I've got what she fucking deserves. She thinks leaving the fucking state will make her forget about me? She's fucking branded with me! She'll never forget what I can do to her.
Hearing footsteps coming up the stairs, I slowly unravel my fingers from her hair. I glance back expecting to see Tommy but it's some giant ass pretty boy with blonde hair and a better tan than any chick I've ever seen.
I look at her with my brows high, almost shocked this is the bitch she's in a relationship with. She went from a real man to a fucking...surfer.
"Hey, man," he says, walking over to me with his hand out. "Parker, nice to meet you." He smiles, bright white teeth shining while he flips his hair out of his face.
"Parker, this is Grant. Grant, my brother Parker." Carter shoves me toward the steps, her cheeks burning pink. "Grant was just leaving."
"I was?" I ask, sidestepping her pushing hands. "How's it going? You here to help with this shit?" I look around her packed loft.
"Yeah. Big sis can't decide where she wants to live, apparently." He nudges her. "Either that or she missed me too much." He laughs when she punches his arm.
"Yeah, probably that. I'm pretty sure she wants to stay here. She's just a little confused. Home sick." I look at Carter who glares at me before walking away. "Shit looks pretty taken care of here. You here a couple days? I'd like to take you for a drink, Parker." I slide my arm over his shoulders and notice Carter whip back around. I smile wide, looking like a shirtless fuck, but I don't give a shit. Her little brother's here. I won her over. I can win the surfer over. "You good here? Got this under control? I'd like to take Parker sightseeing country style. Don't look like he's ever stepped out of California." I grin over at him.
"Because he hasn't," she growls. "I need you here, Parker. We have to get the truck packed tomorrow and this shit isn't going to box itself." Her hands are on her hips and she's pouty as hell.
"A few hours won't be so bad." He smiles. "I'll be back later, Cart."
She lets out an annoyed growl that somehow sounds hot.
"Just a few hours, big sis." I move toward her and she starts to back up like a little lamb. "I'll even help when we get back." Grabbing the back of her head, I plant a loud kiss on her lips, almost lingering. Those devil lips could make me do the worst shit in the world. No time to linger. I need to get the little brother out of here before she gets all her shit packed and is gone before morning. The look on her face is priceless and I'd like to take out my phone to capture it, but I don't. I turn to her brother. "You old enough to drink?" I ask, walking him to the stairs. Looking back, she's frozen, completely dumbfounded and I almost feel bad, but I keep going.
"Hell yes I am," he boasts. "Turned twenty-one last month."
"Look at you. Ready to party." I clap my hand at the back of his head while we walk down the stairs. "Let me get a shirt. You meet Tommy yet?"
"Yeah. We just got back from running to town." He laughs. "Is that small town all you guys have here, really?"
"Yeah." I chuckle. "Need a good imagination living in a town like this. City's only an hour away, but you're from the city. We're going to kick it country style. Hang tight." As I head down the hall toward the room I stay in, Affton steps into my path and I almost drop to the ground because she's launching grenades from her gaze.
"Grant," she says my name like it's disgusting.
"Affton." I smile happily.
"What are you doing?"
"Stealing your husband to take Carter's little brother sightseeing."
Her arms cross over her chest. "Sightseeing? You don't even sightsee in cities you've never been. What the hell are you doing?"
"What I want." I shrug with no care. "What I need to. Until I come up with a better idea."
"What idea? What are you trying to pull?" She walks toward me and I dodge around her because she looks like she wants to strangle me.
"I'm not trying to pull anything except Tommy's dick. Can he come with us?" I pout out my lip.
"You're a head case," she mumbles.
"That's the truth." I plant a kiss on the side of her head.
"I don't think you should be doing this, Grant. Whatever you're doing. Don't."
"I'm not doing anything." I chuckle and text Tommy that I have an emergency. All that really is is for him to calm his wife down so I can get Carter's little brother out of here. He comes to save the day not even a minute later and before he walks away, I grab his arm. "You're comin' with us." Making a beeline for the front door, I snap. "Parker, let's go fuck some shit up!"
