Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(18)

“There’s no sense getting attached to anyone when you’re leaving at the end of the summer. And the casual thing isn’t really your style, is it?” he asked, and she pushed to her feet and got him a fork, as if she knew he wanted to dive into her eggs next. He smiled and did exactly that once she returned to her chair and handed him the utensil.

“I don’t know what my thing is because I’ve been too busy chasing one goal after the next my entire life. How about you just let me live and stay out of my business while I’m home?”

“You’re my little sister. Of course, I’ll always be in your business.” He chuckled. “Have some fun with your friends while you’re home, but there’s no one worth your time here. That fucker, Kline, was asking me about you yesterday when I ran into him at the gas station. I told him to fuck off, and I’m telling you, he’s not a guy you should be hanging out with.”

“Oh, really? Why? Because he’s not a freaking saint? News flash: Neither are you. So, stop judging everyone else so harshly. I’m an adult. Back the hell off, Trav.” Lila pushed to her feet and walked to the sink to rinse her plate before her phone rang, and she waved at us and walked out of the kitchen after answering the call. She pulled the door closed behind her as she went into the casita.

“She’s acting insane. Thank God she’s staying with you, buddy. You’re the only person I trust with my sister. Hell, the way Brax keeps talking about her means I need to watch that fucker now, too.”

I chuckled. “I got you, brother.”

That was a promise I intended to keep.

No matter how tough it was, I’d keep my promise to him and look out for his sister.





six





Lila





“Lila James, I heard you were back in town,” Mrs. Runither said when Del and I checked in at the hostess stand. I cringed because I knew it was coming. Her face was completely frozen, and her lips mimicked those of a puffer fish. I wanted to reach out and poke them, just to see if they were firm or filled with air. “I bet you two have so much to talk about with this one going through men faster than a rooster can count to ten.”

Since when did roosters start counting? The woman made no sense, but she was always so confident that most people just went along with it.

The place was fairly quiet, but it was a Monday night. Cottonwood Cove would start getting busy with tourists here in the next week or two. The town surrounded a gorgeous cove on the coast, and we were only a two-hour drive from San Francisco, but we lived in this quiet, peaceful pocket that I’d always loved. We had water sports in the summer and skiing in the winter.

“Thank you for that, Mrs. Runither. I’ve had three boyfriends in the last six years, so I’m guessing that means roosters count fairly slow,” Delilah said, with a little bite to her tone. This woman had pretty much slut-shamed everyone in town over the years, which was saying a lot, considering she’d been rumored to be cheating on poor Mr. Runither many times with tourists who’d come through town.

“Well, of course, dear. You’ve got to test the waters,” she purred, as she led us to the back of the restaurant to my favorite booth. It’s where Dad and I always sat when we’d come here.

We both slid into opposite sides of the booth. “And you’re looking quite lovely, Lila.”

Here it comes.

Wait for it.

“Thank you.” I turned my attention to my menu, hoping that would be her cue to walk away.

“I see your breasts have filled out. I mean they’re still barely a handful, but they look a bit fuller. I bet the fellas don’t mind that one bit. Mr. Runither loves my ladies.” She glanced down at her ample cleavage that was always on display. It looked more like someone’s ass than someone’s boobs, with the way they were shoved together with what looked like a butt crack between them.

“I’m sure he does,” Delilah said over her laughter as she glanced over at me with a wicked smile on her face.

“Yes.” Mrs. Runither leaned over the table, and her big girls nearly spilled right into the dish holding the sweetener.

And, oh my, is that her nipple?

Yep, right out in the open.

At a place that serves food.

She glanced down and tucked herself back in. “Anyway. Have you dipped into the erection pond? That’s code for have you taken the pussy cat out for a ride and popped that cherry. You know what I mean, Lila James?”

Well, no matter how much you prepared for it, you were just never quite ready when it happened. And the fact that she had several different ways of asking was even more alarming.

“I do just fine, Mrs. Runither. Don’t you worry about me.”

“Oh, I don’t worry about you. I wish I could be a virgin again.” She leaned forward and held her hand up to cover one side of her mouth as she whisper-shouted. “Have you heard that they can do a surgery that makes you a virgin all over again? It’s just a couple stitches. A few nips and tucks down south, I think. I don’t know why, but my doctor doesn’t believe I’m an ideal candidate. Not with my pushing sixty and how active I am… in the bedroom. If you ever need any tips on how to close the deal, you just let me know, Lila.”

My mouth gaped open. “Um. Thank you.”