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  I coughed awkwardly and snuck a glance at Stone. “Is, um, this the first time you’ve come to watch Fredi play?” I asked, wondering why they’d been so surprised to see him.

  His face shuttered and his lips thinned as though he was trying to think up an appropriate answer (with as little words as possible).

  “I used to sit there,” he said gruffly, pointing to a small table hidden in the shade of a tree.

  I brightened, “Do you want to sit there now? It will be out of the sun.”

  He shook his head and gestured towards a blonde, who was practicing shots at one of the goals.

  Chloe.

  Then I got it. He’d come to watch Chloe play when they’d been dating. That’s why everyone was surprised to see him here.

  His lips kicked up at one corner as he took a box of Smarties from his pocket. “Used to go through a whole fucking packet of smokes,” he grumbled.

  I attempted a smile in return, feeling a little better. He’d hated coming with Chloe, but he’d come with me…and, so far, he wasn’t reaching for his smokes.

  He leant back against the row above us and spread his arms out, pulling me back into the crook of one. He slid a brand new pair of aviators over his eyes and stretched out his long legs. A tall blonde tripped over her own feet, too busy admiring the way he looked. I giggled and tried to hide the smile on my face (I didn’t want the poor girl to think I was laughing at her).

  Candy waved cheerfully at me and I raised a hand back, snuggling up against Stone’s side and taking some of the Smarties he offered me. We watched the game in comfortable silence, though I did hiss quietly a few times whenever the girls got a little too violent. After the second quarter (half-time), I glanced up at Stone to ask if he wanted something to drink, but instead, found myself frowning at his scalp.

  “Did you bring a hat?” I asked quietly. His head turned my way, but I couldn’t see his eyes through the glasses. He didn’t say anything, he just waited.

  I bit my lip and tentatively touched a hand to his very short hair. It felt hot. I examined the clipped lengths thoughtfully, wondering if they were long enough to protect his scalp, or short enough for me to rub sunscreen in.

  Stone kept waiting.

  “Do…Do you want me to rub sunscreen on your head?” I whispered.

  His lips parted and I took that small movement to be the equivalent of his jaw dropping. I waited nervously and, eventually, his mouth closed. Just above his glasses, his eyebrow cocked in challenge and then he was pulling his shirt off and leaning back with a smug tilt of his lips. It was my turn to be shocked. My mouth fell open…so did very other female’s present.

  He watched me, waiting. Even with his glasses on, I knew what his eyes were saying. He was waiting for me to get out the sunscreen and rub him down. I glanced down his body, at his hard pecs, his ripped stomach and bulging arms. I swallowed.

  Oh, fuck me I couldn’t touch that in public. There was no way I was going to be able to rub cream into all that muscle - feel it tense and slide beneath my fingers.

  Shit, I was getting hot just thinking about it.

  “I’m thirsty,” I said quickly, getting up and nearly running over to Candy.

  ***

  “Hi there Evie,” Candy greeted me cheerfully, handing me a cup of cordial from one of the coolers, “I didn’t know Stone was coming with you.”

  “Oh,” I stammered, “He came to watch Fredi.”

  Fredi snorted as she joined us, “Yeah right.”

  I shrugged and took a small sip of my drink.

  “What’s with the yummy show he’s putting on?” Candy asked, looking him up and down as he relaxed in the stands without his shirt, looking like he owned the place.

  “Oh,” I stammered again, “Sunscreen. I, uh, just needed a drink first.”

  Fredi burst out laughing and gave me a one-armed hug. “Priceless,” she muttered.

  “Why doesn’t Briar play?” I asked, steering the conversation away from Stone.

  Fredi grinned and shook her head, “Briar’s not very good at team sports. She shows up in ‘cute little athletic outfits’ she makes and gets way too aggressive.”

  I hid a smile at Fredi calling anyone too aggressive. Fredi and Candy were pretty wild on the court.

  Candy’s gaze narrowed on something behind me and I turned to look. I growled and crushed my cup on possessive instinct…before reminding myself that Stone wasn’t mine. Still…we were exclusively-casually-sleeping together…I think. So Chloe had no right to be trailing her finger down Stone’s chest and offering him her water. And he had better tell her to stop it soon.

  “Well,” Candy demanded, “Aren’t you going to do something?”

  “Like what?”

  Fredi rolled her eyes and gave me a gentle push, “Go get her off your man.”

  “He’s not my-”

  “Evie!” Candy snapped, taking me by the shoulders, “Go get that slutty, big-breasted cow off of Stone!!”

  “Cows have udders,” I muttered, but hurried off to do just that.

  ***

  Chloe was avoiding Stone’s gaze as she touched his stomach muscles and purred some nonsense. As I got closer, I could see why. He was sending her a big, fat ‘Fuck off’ with those stormy greys, his glasses now on his head.