"Yeah! I figured I'd be listening to my sister whine and cry all night. This is so much better!" He hops into the backseat.
"I feel like this is a bad idea, but I'm going along with it anyway," Tommy says, laughing.
"You're almost as dumb as me," I mutter and look out the side window but what Parker said keeps eating at me. Turning back to look at him I ask, "What do you mean? What's she whining and crying about?"
"Just life in general. Some guy, I don't know. I love my sister but I don't get girl emotions." He shakes his head, his hair falling down to his eyes and he swipes it back. That's some fucking boy band shit right there.
"Me either." I sit forward then slap Tommy in the chest. "This guy does. He's in tune with his emotions. I'm fucking clueless." My eyes drift out the window again.
"You could say that again," he mumbles.
"But we're not saying it again. We're going to take Parker to the shop. You got any tattoos?" I turn to look at him again.
"Nope, but I feel like I'm getting one tonight!" He laughs.
"Grant," Tommy warns. "You sure about this?"
"Have I ever been unsure about anything?" I chuckle.
He side-eyes me and shakes his head, cursing. "Is that a joke?" He glances back at Parker. "All you have to do is tell him no, kid."
"Hey, I'm down for whatever tonight. It's been a while since I let loose. Granted, it's a bit weird letting loose with two very cowboy...ish guys like you. But I think I like y'all. Did I say it right? Yawl. Yallll."
"Dude." I chuckle and look back at him. "Stick to the valley talk, okay? Start thinking what you're getting tattooed. Nothing that'll piss your sister off too bad." I smirk, thinking about my tattoo Tommy very likely won't put on my body so hopefully Chase will. I hope he doesn't act like a bitch.
"I thought we were getting drinks?" Parker asks, pulling out his phone. "Who does these tattoos anyway? The guy any good?" He grimaces. "I mean, that town was pretty small."
"Just Tommy's Uncle Buck, twice removed. No teeth and missing a few fingers, but he's good. Don't stare at his eye patch. He gets offended."
Tommy barks out a laugh and shoves me. "Fuck you, Grant. We both work there. I did most the shit this guy's got. I've been tattooing and piercing for longer than you've been out of elementary school. Probably longer than that." He laughs. "We got you covered."
Chatty Cathy's got a lot to say. He's an excited kid exploring the backwoods and he loves it. I, on the other hand, am starting to get nervous as we pull into the parking lot. This is the first time I regret talking a big game, even if I'm the only one that knows what I plan on getting tattooed, but I talked it up to myself so much I'd be a real loser not to do it. Or I could change my mind 'cause they don't even know, but I'm not a pussy. Mental pep talk.
When we walk through the door, Chase looks up from a magazine and his eyes lock on Parker.
"Dude, this is Carter's little brother. Parker." I smirk while Chase looks him over.
The kid's got on flip flops and board shorts.
Chase's eyebrows raise and a small chuckle comes out of him. "Chase Haring. Owner and friend to these two losers." He shakes Parker's hand. "Nice to meet you. Your sister's got an appointment here tomorrow actually."
"She does?" I spin around to face him. "For a tattoo?"
"A cover up." He shrugs. "What're you guys here for?"
The only thing she'd cover up is that plane...right over my name. I rub the back of my neck a minute, really fucking pissed at how that makes me feel.
"Parker here doesn't have any tattoos. Let's devirginize him. What'd you come up with?" I ask the kid.
"Uh," he stammers, then pulls his phone out. "That?"
A surfboard. The kid picked a surfboard.
I look from the picture to him a few times then nod. "Good enough for me if you like it." I clap him on the back. "Tommy, you want to take him?"
"Yep." Tommy nods toward his station. They start discussing where Parker's tattoo is going, right on the back of his calf, and from the look on Parker's face he's scared shitless.
"How bad's it hurt?" he asks Tommy with a nervous chuckle.
