Page 4 of Bite Your Tongue

All my buddies drink beer or straight liquor. I love myself a fruity drink—bonus points if there’s an umbrella in it too. I’m confident in my manhood to carry that shit around a bar.

“Figured as much.” Jayce smirks.

When he walks away, I look down the bar to see who’s here. I take in the usuals. Like the old man who’s always here, night after night, sitting alone. As usual, he’s got a drink in front of him, but he’s never sloppy drunk. There are a few dudes who are grinning while they chat, looking over at Tripp and me every few words they speak, but when my gaze shifts to the edge of the bar, I frown when I take in the sight of Smith’s little sister, Saylor, all by herself, with an empty glass in front of her seconds before the other bartender switches it out for a fresh one.

The bell on the top of the door jingles, alerting us that someone else has arrived, but I can’t take my eyes off of her. Anytime I see her, she’s like a ray of sunshine. Tonight though … she just looks defeated.

“Stop staring at Sawyer’s little sister like that,” he drawls sharply, a hint of warning laced in his tone, even through his accent.

Both of us are Southern boys, now living in Maine. He came from Alabama, and I came from Kentucky. I’m not entirely sure either of us likes freezing our asses off in New England for half of the year, but here we are.

“I’m not starin’,” I say, rolling my eyes at him. “Just wondering why she’s alone—that’s all.” I look at her again. “And she looks sad.Reallysad.”

“After everything fuckstick Rowan Epscott did to her, why wouldn’t she look sad?” he scoffs. “What kind of man pulls the shit he did—” His words die in his throat, and his body tenses. “I mean, you know, with dumping her the way he did.”

“What kind of man dumps awomanlike that at all?” I say, thinking out loud and staring at Saylor like a complete goner.

I look back at Tripp to find him watching me suspiciously.

“Are you into her or something, Cambridge?”

“No,” I grumble quickly, “I am not.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he utters. “Either way, stay away from her. All the drama with Rowan and Smith has been bad enough. Smith is your best friend, so don’t be trying to fuck his sister. She’s been through enough.”

“Wasn’t planning on it, dick,” I say, quickly taking hold of my drink when Jayce sets it down in front of me. Bringing it to my lips, I take a long sip before standing up. “But I am going to go say hi. You know, make sure she’s all right.”

“Here we fucking go,” he says under his breath.

Before he can say something to stop me, I head toward her.

Her blonde hair looks like she just ran her hands through it, making it messy yet gorgeous. Her cheeks are slightly flushed from the liquor she’s downing as she stares straight ahead.

Taking a seat on the stool next to hers, I playfully knock my shoulder against hers. “All alone tonight, little Sawyer?”

“That makes me sound like I’m a little boy,” she says in a grouchy tone, scrunching her perfect button nose up.

Who the fuck am I, and why am I thinking about her nose being cute or looking like a button? Jesus, get it together, Ryder.

“You’re most definitely not a little boy,” I say, keeping my voice low and quickly changing the subject. “Why are you here, drinking all by yourself?”

“Because humans suck,” she deadpans. “Well, ones with penises do at least.”

“I have a penis. A big one at that,” I toss back. “And I don’t suck.”

“Listen to yourself.” She tsks me before narrowing her eyes to slits. “I rest my case.Boyssuck.”

When she turns forward again, not looking at me, I lean closer to her, bringing my mouth near her ear. “I am no boy,” I muse before leaning back.

“Calm down, Pretty Boy. You’re embarrassing yourself,” she says, never batting a single eyelash.

“What’s going on?” I turn on my sweet, trusting tone. “Want to talk about it?”

I watch her chest rise as she inhales sharply. She smells like sugar and caramel, melted together, and I wish I could have a taste to see if she’s just as sweet on the tongue. She’s somber, but then, swiftly, her spine straightens out, and she rolls her shoulders back, looking at me with a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.

“You’re friends with Rowan, right?” Her tone is suddenly playful, and her face becomes eerily cheerful.

“We were before he showed his true colors.” I shake my head, taking a sip from my drink. “Shit wasn’t fucking cool.”

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