  “Stone, honey, you should let me rub some sunscreen on you,” I heard her say with a sultry laugh, “I’m sure my new boyfriend won’t mind. We’re friends after all…And I can’t just let my friend burn his big, beautiful body.”

  Stone scowled and Chloe giggled with delight, obviously thinking he was jealous of her new man. He looked over at me, standing just behind Chloe, and he relaxed back in his seat, clearly not feeling guilty, but instead looking relieved I’d turned up. He watched me carefully, curiously, as if he was dying to know just how I’d react.

  I waited too. I waited for him to push her away, or for Chloe to realise I was there.

  Finally, Chloe glanced back at me.

  “Hi Eva,” she said with a smirk, “I was just telling Stone he needs to wear sunscreen.”

  Stone is a big boy and can do whatever he wants.

  “I’ve got it,” I said cautiously, sitting down beside Stone and taking the sunscreen out of my bag.

  “Two hands are better than one,” she said with a veiled glare, reaching toward the sunscreen.

  “I have two hands Chloe,” I told her quietly.

  Her mouth dropped open and Stone chuckled, just as the whistle blew for the game to resume play. Chloe sent me a look that promised retribution, but smiled at Stone before she flounced away.

  I glanced back at Stone’s chest; still not feeling composed enough to touch him. He took pity on me though; obviously satisfied that he’d tested my limits enough for one day. He pulled his shirt back on and took the cream from me, covering his forearms, face and neck.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, knowing he wouldn’t have normally bothered with sun safety.

  He kissed my temple in response and pulled me back into the crook of his arm to watch the rest of the game.

  ***

  “You’re coming with us next week aren’t you Evie?”

  Huh?

  At dinner on Tuesday, my head abruptly snapped up, startled at being addressed. I hadn’t been listening to the conversation and had no idea what was happening next week. Donny was looking at me expectantly, so were Jamie and Alec.

  I frowned. “Next week is break week isn’t it?” I said, trying to remember if they’d mentioned going back to Sydney or something. There was no way I was letting them pay for me to go again. Besides, I’d planned to visit Logan next week.

  Briar rolled her eyes. “Yes, Evie,” she said with a laugh, “But where are you going?”

  “Why would I be going somewhere?” I asked softly, nervously expecting her to demand I come to Sydney with her.

  “Have you been listening at all?” Fredi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “No,” I admitted sheepishly.
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  Donny laughed, “We’re all going up to Darwin for the week. We’re staying at a resort on the outskirts of the city.”

  “Oh,” I said anxiously, staring at the table and trying to think of an excuse not to go. I knew which resort they were talking about and it was far too close to town for my liking. I had four brothers still in Darwin and they were all overprotective. They would be pissed if they knew I was staying at a resort with these boys.

  Paul, the soon to be teacher, was seriously protective of me. I was his only younger sister and, with the older siblings away, he felt it was his duty to be the big man of the house. Jake, Mike and Luke weren’t so bad. Well, not until recently anyway. They and Cooper were the only ones in my family that knew about Ben. The triplets had beaten the crap out of him when he dumped me for another girl (after he’d cheated on me several times). I’d had to do all of their chores for a month to keep them from telling Paul or any of the others.

  “C’mon Evie,” Fredi coaxed, “I’m going to be the only chick if you don’t come.”

  “What?” I whispered.

  “I’m going home to re-celebrate my eighteenth with my family,” Briar said cheerfully.

  Crap. I didn’t think I could handle a whole week with the boys and Fredi without Briar.

  Stone’s arm went around me and I looked up into his face. Big mistake. His eyes were telling me to go with them. With him. I swallowed, knowing that we’d be staying in our own room…with a double bed…for several nights.

  “Please come with us Evie,” Alec asked quietly.

  Damn it!

  “Okay,” I sighed.

  I’d have to go see Logan this week instead.

  …I just hoped that I wouldn’t see any more of my brothers next week.

  ***

  “What’s up little sis?” Logan answered his phone on the second ring the next morning.

  “Are you working today?” I asked, grateful that lectures had been cancelled that day.

  “Nope,” he replied curiously, “But I go on call at midnight.”

  “Can I come over?”

  There was a pause on the other end of the line, then I heard muffled voices talking in the background.

  “I can come and get you in an hour,” he finally said with a sigh.

  I frowned. He didn’t seem too enthusiastic. Was his girlfriend over? Did he not want me to meet her? Why not? I was hardly an intimidating person.

  “If you’re busy than that’s fine,” I whispered uncertainly.

  “It’s cool Eve,” he said quickly, “See you soon.”

  He hung up.

  Forty-five minutes later he was waiting for me in the car park.