"Can't even feel it." Tommy says with a laugh and Parker nods with wide eyes.
Poor kid. I probably shouldn't be subjecting Carter's kid brother to this shit, but it's not every day you can say you drove to the south to move your sister back to Cali and ended up spending a wild night with two of this county's coolest people. Which, the whole moving her back part, he's not doing. Over my dead fucking body.
I look at Chase and he's staring at me, knowing I've got something stupid in my head. I figured he'd be more likely to shut his mouth and give me the tattoo I want over Tommy. Walking him into his station, I close the curtain then grab his sketchpad and draw it up.
"This size. Don't change a fucking thing about it."
"Seriously?" He chuckles then drops the pad and looks at me. "Grant—" he starts but I cut him off.
"Give me the fucking tattoo." I wipe the sweat beads from my forehead.
He glances down at the paper, studying the very simple line design of it all, and eventually shakes his head, letting out a curse. "Where you want it?" For Chase to sound like he knows he's aiding in someone's funeral is big, but the fact that he's still doing it is bigger. Tommy wouldn't have done this shit, I know it for a fact now after seeing Chase's reaction to it.
I think for a minute. I get the stupidest ideas spur of the moment and this is one of them. Placement will be tricky 'cause I'm not working with much room. I wince thinking about the first open spot that came to mind. Clearing my throat as I start to get nervous of his response, I slowly pull my shirt off. Staring him in the eyes, I watch as he looks all around my chest.
"There's only one open spot," I huff while he tries to find anywhere but over my heart to place this tattoo. "Just fucking do it," I grumble and plop into his chair.
He stands here dumbfounded, clutching the drawing in his hand for what feels like a damn lifetime. After letting out a small chuckle and a brief shake of his head, he finishes getting everything ready, making me sweat in the chair.
"And you're absolutely sure about this?" His tone is more the tone I expect from Chase when we're out together and he's not in work mode.
No.
"Yes, I'm fucking sure." I snicker at him. "Let's get a move on." I twist, trying to see into Tommy's space but the curtain's closed. I don't want them to see this. Especially not Parker.
"Alright, man, here we go." Chase's machine turns on and he gets to work, not bothering to make small talk with me. Chase knows more than I probably think he does. The man sees and hears everything in this damn town, so I respect his silence tonight. The tattoo itself doesn't take very long, and when he's done he cleans it off and pulls back from my chair. "Done," he says, staring at it. "Don't match much of anything else you've got on you, Grant." He laughs.
I jump from the chair and quickly lube then cover it. "Don't fuckin' worry about it." I don't know why I'm pissed at him. He only did what I fucking asked him to do.
Jesus, what's wrong with me?
I grab his hand and bump my shoulder with his before handing over a hundred dollar bill. "That's for your silence. I'm not paying for the tattoo."
He pockets the money with a shake of his head. "I'm not about to say shit to anyone, you know me asshole. I will tell you, however, that right there may not go over as good as you think it will. She's filling in the plane tomorrow."
"If you do that cover-up I'll burn this shop to the ground," I promise before walking out and into Tommy's room. "How's it going?" I whip out my phone and aim it at Parker.
"He keeps telling me he's almost done," Parker says then winces. "But he just keeps going!"
"Sit still and I'd be done faster," Tommy grumbles.
"It hurts!" Parker whines and Tommy laughs as he gets back to work.
"Stop crying." I lean forward to see the tattoo on his calf. "He's adding the pussy lips to the beaver. He's almost done." I stop filming and hit send, shooting the video to Carter.
"What? Beaver what?" Parker blurts, shifting to turn and look, causing Tommy to momentarily lose his shit.
"Sit! Still!" he yells, scaring Parker back down to his spot. "Fuck, Grant," Tommy huffs then does the few final swipes he needs to finish.
I laugh and leave the room, sitting on the chair and waiting for a response from Carter. I don't get one until we head to Willies. Somehow I've managed to get by without either of them asking me what I got tattooed and I hope it stays that way.
