My Beautiful (The Beautiful Series) by Alicia Rae Page A

I really like him, so that would be a damn shame!” Jason exclaimed.
    Damon groaned with his fingers plugging his ears.
    Kyle growled and pinned Jason with a glare. “Way to ruin a moment, cowboy. Just wait until it happens to your ugly mug someday.”
    “I’ll leave those fairy-tale moments to you, Romeo,” Jason countered.
    Damon shook his head, laughing at all of us, while keeping his attention on Jason, watching him closely, knowing that Jason would deliver payback at any given moment.
    Jason started up his four-wheeler and popped the clutch into first, holding the brake down, while waiting for us.
    “Ready to ride?” Jason grinned from ear to ear.
    Kyle, Damon, and I agreed at the same time, and we hopped back on the four-wheelers. We took off together and raced through the rest of the trails with a need for speed. All of us were laughing, kicking up mud, and weaving left and right as if we were putting our machines to work on a private racetrack. This was the best trail of the three for the very reason that it was not boring in any way.
    When we made it back to the house, we parked in the backyard near the hose. Nearly every inch of all our bodies was covered in mud. My wet riding pants were clinging to my thighs.
    Jason stopped beside me and affectionately put his arm around my shoulder. “Lil, you still got it.”
    I chuckled and leaned into his hug. “Good to know I’m Jason-approved.”
    “You know it.” Jason grinned, and then it slowly turned into a warm smile. “Right now, you look like how I remember you most, smiling from ear to ear and covered in mud.”
    Kyle smiled, his gaze fixated on us.
    In that moment, I realized how much I had truly missed this part of me. “Thank you for today.” My voice rang with emotion.
    “Anytime, Lil. We’re always here for you,” Jason assured me.
    The four of us hosed down our rides and gear before storing them back in the garage. We were all beat. Four-wheeling was work, especially when riding for miles on uneven terrain. It’d made me use muscles I had forgotten I even had, but it was well worth every ache.
    Jason walked out to his truck and came back with two large suitcases that I recognized as Kyle’s and mine. I stared at Jason in bewilderment before I recovered my expression. It was very thoughtful of him to bring them by.
    “Here.” He stopped in front of me, his face soft. “I thought you might need these. I figured you weren’t coming back to the house either way.”
    He was right. On good terms or bad, I needed a bit of space right now.
    I smiled up at him. “Thank you, Jason. I appreciate it.”
    Kyle approached Jason with an outstretched hand. “Thank you, for today and for also bringing our belongings.”
    Jason shook his hand. “No problem, man. Always happy to help in any way I can.” He turned to face me again. “Let me know what you decide, Lil. Okay?” he asked tentatively.
    “Of course. I’ll call you sometime tomorrow.”
    “Sounds good.” He pulled me into a big hug. “Thanks for inviting us, Lil. We’ve missed our little firecracker.” He looked over at Kyle. “It’s good to know she’s not alone.”
    Kyle nodded. They were having a silent conversation with one another right in front of my eyes.
    I shook my head. Must be a guy thing.
    Kyle rotated to face Damon and extended his hand. “Thank you, Damon. You’ve been a great help.”
    “That’s what family is for.” Damon smiled, shaking Kyle’s hand. “We were just happy to spend some extra time with you guys while you’re here.”
    After our good-byes, my shoulders sagged from exhaustion. I was wiped out. I silently watched as Damon and Jason climbed into Damon’s truck and made their way down the driveway.
    Once they were out of sight, Kyle turned his head in my direction with a teasing look on his face. “Firecracker, huh?” he asked with humor in his voice.
    “Yep.” I had to laugh. “I was the tomboy, and the term firecracker was used a few