Just One Chance (Oh Tequila Series Book 1)

by C. A. Harms

  Yep, I definitely pissed him off with the earlier mention of Miss Frankie. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t. Call me an idiot, and yeah—I knew I was a glutton for punishment—but I loved getting under his skin. It was sometimes the best part of my day.

  “No, we don’t, but Frankie is downstairs and she’s been asking about you,” I told him as I righted myself after practically falling into his arms. “She said something about some amazing ointment she found for scarring. I think she wants to play with your ass a little more. Massage it in nice and slow.” I wagged my eyebrows and I swear the guy growled.

  “How about I kick your ass?” he sneered.

  I tried not to smile but damn it, it was just too hard. And the moment I did, I had no time to run. I guess I should have planned better, considering I had a balcony behind me and a wall of muscle before me.

  There were only two directions I could go.

  I should have chosen the balcony.

  I’m not a small guy, but in comparison to Red, I was only half his size.

  Within seconds I was lifted and tossed over his shoulder. I should have been trying to get away, but all I could do was laugh.

  The curious, puzzled looks I got as he barreled down the stairs, through the house, and out the back door made it even harder not to laugh.

  “Dude, come on, I was just playing.” I tried to backpedal a bit. But honestly, I wasn’t sorry in the least. “I just know how much Miss Frankie loves that ass of yours.”

  Red said nothing. He just lifted me once again and this time he tossed my ass in the pool.

  I came up sputtering and choking because I was a dumbass who didn’t stop laughing once I hit the water.

  An audience of all my brothers had gathered to take in my current predicament.

  “Shut the fuck up about my ass and Miss Frankie,” Elijah said in a pissed off tone.

  “I didn’t realize you were so sensitive about her.” I smirked, knowing that I really should stop, but being who I am, I just couldn’t. “Defending your girl is completely normal.”

  “Xavier,” Red growled, his nostrils flaring. He no longer stood with his arms crossed but instead took on the attack stance we’d all come to expect from Elijah. “Keep this shit up and Isaac is gonna have to call home and tell Mommy and Daddy that I killed their prick of a son.”

  “But then you’d be locked up for murder and unable to see your woman,” I added as I moved toward the opposite side of the pool. He took a step closer. “Wait,” I said, holding up my hand, widening my smile. “Conjugal visits,” I added with a nod. “That’s what you’re shooting for. Hot.”

  A deep, rumbling, displeased growl erupted from Red and echoed across the backyard. Just before he dove in the pool and I scrambled to the opposite side to escape his wrath.

  “Your time’s coming, asshole,” he yelled as I hurried across the backyard toward the house.

  “I’m not saving you when he decides to gain his revenge,” Isaac assured me as I moved past him, leaving a trail of puddled water behind me. “You’re on your own.”

  Lifting my hand in the air, I offered a “whatever” kind of wave. “I don’t need help, I got this.”

  But on the inside I was starting to think maybe I had pushed Red a little too far. The idea of being drunk in his presence tonight was asking for all kinds of crazy shit to take place.

  Chapter 4

  Morgan

  Toby lit up with delight the moment Marcus handed him his freshly scooped bowl of ice cream.

  No one cared that he leaned in and put his face directly in the bowl, opting out of waiting for a spoon. Instead we laughed, as did he when he lifted his head to show off his new self-made mask.

  “Isn’t that cold?” I asked him.

  His grin was wide and mischievous as he shook his head and did it all over again.

  By now my mom was used to his unpredictable ways; she no longer batted an eye. Instead she simply lay the rubber-gripped spoon beside Toby’s bowl and ignored the fact that he showed no signs of grabbing it.

  “Do you two have big plans for the night?” she asked as she took a seat in the only chair still left at the table.

  She looked tired, and for a moment I just looked at her. I wished there was something I could do for her. A way I could relieve just a small amount of the heaping stress both she and my father felt.

  “I’m forcing your daughter to go out tonight,” Marcus stated, causing me to focus on the present instead of being lost in wishful thinking. “She hasn’t had a free night since she started working at the Sub Shop and I’m making her take advantage of it.”

  He seemed pleased with himself.

  “Yeah, by making me go to some college party,” I said, wrinkling my nose and making my mother laugh.

  “Marcus.” She fought the smile I knew she wanted to share and tried to maintain that motherly expression she used often. Marcus was like one of her own. “I think we both know that Morgan hates parties. Do you plan to babysit this evening?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I fully intend on making sure that no one gets in her way. But I do, however, think she needs to relax a bit. We both know that stick up her ass cannot be comfortable.”

  At that point my mother had no hope of hiding her smile any longer. I narrowed my eyes at the both of them and had a flash of “I’ll show them stick up my ass” moment.

  “You two are awful,” I said as I leaned over toward Toby. “Do you think I’m difficult?” I asked him and he took a small break from his ice cream to nod his head, agreeing with the other two.

  “Toby,” I said, trying to act offended, “I thought you were on my side.”

  He laughed, Marcus chuckled, and my mother sat back with humor in her eyes. It looked good on her.

