Draw (Gentry Boys #1)(17)
“Well,” he yawned, “it’s a goddamn Emblem High reunion.”
“Go Scorpions,” I said ironically, referring to the absurdly ugly mascot.
“’You sting, we sting harder!’” Cord and Creed shouted in vulgar unison. It was Emblem High’s rather inane motto, more a source of derision than a cheer.
Chase offered a sweeping salute and blew a lewd kiss in my direction. Then he disappeared down the hall as he simultaneously removed his towel, exposing a notably firm, bare ass.
“Jesus,” Cord shook his head, but I could see him grinning. Our eyes met and held for what seemed like a long time but was likely only a few seconds. I looked away first.
Brayden grabbed my duffel bag and looked around. “This all you got or is there more in your car?”
“No, I’m afraid that’s it. Everything else I own is probably being burned in a beachside bonfire.”
Bray slipped his other arm around my shoulders. “It’s all right. We can always get more stuff. We can’t get another Saylor.”
“True,” Cord spoke up, “there’s only one.”
I glanced at him sharply, but he didn’t seem to mean anything by it. He’d already started to wave us out.
“Bye, Cord,” I said quietly and that got his attention.
“I’ll see you, Say.” Then he smiled. “See and Say.”
“Yeah, you’re the first one to come up with that one. Anyway, here’s your meat back.”
His eyes flickered. “I will see you, Saylor.”
“Maybe,” I told him, and then followed Bray and Millie out the door.
Even though every instinct told me not to, I looked back anyway. Cord was staring after me. Aside from accidentally knocking me to the ground and unwittingly staring at my breasts, he hadn’t done a single improper thing since we’d collided last night. He’d been civil and even considerate. But as our eyes met one last time I saw a more penetrating version of the look he’d given me on the couch. Maybe the power of lust followed a man like Cord everywhere he went. Or maybe there was an ancient connection between us which was difficult to erase. Because even with memories old and new, I felt it too.
But I took care to keep my face neutral as I closed the door behind me.
CHAPTER SIX
CORD
When I really felt like I needed to slide inside of someone or f*cking burst I knew where to go. After all, we were living in a college town fairly drenched with hot young bodies. When the three of us hit the night together, women crawled out of nowhere and glued themselves to us as if we were magnetized.
I could use the release. I’d been feeling all charged up as of late. Which was why I surprised myself by staying behind when Chase and Creed decided to hit Mill Avenue. Sure, it would only be the summer crowd but the pickings would still be something worth sorting through.
Chase was perplexed. “What are you gonna do, sit around here and watch Netflix all night? C’mon, Cord.”
“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Maybe I’ll go for a walk or something.”
“A walk?” Chase sputtered. “A walk!?”
Creed seemed amused. “You planning on walking anyplace special?”
“Should I be?”
“I saw her last night, you know.”
“No, I didn’t know that. Wait, who? Where did you see her?”
Chase caught on. “Yeah, she was down at the pool. Looked pretty fine.” He rubbed his crotch and grinned.
I glared at him. “Fuck you, man.”
Creed sighed. “Why don’t you just go talk to her?”
“Why? Because I nailed her in her dad’s garage once upon a time and then described the feel of her * to everyone.”
“Remind me,” Chase said, “just how did her * feel?”
“Shut up, *. Besides, she’s on the heels of some shit. She doesn’t need me hanging around.”
Chase was suddenly thoughtful. “Maybe she wants you hanging around.”
“No, she doesn’t. Wait, you think so?”
Chase laughed. “No.” His blue eyes twinkled. “But maybe she’ll want me hanging around.”
I sneered. “You and Saylor McCann?”
“Why not? Maybe I’m tired of all this trash. Maybe, like you said, deep down I want a nice girl.”
“The hell you do,” I muttered, kicking the front of the couch like a moody kid.
Chase grinned at me again. “If you say keep hands off, I’ll stay hands off.”
I just glared at him in response.
Chase shrugged. “You got it.”
“You sure you won’t come out?” Creed asked.
“No,” I sighed, sinking into the couch.
Creed and Chase glanced at each other but left me to my brooding. It had been nearly two weeks since I tackled Saylor McCann in the dark and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The first few days I just chalked it up to some residual remorse over shit that happened when we were kids. But when I caught sight of her the other day, dreamily staring into the distance as she sat on the edge of Bray’s patio and played with her long hair, I knew it was more than that. Even though I’d walked over to pay a polite visit I reversed course immediately before she saw me.