“You’re a dick sometimes. You know that?”
“Yeah. So I’ve been told.” He laughs and sets the joint aside when I hand it back to him. “But do we really want to talk about being a dick? I’m not the one who wants to get with my brother’s girl. That’s dickhead with a capital D, my friend.”
“You and I both know he doesn’t deserve Kennedy. They’ve been off and on for years. Clearly, the asshole doesn’t know how to keep her.” I lean my board against the wall and crack my neck, anger creeping in from hearing someone else call Kennedy my brother’s girl. I’ve always hated hearing it out loud. “It’s time he let someone else step up and take care of her. Someone who knows how to take care of her needs, because I know he sure as fuck can’t.”
If he could, then she wouldn’t be hard up for my body.
He laughs while typing out a text. “You working the food truck tonight? I’m gonna need some good food when I get out of here, and since you’re not staying with me now…”
“Yeah. I’ll be there.” I smile and grab my board. “I’m gonna head out. Dixie gave me the company credit card to grab whatever shit I need for the food truck. I need to get the freezer stocked and ready for the rest of the week.”
“All right, my man. Take it easy. I’ll see you tonight when I get done here.”
“Cool.”
I step out of the office to find Steve Garrett leaning against the wall, eyeing me up and down, sizing me up.
“What’s up, Colson?” He pushes away from the wall and gets in my face. “You remember breaking my brother’s nose before you left town? ‘Cause I sure as fuck do.”
“I’m sure your brother does too,” I say to work him up. “If not, I can remind the little piece of shit what it feels like if Kennedy’s name ever leaves his lips again.” I slap his shoulder and offer him a crooked grin. “Be a pal and let him know I’m back in town, yeah?”
“Fuck you, Colson. She’s not even your girl.” He grabs my shoulder when I go to walk away. “I’m not done with you yet.”
I roll my shoulders and turn around to face him, me getting into his face this time. This is the last position he wants to be in, and by the way his eyes widen, he knows it too. “You are fucking done, Steve. I took it easy on your brother. I should’ve broken a lot more than his nose with the shit he was spewing that day. Do yourself a favor and don’t be a fucking hero, because it won’t end well for you.”
I squeeze my board and back away, keeping my eyes on him until I get to the steps. I really don’t need a fight right now. My focus needs to be on Kennedy and what I need to do to get her.
* * *
After leaving the skatepark earlier, I went to my sister’s and Kennedy’s to grab my truck to go shopping. Kennedy was gone so I didn’t even bother going inside. I just threw my board into my pickup and drove off.
I spent a good hour at the grocery store picking out food for both the food truck and the house. I figured if I’m going to be staying there for a week then I need to contribute somehow.
By the time I got done unpacking groceries at the house, it was already close to four. My shift starts at five, so I headed straight to the bar to stock the bar freezer and organize the shit I plan to cook for tonight.
I expected Kennedy to be here since she was still nowhere to be found at her and my sister’s place, but it’s close to five now and she still hasn’t shown up.
I’m starting to think she got Sally or one of the other girls to cover her shift in an effort to stay away from me after what happened this morning when she finally pulls in just minutes before her shift.
I’m outside the food truck smoking a cigarette when she steps out of her car and shuts the door behind her. Her gaze immediately lands on me, her eyes trailing over my body, before she turns away and heads for the door as if she can’t get inside fast enough.
I toss my smoke and smile, because as much as she fights it, she’s been thinking about my body since touching it this morning.
Good. That’s a damn good start…
I tried not to look at Colson when I got out of my car earlier but failed miserably. He was standing there looking extra-hot, a cigarette hanging between his lips. I don’t know why that sight gets me every time, but it does.
I’m still pissed about what happened this morning, and as hard as I’ve tried to push the memory from my mind, I haven’t been able to. Colson was aroused and half naked in my bed. And like the asshole that he is, he allowed me to believe he was his brother and touch him in the most private way.
