Chasing Ever After Read online

  I shook my head to try and rid my mind of those thoughts. Shit, like Spade said, there would be plenty of girls lining the beaches, no reason to be hung up on the one determined not to give me the time of day. I’d done everything I could to try and show her that I could be a nice guy, that I wasn’t the same as the jack ass in the seat next to me, but I was done putting in the effort when it obviously didn’t mean anything to her. I was ready for easy and uncomplicated. Bring on the skimpy bikinis and loose morals.

  Fuck. Even in that moment, I knew I was lying to myself. When Sadie was around, there was no one else. If the other guys knew that even after a year, almost two, I was still hung up on a girl who’d turned me down, I’d never hear the end of it. Well except Ky, he might get it, and fuck if that didn’t blow my damn mind. I never thought I’d see the day when he would be the understanding one of the bunch.

  If I hadn’t witnessed the whole thing with my own eyes, I still wouldn’t believe that, not only was he in a committed relationship, but the fucker was about to get married, like forever, ‘til death do us part.’ I honestly thought he’d be the last one, if ever, and here he was about to walk down the aisle, and I couldn’t be happier for my friend.

  It was a long road for him to get here, but I’d watched him go down like he’d been hit by a missile that first night he laid eyes on Jax. It was obvious she was something special and I might have even tried to start something up with her, except that I saw the way those two looked at each other, and knew it was only a matter of time before he realized he’d been graced by a real life angel and would never do better. Okay, so there was a while there when I thought he’d really blown it, but after seeing how miserable those two were without each other, I’d hoped he would get over himself and make that shit right. It took Jaxyn getting stabbed and almost losing her before he did, but that was behind us all now.

  “Stop it,” I heard Jaxyn giggle from the seat in front of mine, and then the sound of kissing followed for like the hundredth time since we switched planes at LAX.

  “Would you two cut that shit out and save it for the honeymoon?” Spade grumbled next to me. The two of them turned and poked their heads over the seat. Jaxyn had a sheepish look on her face, and a blush spreading over her cheeks, but Ky, the bastard, wore his usual dumb ass smirk.

  “Someday this will be you two assholes and you’ll get it, but until then don’t be bitter because you guys are stuck sitting with each other’s ugly asses.”

  Gee thanks for the reminder dickhead, as if listening to the two of you making out and whispering to each other for hours on end wasn’t reminder enough that I don’t have what the two of you do.

  I didn’t say any of that out loud though. I guess I couldn’t really blame the lucky bastard. Instead I just mumbled a “whatever,” while Spade insisted that he’d never hand over his balls to a woman. Ky reached across and smacked him upside the head before turning back around and sliding down in his seat. I felt sympathetic eyes on me and looked over to see Jaxyn smiling at me softly. She was the only one who knew how I felt, how hard I’d tried, but was unable to forget about Sadie Pierce.

  Almost as if she had heard me thinking her name, the gorgeous red head turned around, peeking her head out into the aisle. Her eyes met mine, and not for the first time I tried to decide if they were more green brown, but she quickly diverted her gaze and I still couldn’t decide what color they were. Jax looked between the two of us and sighed heavily before dropping back in her seat and talking with her friend. I couldn’t hear what was being said, and really I didn’t care, or at least didn’t want to care. I relaxed into my seat and closed my eyes for the last few minutes of our flight.

  Get your shit together man. You’re about to spend two weeks in Hawaii. Don’t waste it moping over a girl who doesn’t think you’re worth her time. She sure as hell isn’t going to spend her time thinking about you. There are a hundred girls out there just like her, find a different girl and move on. There’s nothing special about this one.

  Another lie. Just the fact that I actually wanted to get to know her and spend time with her, made her different. I hadn’t met a girl since Jules, who made me want anything from them besides a few moments of pleasure. Something told me that if I ever got Sadie back into a bedroom, I’d be ruined, and a few moments would never be enough. If I ever got Sadie under me again, I’d keep her there forever.

  Fuck. What is this forever shit?

