Chapter 1
Knox
There’s nothing I like better than a day down by the river with family and friends. Hot, clear weather and the waters of the Guadalupe River sparkling with sunlight. Cold beer in hand, burgers on the grill, and my brothers laughing and cutting up nearby. It’s pretty much perfect.
Until my brother’s new wife, Ivy, ruins it.
She hands a stack of red Solo cups to her husband, Boone, and then looks over at me and my other brothers, where we’re parked on the nearest picnic table, enjoying a couple of Natty Lights. “My sister Wynonna’s bringing a friend. And Clay’s bringing his girl and she’s bringing a friend.”
I bite back my groan, watching as my youngest brother Seth puts down his can. “They hot?” he asks. Of course he’s gonna ask that. He’s twenty and still thinking with his fucking dick.
Of course, I’m twenty-three and I do the same. But I know what kind of girls these’ll be. Blonde. Giggly. Vapid. Angling for rich guys. Wynonna, Ivy’s younger sister, is a sweet enough girl if not my type. But, man, she has shit taste in friends. I can only imagine the horrors that Clay is going to be flinging on us.
“Two babes,” Gage says, giving me and Seth a smooth, confident smile. “That means one for me and one for whoever wants my leftovers.”
I snort and pick up a cigarette butt from the table as Seth scowls over at Gage. “What makes you so sure that they’d be interested in you?”
He just lays his confident smile on Seth, all cockiness. “Because I’m me.”
Seth looks over at me, frowning. I slow my hand so Seth doesn’t see I’m reaching for his beer. Instead, I shrug. “He ain’t wrong.”
Seth’s frown turns into a scowl and he glances back over at Gage. “Suck a dick, Gage. I bet I can get one of those chicks faster than you can.” He’s not paying any attention to his beer, and so I drop the butt directly into the can. Now we’ll see how long it takes for Seth to notice it’s there.
“Oh, I’ll take that bet,” Gage says in his laziest voice.
“So will I,” I add in. “We both know they’re gonna take one look at Gage and cream their panties. Happens every time.”
Gage just flashes his white grin as if it’s some sort of accomplishment to be Gage Price. I’m just amused, mostly. And I watch his beer to see if he puts it down.
“How much?” Seth asks, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s the youngest, but he’s got the most bravado. “Fifty? Hundred?”
“How about that shiny new truck of yours?”
“If we’re betting that, it’s gotta be a real challenge for you then,” Seth demands.
“So make it a challenge,” Gage retorts. He puts his beer down and turns on the bench toward Seth. I casually slide his can toward me, listening to them argue, and look for something around here to put into his beer. The ketchup bottle is nearby. Ketchup and Natty Light? Sounds like a shit-show to me. I slide the bottle to the edge of the table and into my hands, all the while keeping my focus on my brothers as they bicker about the terms of their bet.
This is how it always is with Gage and Seth. They’re the youngest Price brothers and the closest in age and temperament. Out of the five of us, Seth is the careless hothead and the youngest. Gage is a year younger than me, and he’s the pretty one, the ladies’ man. Doesn’t matter if they’re young or old, rich or poor, Gage can get ’em in the back of his truck within a hot minute. All he has to do is flash his smile. He’s the only one that inherited Dad’s ladykiller attitude. Of course, I hope he doesn’t end up like Dad, with five boys and five different baby mamas. That shit always turns into a mess.
Then, of course, there’s Boone, the oldest Price and the responsible one. I glance over at him. He’s stoking the coals on the grill and chatting with Ivy, her pregnant belly sticking out like a basketball under her dark swimsuit and white, breezy cover-up. He’s utterly devoted to her, and if I didn’t like Ivy so much, I’d probably hate her for stealing so much of his time. But she’s a nice girl and makes him real happy, so I can’t be mad.