Handing Parker another beer, I glance down at my phone when it dings.
CARTER: I. Can. Not. Fucking. Believe. You. GET HIM THE FUCK BACK HERE GRANT!
I smirk, thinking over my response. I shouldn't respond, but I can't resist.
GRANT: Your brother's okay. Send me a pic of your tits.
"Hey, dude, I gotta tell you something." I start counting how many beers Parker's polished off, then the shot glasses. He holds his alcohol well. He's taken down at least four shots and three beers.
"That you're happy you're my new best friend?" He nods slowly. "Me too, bro. Me too." The music starts playing something twangy and he cringes. "Dude! No! Fucking country, boots and shit," he starts murmuring and Tommy snickers next to him then glances at me.
"You about done ruining her little brother?"
"I'm not sure how this is ruining him." I look at my phone but there's no response from Carter. I don't actually expect a tit pic but I'd just like an uptight response from her. "Parker, who's your sister dating?" I probably could have asked Tommy.
"Some guy," he huffs. "She's hung up on some other guy and keeps telling me..." He clears his throat and the noise that comes out when he starts talking is about three octaves higher than it should be. "I need out of this place so I can move on with my life." He scoffs and shakes his head. "She's too serious if you ask me. Let loose, you know?" He brings his empty beer bottle to his lips.
I smirk and glance at my phone again before looking at Tommy. "You know who she's dating?"
"Eric's the guy's name." Parker blurts finally. "I don't see it lasting. She's moving in with him but they've only seen each other a couple times."
"Grant," Tommy warns. "Maybe we should head home. He's pretty far gone."
"The kid's fine," I shut Tommy up. "Can't believe she settled on that douche. And of course it won't fucking last. She's in love with me." I lift my warm beer.
"You?" Parker laughs. "She's in love with you?" He looks me over. "Oh shit..." He laughs harder this time. "You're the....oh god, what'd she call you?" He pinches his eyebrows together. "Cunt waffle! You're the cunt waffle!" He cackles and Tommy follows suit.
"That he is, isn't he?" Tommy says, laughing.
My phone beeps and I ignore them for a minute.
CARTER: Grant please don't fuck with him tonight. He's young and naive. Just get him back here, we have lots of shit to do before he leaves with all my belongings in two days.
I snicker at her response and blacken my screen, pushing my phone forward.
"Yeah, I'm a cunt waffle," I mumble staring at my phone. "But you're gonna help me with that." I sit forward and finish my one and only beer.
I am such a cunt waffle.
***
When we got back to Tommy's I pulled out the tequila and Parker was knocked out on the living room floor before the bottle was even gone. The fact he'll be hungover today means Carter will need someone else's help.
I'm fully capable of helping.
Heading up the steps, I knock on the side of the stairs and wait until Parker's disheveled appearance greets me at the top before I walk the rest of the way up.
"Dude," he moans. "Don't make so much noise." He shoves his boy band hair out of his face and groans, shuffling back to the couch and falling face first to it with a thud.
"Dude, I told you not to drink so much," I scold him, glancing around for Carter. Luckily his response is muffled by the couch. Seeing movement around the corner, I jump over a few boxes. "Kids," I huff shaking my head. "I told him not to drink so much 'cause he had to help you out." I glance around the corner toward Parker. "I guess I can help out a little." I look at her as she wipes the bare countertop down, not looking at me. I want to pull those tight shorts out of her tight ass then shove something else up it.
"I have a hard time believing you, Grant." She huffs, throwing the towel down to the counter and turning her glare on me. That sexy as fuck mix that twirled in her eyes back when she first met me is back with a vengeance. "I don't need your help, I think you've done enough damage."
"Don't be so uptight, Carter Dawn." I move toward her and she moves away. With a chuckle I back off. "Just take all the boxes to the moving truck?" I lift one.
