More Than Lies (11 page)

“Last time I’m going to say this, so let me be perfectly clear…” Shawn breathes in deeply. I can see his shoulders rise and fall dramatically. My head is still lowered, but I can’t help glancing up, every now and again. “I don’t give a rat’s ass who Tara bangs or who she doesn’t. Jared can have her because I don’t fucking want her.”

My head snaps up, looking at Shawn’s face in the mirror. It’s unreadable with the black sun glasses he’s wearing and I can’t tell if he sees me, but when his palm connects down on his steering wheel, that tells me he knows I was listening and heard him loud and clear.

“Good, then you won’t care if I hit it either.”

What?

Oh, I pretty sure Mason’s going to be the one to get hit, right in his penis.

My eyes lower to see Mason reaching for his cup that is sitting in the cup holder, between him and Shawn. Shawn grasps onto his wrist before he is able to retrieve the cup. My eyes go back up to the mirror. Shawn’s jaw is locked tight.

“Touch her and I’ll break your dick, rendering it inoperable.” Shawn releases Mason’s wrist, but Mason doesn’t respond to his threat. When I look in Mason’s direction, he’s bringing the cup to his lips to hide curve of a smirk on this face.

Men are complicated, so much more than women.

Mason isn’t interested in me; at least I don’t think he is. I mean, I haven’t thought of him that way, really, and I don’t want to.

I’m not even sleeping with Jared, anymore. Not that I’ve told Jared that, and frankly I’m avoiding that conversation. I wish I liked him the way I like Shawn, but I don’t. Jared knows what to say to make me feel wanted, and even beautiful. He’s nice to look at, and he’s good in bed, but that’s where it ends. I don’t feel anything more when I’m with him, and I want more. I just wish I didn’t want more with the person who doesn’t want anything from me. That was said loud and clear a few moments ago, not that I didn’t already know it because I did, but it still hurts to hear it said from his mouth.

Maybe I should forgo men altogether and jump on the chick bandwagon. They have to be easier.

In one sentence Shawn declares I’m nothing to him. In the next, he has an issue with Mason wanting me. Now that’s something entirely different; what’s up with Mason?

The truck comes to a stop. I look up to see that Shawn has parked in my brother’s driveway.

Thank heavens! After this drive I need a drink! Then again, maybe that’s not why I need a shot of tequila. You should shoot to feel, to experience, and to remember not to forget. I needed this dose of reality. Shawn and I will never be. When am I going to get that through my head?

I pack my laptop away, storing it into my over-sized Coach purse. There is one plus side to my mother, she buys me designer things. I know it’s for her benefit really, but they work in my favor so why should I complain. At least it’s in purple. Nothing makes me happier than the color purple.

Shawn and Mason both open their doors at the same time. I pull my purse onto my shoulder and slide into my boots. I open my door and slide out landing down onto the pavement and into my Tony Lama’s more snuggly.

I shut the door and look up to see Shawn standing in front of me with his tattooed arm rose above his head and the palm of hand clamped onto his neck. He’s looking down at me as if remorseful. His shades are sitting on top of his head so his golden brown eyes are peering into my dark ones. I look away first and go to step around him, but Shawn reaches out with his other hand, placing it on my side to stop me from leaving.

I want to close my eyes so that I can fully take in the feeling of his touch. I don’t. I have to stop this one way or another. I can’t continue having these feeling for him.

“Tara.” The sound of his voice makes this situation worse. I pray Kylie bought enough tequila for the weekend.

“I want to go see my brother, now.” I push his hand away from my body and walk off. Shawn doesn’t stop me again. See what I mean by confusing? Why does he care? If what he said was the way he feels, it shouldn’t matter.

I walk in the front door, not bothering to knock. To some that may seem rude, but to us, it’s not and it’s certainly not expected. This is our family. The door is always open. Too bad that doesn’t apply to the home I grew up in.

Walking through the living room area and into the kitchen I set my purse down on the counter. Looks like Kylie just got back from the store. I look through the kitchen window that is directly above the sink. I see my brother and his friends outside by the pool. I smile for the first time, taking a breath in through my nose to allow the last few minutes of the drive to dissolve.

