Man Up Party Boy (2 page)

Chapter 3

Noah

Holy shit Alexis is hot.

I shouldn't be surprised. I always thought she was cute, even though I'd never admit it to Cooper. If I did it would piss him off. I never saw him lose it faster than the day he overheard our friend Billy say he'd like to fuck Alexis. Coop went bat shit crazy. He dove at Billy and wrestled him to the floor. The two rolled around while fists flew, and when Jonathan and I were finally able to pull them apart, Billy sported a black eye, mangled wrist and bruised ribs. I made sure I kept my thoughts about Alexis private after that because, quite frankly, I like my balls right where they are. It didn't matter, anyway. Soon after that, Alexis morphed from a sweet girl into some sort of super-bitch. But now, watching the sweat dripping down her chest, and seeing how the tank top she's wearing is clinging to her, pulling over her tits, I can't take my eyes off her.

"Is there anything else?" She asks full of attitude.

"Can't I just watch and enjoy the view?"

"Whatever." She turns away from me with such force her brown ponytail waves back and forth as she returns to moving her body in ways that show off the tone in her arms and legs. I can't be sure because I'm facing her back, but I think she's glaring at me from the corner of her eye, and I like it. A lot.

I first saw her as I unpacked the groceries, only I didn't know it was her. I looked out the window and saw a girl bent over with her ass up in the air. That's what I call an engraved invitation to go out and talk. I grabbed a bottle of water that I stuck in the freezer a little earlier and headed out to the beauty on the beach.

The closer I got, the better the view. She put on quite a display showing off the long toned muscles in her legs, and the perfect round curve of her ass. I took a deep breath, holding myself back from reaching out and squeezing it.

"You're doing yoga?" I ask attempting to get her attention again. I'm with her all of thirty seconds, and already I want to get under her skin.

"Yes. Now be quiet."

She goes down again, looking like a triangle with her hands and feet in the sand, and her ass back up in the air. Holy shit that ass! I feel a twitch in my pants, and I find myself struggling not to step up behind her, grab her hips, and pull her back against my hardening cock.

What the fuck am I thinking? This is Alexis, Cooper's sister.

I don't say anything as I turn and head back to the house. I need to get away from her. I need to clear my head. I can't have
these
thoughts about
this
girl. Any girl, but her. Cooper's sister, I remind myself again. I think if I keep thinking of her like this and referring to her as Alexis instead of Lexi it might help. Even the name Lexi is cute, it's sexy like her.

Sexy Lexi.

What the fuck is wrong with me? I do sound like a chick. I need my head examined.

*

"If you're hungry I can whip up a batch of chocolate chip pancakes," I offer when she returns to the house.

"I had breakfast before I left home."

"Oh." I answer placing a large glass of ice water on the table in front of her.

"I'm a big girl, Noah. You don't have to baby me. Go do your thing, and I'll do mine."

"Why are you pissed at me?"

She steps in close to me. Close enough that I feel the heat bouncing off her body. She looks her large, round, eyes up at me and I can see something simmering beneath the surface of soft green.

"For one, you keep calling me Alexis. Other than that, you did nothing. You don't matter to me. Never did. Never will."

"Whatever."

I turn and head up to my room. I gave her a chance to get whatever's bothering her off her chest. I wanted to clear the air, but instead, she wants to keep up the bullshit and go for the queen bitch award. That's fine by me. I don't need another friend anyway. It doesn't matter that she's Coop's sister. The girl has something so far up her ass I'm surprised she could bend over into those positions earlier without breaking. I need to get out of here, away from her before I tell her where to go.

I sit on my bed, angry, frustrated because I'm still thinking of her. She's full of shit. I saw something flare in her eyes when she looked at me, and it sure as hell wasn't indifference. My blood boils inside me. How has she managed to light my fuse in such a short time? The way I see it, I have two choices in how this next week will go. I can do as she asks and ignore her completely, just look at her as someone I don't know that I'm splitting rent with. Or I could get to know her again, and get to the bottom of her attitude.  

