Just A Step Away (Closer) (10 page)

Chapter 15

~Lucas~

“What the hell, Hoss? You’re killin’ the dogs!”

Willard was a certifiable idiot. Anyone who knew how to ‘que it up knew that burgers and hot dogs tasted better when they were dark and crispy all the way around.

“We made them like this when I was a kid.” I shrugged and regarded the slightly darkened wieners. “They were good.”

He came up beside me, nudging me to the side with his big ass arm. “Some goddamn ass clown must’ve told ya how to work a damn grill, because that,” he said, waving his hand wildly around the pit, “is not how ya make a hot dog. It looks like a burnt turd!”

I stood back and crossed my arms. Willard was getting on my last fucking nerve. And not only that, I was starting to wonder where Lanie was. As much as she hated her cousin, those two had been gone, together, for hours. If she took any longer to get there and save me, her brother was going to get gut checked.

“So, Hoss, have ya thought about that little thing we talked about?”

“I don’t think it’s such a good idea. That shit could end badly.”

“For who? I ain’t worried about us,” he said, shaking his head. “All I’m thinkin’ is how beet red that evil bitch is gonna be when we do it. And I think I got some of my boys on board with it, too. That shit right there is gonna be fuckin’ epic!”

Okay. One: what Willard had asked me to do was something I would’ve done back in college. Two: doing this certain something in front of Lanie’s family, no matter how crazy they were, was not my idea of a good time. And three: we could very well get arrested, and there was no way in hell that I wanted to ever end up in hillbilly jail.

Ever.

“Can’t you figure out something else?”

Willard flashed a devious smile. “Yeah. I’d thought about throwin’ some horse shit in her burger, but the dumb ass probably won’t know the difference. And then there was that whole thing with the itching powder, but what I have in mind is gonna kick some major ass.”

“We could get arrested, dude. Seriously, figure something else out.”

“Ya think too much, Hoss.” Willard actually turned his nose up at my response, and went back to roasting his dogs. And the fucker was good at blackmail. He was about to prove it. “Remember the deal we had?”

I hated him. So much
hate
!

“If ya don’t, I’ll tell Mama.”

Asshole!

“Fine.” I leaned in close to his ear, pissed off to no end. “But if my ass gets hauled off to prison, you better bail me out.”

He waved me off. “A pretty boy like you? Ya sure to end up someone’s honey. You’ll be alright.”

A thousand ways on how to murder the bastard popped up in my head right before the distinct sounds of giggles drifted our way. Lanie and Jasmine were wearing full, cheeky smiles, and to be honest, it completely threw me off. My first thought was that they’d taken some seriously heavy drugs to be that friendly with each other, or that they committed some sort of crime together and had gotten away with it. Whatever was going on, those two were all chummy.

“Hey you.”

My dick started acting like a damn Jack in the Box, knocking against the seam of my jeans. Her smile always made my blood run thick and hot through my veins. And the way her eyes sparkled when she was happy made my skin freaking tingle. Jesus, if I could’ve bottled that look on her face right then, I would have kept it well hidden and preserved for the spank bank later.

“What did she give you?” I asked, raising my brow.

Lanie playfully slapped my arm and smiled yet again. “Nothing. I’m just happy to see you, is all.”

She was happy to see me. Now that did shit to my balls
and
my dick. And for the love of everything that was sinful, that smile was definitely going to be the death of me.

“You left me alone this morning.”

“Are you whining? Because I thought that you’d wake up,” she said, running her hand down my back and sliding her palm across my ass. She got up on her tip toes and whispered in my ear, “A happy camper.”

Yep. My cock and the spank bank definitely had a date later.

“What the fuck is Jasmine the Evil Devil Bitch so happy about? And why in the fuck were ya touching her?” Willard shuddered. “Ya better go see Doc Parsons. Ya might’ve caught scabies from that beast.”

