Without You

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  The moment she shut the door, I walked over to the window overlooking the deck and pool. I watched as everyone started making their way down to the beach. Luke and Colt were both carrying towels and a cooler.

  I pulled out my cell phone, looked up the number to Mr. Shelton, and hit the button to call him.

  “Hello?”

  “Mr. Shelton, this is Will Hayes. Gunner Mathews talked to you about us using your house on St. Joseph Island this week.”

  “Yes, Will. How are you?”

  “I’m doing well. Thank you. How are you, sir?”

  “I have no complaints at all. So, I hear you’re going to ask Gunner’s little girl to marry you?”

  I smiled. “Yes, sir, I am.”

  “You couldn’t have picked a better spot, son. I’ve already talked to my ranch hand, Kip. He knows what day to expect you, and he has taken care of the ride over to my place and the dinner.”

  “That’s wonderful, sir. I can’t even begin to thank you for letting me use your yacht and house for this.”

  “Well, when Gunner called me and told me what you had in mind, I couldn’t help but feel déjà vu. I asked my wife to marry me in a similar manner.”

  “Really?”

  He laughed. “Yes, I did. We’ve been happily married now for eighteen years with three kids.”

  “I’ll take that as a good sign then.”

  “Damn straight. After sunset, I suggest taking a stroll along the beach with a blanket, but I’ll deny I said that to you if Gunner ever finds out.”

  I laughed and said, “I understand.”

  “So, Jonathon will be the one taking you over to the island on the yacht. I’ll have him give you a call the morning of, so he can explain where y’all need to go.”

  “Perfect. I’ve already planned to tell Lex that we are going on a private cruise to see the dolphins and the sunset.”

  “That sounds reasonable. Now, if you need anything before then, don’t hesitate to give me or Jonathon a call. You have his number, right?”

  “Yes, sir, I do.”

  “Good luck, Will.”

  “Thank you, sir. Again, thank you for all your help on this.”

  “Anything for Gunner’s little girl. Enjoy your stay at the beach.”

  “Will do for sure. Have a great day.”

  “You, too, Will.”

  I hung up and sent Gunner a text message.

  Me: Talked to Mr. Shelton. Everything is set to go.

  Gunner: Are you nervous?

  Me: Why do I picture you laughing right now?

  Gunner: Probably because I am!

  Me: Yes. I’m very nervous. I’ve already checked six times to make sure I still have the ring.

  Gunner: Now, I’m really laughing.

  I rolled my eyes and sighed. He was going to torture me for years to come. I could already see it.

  Me: Remember who will be taking care of you when you’re old. It won’t be Colt.

  Gunner: You have a point. Don’t worry, son. It will be perfect, Will. You know you could ask her anywhere, and she would be beyond happy.

  No one but our friends knew that I had already asked Lex to marry me months ago. This engagement was just making it more official with a ring, and then we could go public afterward. As far as I was concerned, Lex had been mine since the day I put that promise ring on her finger.

  Me: Thanks, Gunner. I promise to make it special for her.

  Gunner: I know you will.

  I quickly changed and started to make my way down to the beach. As I walked down the boardwalk, I couldn’t help but smile. Everyone was playing volleyball in the sand. Libby jumped and spiked the ball, and it landed right in front of Colt. Luke screamed out as he ran up to her, and he picked her up and spun her around a few times before setting her back down. Taylor high-fived Lex, and Grace was yelling that Libby couldn’t play because she was too good.

  My mind was taken back to the days when we’d all played football. I looked at each of my friends. Because of our parents’ bond with each other, our bond had grown over the years. There wasn’t anything any of us wouldn’t do for the other.

  Grace screamed, “Hayes! Get down here. Your damn sister is kicking our ass!”

  I was snapped out of my daydream. I laughed and started jogging. I ran up and picked Libby up before throwing her over my shoulder as she screamed.

  “Put our star player down!” Luke yelled as he took off after me.

  Yep, this is going to be the best week ever.