She glares at me a moment before sighing and rolling her eyes and tossing me the keys. "Yeah. Thanks." She turns to continue packing and cleaning and trying her best to ignore me.
I couldn't decide if I wanted to sit around Tommy's all day to make sure she didn't leave or if I wanted to sit at the shop for when she showed up. I figured sitting here was the best bet so I could stop her from leaving. If she actually made it to the shop, there's a good chance she could go through with covering me up. Don't get me wrong, I hated the fucking tattoo when I first saw it. Getting anyone's name tattooed on you is fucking stupid. But it grew on me.
We move in sync and I try to stay out of her way. She eventually puts on music and when she sways her hips to the music, I stop to watch. When she notices me I grin.
"Don't stop," I encourage.
"Sorry," she murmurs, letting out a heavy sigh. "Parker!" she barks and he groans something unintelligible from the couch. Her eyes pin me. "You did this." She points at him.
I gasp and look at the kid. I feel guilty but I had to make sure he was down for the count today. "You can't blame me for everything, baby." I smirk and pick up one of the last few boxes.
"You're right about that," she whispers. "But for that, I definitely can. My brother isn't a big drinker."
"Maybe he ate something bad. Country food ain't sittin' right with his city stomach." I shrug and head down the stairs. Whistling, I head back into the house and Carter's talking to Tommy with her purse in her hand. Rushing to her side, I almost trip on my boots. "Where you going?" I blurt so loud she jumps.
"Out," she says with a slight tremble in her voice. "I was just asking Tommy to check in on Parker."
"Ready?" Affton asks her, coming down the hall.
"I'm ready." I grab Carter's purse. "Where we going?" I head for the door.
Affton looks from me to Carter.
"Grant, I need some help out back. Affton can take her," Tommy says, arms crossed in front of him.
"I can take both of them. Where we going? Town for groceries? For dinner? I'm hungry."
"Grant, please, this is kind of a girls trip." Carter tries to shake off the nerves I can see fucking rolling off her.
"Just let them go, man." Tommy shakes his head at me.
"You've got a lot to finish packing into the moving truck," I tell Carter, but there's not much left. I packed that entire fucking truck.
"It'll be fine waiting a couple hours." She reaches out and pats my cheek, letting her fingers linger as her eyes lock on mine. "I have to go." She blinks a few times then turns away and starts walking toward the door without her purse.
"Carter," I follow her out the door and hold up her purse. She moves slowly back up the stairs and when she reaches for it, I grab her arm and yank her toward me. I almost kiss her but don't want to be that douchey so I just wrap my arms around her. "See you when you get back." I kiss the top of her head.
She nods silently and turns, taking each step slowly on the way to Affton's car.
"They'll be back in no time," Tommy says from behind me.
"Ya, you dick. With another piece of me deleted," I growl, pushing around him.
"To be honest, she's just doing what you told her to do." He follows me to the kitchen. "I heard your plan last night, Grant. I know what you're thinking, but I don't think you truly understand it. It's a dangerous game when you fuck with someone's emotions like that."
I scowl over at him and grab a bottle of water. "What's that even supposed to mean, man? I'm not fucking with anything." I snap the bottle cap out of my fingers and it hits him in the head.
He curses and rubs where it hit. "Hell, Grant." He walks over and sits at the table. "Sit."
I straddle the chair and drink this water bottle like it's alcohol. I could actually use a drink to get drunk right now.
"Do you love her?" His point blank stare pins me to my spot and pisses me off.
I reel back. "Whoa, dude. Slow your roll."
This isn't happening.
"I've tried beating around the bush before. Affton's tried. We all saw the way you acted around the girl, Grant. But then we all saw what happened when her feelings went too far for your liking. So before you go through with this grand plan and whatever other bullshit you're thinking about, stop to think about the girl you're about to crush again."
I nod, biting my tongue. He's pushing me and he knows it. He wants me to fly off the handle and confess everything I'm feeling but I'm not big on sharing feelings unless it's with my dick. So I'm going to count down from ten and hope he just goes away.