“Easy, Willard,” Lanie said, sliding over to her brother and wrapping her arm around his big ass shoulders. “We have an understanding. We’re cool now.”

“Whatever. “Willard scowled in Jasmine’s direction. “And by the way, Dad caught Hoss over here naked in the barn. Shit was funny as hell.”

Lanie’s eyes went wide, and then shifted toward me. Her face was comical. “What? Um…why were you naked in the barn, Sparky?” She gave me a look that clearly said, “
You better play along
”
.

“He knows, Lanie.” I pointedly looked at Willard. “He figured it out. Or, he blackmailed me into telling him the truth.”

Her face blanched when her brother shot her a sly, sideways grin. It was the first time I’d ever saw Lanie at a loss for words. Willard began to say something, but Lanie threw her arms up and huffed. “Please don’t say anything. Please, Willie.”

“Oh, I’m not gonna tell. Ya see, me and Hoss here have a, what did ya call it, an understandin’?”

Lanie looked between the two of us and narrowed her eyes. It was a look I’d see a thousand times over since she and I had become roommates. Every time she suspected me of being up to no good, she narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

“I don’t know what the two of you are up to, but I seriously hope it doesn’t cause too much damage.” She looked at me with knowing eyes and it kind of scared the shit out of me. “I have to go get ready.”

Neither of us could get a word out in response before Lanie took off to catch up with Jasmine, pointing two fingers to her eyes, basically letting us know that she had her eye on us.

“Yo, Hossy.” Willard jabbed me in the side with his elbow, nodding his head as he looked over at the two women, his cousin in particular, “We’re doin’ this shit. Tomorrow.”

~

Around five o’clock the rest of the wedding party started filing into the backyard, and the afternoon went on as planned. I truly felt out of my element with all the different faces wandering around; some old, some new, and a ton of little kids running around screaming like a bunch of lunatics.

I had to give it to Willard, though. He’d cooked up a mean ass spread that I appreciatively ate, inhaling what had to be the best damn barbecue I had ever tasted.

But not before he yelled out to the entire wedding party, “It’s gonna be like the mutherfucking Klumps up in here. That’s right, bitches, move outta my way, cause’ I’m about to eat the shit outta this food!” And he did. Willard literally wolfed down five hot dogs and three fully loaded double-decker hamburgers, with a double side helping of potato salad and three slices of grilled French bread.

I was impressed and grossed out all at the same time.

“Can I please get everybody’s attention please?”

I hadn’t realized that Lanie had left my side when I looked up and saw her standing front and center at the head of the outstretched table. She looked gorgeous, wearing a light yellow, flower printed sun dress. Her long brown hair was pulled up into a wavy up-do. She had pinned in place with clips matching her dress, the rose she had wedged close to her ear was perfect. She looked amazing, and seeing her made my cock impossibly hard.

Lanie went through her speech, thanking everyone for coming and being a part of Jasmine and Mitchell’s wedding. As I scanned the people around me, I noticed a vast difference. While Jasmine’s family was camouflage and big ass belt buckles; Mitchell’s family was all Prada and Jimmy Choos. They reminded me a lot of my family, something that I didn’t want to think about.

“If everyone’s done with dinner, we’d like to get started with the—”

“Hold on! Give me two seconds to get over there. Oh for the love of God, is that cow shit on my heel?”

About a dozen heads whipped toward the house. I bent my head and chuckled out loud when I saw who had arrived. If Lanie thought that things were going to move slowly, she was in for a big surprise.

“Who the hell is that?”

I almost spit my gulp of beer across the table when I saw the look on Willard’s face. “Oh, no. I wouldn’t think about it if I were you. That one,” I said, pointing to the new arrival. “…is the equivalent of a succubus. She’s been known to drain em’ till they’re dry, my man. You aren’t ready for that shit.”

“Oh
…” Willard raised a brow, giving the leggy woman a once over, “I’m so damn ready for that.”

I pulled in my bottom lip and shook my head. Things were about to get interesting.

