just messing with you.” He grinned and winked. He fucking
winked
at me.

Okay, it was time to make him talk, although not in front of Lisbeth. As if catching my thought, she stood up. “I’m going to sit on the dock. Water has such a soothing effect.” With that, she walked off toward the dock.

“I thought it was the trees,” I called after her.

“That too,” she said, turning her head.

I watched Lisbeth sit down at the end of the dock, remove her boots and socks, and roll up her pants all the way to her knees. She lowered one foot, carefully dipping her toes in the water, testing it. Her second foot followed soon after.

“Hey, what’s up?” Jack said in a low voice.

Reluctantly, I pulled my eyes away from Lisbeth and looked at him. He was cleaning his teeth with a plastic fork. Some members of my family were classy; some not so.

“What the fuck were you thinking? Why are you staying in Ryley’s cabin?” I asked, not too nicely.

“You think I should’ve chosen Brooklyn’s cabin? Hmm, that’s a thought.” He pretended to pause, deep in thought.

“Fuck you.”

Brooklyn and Ryley each also owned a cabin on Devil’s Lake, but Ryley’s was the biggest and totally ritzy. That was Ryley for you—everything he owned had to be posh. He rolled in cash, so it was only natural for him to want all those pretty things.

Jack grinned.

“Are you done grooming yourself? Or are you gonna utilize this fine tool any further?” I pointed to the fork in his hand.

He looked at it, as if not understanding my jab. “Does it have any other uses?”

“Yeah, maybe it can serve as an adequate comb? Three-in-one.”

Jack inclined his head in mocking contemplation. “Who would have thought?”

“Cut the crap. Why are you staying at Ryley’s?”

He yawned, shook all over like a freakin’ dog, and looked at me, prolonging the answer as much as he could. I was used to his ways. But I wasn’t backing off.

Jack glanced back at where Lisbeth was sitting at the end of the dock, slowly flapping her feet in the water. He looked back at me and, leaning closer said, “I didn’t want to just butt in. Look, I wanna help in case something nasty starts happening around, but you’ve got a girl in here after all and—”

I interrupted him, “I don’t have
a girl
in here. Don’t be stupid. You know she’s the sole witness in a murder case, trying to survive after the FBI safe house got blasted out. I just offered her a place to hide. What are you implying?”

He lifted his hands in an appeasing gesture. “I know that. That’s why I’m here. If that shit hits the fan, you might need some help, bro. Fuck, man, you never ask for any favors. I just have to take an initiative sometimes, so give me a break.” He huffed.

I was watching Lisbeth. She leaned back on her elbows, reclining toward the sun. Her head dropped back, hair spilling from her shoulders and onto the wood like a cascade of dark waves.

Jack followed my eyes. “I think she’s got something you might totally dig. Just sayin’.”

He had no idea how right he was.

––––––––

T
he cool water felt like heaven against my skin. It was a hot day, and there was no shade on the dock, but I loved how the heat of the sun caressed my arms and face.

These two opposite sensations my body was experiencing, reminded me of what my heart was subjected to with Ethan. Out of self-preservation, I tried to forbid myself to yield to his unrelenting magnetism. That was the cool water reference. The sun was everything else I felt for him.

As soon as I lifted my legs out of the soothing water, the sun was winning. The sun would always win, as long as it shone. I could walk away from this water, but I couldn’t avoid the sun—not while staying in its proximity. Was I comparing Ethan to the sun? Well, maybe in some vague sense. It was more about the enticing and, at the same time tormenting vibes he so strongly exuded. Even thinking of them, made my heart beat faster and my thighs clamp in need.

I scolded myself for being such a complete idiot. But to no avail. The seed was already planted. Ethan got his hooks in my heart. I was trapped, and even if I tried to fight that unwanted attraction off, I wasn’t sure if I had a chance. The only way would be to rip it out like a Band Aid and run. But where? With him, at least, I had a chance to last. Without him, I would be on my own, with no skills to survive.

How strange and frightening was such a thought—I came to rely on just one person to help. And I didn’t even know him well. I could maybe try to go back to Florida and seek help on the streets. But I was sure that everyone I knew years ago was gone or moved on. Besides, the danger was stronger down there. Or was it?

In my whole life, I’ve never felt so alone... and so helpless...

I heard footsteps on the dock. Ethan strolled barefoot toward me, with his hands in his pants pockets. He was looking to his side, toward three small boats in the middle of the Lake. It sounded as if there was a party going on, with people laughing and shouting. Every once a while there was a splash when someone dived from the boat into the Lake and either swam to another boat, or just stayed in one place, treading water. Hoots of delight and jokes followed. I longed to feel so carefree.

Wordlessly, Ethan sat next to me, rolled his pants up, and dipped his feet in the water, leaning forward while I stayed reclined back on my elbows.

“Sounds like a big party over there.” I tipped my chin in the direction of the noise.

Ethan looked up and nodded, still silent, deep in thought.

I waited for him to start a conversation. There was something on his mind, but I didn’t feel like prodding.

Finally, he turned his head toward me. “Jack’s staying in one of my brothers’ cabin. It’s just two miles away.”

“I hope he’ll hang out with us though. Is anyone else from your family coming?” I asked cautiously. I hoped nobody else was planning to be here. It wouldn’t be a good idea, in case something bad happened here. Obviously, I wished we were safe and well hidden, but how could I be completely sure the gang wouldn’t find us?

“Nobody knows we’re here. It’s better this way.”

“Yes, I agree.”

He exhaled loudly and rubbed his forehead. “Look... I’ve already apologized for what happened earlier—”

“The kiss?” I interrupted. We should call what we did the way it was: not a nameless
it
but
the kiss.
A damn good kiss. An amazing kiss. A kiss that had any other kisses I’ve ever experienced beat to the punch. It was better to forget about that
kiss
, but at least we should call it by its proper term.

For a split second Ethan hesitated. He seemed to freeze, his gaze boring into mine. I waited. Maybe he waited, but for what? And then one side of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, and the corners of his eyes crinkled a tiny bit. That was enough for my stomach to clench and my heart to go crazy in my chest. If there was any firm resolve to stay unaffected by his charm, it went down the drain in a jiffy.

“I was a jerk,” he confessed. “You have nothing to be afraid of.”

I raised my eyebrows in a silent “What exactly do you mean?”

“You can be sure I won’t try to force myself on you. I invited you here to feel safe, not to feel threatened.”

I bit on my lip. It was a habit I had to curb. “Oh, okay. It’s good to know that. Thank you.”

What was that strange emotion I suddenly felt? Disappointment? No, it couldn’t be. That would be stupid and wrong on all fronts. It was just confusion. Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t confusion.
Yes
, it was! No, definitely
not
confusion.