The car ride to the lake is a mixture of awkward and nauseating. The cocktails from last night have really left a lasting impression on my skull, and the breakfast I forced down doesn’t feel good in my stomach.
Jefferson chooses to sit upfront, so I get a view of the back of his head and the side of his face. I can’t work out how he’s feeling. Is he the smug Jefferson from the bathroom or the angry Jefferson from outside the club? Or maybe the real Jefferson, who I don’t believe I’ve met.
The memory of the sight of his cock and all the marvelous nakedness of his body comes back to me, and my face flushes. I’m sweating along my hairline, but I’m not sure why. It’s warm out, but the air-conditioning in the car should be keeping me cool. Maybe it’s my hangover, or maybe it’s the images that keep flashing into my head or the memories from last night. Jefferson’s hungry lips on mine, his thigh pressing hard against my pussy.
“You’re looking a little green,” Brayson says. He pats my knee as though I’m a child. “Do you want me to open the window to get some fresh air?”
“That might be a good idea.”
“Don’t worry, we’re nearly there,” Anderson calls from the front.
“Anyone would think that Sara doesn’t know her limits.” Jefferson doesn’t turn to look at me, but I see a flicker of a smile in the rise of his cheek.
“Oh, I know my limits. And I like to push them.”
“Listening to you two is like watching a game of ping pong,” Carson says good-naturedly.
“Glad that we’re providing you with some amusement.” I rub my temple and take long breaths of the fresh air coming through Brayson’s window. The car gets hotter as the air-conditioning loses the fight against the heat coming from outside.
“Seriously, dude. Close that window,” Jefferson barks.
“We have five more minutes,” Anderson says calmly. “Let’s just leave it as it is so that Sara doesn’t cover us with the contents of her belly.”
“Ugh,” I groan, the image Anderson’s created turning my stomach even more. I’ve never been good with sickness. I’m a terrible friend. When Maisie got really drunk and was throwing up, I couldn’t hold her hair. I ended up running around the corner and pressing my hands over my ears so that I didn’t vomit too.
“Seriously,” Jefferson huffs. “I’m sweating here.” He tugs at the back of his t-shirt and yanks it over his head in a flourish.
As if I wasn’t hot enough, now I’m sweating even more. Fumbling around in my bag, I pull out my sunglasses and put them on, rub my forehead and pray we’re going to arrive soon.
I guess that the universe is listening because Anderson signals, and we pull into a large open space that is currently being used as a lot for so many cars it looks like a drive-thru movie. “Here we are,” he says happily, always such a calming influence.
As soon as Anderson has put the truck into park, Brayson throws open the door and I stumble out after him. Brayson rounds the car, opens the trunk and pulls out a bottle of chilled water, handing it to me with a look of sympathy. “Don’t worry…we’ll get you over to the lake, and you can lie down in the shade.”
“That sounds like an amazing plan.” I take some tentative sips of the water, knowing that overdoing it will upset the fragile balance of my stomach.
“Come on, douchebags,” Brayson says. “Let’s get this truck unloaded.”
I’m practically dripping with sweat by the time we find a good spot to settle. On the way, the boys keep bumping into their dude-bros from college who all want to make small talk. I swear I’ve never heard so much self-congratulatory talk about football performance in my life! Anyone would think they were all pro right now. I don’t miss the looks of interest that are cast in my direction. I’m introduced by name, but no one mentions that we’re stepsiblings. Are they leaving their friends guessing, hoping that there will be an assumption that I’m someone’s girlfriend and not free and single? The thought makes me smile.
As soon as I get a chance, I shake out my towel onto the grass and slump down. It’s so hot that my clothes are sticking to me so I wriggle out of my shorts and tank, and turn so I’m lying on my front. My sunglasses press into the side of my head, so I take them off. I hear the boys toeing off their shoes and tugging off their clothes. I wish I had the energy to watch, but I don’t. There’s a ton of splashing, some reaching my legs. If my head wasn’t pounding, I’d love to swim in the cool fresh water of the lake, but I can’t deal with it right now.
