I swallowed, my throat thick at the picture in front of me. Sam’s legs stretched out in front of her, impossibly long under shorts that begged my fingers to explore the hem…and under. She wore a grin I couldn’t wait to kiss off, and her button-up shirt had come undone enough to hint at the curves I knew lay beneath. Leaned up against my car, she was the hottest girl I’d ever seen. Holy shit, I get to touch her.
She must have seen the change in my mood, because her smile disappeared and her lips parted as I cupped her face in one hand and her ass in the other. “Still cute?”
“Maybe. I’ll let you know when the verdict is in.” She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head.
Damn. The girl had to push my buttons. She wet her bottom lip with the tip of a very pink tongue, and I pounced. Within a few strokes of that tongue, she made me forget we were in the middle of the parking lot. Hell, she made me forget my name.
I kissed her until she whimpered, which nearly broke me, sending images through my head of bending her over the hood, or having her straddle me in the driver’s seat.
“I’m going to fuck you in the parking lot if we don’t stop,” I growled against her mouth. “Your shorts are sexy as hell.”
She laughed in response. “What happened to that legendary self-control you’re so famous for?”
“Overrated.”
“Well, I really don’t think getting arrested for indecent exposure would help your career, so maybe we should skip the sights and get back to the beach house.”
I kissed her once more before I let her go, just because I could. “Now look who has the self-control.”
The last button on my shirt slid home, and I rolled the sleeves past my elbow. A pair of cargo shorts, and I was good to go. The sun was setting, which meant the fireworks would start soon.
Sam had already gotten dressed, if the discarded shorts and shirt on the floor were any clue. I picked them up and tossed them into the laundry bag, shaking my head. It wasn’t like I could be mad. I’d learned a long time ago that people didn’t really change. You either accepted them complete with their faults, or you had to let them go.
Sam was messy. If that was her biggest fault, I was pretty damn lucky.
I headed down the stairs and passed the second floor before I heard his voice, and Sam’s escalating response. “If he wants me to know something, he’s going to tell me himself, and you can’t assume because he had one tragic car accident that he’s going to fail at being a pilot.”
Shit. Why couldn’t Dad butt the hell out? He always had in the past.
“And if you care anything about his life, you’ll listen to me. He’s dangerous up there.” Dad’s voice boomed from the living room.
I upped my pace, jumping the last step.
“I’ve flown with Grayson for the last year, and he’s anything but dangerous. His reflexes are unparalleled, and he aces every test. He works his ass off, which is something you should be proud of.”
Great, now Jagger was defending me. How long until Dad opened his mouth?
“Written or oral?” Dad tossed back.
“Both,” I answered before he could fuck my career. I came up behind Sam to wrap my arms around her waist. She sagged against me, and I nodded to Parker, who stood with her arms crossed next to Dad. “And you’re done harassing my girlfriend.”
Sam stiffened.
“Girlfriend?” Parker choked out.
“Girlfriend,” I assured her.
She shook her head. “Whatever. Look, we’re only here because you didn’t show up at the Bowdens’ for the barbecue and you weren’t answering texts.”
My eyes narrowed. “I was in the shower, my phone is upstairs, and we’re not going.”
“But it’s tradition.” She looked at me like I’d grown two heads.
“How about I take everyone down to the beach for the fireworks,” Jagger offered, giving me a hard pat on the back. “Family can be a bitch,” he added quietly.
“You would know,” I replied.
Sam turned in my arms. “I’m going to head down with them. Unless you need me?” Her voice was laced with concern.