  And in that moment I made a mental note to set aside a girls’ day she and I could share.

  Marcus could sit with Toby if my father was at work. I knew he would.

  ***

  We drove by the house where the party was first. A slow pass, just to get a feel for what was to come.

  The front porch held entirely too many people as they stood sandwiched together. Laughing, talking, and some—well, let’s just say they needed to take it inside. Preferably behind a secure door that hid their goodies from the rest of the world.

  “You ready to have some fun?” Marcus asked, pulling my attention away from the house and back to him.

  He chuckled, and it was then I realized I was sneering in disgust.

  “Does one ever get ready for that?” I asked, pointing over my shoulder back toward the house. “I mean come on, doesn’t a nice quiet movie sound better than…” I waved my hand, unable to think of a proper word for what was going on behind me.

  “You are such a prude,” he said, shaking his head as he proceeded to look for a parking space.

  “No, I just have an allergic reaction to dumbasses,” I said in defense. “And something tells me there are a whole lot of those—in there.”

  Again I pointed over my shoulder.

  He didn’t answer me, he didn’t try to fire back with any type of smartass remark. Instead he simply parked the car and pulled the keys from the ignition.

  I sat in shock as he climbed from the car, shut his door, and began walking across the street, leaving me behind.

  “Hey,” I hollered out as I opened my door.

  But he didn’t stop.

  “Asshole,” I yelled a little louder, and about five guys turned to look in my direction.

  Yep, let’s party.

  A party full of men who responded to someone yelling asshole. Oh the possibilities.

  I shivered at the thought of what my night would entail.

  Sluggishly, I climbed out of the car and jogged across the street to catch up with Marcus. When I reached him, I tucked my arm through his and he leaned into my body. “Promise me you’ll have a little fun,” he said as he led me up the porch. I ignored the curious stares of those around us as
I focused on placing one foot in front of the other. “You never just let go, and you need to every once in a while. Otherwise you’ll be a dried up ol’ bitch with no friends later in life.”

  “Nice analogy.” I rolled my eyes as we stepped inside.

  “I’m not kidding; just let loose and be a young adult for once. I know shit’s rough. And I know you have a lot of things to stress over, but for tonight can you just relax? Forget all the garbage and just act your age for one night.”

  I looked up and could see that he was being completely serious.

  Marcus and I joked around a lot. But this was definitely one of those times he was not playing.

  “Okay,” I said, bumping my hip against his. “I’ll have fun.”

  “Promise?” he asked with a questioning stare.

  “Yes,” I said, before suddenly stiffening and moving in closer to him. As if to seek shelter from my current position. “I’ll attempt to ignore the fact that right now, there is a hand on my ass that shouldn’t be there,” I said through gritted teeth.

  Marcus looked over my shoulder and I saw that he was fighting against a grin.

  “Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be with another girl?” he asked and my eyes widened a little further as the hand squeezed my ass and another began to snake around my waist.

  “Make it stop.” I glared at him. “Or so help me God, Marcus, I will turn around right now and…” I was cut off when he jerked my body forward and moved me across the room, far, far away from Miss Grabby.

  I took in a deep calming breath, remembering what I had just promised Marcus only moments ago.

  A good time.

  I would relax.

  I kept repeating that in my mind when I accepted the pinkish-looking drink Marcus handed me and tipped it back, drinking half the contents in one big gulp.

  “Keep ’em coming,” I said as I lowered the drink for only a few seconds before lifting the cup again and finishing it off quickly.

  Chapter 5

  Xavier

  I was well aware of Red watching me from across the room. When I moved, he moved.

  I knew he was waiting for the right moment when he could get me back for torturing his ass all day. Which is why for the last hour I’d slowly nursed the same beer.

  I guess I’d hoped he’d find another source to occupy his attention by now. But I could only blame myself for this. I pushed him; what is one to do when they know they are already doomed?

  You taunt a little more.

  I lifted my beer in the air, using it to point in Elijah’s direction, and when I was sure his eyes were locked on mine, I winked and blew him a kiss.

  The guy was fun to fuck with.

  As the party went on, I found myself growing bored. It was then I realized that it wasn’t always Britney who kept me from the parties; I just would have rather spent time with her then be wrapped up in this shit.

  Don’t get me wrong—I had fun with the guys, but I wasn’t a heavy partier.

  My father and mother had both raised me knowing the importance of life. Neither of them ever drank. Instead we spent nights doing family shit. My brother and sister were both younger than me, so I was always pushed into board games and family nights. After a while those things became something I looked forward to.

  Nights in, relaxing.

  Much better than waking up the day after a party feeling like ass and unable to remember what the hell you did the night before.

  “You find your balls yet?” I looked to my left to see Corbin smiling at me. The guy was such a weirdo at times.

  But before I could answer, Clayton responded for me.

  “Hell no, he’s peeled back his pussy lips and realized they’re gone.” He chuckled and Corbin joined in. They really thought they were comedians.

  I was just about to hassle Clayton about his dildo pics when I heard a laugh I recognized. A laugh I had spent just shy of a year listening to day after day. A laugh I used to enjoy but now it just got on my nerves.