  “Have you had a chance to talk to Luke?” I asked Libby as we walked along the beach.

  Libby let out a sigh. “No. He is treating me like his best friend again. I mean, we went running on the beach together last night, and I tried so many different times to talk to him.”

  “Did he seem like he wanted to talk to you?”

  Libby stopped and looked at me. “I think so. He started to say something, but then he ended up laughing. He brought up a time when we were in high school and pulled a stupid prank.”

  I giggled and shook my head. “Why is he so afraid?”

  She looked down and slowly shook her head. She looked back up and into my eyes. “I told him that I can’t wait any longer.”

  “What? Wait, Libby. You love him.”

  “Alex, I walked away from Zack.”

  “Did you love Zack?” I asked.

  Libby looked away before turning back at me. “I cared about him—a lot.”

  I nodded my head. “Do you love Luke?”

  Libby was about to answer me when we heard Colt calling out for us.

  “Libby! Alex! Come on, we’re all waiting on y’all.”

  Libby gave me a weak smile. “I tried, Alex. I really tried. How long am I supposed to wait? If Luke truly cared about me, he wouldn’t be doing this to me.” She quickly spun around and began walking toward Colt.

  “Libby?”

  She held up her hand as if she didn’t want to talk anymore. I let out a sigh and began following her.

  As we made our way back into the beach house, Luke and Grace were arguing about where to eat.

  Libby walked by and headed upstairs. “I need a minute to grab my cell phone.”

  “I don’t want Moby Dick’s. We always go to Moby Dick’s, Luke,” Grace said.

  Luke let out a gruff laugh. “Well, princess, I’m sick of Seafood and Spaghetti Works.”

  “I vote for clubbing in Corpus Christi, so I can feel a nice firm ass in my hands while I dance slow with a handsome guy.”

  Everyone looked at Maegan.

  “You’re such a slut,” Grace said with a laugh.

  Maegan winked. “I try.”

  Colt stood up and clapped his hands together. “Clubbing it is.”

  Libby walked into the living room.

  Grace jumped up, grabbed her hand, and pulled her back toward the stairs. “We’re changing. It’s time to put our club clothes on.”

  Lauren, Taylor, and Maegan all let out a small scream and followed Grace and Libby.

  I watched as Luke walked out the back door and headed to the pool house. I wanted to follow him, but when I felt Will’s arms around my waist, I froze in place.

  Will’s lips moved gently against my neck, leaving a trail of fire where his lips had just touched. “I’m going to make mad, passionate love to you tonight.”

  “Mmm…” I lost myself in his touch.

  “Do you like the sound of that, Lex?”

  “Very much.”

  “I’m going to get you so turned-on tonight that by the time we get back here, all you will need is my touch to make you come.”

  I let out a small moan and attempted to talk. The clenching feeling in the pit of my stomach had me wanting to slip my own hand down my panties.

  I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Can we skip clubbing? I just want to stay here with you.”

  Will raised his eyebrows and seemed to be thinking hard abou
t staying home and not going out.

  Someone cleared her throat, and Will and I both looked over to see Grace standing there.

  “Hell no. You are not skipping out on us tonight. This whole trip was all about us hanging together. And that’s what we’re doing. You two can do your thing later! Alex, get your ass upstairs. I’m going to make you up, so Will won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you all night.”

  I giggled as I looked at Will. “I guess the anticipation will just build all night.” I kissed him, and then I spun around and walked toward Grace.

  She grabbed my hand, and we began heading upstairs. I looked over my shoulder and winked at Will. The smile on his face made my knees weak, and my insides craved his touch again.

  “I love you, Lex.”

  I loved how my mother and father would always tell each other how they loved the other more. Will and I had picked it up, and every time I said it to him, he would smile bigger.

  “I love you more.”

  Will chuckled.

  Grace pulled my arm harder to get me to speed it up. “Jesus, y’all can go a few minutes without each other.”

  An hour later, I looked at all five of us.