  “Hey,” he greeted me with a small smile and a quick kiss on the cheek, “Have you not got classes today?”

  “Cancelled,” I told him, buckling myself in.

  “Ah,” he said with a nod, driving out of the lot and out then out of the university.

  “So what do you want to do today?” he asked.

  I shrugged and then took a deep breath. “Why don’t you introduce me to your girlfriend?” I suggested, “Is she working today?”

  Logan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel and he waited nearly a whole minute to answer me.

  “I’m not sure that’s such a great idea Evie,” he said slowly, “We’re…having issues.”

  “Oh,” I whispered, “Did you want to talk about it?”

  He shot me a hard look and I took that as a no.

  “Don’t even think of mentioning her to Mum,” he warned me, his voice low, “Or Coop.”

  I wouldn’t dare but, being a sneaky younger sister, I couldn’t help but milk it for a little more information.

  “Only if you tell me her name,” I said firmly.

  He grinned at me. “Good try sis,” he said with a laugh, “I know you won’t tell.”

  I jutted my chin out stubbornly. “I will!”

  Logan just laughed.

  “Fine,” I said, not giving up, “I will teach you to cook if you tell me her name.”

  “You’ll teach me anyway,” he replied happily, clearly enjoying our little sibling game.

  “Logannnn,” I whined playfully, pouting and making puppy eyes at him.

  He laughed harder as we pulled to a stop in his driveway. He looked at my pleading face again and rolled his eyes. “Don’t laugh,” he warned me.

  I blinked. Why would I laugh?

  “Her name’s Ivy.”

  I scrunched up my face in thought. What’s so funny about that?

  “I don’t get it,” I said finally.

  Logan looked at me with disbelief and got out of the car. With a laugh, he leant back in before he closed the door and asked, “What’s our last name Evie?”

  Vine.

  “Ohhh,” I said suddenly, blushing at my own stupidity and hurrying out of the car.

  Ivy Vine.

  Not that the name was hilariously funny or embarrassing. Just a little amusing. It would have been more amusing if our last name was Shrub or something.

  Ha ha, Ivy Shrub.

  I paused on my way into the house.

  Did that mean Logan was thinking of marrying her?

  Uh-uh. No way. Not Logan.

  But then…he did buy this house…

  “Evie! You can take pictures of my garden later. Hurry up!” my brother called from the kitchen.

  I quickly shut the front door and made my way through the house, pushing my thoughts to the side and concentrating on teaching him to cook.

  NINETEEN

  Chapter 19

  I dressed carefully before going to the bar on Saturday night. Stone hadn’t paid much attention to my lingerie yet, usually because I’d changed into my pyjamas before he made it to my room and I hadn’t been brave enough to wear any sexy sleep-wear yet. Tonight though, I was going to wear some of my sexy black lace beneath my clothes…and then let him see me in just that when we got back to my room. I couldn’t wait to see his reaction to my black, lacy g-string (yes, I was feeling especially brave) and matching push up bra.

  I looked myself over in the mirror and decided that I looked pretty good.

  I’m a smoking hot sex goddess

  I’m a smoking hot sex goddess

  I’m a smoking hot sex goddess

  I chanted to myself silently, trying on the whole ‘positive reinforcement’ thing.

  Candy bustled into the room and stopped dead in her tracks.

  “Damn girl!” she said with a grin, “You should try out for Victoria Secret.”

  “Shut up,” I mumbled with a blush, but smiled at her gratefully.

  I hesitated a moment, then asked nervously, “Do you think Stone will like it?”

  Candy choked on a laugh and looked at me with disbelief. “Are you crazy? Any guy would drool if he saw you in that.”

  She laughed again and shook her head, “Hell, you should probably avoid Fredi seeing that too.”

  I frowned, “But Fredi isn’t really a lesbian.”

  “Exactly,” Candy said with a wink, “That’s how hot you look.”

  “Oh,” I whispered, biting my lip shyly.

  She wiggled her eyebrows comically and lowered her voice to a teasing whisper, “Is Stone getting lucky then tonight?”

  I hesitated, not quite sure I’d made the decision myself.

  “I think so,” I said slowly, feeling excitement bubble up in my chest, “Probably.”

  Candy grinned wickedly and picked my phone up. “Strike a pose,” she said excitedly, training the camera lens on me.

  “Why?” I asked warily.

  “Briar should see you in this,” Candy said innocently.

  I laughed, knowing how hyper Briar would get when she received the photo. I swept my hair atop my head with my hands and pouted playfully as Candy snapped the picture. I bounced onto the bed to look at the photo and laughed with Candy at how corny it was.

  “Okay, send it to Briar,” I giggled.

  Can
dy watched me for a few seconds then shook her head.

  “I think we should send it to Stone,” she winked at me.