I keep wondering what he would’ve done had I not figured it out and went further. What if I had pulled his dick from his briefs and took him in my hand? Would he have let me stroke him until he came? Would he have even been turned on enough by me to get off?
The fact that these ridiculous questions are even running through my mind tonight has been driving me insane. I’m sure Libby has noticed I’ve been off too, because she’s had to snap me out of my head a few times.
My plan is to tell Dax what happened and let him take care of his brother. He’s not my responsibility. I thought I could handle him, but clearly, I was wrong. Not outside the bar at least. Having to keep him in check here at work is tiring enough as it is.
Colson’s shift is almost over, so my plan is to wait for Dax to show up soon and tell him the effect of his actions this morning. It’s not a hundred percent my fault, but Colson isn’t solely to blame either. Dax played a part in it too, and I’m going to make that clear so he will think before he does something stupid next time.
“That was insane.” Libby plops down on a stool and pours herself a shot now that her shift is over. “I could seriously get used to this kind of money. I mean, I know Colson’s social media posts won’t keep it this busy all the time, but hopefully word of mouth gets around about how good his cooking is and it brings in new regulars. Wouldn’t that be awesome?”
“One could only hope,” I say, mostly to myself. Not that I expect him to be around much longer. Not if he keeps his antics up. If he becomes as uncontrollable here as he’s already proving to be at home, I might have to suck it up and tell my grandmother to let him go before I get wrapped up in his dirty games.
“Well, babe. I’m gonna get out of here while it’s still somewhat early.” She flashes me a playful smile while standing up. “You sure you don’t want to talk about whatever’s on your mind tonight? ‘Cause whatever it is must be pretty good to have you all worked up.”
“Nope.” I wipe down the bar where she was just sitting before grabbing Benny another beer and tabbing him out. “It’s nothing important. I’ve got it handled.”
“All right, lady.” She snatches her keys from the bar and heads for the door. “See ya tomorrow then. But if you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”
I laugh and toss her dirty glass into the sink. “Okay. I’ll remember that.”
Benny stands up and tosses a few twenties down on the bar when I’m in the middle of washing the last few dirty glasses. “Have a good night, sweetie.”
“Thanks. You too.”
Once he’s gone, I take a seat at the bar and look around the room, thankful for a quiet moment after such a busy last few days. It’s just past eleven and the bar has stayed steady up until about an hour ago when it died down to just a few customers. Eventually, all that was left was Benny hanging around talking about his lady problems.
I grab a beef stick from the display case in front of me and snack on it, wishing I had brought something decent to eat. I was tempted to send Libby outside before she left to grab me some food from the truck, but I didn’t want to give her more reason to question why I’m off in la-la land and avoiding Colson today.
The bell on the door dinging has me looking up, expecting it to be Dax. My stomach twists into knots at the sight of Colson standing in the door instead. I unconsciously check him out, my eyes lingering on his firm chest a few seconds too long, before finally realizing what I’m doing.
He smirks, confirming he’s satisfied, and holds up a container of food, taking a step farther into the bar. “I brought you one of my specialty wieners.”
“If it has anything to do with your wiener, I don’t want it. But I’m sure there are plenty of other girls willing to take it.” I look up at him when he stops in front of me and drops the food behind me on the bar.
“Yeah you do,” he whispers beside my ear, his deep voice causing my heart to jump with excitement. “You just don’t know it yet.” Goose bumps break out across my skin, and all it does it make me hate him more. “Enjoy.”
I watch him walk away, heat spreading across my cheeks at the sight of his perfect ass in those jeans. I hate him so much sometimes that I could scream.
But really… is it him I hate or myself for being attracted to him?
Even though I’m more stressed out now than I was when I first got here—thanks to Colson and his mouth—I eat the hotdog wrapped in ham and bacon that he brought me and enjoy every last bite of its deliciousness. I’m surprised he still remembers how much I loved this when he threw it together for me one night after we both got back from the skatepark.