I’m done wanting something I can’t have. One way or another, I’m going to stick to that and get myself over Shawn this weekend one way or another.

I walk out into the back yard. Trent and Kylie are standing off to the side of the pool. Kylie has her hands planted onto her hips, looking up at Trent. Compared to me, Kylie is little. She is tiny in every way. Shane is nowhere in sight, but there are a couple of my brothers friends milling about. I notice Shawn and Mase enter through the side gate the same time I step off the concrete steps leading into the backyard. Well, the pool that is, because it takes up the entire small yard.

Trent’s back is to me, so I step lightly trying to make the least amount of sound as possible so I can surprise him before anyone notices the three of us. Kylie sees me coming, but I don’t think she has said anything to Trent. I increase my speed to a jog afraid he’ll turn around. As I near my brother I leap, jumping onto his back.

“Surprise!” I yell as I wrap my arms around his front. Trent steps forward which forces Kylie to take a few steps backwards. Trent turns his head to look back at me from over his shoulder.

“It’s not a surprise when I knew you were coming, brat.” Trent’s called me, ‘brat’, for as long as I can remember. He means it as a joke and always says it in an affectionate way.

“Shut your face and tell me that you missed me.” I cross my arms around the front of his neck and squeeze.

“Oh, I missed you, all right.” My brother lets out a quick chuckle before his lips spread into a grin. When his eyes widen, I know I’m in trouble. His hands latch onto the skin behind my knees, digging in so that I can’t get away.

Oh crap!

“Trent!” I warn, but knowing what’s coming and there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll be able to stop him. Doesn’t mean I won’t try. “My boots can’t go in water!” He doesn’t listen and probably doesn’t care either because our mother still buys him everything he’s ever wanted. The cost of clothes, shoes, and the like doesn’t faze him one bit.

“Too late for that,” Trent laughs.

I don’t have a chance to protest further because he takes a few steps toward the water and then launches us into the deep end of the pool. The warm water envelops my body within seconds. Normally, this is a wonderful feeling, but not when I know my favorite cowboy boots are in the process of being ruined.

You don’t ruin a girl’s shoes.

No way is this funny.

Trent’s hands release me and I push away from him as my head comes back to the surface. “Trent!” I scream, as I push my hair out of my face to glare in his direction. He’s laughing, of course he is. “You’re a butthole.”

I turn away from him and swim to the ladder. Everyone is laughing. Just freakin’ great. Thank goodness I did not put on makeup today.

“You love me.”

“You ruined my boots.” Yes I’m sulking, wouldn’t you?

“Oh what’s the big deal, sis? Just get mom to buy you another pair.” As if it’s that easy. For him, yes it is. I’m not jealous of my brother. I’m glad he doesn’t have to deal with the bitch side of the queen.

“She didn’t buy them, I did. And they aren’t Katherine Evans approved.” I pull myself out of the pool and onto the pavement. Water pours off of me, running down my legs and into my boots. Walking over to a chair in the shade I plop down and start to remove them.

“What’s the big deal, they’re just shoes?”

Just shoes? Oh, he didn’t say that.

Effin’ men.

“A fine ass bitch in short shorts and cowboy boots,” Shawn coons. “There is nothing sexier.” His voice goes flat. “They were a waste on your sister.” Shawn grabs a beer from one of the larger coolers as Kylie walks in his direction.

I guess he wasn’t sorry after all.

What a jerk.

“Hey jerk, turn your dick-o-meter off. I’m not having your shit this weekend.” Kylie looks like a midget compared to Shawn. He doesn’t say anything back to her, just continues looking down at her as he takes a sip from the bottle. Kylie turns to look at me. “Come on, let’s get you into a bathing suit and us a drink.” I second that, at least on the drink end. I needed one when I walked in, and I need it even more now.

I follow, leaving my boots outside.

Spotting my weekend bag by the backdoor, I scoop it up. Mason or Shawn must have brought our bags from the truck, since I left mine.

