“I know him. And we’re sitting with him and his friends,” I announced reaching for my purse and soda.
“Really?” Jewel squealed happily, snatching her purse out of the seat beside her and standing up. The scarf thing she called a shirt showed off all of her flat tanned stomach. The bar in her belly-button flashed two small rhinestones on each end causing eyes to immediately focus on her exposed skin. Then the Daisy Duke’s she was wearing made my mini skirt look classy. The girl turned heads when she walked if for no other reason than most of her body was on display.
“Come on,” I snapped and headed toward Sawyer who was standing right where I left him, waiting on us. His eyes drifted over to Jewel and I watched him appraise her the same way he had me. A sick knot formed in my stomach and I fought the urge to push her behind me. I didn’t want him doing that slow sexy trek up her body with his eyes.
“He’s so freaking hot,” Jewel hissed beside me. She’d stuck out her chest further and the flip thing she did with her long blonde hair over her shoulders had just happened. She was getting ready to unleash her skills on Sawyer.
“Not him, Jewel. Pick one of the others. Just not him,” I tried not to sound like I was begging but but there was no masking the desperation in my voice.
I heard a small gasp beside me.
“He’s the reason you...” she trailed off as her mind wrapped around what she was just now figuring out. “Oh, wow. I get it. I won’t poach,” she replied.
No, but she was still tanned, freckle free, blond, and well-practiced in the world of men. Those were all things Sawyer liked.
When we reached him, I knew I had to make the introductions as much as I hated it. Why hadn’t I just left her at the bar to flirt with the bartender and pretended like she didn’t exist? Sawyer’s appreciative gaze was locked on Jewel and although she’d promised me she wouldn’t flirt, it was ingrained in her. The girl couldn’t help it.
“Hi, I’m Jewel,” she drawled out in a sexy voice that had me wanting to slap her stupid.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jewel,” he replied, taking her hand in his large one and... did he just squeeze it?! “I’m Sawyer. An old friend of Lana’s.”
The fact I was leaving them to make their own introductions wasn’t lost on me. I just couldn’t open my mouth, afraid I’d let out the angry snarl vibrating in my chest. At the moment, I really hated Jewel. She was going to spend her summer with a guy that was supposed to be her boyfriend but she was unleashing all her charms to get what out of Sawyer? A one-nighter? I shivered at the thought. I just might kill her if she dared.
“Lana?” Sawyer’s voice startled me from my vicious thoughts and I blinked several times to clear my head.
“Um, yes, I’m sorry,” I replied.
“She’s exhausted from the trip,” Jewel explained, covering for me. No doubt she knew what was wrong.
“I asked if you wanted me to drive you back to Ashton’s, after we eat, so that Jewel doesn’t have to.”
Oh, he was offering me a ride. Jewel would be gone. Yes, please.
“That would be great. Thanks,” I managed to keep the excitement out of my voice.
A pleased smile touched his lips and I wanted to reach over and feel them. See if they were as smooth as they looked. How weird was that?
Sawyer led the way over to the booth and two other guys were smiling up at us. You could see the surprised curiosity in their eyes.
“Guys, this is Lana, Ash’s cousin, and her friend Jewel. They were waiting on a table and I offered to share ours.” Sawyer turned back to us, “The guy to the left is Ethan and the guy to the right is Jake.”
Ethan had a nice smile and short dark hair. It was just barely long enough to flip up some in the front. His dark brown eyes appeared warm and amused. I liked him instantly. I needed to pick a side of the half circle booth to slide into and he seemed less threatening of the two. Taking a quick peek at Jake I saw he was drinking in Jewel’s bare stomach with his gaze. The blond curls peeking out of his baseball cap were cute but the sexual gleam in his gray eyes was a little unnerving.
“Jewel,” Sawyer said, motioning for her to slide in on Jake’s side. I moved to slide in on Ethan’s side. I felt extremely grateful; I wouldn’t have to sit beside Jake.
Then I watched as Sawyer slid in behind Jewel and my stomach dropped. He’d had to pick a side and without a second thought he’d chosen Jewel’s. His offer to drive me to Ashton’s now seemed unimportant. He’d done it to be considerate because that’s was what he was. Not because he had been attracted to me or even remotely interested. I was an idiot.
“I didn’t know Ash had a cousin,” Ethan said beside me. I tore my eyes off Sawyer as he sidled up to Jewel and focused on the guy beside me. At least he didn’t look upset about getting stuck with me, instead of Jewel.
“Um, yes, I’m the only one. I live in Georgia and only get down to visit her about once a year, at the most.”
Ethan’s easy smile showcased straight white teeth. I liked good teeth on a guy. And Ethan wasn’t bad to look at either. His dark eyes were outlined with really long lashes.
“So, you staying long?”
“All summer,” I replied. Ethan’s smile looked approving and he nodded his head.
“Nice,” he replied, then lifted his gaze to the waitress who’d just walked up.
“What can I get y’all to drink?” she asked, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear and forcing a smile that didn’t meet her eyes.
“Coke,” Ethan announced, then glanced down at my almost empty one. “Make that two cokes.”
He’d ordered for me. I liked that. No guy had ever ordered for me. It made me feel oddly special.
“A screwdriver for me,” Jewel said as if she was going to get away with this. I glared at her and she gave me a small smirk.
“ID,” the waitress replied and this time I smirked as Jewel immediately went from looking cocky to irritated.
“Don’t have it with me,” she replied in an annoyed tone.
“I bet you don’t,” the waitress muttered.
“Are you saying I don’t look twenty-one?” Jewel asked as if she were shocked someone would even question it. Because, of course, an eighteen year old girl could pass for twenty-one easily. Whatever.