Evelyn Vine Be Mine (31 page)

A shiver of arousal swept my body. The stubble only made him look more dangerous and rough…and I was curious to know what it would feel like against my skin. Another tremor racked my body and my eyes closed as I imagined his stubble rasping against my chest as his calloused hands slid over my bare thighs and his teeth grazed my nipples. I bit my lip to stifle a moan and forced myself to open my eyes.

I nearly groaned in frustration when my arousal only spiked higher at the sight before me. Stone was now examining his body, those gorgeous masculine hands now running over his torso to feel out any damage as he twisted slightly and more muscles in his back and sides stood to attention. I quietly ran back to my desk to get my camera…only to discover in horror that it was missing.

Shit! I’d left it at the bar last weekend. I gaped at the empty spot on the desk. I couldn’t believe I’d been so wrapped up in what Stone was doing to me, so distracted this week…that I’d not noticed its absence. I wanted to tear out of the building in my pyjamas, run the four blocks to the bar and demand why they hadn’t rung me about my precious, expensive camera. Common sense prevailed though. I grabbed for my mobile and sent Briar a text, asking her if anyone had remembered to grab my camera.

Briar was at the door in less than two minutes, a bewildered look on her face.

“Didn’t Candy give it to you?” she asked me, looking shocked, obviously because I hadn’t noticed until now.

“What?”

Briar frowned. “Alec grabbed it from the bar when he saw you and Stone leave last Saturday…he gave it to Candy Sunday morning because you and Stone were asleep.”

I blushed, wondering how long Candy had been in the room that morning, before she’d busted back in at lunch and roused us. My blush quickly turned to a frown though as I looked around the room. It was just like Candy to forget to tell me something, especially if she was distracted by an upcoming game or Mason. Where could she have put it? Why the hell didn’t she just put it on my desk where it normally goes?!!!

I started to walk around the room, trying to think like Candy. I glanced at her closet and smiled. That was where Candy kept everything. I glanced at my newly-full closet and quickly crossed to it, flinging open the door. There, among the rows of new shoes, was my camera case. I snatched it up with relief, hugging it to my chest and sitting heavily down on my bed. Thank fuck for that!

I took the camera out of its case, a sense of withdrawal making me eager to snap a photo, any photo. I glanced at the open door of the bathroom and grinned. I needed to take sneaky shots of Stone for my photo assignment anyway. Briar sent me an inquiring look, but I just smiled and crept to the door, keeping it only partially open as I lined up the shot. I frowned. I already had a shot from an open doorway. I glanced at the shower curtain and my grin returned. But how to get there without Stone noticing me?

I shrugged. Maybe if I just acted natural he wouldn’t notice? He was texting on his phone at the moment, his jeans in his hand, ready to be put back on. I walked quietly passed him and slid into the shower behind the curtain, training the lens on him and waiting for him to pull on his jeans (I didn’t want my professor looking at his sexy butt in those yummy boxer briefs).

I contemplated the shot, then, with a thrill of excitement, snapped the photo. If I was right, I’d just captured him touching his bruised jaw again with a glower, his sexy back in the view, whilst his battered front was reflected in the mirror for the camera. He turned to look at me with a scowl and I blinked innocently.

“Evie?” Briar called, “What are you doing?” She stepped through the open door and sent me a funny look, obviously wondering why I was standing in the shower, in my pyjamas and wielding my camera. Her eyes moved to Stone and she screeched.

Stone flinched and shot me a dark look as Briar flung herself at him.

“Oh hell, my poor GG,” she gasped, running her hands all over his naked torso. She gripped his chin and yanked it about as she examined his face. “Look what that asshole did to you!”

“Are you okay?” she asked in a motherly tone, wrapping her arms tightly around him. I saw his face flicker in a small wince as she crushed his bruised ribs.

“Bri, you’re hurting him,” I whispered, tugging at one of her arms gently. She let go immediately and grabbed his hand, dragging him back into my bedroom.

“You don’t have to drive me today,” she cooed, “I’ll get Alec to drive me.”

Stone’s expression cut off her next sentence before it even started. It appeared no one but him was going to drive his car, and he wasn’t going to take much more babying.

Briar glared at him, her hands on her hips. “Don’t you look at me like that Grant Graham Stone!”

I flinched, awed by her courage. I didn’t think I’d ever be brave enough to yell at Stone like that.

Stone didn’t change his look and Briar huffed.

“You’re such a stupid…Man!” she growled, “It doesn’t make you any less scary if you let someone look after you.”

Stone’s eyes narrowed slightly. I don’t need looking after, they growled back at Bri. She sighed in defeat and ran her eyes over his cuts.

“Did you at least let Evie take care of you last night?” she asked, flicking a glance at me. Stone’s eyes flashed with heat and I blushed as the corner of his mouth titled in the start of a wicked smile. Briar’s eyes narrowed as she glanced between us, before her own lips twitched and her demeanour suddenly changed.

“Out,” she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. No longer babying, she gave Stone a hard push. I saw the surprise flicker in his eyes for a moment, before he dug in his heels so to speak and stayed firmly sitting - an unmovable rock.

“Out!” Briar said yet more firmly, pointing at the door, “I have to help Evie pack for your trip and then I’ll let you drive me to the airport.”

Stone eyed her a moment longer, before sighing and grabbing his shirt, obediently heading out my door, without looking back.

“How do you do that?” I whispered in awe.

Briar snorted. “Stone’s a big softy,” she said with a laugh, “You should see him play Barbies with Wendy.”

