Just One of the Guys
Forty Three

Knox

With my arm wrapped around Averi, and my boys on either side of us, we make our way through the break of bodies towards the bonfire set up in the middle of the sequestered space that we use to party at sometimes.

I watch Gentry as he peels off, grabbing a bottle of scotch and begins throwing it back as if he's guzzling a soda. Something is going on with him, I just haven't figured out what it is yet.

Sometimes he seems like he always has, easy-going, crowd-pleaser, all-around great guy, Gentry. But lately, there's been times where his head has been somewhere else, his thoughts dark and his behavior much riskier than it's ever been before.

I know that he's had some issues in the past, he doesn't do well with change or being left alone to his own devices, which is why me and the guys try to bring him along and include him in stuff as much as we can.

I keep an eye on him as he makes his way to the other side of the bonfire, slinging his arm around some girl with blonde hair.

They talk for a few moments, Gentry taking near-constant pulls from the big ass glass bottle as she runs her hands up his chest before linking them around his neck.

"Have you noticed anything off about him lately?" Averi asks, looking at Gentry across the fire as he begins making out with the blonde as she straddles his lap.

"Yeah," I sigh, not wanting to lie to her but it's not my place to air his secrets. "It's probably nothing...maybe nerves about going home in a few days."

"I guess," she mutters as she watches him and the blonde as they dry hump each other, lost in their own bubble of lust and not giving two craps that there are people all around them. "I'm just worried about him, I guess." "Just..." I stop, wiping my hand over my face and sighing, not sure how to say what I need to say without saying something that I shouldn't, "be there for him if he needs it. That's all I can say."

Reaching her hand up and clasping it around my neck, she pulls me down toward her until we're near face to face. "You're a good friend to him," she tells me, her big blue eyes looking at me with fascination and love.

Closing the distance, I close my mouth over hers, relishing in her sweet taste of sugar and vanilla-reminding me of warm shortbread biscuits.

We pull apart at the sound of a throat clearing, and replace Colt standing just in front of us with a green bottle, which I'm assuming is his beer. "There's an ice chest in the back of my truck that has bottles of water and some pop in it, along with bottles of beer if you want anything."

Turning, he looks out over the group of people milling about, one girl already so drunk that she almost tumbles into the fire before someone grabs hold of her, pulling her back at the last second.

"Rumor has it that people have been spiking drinks at parties recently," he nods at me, and Averi. "I'd rather be safe than end up in some sort of a position that I should have never been in, in the first place if you know what I mean." "I agree," I say, trying to spot Gentry again, but a group of guys is blocking him. "Will you help me keep an eye on Gentry, mate?" I ask, not having to say anything more for him to grasp my meaning.

"Sure thing, man," he nods his understanding and then heads towards the other side of the bonfire, walking inconspicuously past the group that's standing in front of Gentry, and stopping near him. A group of people begins chatting Colt up and while he engages in conversation, he keeps an eye on Gentry at the same time.

The group of people moves on, exposing that Gentry and the blonde are beginning to get pretty hot and heavy, he already has her shirt off, and although I can't be sure from where I'm standing, it looks like her hand is down the front of his pants.

The guy deserves to have some fun, I'm not going to fault him for that, I just want him to be careful.

At the sound of moaning, I catch Colt's eye and nod in their direction.

"Are they really about to have sex right out here with everyone around?" Averi asks, a mix of disgust and astonishment in her voice.

"Don't fault him, babe. He's probably just had too much to drink and has gotten caught up in the moment."

"I'm just really worried about him," she mutters again.

*I am too*, I think but don't say it out loud.

I watch as Colt walks over to where Gentry and the girl are at and squats down to whisper something in Gentry's ear.

Gentry nods in acknowledgment and Colt hands the girl her top, then they both get up and head towards where all of the cars are parked.

Colt makes his way back over to me and Averi, glances in Gentry and the girl's direction a few times before he reaches us.

"I told him to take it somewhere else," Colt says once he stops in front of us.

"Thanks mate,” I say, sticking my hand out for a fist bump. I don't like that I can no longer see Gentry but try to move past the uneasy feeling in my stomach and enjoy the party.

"No problem, man," he returns as we bump fists before he turns, fixing to leave, then pauses. "I'm gonna go grab another beer, need a drink?"

"Water's good. You want a drink, baby?" I murmur against Averi's cheek, her scent eliciting a primal need deep within me, making me want to go all caveman on her: *mine*.

"Just a water is fine," Averi says loud enough that Colt can hear as she adjusts her stance, wrapping her arms around my neck and stepping up on her tippy-toes as Colt heads to get our drinks.

"I think Gentry and that girl had the right idea," she murmurs, her lips grazing my ear making me instantly hard.

"You want my cock, baby?" I whisper back, pulling her body tight against mine and thrusting the member in question against her stomach.

"I *always* want you," she says, slipping her hand between us and palming me through my jeans, causing me to groan in pleasure.

"Fuck, baby," I growl at the pleasure her mere touch brings me.

She's as bad as I am, completely insatiable. And shit, now she has my bloody cock harder than steel.

With a groan and a whole damn lot of self-control, I take a step back, not a big one, but enough that she's no longer able to stroke me through my jeans. "Baby, I promise you that I will make sure that you are completely satisfied once we get back, because I don't want anyone else to see what's mine, and the things I want to do to you," I groan, imagining her laid out on my bed, her cunt glistening; she's so wet and ready for me. "I don't want to do them with an audience, on the hard ground, or in my truck."

Averi's bottom lip pokes out in a pout and it's absolutely adorable. "But, babe," she wines, and then lifts up on her toes, her mouth right at my ear when she speaks again. "I'm so wet and ready for you right now." *Holy fuck she's killing me.*

"I promise, I will make it up to you," I tell her, not wanting to leave yet, after what happened last time, I don't feel comfortable leaving unless everyone is going to.

"I want you so fucking bad, baby, but after what happened to you at the last party, I can't stomach the thought of the same things happening to another one of my mates."

Lifting my hands until both of them are cupping her cheeks, I implore her to understand, stating, "I may not be able to do much, but I can definitely step in, and come to my mate's defense."

She nods in understanding and I close the gap between our lips, claiming hers in a hot kiss that promises all the things I want to do to her once we get back.

Once we finally break apart, we're both breathless, chests heaving, heat and want in both of our eyes.

"I love you," I murmur against her lips, never having meant anything more than I do when I say those three words to her.

"And I, you," she replies, giving me a chaste kiss and then purposely putting some distance between us, a smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

She knows exactly the effect that she has on me.

She bloody owns me.