Distraction (Westbrook Series Book 1) (31 page)

Sam doesn't say anything. He just straightens up so he no longer slouching over Kyle's chair, but his feet remain planted there. I squint my eyes curiously, as if to ask him what he is planning, but he shakes his head. He pretends to whistle silently, as he looks up at the dark sky and all around.

Kyle is talking about the Cardinals or some other baseball game, but I can't tell you anything about what he is saying because I am so focused on Sam. He holds my top up and dangles it over Kyle's head, taunting me. My face must be tomato red by now.
I am going to kill him
. Every time Kyle turns back around to see what Sam is doing, he quickly pulls the top back out of sight, just in time. I just shake my head at his juvenile behavior.

"What is
with
the two of you?" Kyle finally asks. He turns around to face Sam, right as Sam slips the fabric back safely into his pocket. Sam definitely has a
I just got caught doing something I shouldn't be
look on his face, but Kyle has no clue why. Before Kyle can get an answer out of either one of us, a loud vibrating noise steals his attention. He holds his phone out in front of him.

"Georgia's
here
. I'm going to go let her in."

When the back door closes, Sam whistles out loud this time. "Saved by the buzz," he says playfully. I hold out my hand, expecting Sam to give me my top. He just looks at me and shakes his head.

"Sam,
seriously
. I
need
my top back."

"You mean this
old thing?
" He holds up the fabric and swings it back and forth. I roll my eyes and attempt to grab it, but he snatches it away before I can get to it. "No way. I am having
way
too much fun, Lis," he teases, while tucking the fabric back into his pocket. I notice a large wet ring has formed around his pocket.

"Sam, it looks like you've pissed your pants. Come on, just give it back."

"Damn that beer. I guess, I got a little clumsy after a few. I must have spilled some on me," he responds.

"
Give. It. Back
," I shout. I am chasing him around the patio like a little kid, when Kyle and Georgia seem to suddenly appear out of nowhere. I turn around, stunned that they have caught us goofing around.

"
What
does he have of yours, Laila?" Kyle asks. They are both looking at us as if we belong in a psych ward.

Georgia's big brown eyes keep curiously bouncing back and forth between Sam and me. It is almost like she
knows
what is going on.
How could she possibly know that?
I mean, we are just playing around. This is definitely something Sam and I would have done before we were together. Well, except for the part about him having my bikini top, of course.

Thankfully, Sam snatches my bottle from the side table. He holds it up for me to see, while they are both staring at me, waiting for an answer.

"Um . . . he has my . . .
drink
." I finally say the word
drink
, in a surprised tone.

Kyle shakes his head and scratches it. "I swear. It
really
is like you are our brother sometimes, Sam." Kyle shrugs it off as just that, but there is something about the expression on Georgia's face that makes me wonder if she is really buying it. I've not known her even a minute, and I can already tell she's smart, and that I'm going to like her.

"I'm Laila, the little sister of these two
yo-yos
," I flash her my friendliest smile as I introduce myself, and sit back down onto one of the lounge chairs. She returns the greeting with a warm and very genuine smile.

"It's nice to
finally
meet you. I've heard so much about you," she says.

I look at Sam curiously, wondering what he could have possibly said to her about me without spilling the beans. He just looks at me the same way I must be looking at him. He finally answers my implied question with a simple shrug.

Kyle does not pick up on our silent exchange, but I have a feeling that Georgia may have, judging by the way her eyes shoot up curiously at Sam, and then how her eyes fall back at me again. I can feel the heat taking over my face as the panic starts to rise.
What if she figures it out and tells Kyle about us before we get a chance to explain it to him?

"Yeah.
Kyle
talks about you all the time." She emphasizes my brother's name, as if to satisfy my curiosity. I am surprised that Kyle had mentioned to her that he even had a little sister, let alone that fact that he supposedly has talked about me
all the time
.

Sam hands me back my drink, and strategically positions himself far enough away from me on the patio, to keep further suspicions from being aroused. I take another sip, noticing how the alcohol is starting to make my head spin. I had completely forgotten about all the wine we drank earlier. I am well on my way to getting tipsy at this point. I set my drink down, fearing that I might give away even more than I already have if I continue on.

"So, are you guys going to swim?" I ask, eyeing Georgia's rather formal dress. She is wearing a black empire-waist cocktail dress that is low cut, the hem falling just above her knees. Her black strappy stiletto heels make her short, well-toned legs look long. She is tiny standing next to Kyle, even wearing the super high heels.

She looks down at her dress and laughs nervously, while shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah. I kind of grabbed my suit, let Pepper out, and left quickly so I could get back. I guess we need to change, don't we Kyle?" She looks up at him. I'm thankful we are no longer talking about me. I just hope it's enough of a distraction to turn off her radar. She was getting dangerously close to discovering the truth.

Kyle grabs a chair and sets it in front of Georgia before settling down in the one next to her.

"Who's Pepper?" I ask

"My dog," she says, as she sits down and crosses her legs.

Her peaches and cream complexion looks flawless, making me wonder what kind of makeup she wears. I study her as she goes on to describe her three-year-old Boston terrier, and how her parents keep him while she is away at school. I can tell by the way she instantly lights up at the mere mention of him that she is very much a dog lover. I'm sure Kyle appreciates that. I listen to her and watch her intently, curious to know how this girl was able to swoop in and knock my brother off his feet.