The problem is that even if she was a total stranger, especially if she was a total stranger, I'd want to spend time getting to know her. I'd want to use every minute I can to feed the fire in her eyes, and make it burn hot and reckless. Bend her will. Break it. But she's not some girl I just met, and I'm warring with myself about what to do with Lexi.

I change out of my clothes and throw on a bathing suit. There's a reason I'm here on the beach. It's to relax and have a good time, not get hung up on my best friend's sister. My urge to get her to talk to me wanes a bit as I remind myself of that little fact.

Lexi's nowhere to be seen when I go back downstairs. I call her name, but there's no answer. I can't help myself from going back up to see if she's still in the house. I need to know my mere presence didn't run her off.

The door to her bedroom is closed. I listen for a minute outside her bathroom. The steady stream of water pelting against the tile betrays her location. I think of her in the shower, lathering up her sun-kissed skin. I feel the effects of my thoughts in my shorts. I'm not just attracted to her, I'm possessed by her. Fuck this. I grab a towel from the linen closet outside her bathroom. An afternoon of bikini watching should be just what I need to get my mind off Lexi.

*

I'm done with this girl. We're not even here a full day and she's pissed me off more in this short time than I can remember anyone doing in my entire life. Each time I go near her she snaps with a biting comment or a snarky answer. She won't talk to me, won't accept anything from me, including my help lugging her bags from her car into the house.

"I don't need charity, party boy." She said as I offered to take the last of her bags up to her room.

"I think you misunderstand sweetheart." I move in close to her, not sure what effect I'm trying to garner, but sure I'm going for something. "I can see you're more than capable of doing it," I allow my eyes the pleasure of journeying over her body. "I'm being nice, because believe me, I'm no fucking altruist." I answer before going up to take a shower.

I didn't see her before I left, didn't ask her if she wanted to have a drink with me. I just want to get away from her. Lexi even fucked up my afternoon of babe watching. Instead of enjoying the view, I couldn't get her off my mind. Eventually I had to move to a more populated area because I kept looking back at the house wondering what she was doing and if she'd bother coming out,

Walking alone down the boardwalk to the bar I look like a nut case cursing Cooper.

"Fucking scumbag had to go to fucking Italy. His word means nothing. Not a fucking thing. Piece of shit can't even commit to a vacation with his friend. Instead he leaves me with his bitch of a sister."

I need to pull it together. I'm here for me. I've been working non-stop, and I've been looking forward to this break. It's a vacation, and already it feels like anything but. Maybe I should just throw in the towel, pack my things and leave. Or maybe I should get drunk and go home with the hottest girl in the bar and wipe Lexi Sutton clean out of my head.

Chapter 4

Lexi

I can't stand that cocky son-of-a-bitch. I should've just said no. Should've told Cooper to find someone else to shack up with the party boy. The ass didn't even know who I was out on the beach this morning. How could he not recognize me? I know it's been over five years since we've seen each other face to face. But still, he's had to see pictures on Facebook, or from Cooper. He has to have seen what I look like!

Noah's just an ugly reminder of my past. To him I'll never be more than Cooper's fat, hideous little sister, and for that he could fuck himself. And fuck himself hard. I spent enough time soothing the sting his words left when I overheard him talking to my brother about staying away from the fat girl that repulsed him. The girl that he couldn't look at without feeling the urge to vomit. I should be grateful to him, thank him for that wake-up call because that day changed my life. That day I decided to take ownership of my body and stop filling it with empty calories. From that day forward, no boy ever made me feel like a fat girl that wasn't worth his time.

"Want to do something, maybe go out tonight?" He asked in the late afternoon.

"I'm going out tonight, but it sure as hell isn't going to be with you," I answered before trekking the last of my belongings up to my room.

I think that finally put him off, which is good. I don't want to see that he has a sweet, charming side. He fooled me once with that, holding doors open, acting like he wanted to hear what I said, and flashing those adorable dimples at me whenever I'd walk into a room. Then I found out what he really thought.