It was late and we both were starving. He was scrounging for any ingredients he could find in the refrigerator that would go together. I almost died when I tasted how good it was. This is the only hotdog I’ve seen wrapped in both today, and I have a feeling that’s because it wasn’t on the menu; not for anyone else, at least.
If there’s one good thing I can say about Colson, it’s that he’s always paid attention to the things I like. I could ask him weeks later about something I told him at the skatepark one night and he always knew what I was talking about. He’s always been a better listener than his brother; sometimes better than his sister too.
Dax finally arrives as I’m in the middle of drying the glasses and putting them away, my mind still stuck in the past. It’s close to Midnight, so he looks as exhausted as I feel. He probably just woke up from a nap to be here. “Hey, gorgeous.” He kisses me, his lips lingering longer than usual, before taking a seat at the bar. “I see my dickhead brother just left.”
“Yeah, he probably took off right after closing down the truck.” I swallow nervously and look Dax over, trying to decide how pissed at him I should be for getting me into this situation in the first place. He knows how his brother is. “What was this morning about? Did you really have to go and pour water on your brother? You’re an adult now. That trick should be old, and it was my couch.”
The little laugh he lets out proves just how clueless he is. “It was only water. I doubt it did any damage to the couch. He survived.”
“You’re right. It didn’t do any damage to the couch, but it did have me waking up next to your brother in my bed, thinking it was you… The rest I’ll leave to the imagination.”
His face turns red as he balls his fists together. “My brother was in your fucking bed this morning?”
“Yeah. Apparently he needed a dry place to sleep. I touched him, Dax. I reached over and touched him because I thought it was you. It was humiliating. The moment I realized it wasn’t, I threw him out of my room, embarrassed.”
His jaw hardens as he moves around the bar for a bottle of Vodka. “Touched him how, Kennedy? Like his arm? His fucking leg? Where did you touch my brother?”
I grab a glass and set it in front of him, preparing for him to freak out. “Do I really need to say it out loud?” I ask, annoyed. “I’ll let you guess what would embarrass a girl.”
He looks like he’s ready to kill already and he hasn’t even heard from my mouth where I touched him yet. “Fucking Colson,” he grinds out. “Don’t bother telling me. I can figure it out pretty easily.” He tosses back his Vodka before slamming the glass down. “I suppose he let you think it was me too?”
“Yeah, but it only took me a few seconds to figure it out,” I admit.
“Seriously?” he questions, his whole body tense. “Did you compare our dicks or some shit? Good to know. Glad you have a comparison between us now.”
“No,” I rush out. “That’s not it at all. It was when I touched his stomach—”
“Yeah, like that’s any better, but I get it. I’m not as ripped as my younger brother. I suppose I should be relieved about that since it stopped you from ending up on his dick.”
“Hey, don’t be pissed at me for accidentally feeling him up when my eyes were closed! Don’t forget whose fault it was in the first place. I had nothing to do with it,” I remind him. “If you hadn’t gotten him wet, he would’ve stayed on the couch where he belongs.”
“Are you seriously blaming me for this shit?” He pours himself another shot of Vodka, quickly slamming it back. “I suppose next you’re going to tell me my brother is innocent in this?”
“I never said that. I was simply pointing out that you should be more pissed at yourself than at me for acting like a child. I didn’t ask him to crawl into bed with me. How was I supposed to know the body beside me wasn’t yours? Your brother being in my bed isn’t something I’m used to or would expect, but it’s nice to know who you’d point the blame at. What the hell, Dax. Whatever. I’m too tired to fight tonight. We do this way too often and I’m sick of it. It needs to stop.”
His eyes soften once he realizes just how upset about this I am. “You’re right, babe. Come here.” He grabs my arm and possessively pulls me into him. “I’m sorry. I have no right to be pissed at you. I’ll talk to my brother and take care of him. I just saw him lying on the couch in his underwear and I lost it. He thinks he can do whatever he pleases, and it pisses me off; always has.”