She is strikingly gorgeous, yet warmly beautiful at the same time, if that makes any sense. It's like she has the sweet all-American,
girl-next-door
thing down, but at the same time, she oozes with sexy confidence. I have no doubt she would be able to stop any hot-blooded male cold in his tracks when she walks into a room wearing
that
dress. I've noticed that most girls are either one or the other. I wonder what it would be like to be both.
Hell, I'd settle on just figuring out the sexy part
.

I look at Sam to gauge his reaction to her, but his gaze is fixed on me. I find it funny that he has barely even given her two glances since she arrived. It's not like you can't see just how very curvy she is in that low-cut dress. I mean, saying the girl is well endowed is a bit of an understatement. He is the same way around Avery, which I used to think was because he saw her more like a sister. I smile to myself with pride, knowing that my boy doesn't seem to notice other girls when he is around me. Maybe it's all just an act out of respect for me, but I don't care. It just makes me like him that much more.

Georgia's long blonde hair is loosely cascading down the middle of her back perfectly, as if she is about to shoot a shampoo commercial. I doubt she spent much time styling it, either. It probably just falls into perfect waves like that naturally. I think about what my wet, kinky, unpredictable curls must be doing right now after swimming, and it makes me want to shove it all under a hat.

I glance back over at Sam and catch him staring at me, which makes my heart dance. A very subtle smile creeps onto his face, almost forcing me to smile myself. I resist the urge, trying my best to focus on Georgia, so I don't reveal any more than I already have, to this amazingly perceptive girl.

Luckily, she is so engrossed in the conversation that she completely misses it. It turns out that her passion for animals extends far beyond dogs. She loves just about every type of breathing animal there is, and is even studying to become a veterinarian.

Kyle jumps in every once in awhile, taking every opportunity to brag about how good she is with animals. I can tell by the way Kyle and Georgia interact that they care a great deal for each other. It's strange seeing this whole other side to Kyle. It's like I'm getting to know my real brother for the very first time.

"Hey guys." Avery's cheerful voice draws our attention over to the bottom of the deck stairway. She and Trevor are walking towards us, hand in hand. I notice the lovesick look on her face right away. It's that flush you get only after a healthy make-out session. I know this because I have seen it in my own reflection after being with Sam. Seeing it on her, standing next to Trevor right now, makes my stomach drop.

I find it particularly interesting how Kyle's demeanor seems to completely transform the moment Avery and Trevor arrive. Right away, he stands up, as if he is suddenly uncomfortable or anxious.
Is he worried that they might know how he was gawking at them during their make-out session in the basement?

Trevor and Avery pull up a couple more chairs from the side patio and join us. Avery is wearing a loose t-shirt dress over her swimsuit. The coral halter-top ties from her bikini are sticking out the back of the neckline of the dress. Kyle's eyes scan her body carelessly, even though Georgia is sitting right next to him. He is not nearly as considerate of her feelings as Sam is of mine. It makes me question just how serious my brother really could be about this girl.

Avery is holding a couple of towels in one arm, and her other hand remains locked with Trevor's, resting comfortably in his lap. I catch Kyle wincing a little when his eyes fall down to their hands. Then, he just scratches his head hard, the way he does when he is annoyed, and looks away.
Interesting
.

Trevor is wearing black board shorts and a grey graphic t-shirt. His shirt is mostly loose, but it pulls just enough across his broad chest to reveal some definition. I recall seeing him shirtless at my party last week, which causes my heart rate to spike.

I try to permanently erase that picture from my memory. Unfortunately, it is not an image that is easily forgotten. Things that beautiful rarely are. I notice how even Georgia can't help but stare at Trevor, although, I can tell she is trying her best not to, out of respect for Kyle. I sigh.
Sure, he is ridiculously hot. That is, until you get to know him
.

My stomach twists uncomfortably when I see Trevor squeeze Avery's hand tighter. He scoots his chair closer to hers so their legs are now touching.
I can't believe he is using her like this
.
She deserves to be with a guy who is completely infatuated with her
. He refuses to look at me, which only seems to fuel my frustration with him.

Sam is surprisingly calm as he lies back on the lounge chair, sipping his beer. He has remained eerily quiet, which is interesting, considering how hot-tempered he was earlier in the evening. He glances over at Trevor and Avery every once in a while, but he doesn't say anything, and his facial expression is stoic.

Kyle is now pacing around the pool, which seems to have piqued Georgia's interest. She looks at him curiously, but doesn't say anything. I even catch him glaring at Trevor a few times, even though he is trying really hard to cover it up.
Could Kyle be jealous of Trevor?
I keep waiting for him to turn his attention back to Georgia, but she might as well not even be here. Avery and Trevor have his complete and undivided attention.

I look at Avery, wondering if she notices any of this.
Would it even matter if she did?
She seems so completely smitten with Trevor now, that whether or not she has Kyle's attention, isn't really a concern of hers. I'm so aggravated that I don't even think about it when I throw back the rest of my drink.
I was supposed to be cutting myself off
.

"Would you like another drink, lil sis?" Sam asks casually, as I set the empty bottle down on the side table. I nod even though I know it's probably not the best idea considering how fuzzy my brain already feels. "Does anyone else need anything?" Sam asks, while collecting some of the empty bottles from the table.

"Do you have any more of those flavored drinks?" Avery asks.

"I'll get you one, Avery." Kyle starts walking towards the house with Sam. He stops Sam by placing his hand on his shoulder, and turns back around to ask Georgia if she wants anything to drink. It is almost as if it is an afterthought. "Do you want another beer?"

"Sure. Thanks," Georgia says, directing her attention back to Avery, clearly missing Kyle's dismissal of her. She and Avery are too busy talking about something fashion-related.