Page 33 of Sweet Temptation
Rome
I plan on it tonight. You gonna be around?
Lucky
Nah. Linc and I are at the beach this weekend.
Rome
Tell your boyfriend not to pressure you into anything you don’t want to do. No means no.
Lucky
You’re a fucking dick.
Rome
But they’re words to live by.
Ishove my phone in the pocket of my board shorts and drop my bag off in one of the spare bedrooms. One that doesn’t already have suitcases on the bed. Saylor’s little convertible is parked in the driveway, but that and the suitcases are the only signs of the girls.
“There’s food and beer in the fridge,” Linc hollers, and I smile.
Of course there is.
Lexie is a planner.
“Did someone say food?” Lochlan walks into the kitchen and drops his duffle to the floor.
“Long time, brother.” Linc throws an arm around him and claps his back, and I do the same.
“Good to see you in one piece, man.” I look him over like the asshole I am. “Looking a little skinny.”
“Lean is different from skinny, dickface.” He grins my way. “You want to see who wins in a fight?”
“Nah, man. I don’t feel like telling your sister I kicked your ass before she even saw you.” I laugh.
“Keep dreaming. We going to the beach?” Lochlan looks between us.
“Yeah.” Linc holds up a sticky note in Lexie’s loopy handwriting. “Looks like the girls beat us to it.”
“Beach it is then,” Lochlan agrees as he grabs his bag. “Is my room open?”
“No clue. Lex has the girls with her. I didn’t check where everyone’s stuff was.” Linc fills a cooler with beer and water as Loch drops his shit upstairs.
Bring on the last weekend of summer.
The girls are lined up in their beach chairs, their toes in the sand as the ocean waves lap at their feet. Lexie shields her eyes as we plant our surf boards behind them in the sand, casting a shadow and blocking their precious sun.
“Hey,” the group of them bitch, before they all see Lochlan, and Lexie jumps to her feet.
She squeals, and he picks her up and squeezes her to him. “Oh my God, you’re actually here.”
“Told you I would be, little sister.” Lochlan puts her feet back on the sand, and her smile... goddamn, that smile is everything it shouldn’t be.
A pink bandana holds back her long blonde hair, and a pink, green, and white plaid bikini does absolutely nothing to hide every perfect curve of her body. I’ve managed to ignore this woman for years, but that was before she moved in with us and turned into a walking red flag, swinging in front of me like I’m the fucking bull.
A football flies at my head, but I catch it and glare at Ryker, who’s jogging down toward us.
