The Bad Boys of Summer Anthology(246)

I laughed. So Montana did know I was trying to get under Grendel’s skin. “I’m not an asshole. I just know it’s killing him to think I’ve rejected him for you. He’s been rubbing his skank in my face all day, and it’s truly annoying.”

Still laughing, Montana and I climbed into the truck and took the back row with Roy. Of course Roy took a window seat, and to make things less awkward, Montana sat in the middle, but I didn’t let Roy bother me like usual. This afternoon was going to be… interesting, and I was ready for Gage’s reactions toward my fake date.



After picking up a striped black-and-white bathing suit from one of the stores nearby, the boys and I were at Cocoa Beach. It was beautiful, temperature blazing, and my sunglasses were definitely necessary. What weren’t necessary were the millions of chicks in bikinis that the boys had invited. There were a few guys as well, but they barely stood out among the flocks of girls waiting around for attention with bottles and cups of beer in hand.

“All right, Miss Eliza,” Montana said, rubbing his hands together. “Do your worst. We’ve gotta make this quick, though, ‘cause—” Montana stopped talking rapidly as a girl in a black G-string bikini walked by, her skin shiny from tanning oils. She giggled over her shoulder, red cup in hand, as Montana stared directly at her ass. I rolled my eyes as he practically drooled. I then snapped my fingers in front of his face, breaking him out of his horny state of mind.

“Get it together, Montana,” I sighed.

He shook his head, still staring at her ass. “Sorry, but that one’s mine. Let’s make this quick. Please?” he begged, turning around to hold on to my shoulders. Just as he’d placed his hands on me, Gage stepped by with a new chick on his arm. Typical.

He paused in front of us, staring at Montana’s long, tanned arms stretched out toward me. His hands gripped my shoulders and we were only a few inches apart. From a bystander’s point of view, it looked like we were about to kiss and then hug, and I could see in Gage’s eyes that was exactly what he thought.

The girl on his arm hugged against him, probably aiming to never let go. If she were to let go, he would have most likely found another chick to fondle. It made me giggle thinking how stupid and naïve she was. It made me giggle even more as Gage frowned at Montana. “Ready?” Montana asked, hooking his arm around my shoulders.

I nodded at him, smiling. “Yep.” I smiled warmly at Gage, but his eyes were stern, cold. Montana gave him a playful punch in the arm, but Gage’s frown deepened. “He looks really mad,” I said as soon as we were out of earshot.

“It’s your point, right? To piss him off?”

“A little, but not too much. I don’t want him too mad.”

“Gage’ll be fine. You’re making him realize his balls aren’t as big as he thinks they are. He’s one cocky fucker.” Montana released me as we met up at the jet skis. After we strapped up in our lifejackets and I pulled my hair up into a tight ponytail, Montana stepped ahead of me. “You know how to work one of these things?” he asked, fiddling with one of the handlebars.

“No.” I shrugged. “But it can’t be too hard. I’ll give it a shot.”

“Oh, good ‘cause I know nothing about this shit. If we end up wrecking, you’ll take full blame and Ben will pay it off.”

I laughed, stepping past him to climb on. As I did, a jet ski appeared beside us and girly giggling caused me to turn. Gage floated in next to us, a cocky smile on his lips as he looked directly into my eyes. He didn’t look away as he strapped on his lifejacket, ran his fingers through his hair, and then pulled the girl in by the waist. Her annoying giggles chimed again, but I rolled my eyes, gripping the bars of our jet ski.

“How about a race?” Gage asked. “It’ll be just like lawn mower racing… on water.” He winked at me, but I frowned, reliving our night of square dancing and the kiss that almost happened. “Hop on, baby,” Gage said to the girl, his eyes still locked on mine. “You know I like it from the back.”

I rolled my eyes again, looking at Montana, who was staring off. I looked back and saw the same girl with the black G-string. Ugh, men. “Montana, come on,” I said, snapping my fingers in his face again.