  The wedding must finally be getting to me. I exhaled a deep breath and waited for the seatbelt light to ding again so that I could grab my bag and get off the plane, and finally put some space between the two of us. Over twelve hours of planes and airports, being in such close proximity to her, was too much.

  The second that light was out, I was in the aisle, grabbing my bag from the overhead compartment and getting my ass off the plane. Spade was right behind me, trying to keep up as I brushed past the rest of our group, which between us, took up most of first class. “Hey man slow down, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but the beaches ain’t going anywhere.”

  “I just want off this damn plane,” I grumbled and kept moving until I was stepping through the gate into the airport. I didn’t even wait long enough for the girl from the airline, handing out leis, to put one over my head, before following the signs to baggage claim. Spade was still following close behind me, but I didn’t have to turn around and look to know that he hadn’t passed up the opportunity to be leid by the pretty girl. Thankfully he didn’t attribute my haste to anything but excitement to finally be in Hawaii.

  By the time the rest of the group made it through the airport, Spade and I were standing at the baggage carousel surrounded by luggage, pulling every bag we recognized, and with so many girls on this trip, there were a lot of them. When everyone was sure they had all their bags, we went in search of a shuttle over to the car rental.

  When we stepped outside, the first thing about the island to hit me was the heat. It was like stepping out into a sauna. It wasn’t two minutes before my shirt was sticking to my back with sweat. It had to be almost ninety out and there wasn’t enough of a breeze to pick up a damn feather. We climbed into the shuttle, which wasn’t much cooler, and was filled to capacity once we took our seats. It was only a three minute ride, but with the heat and so many bodies packed in tightly, the smell was pretty ripe and I was trying not to breathe through my nose. Somehow I ended up squeezed in between two big cowboy looking dudes with rivulets of sweat running down their faces. The rest of us weren’t faring much better and the three minutes couldn’t go by fast enough.

  By the time I got off the shuttle, my shirt wasn’t just damp from my own sweat, but I had also soaked up some of the stench that belonged to my seat neighbors. I peeled it off my body and shoved it into my backpack. Jaxyn had taken care of the car reservations so I just stood off to the side and waited to be told where to go, but I did catch someone admiring my now shirtless chest, and I had to fight back a grin.

  At least I know she’s affected by the sight of me even if she can’t stand the rest.

  She realized she’d been caught and quickly looked away “You know, you can take yours off too. No one would mind.” That earned me a glare from my little fireball. Spade just chuckled, which didn’t help and she huffed and walked over to the counter to stand with Jax.

  Way to go dumbass, piss her off, that’ll definitely get her attention.

  What the hell does it matter? You’re done trying to get that girl’s attention anyway. Who cares what she thinks of you?

  I went back and forth, arguing with myself like an idiot until Jax was standing in front of me pressing keys into my hands. “I’m gonna try to help you out here, but you better not blow it.” Then she turned to face the rest of the group that had crowded around. “Okay, Vi and Jake can ride with me and Ky. Bas, you got Lissa, Chris and your dad.”

  “Hey, why can’t I drive?” Chris protested, but Jax just ignored him and went on.

  “Shane, here you guys g
o,” she handed him a set of keys as well, “and that leaves Danny, Sadie and Spade with Ace.” She winked at me and I thought I heard Sadie groan.

  I didn’t know whether to hug Jax or tell her to stay out of it, but it was obvious that she was going to meddle. I’m not quite sure how she thought sticking us in the same car was going to work, especially not with Spade too. It made me an asshole just by proximity. Not too many people understood my best friend and why he acted the way he did. Sadie almost always looked like she wanted to strangle him. It should be fun.

  From what Jax said, our resort was about thirty miles down the highway. She’d rented us a real nice Mustang convertible, so of course we had the top down and my foot was a little heavy on the gas pedal. As we cruised through the little town of Lahaina, the second thing about the island hit me: girls in summer dresses, short shorts and bikinis, all over the place. I hated to think like he did, but Spade really was right, it was like a hot girl buffet. I kept my mouth shut though. He however, had no such filter.