Clay’s all wound up over a girl, too: his high school sweetheart, who he just recently reconnected with. I think of Natalie back when I saw her at her father’s ranch. Plump but pretty. Kinda lonely and sad. Not really Gage’s type, so I’m real curious to see what kind of friend she’s dragging along with her.
I finish squeezing a few hearty rounds ketchup into my brother’s can of beer when Ivy wanders off with Boone, heading to the restrooms. At that moment, Ivy’s sister pulls up in her new little car, and Gage and Seth both lean forward with interest. I mostly sit back and watch.
That’s kind of what I do. As the middle brother, I don’t have my own foil. I’m on my own. It’s always been Boone and Clay, and then Gage and Seth. I’m not the best looking. I’m not the smartest. I’m not the youngest, or the oldest. I’m not the ambitious one or the friendliest one. So I mostly sit back and watch everyone, and tweak them to see if they’re paying attention.
Kind of like I’m tweaking their beers at the moment.
Wynonna gets out of her car, but no one’s looking at her. She’s practically a kid sister. Instead, Gage, Seth, and I are sizing up her friend. The moment I see the “friend,” I snort and go back to watching my brothers, because this girl isn’t here because she’s wanting to hang with a family. She’s clearly here to catch herself a rich bachelor.
How do I know? She showed up to a family barbecue in a red string bikini and high heels, and I’m pretty sure the bottom of that bikini’s a thong. She saunters forward, acting as if poor Wynonna ain’t at her side, her attention on the three of us at the table. Seth begins to pick up his beer and I tense, but at the sight of the blonde, he forgets all about it.
Not yet, then. Of course, I wonder if I should add more to it, since both he and Gage are so distracted. It’s not that she’s not gorgeous, of course. She is. The girl sweeps her blonde hair back with a practiced motion and levels a sultry smile at me and my brothers. Can’t help but notice she’s got a nice pair of tits and the ass that hangs out of her thong is tanned to perfection. I’d be a eunuch if I didn’t notice shit like that. All the same, though, she ain’t my type.
I cross my arms and lean forward on the picnic table, waiting to see how things will play out.
“I’m Gina,” Blondie says, stepping over to introduce herself before Wynonna can even say hello. I notice that Ivy’s sister frowns at her friend and then shrugs with a roll of her eyes, heading back to her car to get her bag. Guess she isn’t all that surprised by her friend’s predatory sensibilities. Guess she’s run into this sort of thing before.
“Well, hello there,” Gage says in his best flirty voice. I swear he sizes her up and she visibly preens. Poor Seth doesn’t stand a chance scoring this one.
Gina saunters over to the table and manages not to lose her footing despite the incredibly high-heeled, impractical sandals she’s wearing. “So, what’s your name?” She scans over all of us as she says it, as if mentally assessing who’ll be the best catch. I can practically see the wheels turning in her mind.
“Gage,” my brother says, lifting one finger in introduction.
“Seth,” says my youngest brother and races forward to help her with her bag. “Seth Price.”
Her eyes light up and she hands the bag to him. “So you’re one of the Prices?” Her gaze slides to Gage. “You too?”
He nods, a hint of a smile playing on his mouth. His expression is as lazy as ever, and he remains where he is, sprawled and uncaring on the bench. I know his game, though. I’ve watched Gage work a girl a million times. He’s gonna let Seth woo her hard and then swoop in at the last minute and win her away. It’s like a game to him. Sometimes I think he doesn’t see people as people. Me, I can’t see past the person underneath to just appreciate the appearance.
Gina’s attention swings to me, sizing me up. No doubt she sees the beard and T-shirt, just like my brothers. The redneck tan. But Seth’s a blond and Gage has a Latina mama, so they don’t look much like me. I’m a ringer for Clay and Boone, despite all of us having different moms. Clay and Boone’s moms were both married to my dad (though at different times). Mine was the mistress.
I guess I’m the first bastard Price. And maybe that’s why I answer like I do. “I’m just a cousin,” I say. “Johnny Smith.”
Gage snorts lightly. Seth just shakes his head. They know my games, too.