He's not going away...
"She can handle her own."
His eyebrows raise and he nods. "You didn't live with her for the last month." He chuckles. "She's learning how to hold her own without the only person she needs, though. And you were a hell of a lot more fun to be around when you two were together..." He shrugs. "Don't get me wrong, I love you two together, but, dude, if you're not willing to be what she needs, let her go and let her find someone that is."
"Like Eric?" I snicker. "Good idea. I'll let her go move in with some dude that's her fucking rebound right now and ruin her life completely. You like Eric, Tommy? Huh? He a good guy?" I lean on my hand, waiting for him to tell me all Eric's good traits. Rich as fuck. Fake as fuck. Boring as fuck.
He leans back in his chair, glancing outside as he stretches out. "Like I said, I'd like it much better if it were you. I've only met Eric a few times and something doesn't rub me right." He looks back at me. "But it's not for you to choose who she's with, right? Not unless there's something you ain't tellin' any of us?"
"Like hell it's not. I'm her dom." I wink and chuckle, getting up and going to the fridge. "She wants me, dude. I know this. You pretty much said she does. She'll come to her senses and I'll help her. Stop worrying so much about her feelings." I rip the lid off a yogurt and start to drink it.
"Wanting someone and deserving them are two totally different things, Grant." He curses then stands and walks to the drawer, grabbing a spoon and tossing it to me. "This ain't a barn, Matthews." He chuckles. "The girl needs more than a dom, man. She needs someone that loves her. If you're not it, then why not let her try to find the one that does?"
"I'm not holding her back from finding anything. I just want her to stop pretending she doesn't want me. She'll figure it out, man."
He shakes his head and curses. "Going in circles," he mutters.
I smirk, thankful he's dropping it. He's not getting information out of me before she does.
On my way home, I stop at the shop but don't see Affton's truck so I don't bother going inside. She's already covered it up... Fuck, why do I even care like I do? It was a stupid tattoo.
In the morning, I don't bother going to the house, I go right to the hangar and prep my plane. I shoot Affton a text telling her to get their asses moving so we can get to Vegas. I wanted to say bye to Parker, but didn't want to get bombarded by Tommy and Affton at once.
I keep the cockpit door closed so they don't bother me. But when Tommy knocks, I slide it open. "Sit down and buckle so we can leave." I close it before he can respond.
Not until we're in the air do I grab my radio. "We'll be arriving at McCarran in four hours and twenty eight minutes. It's ninety-eight point four degrees with a humidity of high as fuck. Stay in your seats because you get obnoxious when you move around the plane like you own it. Not you, Affton, technically you still own the plane until I finish paying it off. Also, will the only other dick on the plane please turn the music down? This isn't a hoedown. Lastly, if the hot chick in the black leggings wants to blow the captain, the cockpit's unlocked. Enjoy your flight."
Tommy turns the music up even louder and whoops, "Yee-haw, motherfucker!"
When we land, I wait a few minutes before walking to the ramp.
"Thanks." Affton kisses my cheek. "Love you, see you at the hotel?"
I nod at her. "Love you too." When Tommy steps up, I kiss his cheek. "I love you too."
He winks at me and grabs Affton's hand, walking away.
Carter tries to slip around me but I grab her arm. "Flight okay?" I was going to make the same joke, but it wouldn't be funny to her.
"Yeah, thanks." Her eyes cast down to where my hand is still on her arm and I look. She didn't cover up my name...
The relief makes my cock jump. Lifting her arm, I kiss her wrist before kissing over the small airplane still proudly flaunting my name. She pulls away and her eyes are wide when they finally hit mine. She pushes her eyebrows together and I wonder what's going on in that head of hers. Adjusting her purse strap she heads across the ramp.
I open my mouth, wanting to stop her. I just have questions. So many questions like what the hell she's doing with Eric. It's obvious he's a rebound. But I quickly close my mouth because I know what she's doing with Eric. She's with him because I'm a fucking idiot. I just need to talk to her, but not here.
