by Jenna Jacob
With a clipped nod, Gina poured the rude prick a shot. As he tossed the amber liquid back, Sawyer watched him cautiously. The bastard was as mean as a rattlesnake and twice as unpredictable. When LaCroix silently tapped the rim of his glass, Gina refilled it, then walked to the other end of the bar. As she began wiping down the wooden surface, the tension lessened and Sawyer clapped Noble on the back.
“Come on, let’s play some pool. Loser buys a round.”
Noble chuckled. “You can save yourself a metric ton of embarrassment and just buy me a beer now.”
“I like a challenge. Humor me, asshole.” He smirked as they strolled to the pool table.
“Stop dragging that rag and get your ass back here. I need another shot,” LaCroix grumbled.
Sawyer racked the balls, but his focus was lasered in on the bar.
“Sure. I can’t keep my best customer waiting,” Gina replied in a saccharine-sweet tone as she dropped the cloth, plucked up the bottle of whiskey, and strolled to the taciturn prick.
Mirroring her movement on the opposite side of the bar, Nate was watching LaCroix like a panther assessing his prey. His hands were clenched in fists and his shoulders squared as if he was ready to pound the prick to hamburger.
Aw, hell.
“Don’t blow smoke up my ass, girlie. I ain’t your best nuthin’. Fill the glass and shut your yap.”
“You should be more respectful to Gina,” Nate drawled. “Or she might fill your glass with arsenic instead of whiskey.”
“Mind your own business, Grayson. If I want your opinion, I’ll beat it out of you.”
Nate flashed the prick a nasty smile. “You’ll die tryin’, old man.”
Victor growled and waved Nate’s comment away. “Go away. I’m sure your brothers are waiting for you to play with their balls.”
Things were going downhill fast. Nate had a long fuse, but Sawyer could tell by the look on his brother’s face it was burning up quickly.
Sawyer and his brothers had grown up whaling on each other—like most animals with overloaded testosterone levels. Nate might be the quietest of the bunch, but he could hit harder than a fucking mule. One punch and he’d knock LaCroix out cold.
But why? Why was Nate getting up in Gina’s business and taking on the role of her protector? They’d all been raised to honor and respect women, to come to their aid if they were in distress, but Gina dealt with Victor on a nightly basis. She’d always held her own with him and every shit-faced, argumentative drunk who got unruly. Was Nate simply looking for a fight…to blow off some steam? Or was something else going on between his younger brother and the much older bar owner?
Impossible. Nate was a self-proclaimed virgin. He wouldn’t know what to do with a sexually experienced woman like Gina.
Nate was still poised, ready to unleash a can of whoop ass as Gina glanced his way. After she flashed him a wink and a soft smile, assuring she had everything under control, Nate grimly nodded and strolled to the pool table.
“Everything okay?” Sawyer asked the younger twin.
“Yeah, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t have to toss Victor the viper out on his ass.”
“Nate’s got a crush,” Noble taunted in a low, singsong voice.
“Shut up, asswipe,” Nate snarled. “Are we gonna play pool, or are you going to stand there jacking off your cue stick all night?”
“Let the games begin.” Sawyer chuckled as he broke the cluster of balls apart with a resounding crack.
Brea
After tossing and turning for hours, Brea rolled out of bed. Colton’s guest room was cozy, the mattress soft and inviting, but her brain refused to shut down long enough for her to fall asleep. Her thoughts had seesawed between asswipe Weed, drugs, and the scary holding cell to the feverish arousal of Sawyer’s blood-pumping stare the entire night.
Before yesterday, Brea would have fucked the man’s brains out…and moved in with him the next day.
That man wouldn’t invite me into his bed, let alone his life, she inwardly scoffed.
Sawyer didn’t swim the loser pond of scum suckers she skinny-dipped in while seeking her next heartbreak. No, Sawyer was a shark, sleekly gliding through a bottomless blue ocean. The man was…
Way out of my league!