  “Holy shit. We look good!” Lauren said with a giggle.

  Lauren was probably the sweetest one of the bunch. Hearing her swear always made me chuckle. Taylor was just as sweet but far more innocent.

  “Hell yeah, we do. We are five hot bitches,” Grace said, walking up to Libby and messing with her hair.

  I looked Libby up and down. She had on one of Grace’s dresses. It was a silver cocktail dress with a scooped back that stopped just shy of her ass. I was sure just a few more inches, and we’d be able to see the string of her thong. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head with curls hanging down to frame her face. Taylor had done Libby’s makeup, and her dark smoky eyes and red lipstick had even me catching my breath. I knew what Grace and Taylor were up to. They had made Libby look so incredibly hot that Luke was gonna shit his pants when he laid his eyes on her.

  “Damn, baby sister. You. Look. Hot.” Maegan smiled and looked at Taylor.

  Taylor was dressed in a simple black cocktail dress with silver accents and a high slit on the side. Her push-up bra showed more cleavage than I’d ever seen Taylor display, and it made her look about three years older than she was.

  Taylor blushed and smiled.

  “You do look beautiful,” Lauren said with a smile.

  I glanced over and looked at Lauren. She had on a teal dress that hugged her curves in all the right ways. Her blonde hair was done so that half was up with the other half hanging down. The color of the dress brought out the color of her blue eyes even more. Taylor had also done Lauren’s makeup, and she looked breathtaking. My poor baby brother was gonna be whimpering all night while watching Lauren dance in that dress.

  Grace, of course, looked like a knockout. She had on a beige cocktail dress. If it were longer, she would look like she’d stepped out of The Great Gatsby. Her light-brown hair was done in a French twist, and her makeup had been done to look very natural.

  I stared at my best friend. She was so beautiful, yet she had no clue how beautiful she was. She not only looked like Aunt Ari, but she also had her mother’s spit and fire as well.

  Grace glanced over and winked at me. “Shall we, ladies?”

  Maegan did a little jump, and she was the first one down the stairs. Of course she looked like a knockout in a pair of black sheer pants and an almost see-through white blouse. Only Maegan could make wearing dress pants look hotter than hell.

  As we made our way down the stairs, I could hear Will, Luke, and Colt talking. I didn’t know whose face I wanted to see more.

  I walked down second, and when Will saw me, his mouth dropped open. I loved that I had such an effect on him. I knew he was now regretting the decision not to stay here tonight.

  Libby was right behind me, so I quickly looked at Luke.

  I couldn’t help but giggle when I saw my cousin’s mouth about drop to the ground.

  He swallowed hard and said, “Jesus, Libby, you look beautiful.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to see Libby smiling slightly at Luke.

  She said, “Thank you, Luke.”

  Then, Colt said, “Holy hell.”

  I looked and watched Lauren making her way down the stairs, followed by Taylor, and Grace.

  “Okay, we’re ready to go.” Grace made her way to the front door.

  Libby turned to follow.

  Luke let out a gasp. “Oh. Hell. No.”

  Grace and Libby turned and looked at Luke.

  “Excuse me?” Grace attempted to hold back her smile.

  “Libby, you’re not wearing that. It…it goes down…I mean, it’s…”

  Libby tilted her head and looked at Luke. “What’s wrong with this dress?”

  Will walked over to Libby. “What’s wrong with it? Libby, one more inch, and your damn ass is going to be showing. You need to change.”

  “Yes! You totally need to change. No way you’re going out in that dress,” Luke said.

  Grace crossed her arms, and Libby’s mouth dropped open as she looked at Will, then Luke, and back to Will. I couldn’t help but giggle. Not only did she have her brother being overprotective, but she also had Luke.

  “It’s just like high school all over again. The big brother and the best friend being overprotective of Libby,” Maegan said, walking by Grace and Libby. She opened the door to the garage. “Last I checked, she was over eighteen, Will, and she isn’t your girlfriend, Luke.” Maegan looked over her shoulder at Luke and made a face. “So, she’s free to dress however she sees fit.”