At the hotel room, Affton's getting ready for tonight and Tommy's napping. This is when I realize Carter has her own room. Of course she does. Probably with Eric. I never realized he'd be here, but I don't know why I wouldn't. He's Affton's textiles guy, or whatever. He's going to be most places she is while Beany Designs start to come to life.
"Affy, where's Carter's room?"
"Grant," she mumbles with her face in her laptop.
"I just need to talk to her."
"About what?" She glares at me in annoyance.
I'm not telling her before I tell Carter.
"Stuff." I shrug.
"Hers and Eric's room is across the hall. And he's been waiting to see her. Leave them alone."
Staring at her, she leans toward her laptop again. I want alone time with Carter to show her she doesn't actually want to be with that dude. I'm sure he's nice, treats her well. But he's too nice. Too fake. And I question his heterosexuality. She'd probably be pissed investing a ton of time on this guy then he comes out of the closet.
When we get to dinner, Carter's already here with Eric and the other guys from Cultured Relief. I was hoping I could pull her to the side, maybe up to the bar and talk to her a little. I just need to get her the fuck away from Eric for ten minutes.
"What're you thinking?" Eric asks her and she shrugs. Her face has been in that menu since I sat down.
"Maybe a burger. I don't know." She sighs. "Hey, I'm going to run to the bathroom." She drops her purse on her chair and slips away from the table without looking at me. I've been trying to catch her eye since I got here.
"That sounds good," I mutter, staring at my menu. The only reason I'm not scaring Eric off is because she might actually like the guy, not more than me, I know that for a fact. But if I scare him away then I'd be an even bigger dick than she already thinks I am. I'm tired of her thinking I'm a dick and I'm kind of in a bind...
The waitress approaches for orders. "Uh." I glance toward the bathroom. "We're waiting on someone," I tell the girl so she can come back.
Before she can walk away, Eric speaks up, "It's fine. I know what she wants." He picks up his menu. "I'll take the Surf and Turf. She'll have the chicken Caesar salad. Dressing on the side, please." He closes the menu and hands it back to the girl as the entire table falls silent.
I finally chuckle in confusion. "Did you just order her a salad?"
"Yeah." He takes a drink of his water. "I figure she's drinking a lot tonight, gotta balance out those calories. I, on the other hand, am her DD so I can eat whatever I want." He smirks and Tommy's silverware clanks on the table.
I look around the table, completely shocked. Blown away. I'm going to fucking murder him.
"Cancel that salad. She wants a cheeseburger with extra mayo." I look at Eric and he raises his brows. I wish he'd get out of that seat and come toe to toe with me. Fucking try me, motherfucker. I'll gut you, you little bitch.
He lets out this cocky laugh and shakes his head. "It's fine. She doesn't need to drink too much tonight anyway." He rolls his eyes. "I guess country life is just a different lifestyle," he mutters, pulling his phone out.
"What the fuck's that mean?" I jump to my feet, my chair almost tipping but Tommy grabs it and my arm to keep me from reaching across the table and clearing it with this fuck.
"Grant! Sit." His eyes glare at Eric. "What the fuck were you insinuating with that bowl of rabbit food, Eric?"
"Just that models are always watching what they eat. She'll be bringing in a lot of calories later, so I'm saving her from getting any bigger." He shrugs like what he just spewed is okay.
I lunge across the table and grab his shirt. Tommy grabs me at the same time I swing so I don't get in a good hit, but now he's dragging me to an exit and this entire place has started to get loud. My gaze hits Carter's confused expression as Tommy drags me past her but I don't say anything.
"You can't go getting yourself arrested in Vegas, man." Tommy huffs when we make it outside. "I wanted to kill the fucker too, but not here. Goddamn, I don't know what she sees in him."
I walk in a few circles, trying to calm down but it's too fucking hot and humid to calm down.