“Nice to meet you, Johnny.” Gina’s smile remains sweet, but her interest fades immediately, like I knew it would. The bag in Seth’s hands is designer, and she’s glittering with gold at her neck. She came here looking to score a rich Price, and now that I don’t fit the bill, she’s done with me. The cynic in me is amused and unsurprised. Same story, different day.
Happens with every chick I meet. Far more interested in the wallet than the man. It’s the one downside of being obscenely rich. I suppose if there has to be a downside, that’ll be it. As downsides go, it’s not the worst problem to have. Hell on my personal life, though. Gage thinks I should just suck it up and take whatever ladies throw my way, like he does. I can’t do it, though. At heart, I’m a people watcher, and I can’t get past the flash of greed I see in most girls’ eyes when they hear I’ve got money. I know there are girls out there that aren’t interested in a guy purely for his wallet, but I’ll be damned if I can find them.
Gina looks around at the picnic table and then nibbles on her lip. “Is there a powder room around here?”
“Powder room?” Seth echoes, a confused look on his face.
“Crapper,” I say helpfully.
Gina gives me a withering look. Oh yeah, she hates me. I love it.
“Yeah, let me show you where.” Seth gets up and takes her arm, leading her away before Gage can volunteer. Not that Gage is gonna volunteer, of course. That ain’t Gage. He’s never lifted a finger for a woman. They usually just fling themselves right at him and all the work is done. He needs to meet a woman that won’t put up with his shit, but Gina ain’t that girl.
We watch as Gina and Seth leave, and then Gage turns to me, amusement on his face. “You got something against getting laid, Johnny?”
I smirk at him, noticing that he picks up his beer. Just holds it, though. Doesn’t bring it to his lips. “I’m good. She ain’t my type.”
“What is your type?”
Someone less obvious, that’s for damn sure. I just shrug.
“Bro, we got to get you some pussy soon before your dick shrivels up.”
“I ain’t worried about it,” I tell him, and take a swig of my beer, wondering if that’ll compel him to pick up his own can.
It does. He just shakes his head at me and takes a big gulp. A strange expression crosses his face, and then he tosses the thing at me, spitting. “You cocksucker!”
I laugh gleefully and duck his poorly lobbed shot. “What?”
“You know what, dickface.” He rubs his mouth like it’s been wounded, and his gaze falls on Seth’s forgotten beer. Oh, this is too good. I don’t know how I manage to keep a straight face when he picks it up and drinks it . . . and gets a cigarette butt in the mouth. This time, he gets up from the table and puts me in a headlock, then pours my beer on my head while I bray with laughter and try to break free.
Boone and Ivy return a moment later, and a short time after that, Seth returns, too, without Gina. His expression is annoyed. “Wynonna was there by the bathrooms and so they stopped to have girl talk. I tried to be nice and wait, but then we went past the rental place and an ex-boyfriend showed up and said hello. I got the fuck out of there.” He drops down on the bench across from me and scans the table. “Where’s my beer?”
I start laughing, and then Gage does, too.
Gage and Seth are still giving me shit about it when Clay arrives with a cooler and two more girls. One is clearly Natalie, the ladylove of his life and the girl he’s pined after since he was back in high school. She looks cute, her curvy figure shown off by the swimsuit and the waves of her dark hair flowing over her shoulders. Most of all, though, she’s looking at Clay with reluctant adoration, and I like that. Clay’s probably the nicest guy in the world and deserves to get the girl he wants.
Even if he’s paying her to be his girlfriend. But we already had this talk. I told him to be ruthless around her, and about as ruthless as Clay gets is pretty much teddy bear level. Can’t help my brother if he don’t want to help himself, though. And from the dopey look on his face, he’s already beyond hope. Oh well.
I’m more intrigued by the woman walking to Natalie’s side.