  I glanced over at Libby as she looked at Will and Luke.

  “That’s right. I’m a”—she glared at Luke—“single woman, who is ready to have some fun.”

  She turned and followed Grace, Maegan, Taylor, and Lauren out the door.

  Colt walked up to me and took me by the arm. “Alex, you can’t let Lauren go out, looking like that. And did you see how Taylor was dressed? And what in the hell are you wearing?”

  I smiled at Colt and gently removed his hand. I took a few steps back and smiled at three of the most important men in my life.

  “I love all three of you, so I’m gonna keep it real. Two of you have your heads up your ass.” I looked at Colt. “Stop letting Lauren push you away.” I turned to Luke. “Stop pushing Libby away, you ass. Now, pull out the romantic shit that I know both of you have and do something about it. Frankly, I’m sick and tired of seeing the two of you mope around because you’re both too damn afraid.”

  Will was smiling from ear to ear. “God, I love you.” He walked up and took me in his arms.

  He kissed me as Colt walked by.

  “She’s still my sister, you prick. Get your hand off her ass,” Colt said.

  When Will pulled his lips from mine, he smiled. “You have no idea how turned-on I am right now.”

  “Oh, Jesus H. Christ. Get a room,” Luke said as he pulled Will away from me.

  Luke took my arm and led me outside. I giggled as I looked back at Will.

  This is going to be one very long evening.

  After eating dinner at an Italian restaurant in Corpus, we headed to a dance club. I glanced over to the dance floor and saw all the girls dancing. They had pretty much been just dancing together in their little group since we got here.

  Luke and Colt were talking about an idea Colt had for logging in the vaccinations for the cattle. I was just about to give my input when Luke quickly stood up.

  “What is she doing?”

  I looked out at the dance floor and scanned for the girls. I saw them all dancing…except for Libby. I quickly looked around for her and saw her dancing with some guy. He was about five-eleven and built like a son of a bitch, and he had my sister a little too close to him as they danced.

  I stood up almost immediately. “Why is she…what in the hell is she…he needs to get his hand
s off my sister.”

  Luke went to walk out the dance floor when Colt jumped up and stopped him.

  “You’re just going to get her pissed at you. She’s not your girlfriend, Luke. Will, she’s an adult woman. We can’t keep beating up every guy who looks at her wrong.”

  Luke’s whole body sank. I turned and looked back out at my sister dancing. She was clearly dancing with the guy on her own free will, and I knew Colt was right. I sat back down and glanced over to where Lex was. She was still dancing but looking directly at me. She gave me a thumbs-up and smiled. I shook my head and smiled back as I got up and walked up to her. I pulled her body close to mine and began moving my hands up and down her body.

  “God, I want you right now,” I whispered as I moved my lips to her ear.

  “Yes,” she whispered back. “Now, Will. Please take me now.”

  I quickly looked around. If I didn’t sink my dick into her soon, I was going to explode. I grabbed her hand and began walking us to the door.

  “Where are we going?” Lex shouted over the music.

  “To the truck,” I shouted back.

  The bouncer asked if we were coming back into the club, and I nodded my head. He stamped our hands, and as soon as we hit the cool night air, I reached down and picked her up. She let out a small scream.

  “Will, everyone is going to wonder where we went,” Lex said with a giggle.

  I walked up to the truck and looked around as I put her down. My dick was literally throbbing. I needed her that much. Luke’s truck was pretty much hiding us.

  “I don’t care, Lex. The only thing I care about right now is getting your panties off and fucking you against my truck.”

  She let out a gasp and then licked her lips. “Here? Right now?”

  I smiled. “Does that turn you on more, Lex?”

  She looked around before looking back at me. “You don’t have to worry about getting my panties off. I’m not wearing any.”

  I let out a moan. “You have no idea what you do to me.” I began unzipping my jeans, and I let myself spring free.

  “Yes. Will, please hurry. I need relief.”