  “Fuck, look at those girls. We have to hit the beach once we drop our shit at the hotel,” he exclaimed, practically hanging out the side of the car to get a better look at a group of bikini clad girls walking down to the water. “Remind me to thank Jax and Ky for picking Hawaii. I don’t even know where to start, blonde, brunette, long legs, huge ra-” I could see Sadie’s eyes narrowing at him in the rearview mirror and I had to stop him before he made an even bigger ass of himself. “Okay man, we got it.”

  “I’m just saying, so many options. Don’t even tell me you’re not thinking about getting some.” I heard a snort from the back seat, and this time when I glanced in the rearview, I could see how tense she was even as she scowled out the window. I reached over and smacked Spade and silently cursed him for never being able to keep his damn mouth shut. Then I realized, what the fuck does it matter? I could screw my way through half the chicks on the island and it wouldn’t be any of her business. If she really thought so little of me, why shouldn’t I just do what she expected? She could keep her fucking judgey eyes and cute little angry snorts to herself.

  Damn it. Did I just think that her snorts are cute? That shit ain’t cute.

  Truth was, there wasn’t much about that girl that I didn’t find cute, from the waterfall of deep red curls that cascaded over her shoulders, and the freckles spattered across her cheeks, to her sassy little attitude that at times I thought was also her most infuriating quality.

  “Dude, what the hell did you hit me for?” I tried to discreetly nod my head towards the backseat, hoping he would take the hint that he should probably stop degrading chicks with one in the car.

  “She’s been hanging out with us long enough, she knows how we are. Isn’t that right sweetheart? No point in getting your panties all up in a twist because we are committed to showing our devout appreciation of the female gender to as many fem – oomph.” Once again I smacked him hard in the side to shut him up. “What the hell man! Knock that shit off.”

  “You guys are completely hopeless, and disgusting.” I watched in the mirror as she rolled those pretty eyes and went back to staring out the window.

  “Hey, don’t lump me in with them,” Danny spoke up from the seat beside her. “I didn’t say or do shit. I’ve got a girlfriend.” So he kept saying, but he’d yet to bring her around so any of us could actually meet her. Okay, maybe I understood why that was.

  “Why do you care anyway?” I asked Sadie.

  “I don’t. I just feel sorry for all those poor unsuspecting females who are going to be used up and left disappointed and unsatisfied.”

  “Woah,” Spade interjected. “You can’t be insinuating shit like that sweetheart. I’ve never left a girl unsatisfied or disappointed, and as for unsuspecting, that’s bullshit. I’ve never lied or pretended to be anything other than what I am, and that’s what they get,” he defended himself.

  “You’re probably right. You’re a dick but at least you’re up front about it. You don’t try and pretend to be anything else.” She was looking at me in the mirror when she spoke so I knew the dig was meant for me. I clenched my jaw and didn’t say a word. I got that I had a reputation as a womanizer, playboy or whatever, but everybody has a fucking past. I didn’t know what I’d done to make her think I had lied or pretended to be anything. I’d never lied to her. I’d never lied to any girl about what I was offering, some of them didn’t want to listen and thought they could be the one to change us, but that was on them not us, and I’d seriously been trying to change. It wasn’t an act or some game just to get in her pants, but if that’s how she wanted to see it, fine. There was no point in even trying to play nice anymore.

  “If you’re jealous because we haven’t been falling all over ourselves to get in your panties just say so babe. I’d be happy to show you just what it is that those so called unsuspecting females are after. It sure as hell isn’t someone to sit up all night just talking with, or someone to hold them in their arms while they just sleep.” Yeah, if she wanted to call me a dick, I’d throw those nights back in her face.

  Her eyes got big and I thought they might just pop out of her head she was so mad, but she didn’t have shit to say after that, and the last five minutes of our drive were relatively quiet. We pulled into the parking lot just a few minutes ahead of the rest of the group and I immediately got the hell out of the car. When Jaxyn hopped out of her car, she made her way over to where we were waiting by the resort entrance and shot me a hopeful look. I just shook my head and looked away.