“Hook me up, Hoss.”

I scrunched my brows together. “What?”

“Hook. Me. Up.”

I shook my head. “I’m telling you, man, you do not want any part of that. She will eat you alive.” I had no doubt that Deena would give Willard a run for his money.

“Look, Hoss.” Willard got close enough to me that when he spoke, nobody else would be able to hear him. “I want everything to do with that saucy, fiery broad. So, unless ya want me to spill your secret, you’ll hook me up. Comprende?”

This dude was going to get gut checked. “Wait. You said that all I had to do was what you asked me to do at the wedding. Now you’re adding this shit? Really? That’s fucked up.”

“Rules have changed, Hossy.” Willard pointed over to Deena. “I want fire. Give me fire, Hoss, or upset Mama. You pick.”

“You’re an asshole,” I said, shoving past him.

“Fire, Hoss!”

I slid up beside Lanie and Deena, ignoring Willard’s demand. When I touched Lanie on the arm, she flinched, turned her head to look at me, and leaned into my shoulder. “Hey. You okay?” I hated when she was under duress. I leaned in close to her ear. “You need to take a break?”

“Well hello there,
Sparky
.”

My nostrils flared when my nickname spewed from the fire breathing dragon. “Deena.”

“So have you given up the golden peen to my gal over here? From the looks of things, she could really use a good banging.”

Just as I was about to rip her a new one, Lanie piped up, putting a stop to her friend’s badgering. “We’ll talk later, Dee. But right now, I need to walk away. So can you please introduce yourself and inform everyone on what’s going to happen tomorrow? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Sure thing, Boss Lady. Go handle that beef whistle. I got this.”

I grasped Lanie’s hand and led her away from the wedding party. I knew of a secluded area down by the lake; I’d discovered last night when I was taking a walk. As we moved farther from the group, Lanie’s fingers tightened around my hand. If we were back in LA and she came home stressed out from work, I’d always rub her feet and run her a bubble bath. They were stupid gestures on my part, but I had always hoped that she’d see them as more.

“Where are we going?”

I didn’t respond to her question, just continued to lead us in the direction of the lake. I had something in mind that I knew would definitely relieve her stress.

“Lucas?”

My name dripping off her tongue made my cock rise to attention. There was just something about hearing it from her mouth, and the way she said it, delicate and low, that had me in knots. The woman had no clue what she did to me. Being around her always made me feel alive. There’s never a day that goes by that I don’t want to be close to her, caressing her, fucking loving her. And as we reached the spot near the lake that was exactly what I was going to do: love her.

“Lucas.”

I backed her up against a large oak tree. My fingers slid up her sides until they reached her cheeks. I cupped the sides of her face and pulled her in for a deep, searing kiss. She tasted so good on my lips. I continued to let my mouth work her plump lips, sliding my hands down over her breasts, grasping one, until the greedy fingers of my other hand reached the hem of her sun-dress. I wanted her. Every part. I hooked my fingers around the center of her panties and pulled them to the side.

“Oh, fuck,” Lanie whimpered, pulling back from the kiss. “Lucas, we can’t.”

“The fuck we can’t.” I pressed my lips against her collarbone and ran my tongue across her skin. “I’m going to finger fuck your pussy, baby, but you
are
going to come in my mouth.”

“Shit, fine, yes. Make me come.”

I quickly dipped two fingers in between her folds. She was already wet, drenching, and I smiled against her neck. Her body was so in tune to my touch that it made my cock swell even further. I rocked my erection against her, trying to find a small sliver of friction. I wanted to be inside of her so badly that it hurt.

I continued to drive my fingers into her pussy, causing her to writhe against them. Working the material of her dress down, I filled my hand with her breast, kneading and caressing her milky white flesh. I was instantly ravenous, and my mouth watered. Moving my lips over her exposed nipple, I sucked it into my mouth, flicking the tight, hard bud with the tip of my tongue.