For one, she’s not dressed like she’s going river tubing or on a picnic. She’s dressed like she’s going to a funeral. A very . . . goth funeral. She’s wearing a plain black slip dress and black leggings. Instead of sandals, she’s got on Chucks, and her hair, as black as her clothing, is parted down the middle, and it looks as if she’s wearing no makeup. She’s pale and her face looks rather round despite her slim body, and the most discerning feature is her big, dark eyes. For a moment, I think maybe she’s a stranger who got lost and needs directions, but then Natalie says something and the woman replies, a hint of a smile on her face.
This . . . is Natalie’s friend that she brought to the party?
I’m shocked . . . and intrigued. I can usually peg people right away, but I’m not sure what to make of Natalie’s friend. I remain quiet while Clay makes hasty introductions, and it’s clear he’s intent on herding Natalie off for some alone time. The friend’s name is Lexi, and I mentally file that away. Lexi. Lexi.
“Is that short for anything?” Gage asks, giving her his best charming smile.
“Yes,” Lexi says, her voice uninterested and flat. She keeps her arms crossed over her chest and looks around with one eyebrow raised, as if unsure what to do at a picnic. Her gaze sweeps over me and my brothers, and she studies Seth’s camo swim trunks, trashed T-shirt (identical to mine), and trucker cap.
And she still doesn’t answer.
Gage waits, and then glances over at me. A chuckle escapes him. “Short for what?” he prompts.
“Meredith,” Lexi says in that same dry voice, and then walks away.
Gage’s brows go up. Nearby, Seth, Ivy, and Boone look equally confused.
Seth eyes Lexi up and down and looks over at Natalie. “This your friend? She looks weird.”
“Thank you,” Lexi says immediately. Her voice is dry and sarcastic. “So this is society? Fascinating.”
“This is my friend Lexi,” Natalie announces, and I’m not sure if she’s remindin’ us of Lexi’s name or reminding Lexi that she’s supposed to be a friend. “She’s really very sweet once you get to know her.”
“Take that back,” Lexi demands, and saunters ahead to the water’s edge. “I’ll be by the water, frightening children, if anyone needs me.”
It gets real quiet for a moment.
“Oh, she’s serious,” Natalie says, a rueful smile on her face. “But I promise she’s harmless. She’s mostly going to lurk and look menacing.”
Lurk and look menacing, huh? I jump to my feet to follow. I’m already fascinated. It’s clear she doesn’t want to be here, and she doesn’t appreciate my brother flirting with her.
I might be half in love already.
Lexi barely gives me a look as I move into step next to her. I don’t mind her standoffishness. It’s kind of refreshing, after Gina and her cooing and hair tossing.
“Kinda a warm day for all that black clothing,” I comment, walking alongside her.
“I like to think of it as SPF 1000,” she says in that same caustic, almost monotone voice. It’s clearly meant to be unfriendly . . . or a challenge. I like a challenge, though.
“Effective, if not the breeziest,” I admit. “Next time you might be better off wrapping yourself in duct tape.”
She glances over at me. “Or tinfoil.”
“Nah,” I drawl. “That’ll bake ya like a potato.”
She snorts, but her steps slow, and she glances over at me. “Are you the unofficial host designated to help me enjoy myself at the party? Because I’m good. I meant it when I said I was going to hide in the bushes.”
“Because you don’t want to talk to anyone?” I guess.
She shrugs those incredibly slim shoulders. All of her is slim and long, and I decide I like it. She’s certainly not dressing up to show off her body, which just makes me wonder all the more what’s underneath her dark layers of clothing. Like I said, I like a challenge.
Lexi looks over at me again. “I’m perfectly capable of stringing together words to form a sentence. I’m just getting out of there so I don’t crowd Nat and Loverboy with my Epic Third-Wheelness.” She leans toward me and lowers her voice to a whisper. “It’s called being a ‘friend.’” She uses air quotes. “Or so I’m told. I call it ‘tired of watching you two cast longing looks at each other.’”