“I’m going to go change, can I use your bedroom?” I ask Kylie as we enter the kitchen.

“Of course you can. I’ll make us margaritas. Sound good?”

“Yes, please and with a double side shot of tequila.” My brother’s girlfriend laughs. There is nothing better than a frozen strawberry margarita and a pool. They go together like brownies and ice cream. You can have one without the other, but it’s not near as good.

“Coming right up, sweets.” Kylie’s voice fades out when I reach the hallway that goes down to their bedroom, Shane’s bedroom, the computer room, and the bathroom. It’s a small house, but it’s perfect for the three of them and I know they don’t plan on staying here forever. It’s a rental that they’ve lived in for over three years.

I quickly change into my black halter-top one-piece swimsuit and then pull on another pair of shorts to cover my chunky legs. Without alcohol, I’m overly self-conscious of my appearance around others. Especially when perfection clad in ink, jeans, and a loose t-shirt is around.

Why do I like him? It’s an endless question I ask myself too often. I don’t get it. Why can’t I turn it off?

I finish and head back out to find Kylie only to run straight into Shane when I exit my brother’s bedroom.

“Easy, killer.” His voice sounds tired.

“Sorry, Shane.” When I pull back, I see he’s only wearing a pair of boxer briefs that probably means he just woke up. I’ve grown up with him darn near my whole life, so seeing him almost naked does not faze me in the slightest.

“It’s fine, precious.” He shakes his head as if telling me it isn’t a big deal. “I’m heading back to bed. See you in a few hours.”

“Back to bed?” It’s late afternoon. Who sleeps this late? His brother doesn’t even sleep this late.

“The only reason I’m up is because I heard you scream then I couldn’t go back to sleep until I took a piss. I pulled a double so I was at the hospital for over twenty-four hours. I just got home late this morning.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Damn, I feel bad now. Like my brother and Kylie, Shane is also in his second year of residency at the same hospital they are all attending medical school at.

“Don’t sweat it, kiddo. It’s not a problem.”

“Okay, you go back to bed. Kylie was bringing out the tequila a few minutes ago so I’m going to head back.” I nod in the direction down the hall leading toward the kitchen

“Oh. Lord.” He shakes his head again.

“What?”

“You and tequila, darlin’.” That’s all he says before walking into his room and shutting himself in darkness. I think I understand why they all have their window’s blacked out, so when the lights are off, it’s pitch black inside their bedrooms. I guess working long hours happens a lot.

Sure enough when I walk back through, there is a tall glass of deliciousness with a double shot of tequila sitting next to it. I pick up the shot glass, toss the contents toward the back of my throat and swallow. Kylie had limes laid out, but I didn’t bother.

“Thank you.” I tell her as I start on my drink. “I needed that.”

Now, who is this pretty little thing?

Leaning into the frame connecting the sliding glass door to the wall, I fold my arms across my chest and eye the sexy strawberry blonde pixie that just walked through the front door a few seconds ago. I’ve never seen her before, but she followed Jamie in so I’m assuming they’re friends. Good, I can get her to introduce me.

I take a sip of my beer.

Mason is wrong. I don’t go after women with a certain color hair.

I take another sip, swallowing the liquid down as I continue looking them both over.

Jamie’s a local chick who’s friends with Kylie. I think they work together, or workout together, or something. I don’t know and I don’t care. I’ve banged her once over the summer. Decent fuck, nothing to dabble in more than once, but then again who is?

As I push off the doorframe, someone steps into my path blocking my easy mark for the night. “You planning on doing anything about that?” Trent points his index finger behind me.

“You’re blocking my view.” I deadpan, casting my eyes downward to meet his. Trent’s now several inches shorter than my six foot two inch frame. If he thinks he can still get in my face and order me around like he did when I was a kid, he has another thing coming. For the most part, I’ve always liked Trent. He’s not a bad guy, but he’s Shane’s best friend and always came first. You’d think blood would be thicker than water, but not with Shane. Trent glances behind him, taking in the skimpy clad redhead who’s now smiling back at me.