“How you guysevermade the team, I’ll never know,” Reed cajoled as he jogged over, pushing his cell into the pocket of his denim cut-offs.
Phoenix dropped to his haunches and then handed Reed a cold one from the cooler. “Don’t look at me, I don’t need speed, I’m the muscle. What’s Hudson’s excuse?” he replied with a flick of his head.
Hudson pushed to his feet again and moved to perch his backside on the rocks behind where we set up camp. “I’m the psycho.”
As Phoenix made his way over to me on his knees, Reed glanced around our group, taking in all our expressions. “Well, I don’t think any of us would disagree with that.”
I watched Phoenix, greedily drinking him in as he knelt in front of my chair and ran his hands up my legs. My thighs were bare as I was wearing my Daisy Dukes, and his rough fingers made my skin tingle. “Molly might?” I added thoughtfully, sipping my Coke. As Nix's hands got to my waist, he took the can from my fingers and made a nest for it by twisting it in the sand. I smiled as he shifted between my legs, lifted my palms from my lap, and placed my arms around his neck.
“You need to make sure you don’t burn,” he whispered. “Otherwise, I’ll be forced to rub lotion all over your body.” His words were a wicked promise and one I looked forward to. Nix then kissed me, running his tongue over my lips. I loved that we could be intimate in front of each other without the other Sawyer Brothers bitching about it now.
“OK, get a room,” Hudson snorted. Well,almostwithout them bitching about it. I found his comment ironic, considering how he climbed Molly like a tree in front of everyone, even Ma. At least in front of our mother, we had toned it down a bit. Ma had known about Phoenix and me for the past year, and she had finally come to terms with it.
Reed cleared his throat, frowning and glancing around the beach. “Talking of Molly, where is your better half?
Transferring his beer to the other hand, Hudson slid his cell out of his jeans and glanced down.
Planting another kiss on my mouth, Nixpfftas he stood up. I lowered my arms as he winked at me and turned to Hud. “Don’t tell me you’ve put Find my Phone on her cell? Stalker.” I found that rich considering he’d done the same to me years ago.
Hudson’s expression lit up as he read a message and then glanced up at Nix. “Fine, I won’t. She’s messaged me, dill-hole,” he pointed out, waving his phone in the air.
“And?” Reed jumped in.
Hudson thumbed a message back and then put his phone away. I stretched in the sun, watching as he stared past Reed like he was looking for something.
After a beat or two, he announced. “She’s just parked up. But don’t turn around.” After telling us of her arrival with such joy, his latter instruction was directed at Reed.
Reed’s eyebrows joined up in confusion. “Why?”
Hudson made a face. “She’s not alone.”
I glanced behind Reed to see Molly and Storm climbing out of the latter's new sports car. Oh dear.
Reed scowled at his brothers and glanced over his shoulder before quickly turning back. “I don’t care. I’m over it now. I’m moving on.” His strained tone suggested otherwise.
“You mean you’vemovedon,” I corrected.
“Whatever,” he snapped back with a look of annoyance.
Stepping over to Reed, Nix patted him on the shoulder. “Yeah. We don’t believe that for a second.” He then turned back to face me. “Come here.” Holding out his hand. I placed my palm in his, and he tugged me to my feet.
As Nix wrapped his arms around my waist, Reed questioned while keeping his back to the approaching girls. “Is she walking over?”
Hudson moved to stand beside us as Phoenix planted a kiss on the side of my mouth.
“Yes, they both are. Play nice,” he said, pointing his beer at Reed.
Reed took a huge mouthful of drink. “I always do,” he said after swallowing, belching, and then wiping a hand across his mouth.
“Liar,” Nix said with a fake cough as he released me.
“So, when do you leave?” I asked, skimming the sand back and forth with my toes.
“Monday,” Reed replied. He’d been awarded a football scholarship and was transferring from Epic Heights to an elite sports college in New Jersey.
“Shit, that soon?” I asked. We’d arranged the small gathering at the beach as a farewell party, but I didn’t realize Reed was leaving so soon. And with so much unfinished business. I felt a wave of sadness at the thought of our little family being broken up again, first Micah, and then Reed.
“There’s my girl.” Hudson boomed, scrunching his empty can in his fist and dropping it onto the sand. He then shot forward and pulled Molly into his arms, lifting her in the air and spinning her around. “Hudson, my skirt,” she half-giggled, half-scolded as her white panties appeared.