Sleep must come quickly and deeply. When I finally start to come around, I hear the boys whispering.
“She really does have a great ass,” someone says.
“Great everything,” someone else says.
I blink, trying to clear my bleary eyes, wondering who they’re talking about. There must be a ton of girls splashing around in two pieces today. Who is it that’s caught their eye?
“You should know.”
“I kissed her. I didn’t fuck her.” It’s definitely Jefferson’s voice. I’d know that lacing of hostility anywhere.
“It doesn’t sound like you appreciate that fact as much as you should. She’s a great girl. Now maybe you’ve fucked it up for all of us.”
I stiffen as I realize they’re not talking about a girl in the water; they’re talking about me. I try to keep my breathing even, as though I’m still asleep. I don’t want to miss wherever the rest of this conversation is going to go, even though I desperately need a drink.
“But we can’t go there. It doesn’t matter what she wants.”
“Steve would never forgive us.”
“Steve doesn’t have to know. We don’t share everything we do with our parents.”
“But this is different. This is his daughter.”
“Well, if she’s up for keeping it a secret, and we’re up for keeping it a secret, then who’s going to find out? We’re all adults. We can make our own decisions.”
“You’re serious?” I think it’s Anderson talking. Of all of them, I knew he’d have the most reservations. He’s empathic—the caring one—so was always going to be the one to worry most about my dad. At least now I know they’re thinking along the same lines as me—a fling. Maybe even a one-off thing. That would take the edge off the ache between my legs for sure, but not for long. I am insatiable and a longer arrangement is what I’m looking for. Something to last the length of my vacation. Fuck buddies times four.
That would make this a summer to remember for sure.
A large insect lands on my arm, and I flinch, shaking it off and then realize that the boys have stopped talking. I roll onto my back and stretch my arms above my head as though I’m coming to from a long and deep sleep. I turn, finding them all watching me. “Hey. Did I sleep for long?”
“Two hours,” Brayson says. “You must be hungry and thirsty.”
I sit, realizing that my top needs adjusting. “Yeah, I am both.”
“Here.” Carson passes me a big bag of chips, his eyes on the boobs that I’ve just jiggled around until they’re resting better in my swimsuit.
Anderson opens the cool box and pulls out two different sodas. “I’ll take a Dr. Pepper,” I say.
It’s not the most nutritious lunch, but it really hits the spot. I guess I need salt and sugar.
“How’s the lake water?”
“Good. Are you going to go in?”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“You’ll need some sunscreen,” Anderson says, handing me a tube.
I look down at it, finding it’s a high factor. Probably a good idea if I’m going to be out in the sun for the rest of the afternoon. Squirting a blob onto my palm, I start to cover my arms. They’re definitely the safest place to rub, but once they’re covered, I’m faced with having to cream the rest of my body. I opt for my legs next. The conversation between the boys continues, but as I start to stroke over the inside of my thighs, they seem to go quiet. Next is my belly and last, my chest. Oh God, it feels weird to be rubbing my breasts in front of them. My nipples don’t take long to react, and by the time I’m adequately covered, they’ve hardened into pointed tips.
“I’ll do your back if you like,” Anderson says. For the one who’s most reluctant to take this thing to the next level, he sure is keen to get his hands on my bare skin. I’m grateful that it’s him who’s volunteered because I don’t know how well I would have dealt with Jefferson’s hands on me. Even Carson or Brayson would be worse. Somehow, Anderson’s more nurturing side makes me feel more comfortable.
I’m a fool, though. As soon as he kneels behind me and his big hands begin to knead my shoulders, I’m lost. I swear my legs turn to jelly. His fingers are so strong, but his touch is gentle. It’s all I can do to keep myself from moaning, but when he slides his hand beneath the fabric that runs around my back, I almost combust.
“You’re done,” he says, his hands rubbing down the tops of my arms in a final flourish. I don’t know how I’m going to stand, but I need to get up and get into the cool water to extinguish this heat.
I leave the rest of the chips on my towel and finish my soda, then I stand, feeling shaky and lightheaded.
“Are you going in right now?” Carson asks.
