Just for Now (Sea Breeze #4)(26)

He was right. I’d probably be home even earlier than that, but I had to have some self-preservation. “Yes, but I have an economics study group tonight,” I said, slipping my purse back up on my shoulder. I needed to head to Willow and Marcus’s to pick her and Larissa up. And I needed to get out of here before Preston convinced me to forgo my good sense.

“Okay,” he replied. He leaned back in his chair and stared up at me with those sexy you-know-you-want-me eyes of his.

With a firm nod, I said, “See you around,” before walking swiftly to the door.





Chapter Nine



Preston



As much as I’d wanted Amanda to take me up on tonight, I was glad she’d shot me down. Thirty minutes after she’d left me in the coffee shop, I’d gotten a call from a client. This one was single, in her mid-forties, and had had enough plastic surgery to look like she’d just turned thirty. She owned a few upscale salons and was in town on business. I never had advance notice with her, but she paid well, so when she called, I went. Funds were low because I’d just paid my mom’s rent. Plus I’d had to cover the initial payment for Jimmy’s braces.

Walking into Live Bay, where I knew at least one of my friends would be, I decided that after doing what I’d just had to do, a drink was called for. This didn’t used to bother me. I could go entertain a paying MILF with no problem. But when Amanda surfaced this summer in my dreams, I’d had to start playing a role. Sex for money was suddenly dirty. It was wrong. I had a f*cking conscience I hadn’t asked for, all thanks to a pair of pretty green eyes and full, all-natural lips.

I stopped by the bar and picked up the shot of tequila waiting on me. They knew me well around here. We’d been coming to this place since before it was legal for us to drink. Small coastal towns didn’t have a lot of entertainment. Live Bay was it.

Dewayne was at our table watching me as I walked over to them. Cage had Eva in his lap, whispering in her ear, completely blind to anyone other than her. Ever since she’d shown up at Live Bay and sung him that song a few weeks back, they’d been all over each other. You rarely saw one without the other. Cage watched her every move like she was the most fascinating thing in the world.

“I was wondering if you were gonna show up tonight,” Dewayne said as he lifted his beer and saluted me.

“I’m here. Where else is there to be?” I didn’t let the frustration come out through my words. Or at least, I didn’t think I did. However, the way Eva turned her head and stared at me curiously made me question that.

“Glad you’re here,” Cage said with that knowing gleam in his eyes. He wanted to see me with anyone except Amanda. Although Cage hadn’t been one of our crew while growing up, since we were now teammates and his best friend was about to be a married-in member of the group, Cage kind of just fit. He was a part now. He also knew that my screwing around with Marcus’s little sister was off-limits. Pissed me off that he could just freely be with who he wanted. No one and nothing standing in the way.

“You look down,” Eva said, still studying me.

“I’m tired,” I replied, looking over at Dewayne. “Where’s Rock?”

“Not sure. I figured Trisha would want to be here tonight since Jackdown is playing.” Trisha rarely missed her brother’s performances. She’d practically raised Krit, so they had more of a mother-son relationship than a sibling one. She was like the proud parent.

“Keep wiggling like that, and we’re gonna have to leave,” Cage growled as he took a nip at Eva’s ear. She giggled and stood up.

“Then come dance with me.” She held out her hand, and he went willingly. They were a little too much for me right now. I didn’t need to see that shit.

“Can Cage be any more * whipped?” I grumbled, taking the shot of tequila the waitress had set down in front of me.

“Someone’s pissy tonight. Don’t tell me you got the hots for Eva now,” Dewayne drawled.

I didn’t even look over at him. He was trying to goad me. It was his thing.

“What did I tell you about Manda?” I could remember some drunken ramblings one night after I’d been with Amanda, but I wasn’t sure what it was I’d said.

“More than I wanted to know,” he replied.

I looked over at him. “I need to know what that is, Dewayne. I did something, and I can’t remember it clearly.”

Dewayne shook his head. “I think it’s best you only have those sketchy memories. No use in reminding you.”

I slammed my glass onto the table. “Tell me what I said, dammit.”

Dewayne leaned on the table with his elbows and glared at me. “No. You were drunk as shit. I don’t want to remember it. She’s like my little sister, you stupid f*cker. She should be the same to you. How you could do something with her like some cheap slut I am still trying to wrap my head around. I know you got issues. But that ain’t an excuse. She looks at you in a way that can only mean you can hurt her. You have hurt her, and she still looks at you with that wistful, dreamy look of hers. It makes me so mad I could beat the shit out of you. Okay?”

“It’s different with her, D.” I couldn’t tell him more than that because I couldn’t accept it. There was no way I’d ever be able to have anything more than a friendship with her, but I needed him to know she wasn’t like the others.