Sadly, her reality check was right. She had as much chance of living out her naughty fantasies with Sawyer as she did with Matthew McConaughey—the former top spot holder of her masturbation fantasies. If Brea hadn’t been so pigheaded, determined to prove she was smarter than her parents about love, she’d have set her man standard higher. Thinking she had finally found the one, she’d blindly charged down the same perilous path and wound up with another douchebag jerk…Weed.
It was past time to turn over a new leaf. If Brea ever wanted to find happiness, she had to stop pinning her future on every man who shoved his dick inside her.
But as a new day started dawning, fears and insecurities began climbing through her like the sun working its way toward the horizon.
Maybe implementing a man ban is a bit too extreme.
Brea knew giving up men meant giving up sensual kisses, carnal caresses, and tongue-biting, thrusting orgasms. The fear for all she’d miss out on spread through her, like it did each time she started a new diet. Of course, dumping men was going to be much harder than tossing a Snickers bar into the trash.
Suddenly, she had an epiphany.
Brea needed to treat her D-day (dump men day) like a diet.
She never started counting calories until she’d placated her sweet tooth. Brea would load up on foods swimming in high fructose corn syrup, then nibble rice cakes and salads for months. But instead of candy, cookies, and cupcakes, Brea could pig out on Sawyer…gorge and satisfy her sex tooth until hell froze over.
As a jolt of excitement charged through her, reality pulled the plug a second later.
What if he turns you down?
Brea knew the answer…she’d be the walking, talking poster child for embarrassment.
The only sure way of giving up men was to join a convent. But she’d heard somewhere that nuns had to wear underwear—white cotton granny panties to be exact. She’d not only have to give up men and masturbation but her pretty lacy thongs as well.
“No nunnery is going to steal my butt floss.”
As dawn began slipping over the horizon, Brea stood at the window, drinking in the beauty unfolding before her. Rays of sun fanned over the grassy pasture, catching on the dew, causing the whole field to sparkle like diamonds. In the distance, cows bawled for their breakfast as a rooster crowed, announcing the start of another brand-new day. Her first day in forever without a man. Her first day as a self-assured, single, I-can-be-anything-I-want-to-be independent woman!
As she watched Colton stride toward the barn, Brea knew she had to make some serious life choices, and fast. She loved her friends and was grateful they’d come to her rescue, but Brea refused to mooch off their kindness. Colton and Jade had been apart for a damn decade; they deserved privacy to fuck like bunnies and make up for lost time. Nothing killed the chance of spontaneous romance faster than a third wheel hanging around.
It was time to figure out where to go and what to do.
Sailing away to her own private island, chock full of scantily clad cabana boys and a couple of margarita machines, sounded heavenly, but Brea knew that scenario was as likely to play out as her naughty fantasies of Sawyer.
She shook his vision from her brain as the scent of coffee tickled her nose. After showering and dressing, Brea wandered down to the kitchen to find Jade cooking breakfast at the stove.
“Good morning.” Her friend’s tone was far too chipper for Brea’s tumultuous mood.
“The jury is still out on whether it is or not.”
“Coffee will help. Mugs are in the cabinet to the right of the sink. Make yourself at home…you’re family.” Jade turned to get a good look at her, then sent her a frown. “You didn’t sleep a wink last night, did you? Is t
he bed—”
“No.” Brea shook her head. “The bed’s perfect. My mind is what’s lumpy and uncomfortable.”
“Of course it is. You had a hell of a shock yesterday.”
“You can say that again.”
“Pop a squat at the table. I’ll be finished in a second.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Nope. Sit back, enjoy your coffee, and chat with me. It’s rare I have someone to keep me company while Colton’s out playing with his cows.” Jade chortled. “Don’t tell him I called them cows. He’s very sensitive about his cattle.”
Brea smirked. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“They always were.”
The warm smile Jade flashed lightened Brea’s spirits. Though a part of her still wanted to bop Jade on the head for disappearing off the face of the earth, Brea knew from experience, sometimes you had to hide away and lick your wounds…like she was now.
“I’m glad you found Colton…or he found you. I feel the happiness pouring off you two in buckets.”