  Sorry baby girl. It just isn’t going to work. That girl is impossible and so damn frigid she might as well be the ice queen from that Disney movie Izzy watched incessantly. What was the song? Let it Go. Yeah, that’s what I needed to do.

  “Uhn,” I groaned, realizing I was taking life advice from a Disney musical.

  “What’s wrong?” Jaxyn must’ve heard me.

  “Nothing baby girl. I just need a nap. It’s been a long damn day.”

  Chapter 2

  Sadie

  When we pulled up to the resort, the car was barely in park before Ace hopped out and went to talk to Jaxyn. I’d pissed him off. That wasn’t anything new. Everyone else arrived just behind us and they all started gathering around the parking lot. I just stood next to the car and waited for directions. Spade popped the trunk when Ace walked back over. “Okay, let’s get our bags and we can head inside. Jax and Ky are going to check us in and get room keys.”

  Ugh.

  I couldn’t wait to get up to my room, take a long hot shower and scrub a day’s worth of sweat and travel off my body and fall into bed. I decided right then, that even though I was excited to get out and start seeing sights, more than anything, I just needed rest. I’d been up since three this morning and had been unable to sleep on either of our flights. With the time difference it was only three in the afternoon here, but I just wanted to crawl between the covers and sleep the rest of the day away. The sights would all be there tomorrow, and we had a few days to relax before wedding prep started.

  I started to grab my bags so I could get out of their way, but, without even making eye contact, Ace brushed my hands aside and pulled my bags out along with his. Instead of setting them on the ground beside me, he just stalked off toward the front of the hotel. My eyes were glued to his back as he walked away. With all that smooth, golden skin on display I couldn’t help but appreciate the view. I tried to force my eyes away, but they traced his strong physique, from his broad shoulders, where his long hair was gathered in a ponytail at his nape, down his muscular back, to his trim waist, and then landed on the small strip of boxer briefs that was visible above his black shorts. Suddenly I was imagining him in nothing but his underwear. It didn’t take much imagination either because that night was still crystal clear in my mind.

  It’d been over a year, in fact it had been almost two years since Jaxyn had been in the hospital and Ace found me sobbing in her bedroom. I could still picture him standing in the doorw
ay, looking at me with such concerned and gentle eyes, wearing only a pair of dark blue pajama pants. He was so gorgeous, but it was nothing compared to the sight of him that following morning, after he’d stripped out of those pants. That image was forever etched in my mind. I could still recall the smell of his skin when I buried my head in his chest and the faint trace of cologne or body wash that lingered there. The feel of his strong arms, holding me to him tightly, was engrained in my mind, and I feared also in my heart.

  In a moment of weakness, I’d let him kiss me. It had started out tender and sweet but quickly became scorching hot and in my need to feel connected to someone and not quite so alone, I’d almost let it go much too far, but it had been a mistake. Those nights he’d stayed with me, he’d gone against everything I’d heard about the rowdy guys of Ashes and Embers. He was kind and caring, but it was a painful time for everyone close to Jax and I knew better that to let myself be fooled by that one time.

  A single night, or even all the nights he’d stayed up with me, didn’t change anything. He wasn’t the kind of guy I needed to get mixed up with. I’d heard enough from Jaxyn, and seen enough since then to know I didn’t want to add my name to the long list of girls who’ve had their panties charmed off by Andrew “Ace” Reid. What made it so difficult though, was that he wasn’t the asshole I’d expected. I’d gotten a glimpse of his softer side that night, and in the time since then I’d realized he really wasn’t a bad guy. He was charming and funny and a good friend, but it wasn’t going to change my mind. Nothing good could come of falling for him, and I would. I would fall hard, and he wasn’t the kind of guy any girl should fall for. He wasn’t the kind of guy to stay. He was the kind that left. Our lives were on two different roads that on occasion, intersected, but it could never be more than that.