"I'm done for the night. I'm not going to that fucking party. She's going to show up with him and I'll fucking kill him, Tommy. He's lucky you were there. I'm going to kill him." I run my hand through my hair, fighting running back in to end him.
"There's going to be more people there than at dinner, Grant. You're the only other one here I want to talk to so I vote go, don't murder him, and just hang out with me while my girl schmoozes all these fucking people. Hurting her boyfriend isn't going to get you where you want, you know."
"Yeah, I fucking know." I look at him. "I'm not going back in there. I'll meet y'all at the party." I walk away, having over an hour to kill but I'd rather do it alone than with Eric and Carter.
I don't know what the fuck she's thinking. Why she'd be with someone like that. She wouldn't! That's the thing. She fucking wouldn't. I need to talk to her but I probably won't get the chance to until tomorrow when I can show up to the event while Eric's distracted.
After a few beers, I head to the hotel this party's at. I know a lot of these people and thankfully there are tons of people here so if she shows up with Eric, I can avoid them. Normally I'd be in that pool with those half naked models, trying to figure out how many times I could get off tonight. But that's not my norm anymore. I'm a tamed man who only has one pussy on his mind and it belongs to a woman dating a complete asshole I'm going to kill.
Just because I don't feel like partying doesn't mean the party stops surrounding me. I texted Tommy forty minutes ago asking where they are. I've been here almost two hours. But no response yet so I'm trying to enjoy my company until he gets here.
AFFTON: Carter's at the party if you still want to talk to her. We'll be there soon!
I read her text and roll my eyes. Yes I want to talk to her but not with that asshole around.
"Where's your cowboy hat today, Grant?" World renowned Virginia Racell pulls my attention away from my phone. She's hot, annoying as models can come, and a total bitch Affton refuses to work with so I promised I wouldn't sleep with her again.
"Not a cowboy tonight." I chuckle when she plops into my lap. I grab her hips, standing her back up. "I need a pisser." I slip through the crowd to get inside to a bathroom, really hoping Tommy and Affton show soon.
I spot Carter with her head thrown back in laughter, looking happier than a pig in shit. What the fuck does she have to be happy about? Her boyfriend's a tool. I can't see who she's laughing with and if it's Eric, I'm going to pound his face in, so I walk in the opposite direction.
When I step out of the bathroom I get a proposition from a model I would normally never turn down. "I can suck you right here or you can finger me in the cab back to your hotel room."
Now, this may have happened before, but my dick's not into it tonight.
"I gotta get back out there." I smirk and step around her, wincing when her screechy gasp sounds. Before she claws my eyes out, I dodge around a few people and head back outside. If I don't find Tommy or Affton soon, I'm leaving.
"Grant, come do shots with us!" Two girls grab my arms and start pulling me toward the water where the swim-up bar is.
Suddenly I'm wearing a drink when someone trips and I huff, really wishing I never came to this party. I pull my sticky shirt off and the girls start pulling my arms again, reminding me they're still around. One jumps into the water in her white dress and the other giggles in hysterics while she latches onto me, wrapping herself around me. She's drunk and about to fall into the water so I wrap my arm around her. When white dress gets out of the pool and showcases she's not wearing a bra I laugh and help her with the drinks she's balancing between her clawed fingers.
Turning around to find a table for all these unnecessary drinks, they certainly don't need more, I come face to face with Carter. She's got that look in her eyes again but I don't know what the hell for.
"Affton said you wanted to talk to me?" She cocks her eyebrow at one of the girls still hanging on me and crosses her arms in front of her, amplifying her tits in that dress.
"Uh, yeah." I reach for a nearby table to set the drinks down but these girls won't back up. "Sorry, ladies, I gotta run."
"No! Grant." One of the girls wrap both her arms around me. "Hang out with us."
"Don't leave!" The other wraps her leg around mine. I've been in this situation before but for the first time in my life, I wish this weren't happening when the woman I want is finally giving me the time of day.
I look at Carter apologetically, hoping she doesn't run off pissed.