She’s so salty when she speaks of affection. I love it. “You really gonna scare kids?”
“I’m going to lurk and be my natural self. If that happens to scare children, I can’t be held responsible for weak parenting.”
A slow smile curves my mouth. I think I like this girl. “Did I mention my name’s Knox?”
“I didn’t ask. It short for anything?”
“Yup,” I say. “Meredith.”
That wins a laugh out of her, and it feels like I just got a goddamn trophy.
We don’t hide in the bushes for too long, because it gets too hot and the Texas sun is unrelenting on the riverbank. I think longingly of my beer, but I don’t want to leave Lexi’s company, either. She’s making today more interesting than I imagined, even if there’s very few unsupervised children for her to frighten by the riverbank.
“You want to head back to the others and grab some sunblock and a drink?”
She squints up at me. “If we must.”
“I promise I’ll protect you from anyone who tries to be friendly.” I pretend to flex a muscle. “Though you look scrappy enough to take on anyone.”
Lexi wiggles her eyebrows. “It’s true. I play dirty.” She shrugs. “I suppose we can try to be ‘social’ at this social thing. Otherwise I’m not being a good friend to Nat. I’m trying to give her space, but there’s space, and then there’s ‘your face on the back of a milk carton’ space.”
“I wouldn’t worry about Natalie. I doubt you’re going to see much of her today,” I mention as we turn and start to head back toward the picnic area. I can’t help but put my hand at the small of her back, just because I’m dying to touch her, even in that small way. It’s not often I meet a girl that trips my trigger, but Lexi’s doing it for me. There’s just something about her casual, fuck-you sort of attitude that I appreciate down to my core.
Plus, I kind of like the idea of stripping away that veneer and getting her to lose control. What would she look like all passion-dazed and begging for me to touch her? Would she be bitterly sarcastic even when I’m deep inside her? Just the thought makes me uncomfortably hard in my swim trunks. I do a quick tuck and adjust as she steps ahead of me, heading back to the area my family’s claimed for the picnic.
No one’s at our designated area but Boone and Ivy. My brother flips a burger on the grill as Ivy lays her head against his arm. He turns to the side and presses a kiss to the top of her head, and she rubs her big belly. My mind immediately focuses on that domestic picture, swapping myself out for my brother and Lexi out for Ivy. I imagine her with a very pregnant belly, carrying a child.
My child.
It’s amazing how possessive I can feel over a woman I just met, but damn. I have to bite back a groan before I embarrass myself. Of course, I don’t imagine Lexi dressed as sweetly as Ivy is, or that she’d have such a Madonna-like expression on her face. She’d be in black, Lexi. And the expression on her face would be more challenging.
I love it.
“No Nat or Clay?” Lexi asks as we head back to the covered picnic table.
Ivy glances over at us, a knowing look on her face as she makes eye contact with me. She keeps the smirk off her face. “They went rafting down the river. The boys took Wynonna and Gina with them. You should go join them. I imagine you can still catch up.”
“Sounds like fun,” Lexi says in a voice that indicates that it sounds like anything but.
“She hates fun,” I tell my sister-in-law with a wink, and sit down at the bench, grabbing the sunblock before Lexi can.
Lexi turns back to me, an amused look on her face. “You know me so well. It’s almost like we’re separated at birth.”
I tilt my head up at her. “That wounds me.”
“Why’s that?” Her voice is a low murmur.
“I think you woulda figured out by now that I don’t plan on bein’ very brotherly.” And just to test the boundaries of our new friendship, I squirt a little sunblock on my finger and wave it at her. “Now come and let me take care of your face.”
“Men,” she murmurs, her gaze locked to mine. “Always obsessed with rubbing white stuff all over a girl’s face.” The sly smile she gives me makes us both laugh, and when she sits next to me, I pop a blob onto the tip of her dainty nose. I can’t tell if we’re flirting or just teasing each other.
All I know is that I’m enjoying the hell out of myself.