  Clayton stopped laughing and I heard him murmur “Oh fuck” under his breath.

  And “oh fuck” was right.

  I instantly wondered what in the hell Britney was trying to pull, but then I remembered who I was dealing with and knew instantly. She was a conniving bitch. She loved attention, and would do just about anything to gain it. Including showing up here at my place for a party we threw with her new toy.

  The asshole who she decided could give her more than I could. Or more efficiently explained, what his asshole parents could provide for her.

  Wade Richards, pretty boy, trying to act tough. His father was a big time attorney and his mother was some sought after plastic surgeon who traveled around, even working on some of the big actresses and actors in Hollywood.

  Britney loved the idea of being a trophy wife. So the fact that my father was a simple working man and my mother was a teacher did nothing to impress her.

  She looked over in my direction and curled into Wade a little tighter. And in that moment, I wasn’t sure what I ever saw in her.

  Right now she just looked like some bimbo in a short skirt.

  “Don’t let her fuck with your head, X,” Corbin said, nudging my shoulder.

  “Don’t plan on it.” I tipped my beer up and looked away from her. “But I was promised a crazy night. So when does the crazy start?”

  I wouldn’t let her being here stop me from having a good time. I knew that was her intention when she showed up. She never wanted to go to parties when we were together, so tonight was just some fucked up game she had planned.

  And I wasn’t playing.

  It was never love with her, just convenience, and now it was simple annoyance.

  “Well then, let me direct you to the next room, my friend.” Clayton placed his hand on my shoulder and led me out of the living room toward the den. It had been converted to a game room. And when I say games, I mean strip poker, beer pong, and many more things crazy college kids thought up at parties.

  The room was loud, wild, and just what I needed to get my head wrapped around the idea of what tonight was meant to be.

  ***

  I tipped my shot glass upside down and looked across the table at the blonde. She was giving me a look that had my full attention. It wasn’t a needy sultry look, more of an “I’m unimpressed but I’ll play along to see where this goes” kind of look.

  Something about the challenge in her eyes had my heart racing. I found I really liked the thrill it inflicted in me.

  “Never have I ever masturbated while watching porn,” a guy said from my left, yet I continued to watch the blonde. I slowly lifted the shot that sat in front of me and downed it in one quick swig before locking eyes with her once more. It was then that I noticed her own shot glass was also empty.

  I felt my dick harden at the thought of her spread out on her bed, porn playing on the television as the light illuminated her body. Her hand buried between her legs as she moaned, biting down on her lower lip.

  I noticed the smirk on her face and found myself wondering if she was envisioning the same thing but with me perched on my bed instead.

  “Never have I ever repurposed a common household item as a sex toy,” a girl added, and I waited to see what reaction that question would gain from the sexy blonde girl across from me. Slowly, she lifted her drink to her mouth and smiled just as she pressed the glass against her lips. She was fully aware that she had my attention.

  No one would convince me that she didn’t enjoy it just as much as I did.

  She tilted back the shot and licked her lower lip as she lowered her glass and once again made eye contact with me.

  It was now her turn to ask the question, and I found myself eager to know what it would be. “Never have I ever slept with someone I just met.”

  I moaned. I’ll admit it.

  I fucking moaned. And what did she do? Continued to stare at me, waiting for me to answer the question I knew was directed at me in the form of
some fucked up game we were playing.

  Had I hooked up? Yes.

  But I knew the girls.

  So to answer her question, I had never slept with a girl I just met, but I was more than willing to change that.

  I found myself hoping that she also had not yet experienced such a thing. And was thankful when she didn’t raise her shot glass to her lips.

  We shared some crazy stare down, no words, just curiosity.

  “Never have I ever slept with twins.”

  For the first time I took my eyes off the blonde and looked toward Corbin, who was looking around at the girls with a hopeful look on his face.

  And found myself wandering off into territory I truly didn’t want to venture to, but was unable to stop it.

  The twins did some sort of fist bump when one girl tipped her glass back and downed her shot. As she lowered it, she was eyeing the brothers and I knew right then their night was set up.

  Freaky fucking twin shit going down and I was glad I had something else to distract me, because that shit just ain’t right.

  Chapter 6

  Morgan

  “Do you know him?” Marcus leaned in close, whispering in my ear.

  The reaction it gained from Mystery Guy made me smile. Apparently he wasn’t impressed with Marcus and his closeness. Normally that type of thing I found annoying, but at that moment it sparked an interest. Something about his dislike for another man paying attention to me was appealing.

  “Nope,” I said, without looking away from the guy. He had barely taken his eyes off me since we started this silly game of questions and I found I loved it.

  “From the looks of it, he’s wanting to get to know you,” Marcus added, and by his tone I could tell he approved. The appreciative little moan he let escape made me laugh.

  Marcus was always pointing out good-looking guys to me. Telling me things like “I bet he would rock your world” and “Look at that ass.” Apparently I wasn’t forward enough for him, and he felt he needed to push me.