“Everything okay?” Ollie asks.
“Engine stalled,” Soren says casually.
Lennon doesn’t buy it, probably because he’s searching my heated face for the lie in Soren’s words. Then he glances down. “You must’ve pulled your key out.”
I lift the bit of plastic attached to my life jacket. “Oh. Yeah. Must’ve. Dunno how that happened.” I put it back in and hit the button to turn the jet ski back on.
“Look at that. It works again,” Soren says.
Ollie’s lips twitch up in amusement. “Word of advice, if you guys don’t want anyone to know there’s something between you two, you might want to learn to lie better.”
They take off, and we follow, reaching the island where everyone else is already on shore.
I stop short though. “I need to go for a swim. For obvious reasons.”
Soren laughs and takes over the controls while I bring my legs over to one side and jump into the water. I swim around awhile as if that was my plan the whole time, not a necessity to hide the evidence of what Soren and I just did.
We explore the small island which has absolutely nothing on it except a few palm trees, thick forest we can’t get through, and a giant hill we can’t climb.
I’d complain about a wasted trip, but no way was anything about the ride here wasted.
When we decide to head back and Soren takes over the front seat, I settle behind him.
My hands skim up his thighs. “Maybe I can return the favor on the way home.”
Soren smiles at me over his shoulder.
But as we take off, that plan goes to shit when Matt and Noah hang back.
“We’ll trail you guys in case your jet ski craps out again,” Matt says.
Yaaay.
Motherfucking big brothers.
Chapter Thirteen
Soren
Either we weren’t as subtle on that jet ski as I thought we were, I’m being paranoid, or Matt is suspicious. Maybe all of the above.
Since our trip out to the island, Matt hasn’t left Jet’s side.
When we get back, Matt whisks Jet away under the proviso they haven’t had a real chance to hang out and have bro time yet.
He squeezes his way in between us at dinner.
And for some reason, he keeps bringing up Bryce as often as he can.
So, when Jet says he’s beat not long after dessert, I’m surprised Matt doesn’t follow him.
That was twenty minutes ago.
Waiting for enough time to pass to make a break for it goes on for way too long, and I realize I need to take matters into my own hands.
I approach Lennon and Ollie. “Hey, I think you guys are super tired and want to go to bed.”
“Someone’s eager to sneak into Jet’s hut,” Ollie says.
“Nah, I’m looking after you guys. You’re my friends, and we had a big day on the water today.”
They both look at me with stupid confused expressions.
“Of course, I want to sneak into Jet’s cabin. If I leave first, it’ll look suspicious.”
They leave while telling me I owe them.
One couple down. Three more to go.
The others will be harder because I can’t flat out tell them why I need them to disappear.
I approach Talon and Miller next and take the seat across from them at the table. “How did your day go?”
They both smile.
“Okay, okay, enough said.” I hold up my hand before they can answer with words. “You must be tired now. Like, really tired.” I yawn, hoping it’s contagious.
“Nah, we napped in between,” Miller says.
“Oh, so you’re all recharged and ready to go again.”
They look at me like I’m crazy, but in their defense, I’m basically telling them to go and have sex.
They glance at each other and then back at me.
“Are you … like … you know … trying to …” Talon starts.
I realize what he’s trying to get out. “No, wait—”
“Because we weren’t lying when we said we’re not into three-ways anymore,” Miller says.
“What? No. I, uh, you know … you guys have sex on tap, and I don’t, so I’m telling you to go make the most of it. Geez. Not interested in you … like that. Either of you.”
“Good,” Talon says. “And no offense, but if we were looking for a threesome, we’d go for someone with boobs.”
Miller sighs. “I miss boobs.”
“Really?” Talon asks.
“Well, I mean, not enough to want to go back to that, but maybe we should go watch lesbian porn or something.”
Talon stands. “We have to go! Goodnight!”
Two couples down. Two left. I should be able to reasonably leave now without having to explain myself.
I stand. “I might as well head off too. Goodnight.”
Matt and Noah stare at me as I leave, and I tell myself not to read into it.
They so know, the paranoid voice in the back of my mind says, but I shake it off. I’m going to get Jet all to myself when he’s not mad at me for the first time in years.