“Yep.”
The water isn’t as cool as I’m expecting, but I still have to immerse myself slowly. I wade in, wondering what the hell I’m treading on at the bottom but pushing the thought aside. There are so many people in already, so it can’t be that bad. In front of us, a group of girls throws a large striped ball back and forth. A group of guys punches a volleyball. It’s really is the perfect summer setting.
I manage to get my shoulders under the water and gasp.
“That’s always the worst bit,” Carson chuckles as he does the same. He’s the only one who has followed me in right now. The others seem engrossed in a conversation that I wish I could snoop in on.
I move my arms back and forth, loving the refreshing water and the sense of freedom that comes with swimming.
“Are you feeling better?”
“A little.” There’s still a throb in my temple, but I don’t have the dehydrated feeling that I woke up with.
“You really did drink a lot last night.”
I grimace, but I’m not embarrassed. Life is for living, not for regret. As though Carson can hear what I’m thinking, he smiles. “I had a feeling that Jefferson would be the one to get under your skin. You guys have a strange connection.”
“Something like that,” I say. “That boy blows hot and cold.”
“But you liked kissing him?”
“Yeah. I’d like kissing you too.”
Carson’s eyebrows shoot up, but his mouth forms a slow smile which warms my lady parts. “I’m sure I’d like kissing you.”
My heart flutters, the realization that he’s setting things up perfectly for us to take a step toward exactly what I want. All I have to do is meet him in the middle. “So…” I step closer, resting my hand against his chest, gazing up into his amused eyes. “Why are we not doing it?”
His hand finds my waist beneath the water, his fingers just as strong as his twin’s. “You’re playing with fire…” he murmurs in my ear. “But you know that, don’t you? You know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Don’t you?”
Carson shakes his head. “There are a million reasons why touching you right now is a bad idea. A million reasons why Jefferson and Brayson shouldn’t have done what they did last night.”
“And yet here we are.” I find his hand under the water and wrap my fingers around it, wondering for a moment if he’s on the precipice of talking himself out of this. My breathing is shallow as I anticipate what it would be like to feel his lips on mine, how it would feel to know that his brothers were watching everything, especially Jefferson.
“You know, when Steve said his daughter was going to come to stay, I’ll admit that I was intrigued.”
“You thought about what it would be like…”
“Well, there’s that taboo thing about stepsisters, isn’t there? Living under the same roof as someone who’s supposed to be family, but isn’t really.”
“There is. Does touching me feel wrong?”
Carson seems to move closer, his leg brushing mine beneath the water. “It feels naughty…forbidden, and there’s something about touching in water…”
“Have you ever…”
Carson shakes his head. “But that could be interesting…for another day.” When he winks at me, I can’t help but laugh. It’s a happy sound that’s bubbled its way up from a place that feels deeper and more significant than usual.
I run a finger down Carson’s chest, following a bead of water. “But for today?” I’m close enough that I could press a kiss onto the place where I know his heart is beating. I could taste the saltiness of his skin and feel his warmth. His hand cups my chin and tips my face upward, his eyes searching mine. “Do you know how dangerous this could be?” I nod, the very thought of it making my heart accelerate.
“And you still want it?”
“We don’t have to tell anyone,” I whisper. “We have a whole summer together…a whole summer to have fun. I need sex and I’m pretty sure you guys all need sex. We’re under one roof. We could have a summer fling before I go back to Eastern and you guys return to college. It could be our secret.”
Carson’s eyebrows shoot up. I’ve confirmed what Brayson suspected—that I want them all—and even though it’s already been discussed as a possibility, I can tell he’s still surprised. “A secret between five?”
Five. That word rolls off his tongue like molten sin, and I know that this is it. This is the moment when my life will flip on its axis. My pussy clenches between my legs in anticipation. It’s dangerous, foolish, and risky, but aren’t all the best things?
“Yes. A secret between five.”
I’m expecting Carson to take a step back. I’m expecting him to pull back at the last minute, the idea of betraying Steve too much for him to consider, but he doesn’t.
What he does is so much better.