“I know, but it’s both of you. It’s like you go after each other for sport. I have enough to deal with here at the bar. I don’t want issues at home too. The only reason I’m letting him stay with us is because of Blaire. Otherwise, he’d be gone. You two need to work your shit out. You’re family.”
“You’re right. This is between me and him.” He cups my face and roughly kisses me on the lips. “I’ll talk to him later tonight. I want to stick around and spend some time with my girl first. Okay?” He kisses me again and I nod. “Dealing with my brother can wait. I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I say the words out loud, but truthfully, the last thing on my mind tonight was missing Dax. He’d be irate if he knew what has really been occupying my thoughts all night.
None of it good, and everything I should be ashamed of.
After leaving the bar, I headed to Underground Pit needing to let off a little steam. My brother was pulling into the parking lot as I was leaving, and for about five seconds I considered jumping out of my truck and sticking around.
The thought of them alone together fucks with my head; always has. I know she isn’t mine. Not yet, anyway. Doesn’t mean I want my brother to have her either. It’s my turn. And I don’t plan to take any breaks like him. I know what I want. Once she’s mine, it’s for good.
“You cool, man?” Travis asks after landing a trick from the rail. “You haven’t moved from that spot in like twenty minutes.”
I hand him the joint I’ve been smoking while lost in my thoughts and grab my board from beside me. “I’m good. It’s just late. Think I’m about to head out.”
“You sure?” he questions, nodding toward Emery and a few of her friends who have been watching Travis and I skate. “Wilson has been eye-fucking you since you walked in over two hours ago. I’d hit that if I were you.”
“Nah, I’m good.” I unintentionally make eye contact with Emery from across the room and she immediately begins walking my way as if it was an invitation to come talk to me. “I’ll see ya later, man. Take it easy.”
“You too, guy. Later.”
I turn to make an escape toward the exit, hoping it’ll stop Emery from approaching me, but I still hear her coming up behind me.
“Hey, Colson. Hold up.” Her brown eyes eagerly rake over my bare chest as I grab my shirt from my back pocket and throw it back on.
“You heading out for the night?”
“Yeah.”
“Want some company? I’m not ready to go home yet.” She moves in close, as if brushing her breasts against me is going to get what she wants. This girl has been trying and failing since we were teens.
“Not happening, Emery.” I take a step back so we’re no longer touching, her facial expression quickly turning into disappointment once she realizes I’m turning her down… again. “I’m sleeping on my sister’s couch.”
“So, you’re working and staying with Kennedy Ward?” She sounds as disappointed as she looks. “I have room on my couch, or even my bed if it’s an inconvenience. I’m sure your sister and Kennedy would love their couch back.”
“It’s not an inconvenience. And I don’t always sleep on the couch,” I add with small smile. “But thanks anyway.”
“Wonderful,” she mumbles under her breath. “I guess I’ll just see you around then.”
“Yeah. I’m sure you will.”
I turn and walk away before Emery has the chance to speak again. It’s already past two, which means my brother is most likely crawling into bed with Kennedy right now. But I’m sure he’ll have shit to say to me before he goes to sleep. I’m counting on it too, because all it will do is fuel my need to win even more.
When I pull up in front of the house and park, I look over in just enough time to see Dax peek out of Kennedy’s bedroom window to see if I’m home. I kill the engine and light up a cigarette, already knowing he’ll come to me for this conversation. I bet he’s been dying to for hours.
Not even a minute later, he’s stepping outside and heading for my truck. He doesn’t hesitate before yanking the passenger side door open and poking his head inside. “I should’ve fucking known you’d pull some shit like that.”
“And yet you still did it.” I bring my cigarette to my lips, my eyes on his angry ones. “So, either you’re underestimating how much of an asshole I can be or you’re handing your girl right over to me. Which is it, brother?”
Steal You Away Page 8