I gaped at her, unable to picture Stone’s huge body crouched on the floor of his little sister’s bedroom, holding a Barbie doll and trying to do the little voices. None of my brothers had ever played Barbies with me. For a year or two Charlie had played with me, but the closest thing after that was the younger triplets barging in with their G.I. Joes and trashing my hand-me-down Barbie mansion (Charlie’s, not tom-boy Vicky’s). I think Cooper might have played with Charlie a few times…but never with me, and I strongly suspected Cooper made her play Lego to make up for it.

Briar looked back at my stunned expression and frowned. “Don’t you dare tell anyone that or Stone will kill me,” she said quickly, actually looking a little worried, “Besides, Wendy gave up on that pretty quickly because Stone refused to do any voice but Ken’s…and he wasn’t exactly…”

Briar broke off, searching for a word to describe his lack of Barbie-playing enthusiasm. She didn’t need to though…I understood.

“I won’t tell,” I promised. I laughed in my head. Tell someone? Was she crazy?!

“Good,” she said, ending the discussion. She hauled out one of my suitcases, pulled out my underwear draw, and threw the closet doors open wide. “Time to pack,” she said with a grin, heading straight for the underwear.

Great.

“Briar,” I whispered, shifting uncomfortably, “I’m nervous.”

“About sex?” she asked with a frown.

Well, yes…but not what I meant. I shook my head.

“About…going away with the boys and Fredi,” I admitted shyly, “It will be weird without you or Candy…what if they ignore me?”

Briar laughed and hugged me tightly.

“No chance of that Evie,” she reassured me, her amusement plain, “No chance of that.”

***

The band and I left early the next morning, Stone driving his black muscle car with me in the passenger seat and Alec, Fredi and Donny cramped in the back seat (Jamie had elected to stay and party with Candy and Mason). I glanced back at them and frowned. Alec was sitting in the middle, with Fredi and Donny sitting on either side. Both Fredi and Donny had their iPods on, oblivious to my stare.

“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable if Fredi sat in the middle?” I asked Alec quietly, before glancing at the rear-view mirror. “Can you see over Alec’s head?” I asked Stone.

He turned his head to look at me as Alec laughed and we came to a stop at a red light. I followed Stone’s eyes to Fredi, and then Donny, before his eyes moved back to mine. Oh, I mouthed, as realisation hit. Stone’s pointed stare told me, in no-uncertain terms, that there was no way he was driving all the way to Darwin with Fredi and Donny bickering. I frowned as I looked back at the road and we started moving again. How the hell did they get through a band practice? And why didn’t Stone just sit Fredi in the front?

Stone slid his aviators on as we left the city limits and the sun blared more brightly as it rose. His hand came to rest on my thigh and he gave it a very small squeeze, his eyes not leaving the highway in front of us. I smiled to myself and switched my brain off, wiggling into my seat more and relaxing as I listened to the road trip songs blaring through the speakers. Credence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ came on and, when Alec started singing along, Fredi and Donny eased their earphones out to hear what was happening. They grinned simultaneously and joined in, making me laugh even though I was envious that they all had such great voices. Stone smiled vaguely and drummed his fingers on both the steering wheel and my leg in time with the music.

“C’mon Evie!” Donny coaxed, leaning against the back of my chair and wrapping his arms around me. I giggled and joined in softly, feeling more confident as their singing turned from artful to just plain shouting.

- “There’s a bad moon on the rise!” -

***

The drive took us all day. Of course, we did stop quite a few times so that the cramped people in the back seat could stretch their legs, and so that I could take pictures of the landscape. Despite the stops, we were all relieved when we finally arrived in the outskirts of Darwin. As soon as we parked in our allotted spot, everyone scurried out of the car, eager for fresh air, dinner and a shower.

Everyone grabbed their bags (Stone carrying mine as well) and Alec slipped inside the office to grab our hut keys. From what I’d actually listened to, I knew that we had two, small, air-conditioned huts booked for four nights. I’d assumed I’d be bunking with Fredi when I learned that, but Alec tossed a key at Stone, while he held onto the other. Stone, barely encumbered by my suitcase and his large backpack, grabbed my hand and led me toward the row of huts. I blinked, not quite believing that Stone and I would be having a hut to ourselves, while Fredi, Donny and Alec shared the other.

The wooden huts were fairly small, square buildings that were propped about a foot off the ground. Each had a small front porch that held a rectangular table and four chairs. The rooves were triangular, the apex high and thus, likely much more comfortable for people as tall as Stone. He passed me the key and I nervously unlocked the door, gently pushing it wide open so that I could see inside.

Stone pushed past gently and I followed hesitantly, watching as he dropped our bags by a blue and green quilted queen bed. To my immediate right was a triple bunk, obviously meant for children when families stayed here. To my left was a small bathroom, and along the right wall, next to the bunks, was a small kitchenette, with a round table and four chairs in the middle of the room. Beyond that, was the bed, with a wardrobe and TV opposite it. I saw a curtain next to the closest bedside table and realised the bed could be screened for privacy.

I heard the door open in the hut beside us and Donny shout that he and Fredi would claim the queen bed.

“As if Donovan,” I heard her retort faintly, “I get the bed and you losers are using the bunks.”

“Why do you get the bed?” Donny snapped back.

“Because she’s the girl,” I heard Alec growl, “Stop fighting or you’re both sleeping outside.”

I giggled quietly and stopped in front of Stone, who was standing beside the bed. I looked at it warily, my palms sweating a little in anticipation of the night to come. I wondered how soon it would start. After dinner? After a shower? …Right now?

I glanced up at Stone to find him staring down at me, an intense expression on his face. I swallowed nervously as his hands rose to grip my hips and slowly draw me towards him. His hands slid to my ass once I was pressed against him and his mouth lowered to scatter small kisses from the base of my neck to my ear. My heart pounded as his lips parted, my nerves tingled in anticipation of hearing his gruff voice – of what he might say…