A melancholy smile slid over Jade’s face as she lifted the last piece of bacon from the skillet and turned off the stove. After wiping her hands, she picked up her mug of coffee and joined Brea at the table.
“I am, too. I didn’t plan for things to turn out like they did. But the moment I saw Colton, I knew I’d finally found home.” She issued a scoff and shook her head. “That sounds corny, but it’s true.”
“It’s not corny…it’s romantic. That’s how it’s supposed to be when you find your soul mate. So what made you decide to look him up again?”
“Well, after I walked in on my ex real-time sexting with some chick at work who he’d been having an affair with, I knew it was time to make a new life.”
“Ewww.” Brea wrinkled her nose. “I bet you were crushed.”
“Surprised but definitely not brokenhearted. I just packed my bags, told him goodbye, and left.”
“You didn’t love him?”
“No. I didn’t love any of them.” She shrugged. “I always picked emotionally unavailable men I knew I couldn’t fall in love with. My heart had always belonged to Colton; I’d just let my stupid pride get in the way.”
“God, we’re a pair. You protected yourself while I let any sweet-talking scumbag sweep me off my feet. I’ve made such a mess of my life.”
“Stop being so hard on yourself. You’ll get your shit straightened out. It just takes time and a lot of soul-searching.”
“I’ll have plenty of time for that since I won’t be sidetracked by fuck-nuts anymore.”
“Yeah… about that. Why exactly are you giving up men?”
“Because I’m a hopeless romantic who still believes fairy tales come true. I ridiculously think every guy who takes me to bed is my knight in shining armor who’s going to save me from being alone.”
“First of all, being alone isn’t a bad thing. Everyone needs time to learn who they are and what they want. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up men…just sex. Stop with the one-night-stand shit and find a male friend. You need to establish a solid, platonic friendship. If after several months, and I’m talking a whole lot more than one”—Jade smirked—“you two decide you want to proceed further, establish some ground rules and stick to them before you hop in the sack.”
“You’re telling me to find a fuck buddy?”
“No, I’m telling you to find a friend who will emotionally support you, the way Rusty did in high school.”
“Until he ripped that support out from under me when he shoved his dick in Chloe Wilson’s cunt.”
Before Jade could respond, the back door opened, and Colton stepped in as Jade hopped up from her seat and hurried back to the stove.
“I see how it is.” He smirked. “Your best friend comes to town, and you go off gabbing instead of fixing my breakfast, huh?”
Jade’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Excuse me?”
Colton burst out laughing. Two strides later, he lifted Jade into his arms, trying to steal a kiss, while she smacked his shoulders and squirmed to break free.
“Settle down, kitten. I was only teasing.”
“I don’t like your sense of humor,” she spat.
“So I see.” Colton kissed her hard before setting her back on her feet. “Go sit down and visit with Brea. I’ll finish cooking breakfast, my love.”
“Oh, I see how it is, too. You figured being a bossy butthead wouldn’t fill your belly, so you’re taking over to keep from starving to death.” Jade tried to hold back a grin but failed.
“Something like that,” Colton laughed.
Jade dramatically tossed her nose in the air and sat down again. With a mischievous grin, she glanced over her shoulder. “I like my eggs over easy.”
“Ungrateful wench,” Colton grumbled in mock annoyance.
Brea smiled at the couple’s banter, but inside she was choking on envy. She’d searched high and low to find the kind of love they shared, a man who’d tease and laugh and shower her with unconditional love. Sadly, all Brea ended up with were douchebags.
The ringing of her cell phone ripped her from her musings. Pulling the device from her pocket, she stared at the screen.
“It’s Weed,” she announced. Her skin crawled and indecision warred within.
“Hand it over. I’ll talk to him.” Colton stalked toward her and extended his palm.
His protective mien was endearing, but Brea shook her head. “I’ve got it.”
Rising from the table, she wandered into the adjoining family room and accepted the call. “What do you want, Weed?”
“Brea…baby. Look, I’m sorry,” the bastard whined contritely. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I was simply looking for a way to make some fast cash.”