“Oh, right.” He climbed on behind me, hooking his arms around my middle. He placed his chin on my shoulder but kept his lower half a few inches away. “I won’t get too close,” he said in my ear.

I smiled over my shoulder before looking at Gage, who’d been staring at us the entire time. “So, about that race?” I asked, grinning.

He slid behind the brunette who had her fingers clutched around the handles. He then cupped her breasts with his hands, grinning over her shoulder. “Ready, baby?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

He looked at me just as I had shuddered and looked away.

“All right, get ready!” Montana yelled.

I clutched the handlebars, staring ahead.

“Set… GO!”

I sped off, leaving a splash of water to resemble my dust. I squeezed the gas lever as Montana hooted and hollered. Some water splashed onto us, but it felt nice along with the wind beneath the blazing sun. I’d put Gage and his skank to shame as I circled around and rushed forward. I thought they would at least catch up, but it wasn’t happening. As I looked back, it seemed the skank was whining, clutching the handle a little too tightly. She soon started complaining about her nails, waving them in the air dramatically. Gage rolled his eyes a dozen times before looking at me and narrowing his eyes as we rushed back to shore.

I laughed as we met at the shore and Montana hopped off immediately. “All right, Miss Eliza,” he said, unclipping his lifejacket. “It was nice fucking with Gage, but that hot chick over there is giving me the fuck-me eyes and I can’t afford to miss out. I’ll catch you later, I promise.”

He kissed my forehead playfully and then dashed away to get to the blonde in the G-string. I knew Gage caught Montana’s playful kiss on my forehead because his deep voice asked, “You’re interested in Montana?”

Gage was a few steps away, his head cocked and his eyes narrowed again. His skank was still sitting on the wave runner, sighing over her broken nail, her bottom lip poked out.

“I’m not.” I smirked, climbing off, and unclipped my jacket. I pulled it over my head and sauntered toward the stand where they’d been hanging. When I hung it up and turned around, Gage stood a step away, his head tilted.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You and Montana. What is it?”

“Montana and I are just friends.”

He laughed dryly, running a hand through his untamed hair. As he lifted his arms, his muscles tensed, and I inhaled to keep myself steady. He had a body to die for… ink I wanted to lick away, but I couldn’t fall for it. I didn’t want to. I couldn’t stand him. “Friends? That’s funny. Friends don’t flirt.”

“So you’re upset we’re flirting?”

“Well… yeah, ‘cause you said before you weren’t interested in him. Flirting means interest.”

I folded my arms. “Never said I wasn’t interested in him, actually.”

“Seems like there’s more between you two.” His eyes hardened as he took another step forward. My breathing became heavier as he closed the space between us, bringing a hand up to cap my shoulder. His hand on my skin was bringing even more warmth to my body. It was hot as hell outside, but with him this close, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I were to suddenly combust. “You’re mad about my girls?” he asked, smiling.

“They’re not your girls,” I muttered, aiming to remain confident.

“They’re my girls, all right. You could be as well.”

“I want nothing to do with you, Gage. What part of ‘we’re friends’ do you not understand?”

“Why can’t you just flirt around with me like you do with Montana?”

I stifled a laugh, pulling away from him. I wonder if he realized how desperate he sounded. “Gage—”

“Ellie,” he interrupted. “What’s so bad about me? I’ll let you know right now that Montana is ten times worse than I could ever be. You see how he left you for another chick. You really want that?”

“Montana and I are just friends, just as you and I are—and I’m sure you’d do the exact same thing he did. I don’t care what either of you do. You’re both my friends.”

He pressed his lips, his hazel eyes expanding. “You always say that, but I find it hard to believe.”

I frowned. “Why?”

Smirking, he leaned forward, brushing the tip of his nose across my cheek. My skin tingled, my breath catching as one of his hands moved down to my waist and then past the small of my back to cup my ass. I gasped as he chuckled. “I find it hard to believe because you’re always gasping… always holding off on your next breath to see what I’ll do. You may not notice it, but you always lean in, wanting some part of your body against mine.” I looked down, noticing how my chest had inched forward to press against his.