Relief washed over me when I heard Noah slam the door behind him. Good. I don't need his kindness, or the lusty looks he's been giving me all day. Those hungry looks leave me teetering on some sort of invisible beam. I need to keep my focus, keep my body tight and rigid, because if I lose myself in his eyes for even a minute, I might fall harder than I can handle. And then I might not be able to get back up. Ever.

Time to forget about Noah York and his blue/ green eyes. Time to forget about how he looked at me on the beach this morning. Time to go drink him out of my mind.

*

As soon as I walk in, I push my way over to the bar and order a drink. Guess who's at the other end talking to a flirty blond? The dim lights and loud music aren't enough to disguise him. I'd recognize those beautiful eyes anywhere. Those eyes that are focused on the girl beside him twirling her long blonde hair around her pointer finger. The thin, blonde looks nothing like me. The thought makes my stomach queasy.

"Whoever said mermaids are the most beautiful creatures by the sea never laid eyes on you."

My eyes dart to the right, straight into a set of dark eyes. Dark eyes on a handsome face that are attached to a lean body I'd like to see more of.

"That has to be the worst pick-up line in the history of the world."

"Can't be that bad, it got you talking to me."

"All you had to say was 'hello.'"

"I thought about it," he smirks. "But, a girl like you needs more than a simple hello. A girl like you needs a lit up sign with neon lights. A girl like you deserves the works."

"Lay it on a little thick? You got my attention. Cut the bullshit unless you want to lose it."

"You're new here."

"Visiting. Vacationing. I'll be here for a week."

"A week huh? Do you have a name?"

"Lexi. And you are?"

"Shot with cupid's arrow."

"Okay, I'll see ya around," I turn and make like I'm walking away.

He grabs my arm to stop me. "Fine. I'm Drake. Are you staying close to the beach?"

I shrug. "Not too far, why?"

"There's a volleyball tournament this week. Why don't you come watch me?"

He rambles on about the tournament like I give a crap; like I have nothing better to do on my vacation than watch some guy with an overinflated ego smacking a ball around. But he is easy on the eyes. Not as good looking as Noah though. Whoa, Noah? Why am I comparing guys to him? As if he's just a regular guy I could be interested in and not a playboy that could singe my hair and melt the skin right off my body with a single look.

Once the thought pops into my head, I raise my eyes. I can't stop myself from looking at him. I don't expect to catch him looking back at me. His stare is penetrating, intense. I feel it burning into me, branding me. A funny fluttering picks up in my belly. I want to go over there and yell at him, tell him not to dare look at me while he's talking his way into another girls pants. And then I realize this gnawing feeling I have watching him with her is jealousy. I'm jealous that he's interested her.

"So you'll be there?"

I flutter my eyelashes at Drake and offer him my sweetest smile. Now that I know I have Noah's attention, two can play at this game. "Sure, what time?"

"My first match tomorrow is at two. It's play till you lose, so I'm counting on you to be my good luck charm.

"If I'm any luck at all, I'll try to make it good," I say suggestively touching his shoulder with my hand and giggling like I've seen so many idiot girls do.

His eyes drop to the low neckline of my tank top. I can almost see him salivating as he picks up on the vibe I'm sending.

His voice drops. It's low, gravely, and full in insinuation. "Want to head out of here and go for a walk on the beach?"

"Not tonight, Drake. We just met. Besides, give me something to look forward to."

Fuck! What am I doing? I cringe inside. This isn't me. I'm not
this
type of girl, the type that will just meet a guy at a bar and sleep with him, so why am I acting like I am? I don't have to prove anything to anyone. Especially not Noah.

My eyes look for him once again. His body is turned toward the girl by his side, his eyes are focused on
her
. He flashes a warm sexy smile for
her
. Right now she's all he sees. She's his whole world, and it makes me hate him more. Her hand is on the side of his face, and she's leaning in, like she's going to kiss him. I hold my breath, not wanting it to happen, wishing I wasn't here to see this. But I don't pull my eyes away. I watch to see what he does. He pulls back, and I can breathe again. My eyes flicker to Noah's hands. He's tapping his glass with his pointer finger. Bingo. That's my cue.

"Sorry, Drake. I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

I don't wait for him to respond. Instead I get up and make my way toward Noah.