“And you thought selling drugs was the answer?”
“Don’t be so judgmental. I didn’t kill anyone.”
“That you know of. If those kids had accidentally overdosed on the shit you sold them, you’d rot in prison for murder.”
“I know. Dammit, I know,” Weed snarled. “My lawyer already told me. But they didn’t and I’m not, so settle down. Listen, I need you to find a bail bondsman and come get me the fuck outta here. I have a court date in two months, but the judge won’t let me out on my own recog…cognatives”
“Recognizance,” Brea corrected, wondering—for the millionth time—how she’d ever found the Darwin Award-winning man attractive.
“Whatever…I need you to post bail so I can come home.”
“You’ve got balls asking me to do anything for you after you tried to throw me under the bus, you prick! I didn’t make this mess, you did. Figure it out. I’m done. I packed my shit last night and am long gone. You’re on your own, Weed.”
“You what?” Weed barked. “Don’t say shit like that. You know I love you. Come on, baby. Get in the car and come down here and pick me up.”
“I don’t own a car. Your car, the one you graciously let me use so I could bust my butt and support your lazy ass, is on the curb where I left it after getting arrested because of you.”
“You don’t have to rub my nose in it. I know I fucked up. Just…call a cab or rent a car… Do something, just come and get me.”
Brea’s blood pressure spiked. “Fuck the car. I wouldn’t drive around the block to save your sorry ass, you miserable sack of shit. Fuck you. Don’t ever call me again.”
“You skanky whore,” Weed screamed. “Get your ass back down here now. You need me.”
Brea hung up and stared at her phone. “Not anymore, I don’t.”
Shaking with fury, she closed her eyes and sucked in a ragged breath.
The realization of how low she’d actually stooped to keep from being alone made her stomach pitch. She’d handed her heart and body over to a lazy, selfish, disgusting pig…sold herself out for Weed’s hungry smile, flirtatious words, and empty promises. Hell, Sawyer had done and said some of those same things last night, and Brea was
already making excuses to climb into his bed and fuck his brains out.
You’re never going to learn, are you?
Clenching her teeth, Brea let out a low growl. She’d spent the night making up excuses to circumvent her man ban so she could have her cake—her Sawyer cake—and eat it…and him, too. But she could no longer deny the cold, ugly truth.
If she wanted to take back her life—and she did—her man diet had to start here and now.
Filled with a sense of determination greater than any she’d known, she couldn’t wait to navigate her new road of self-enlightenment and emotional and financial independence. And at that very moment, Brea made a silent vow to never relinquish the reins of her happiness to any man ever again.
Shoving her phone in her pocket, she turned to find Jade and Colton standing in the doorway, wearing worried expressions.
“Is it time to eat?” She flashed her friends a confident smile.
Dissecting her with a hard stare, Jade slowly nodded. “Yes. Are you all right?”
“Actually, I’m better than I’ve been in a long time.” She sent Colton a sassy smile. “Are the eggs over easy?”
Relief smoothed the worry lines from his face as he nodded.
“Then let’s do it.”
The meal started out bathed in an awkward silence, but after a few minutes, they were laughing, eating, and reminiscing about the old days.
“I never told Chelsea Waters I was the one who broke her window with a rock. How was I supposed to know she slept like the dead?” Colton grinned. “But I’ll never forget the sound of her daddy pumping shells into his twelve gauge or the buckshot sailing over my head as I ran elbows to asshole out of there.”
Brea and Jade were laughing so hard tears spilled down their cheeks.
“You’re lucky you didn’t end up stuffed and mounted over his fireplace,” Brea snorted.
“Right? Her dad was a taxidermist’s wet dream. He had six bucks, three wild boars, and two cougar heads, stuffed and mounted in his study,” Colton said with a visible shudder. “The crazy son of a bitch even had a family of squirrels hanging on the wall by the shower in the bathroom. I don’t even want to think about what he’d mounted over his bed. That man was scary as fuck! It wasn’t any wonder Chelsea didn’t have many dates.”
