"No." He sat up and chucked the magazine at me. "She's going to be everything you want in a girl, and she's going to deny your ass. Plain and simple."
I caught the magazine and laughed deep in my chest. "Is that a joke?"
Daniel walked in, his complexion pale. "Is what a joke?"
"Stomach upset, buddy?" I asked before taking another sip of the beer.
"Something like that." He dropped down in a chair close to me and shook his head. "Are you naked?"
"Yep. You can thank your bowels for good timing." I patted Clay's shoulder. "Your buddy here got a pair of wet swim trunks to the face."
"Oh, great. At least he got his already." Daniel pressed his hands to his face and leaned back. "We need to find you a girl to sleep with. You're too damn aggressive otherwise."
"Sleep with? Who wants to-” I was cut off by Derek's loud, country voice as he barreled back into the house.
"Really, Brody? Shit, man." He closed the door and walked in, stopping beside the couch nearest to me.
"What?" I looked over at him. "Pretty girl, by the way. How much did you pay her?"
"She said you guys slept together a few nights back, and now she was looking for a real man." He shrugged and laughed as he turned toward the kitchen.
"Did we? I'm losing track of them." I yawned and rubbed my hand over my chest.
"Why do you do that?" Daniel asked, his voice softer than moments before.
"Do what?" I sat up and pulled the towel up to finish drying my hair.
He rolled his eyes and got up, acting as if he hadn't seen my dick a million times. Shy was one thing I wasn't.
"Treat women like objects." He disappeared into the kitchen, and I turned to Clay.
"Do I do that?" I lifted an eyebrow, already knowing the answer and not caring a bit.
He didn't glance up from his new magazine. "Yep, but so what? They do the same to you."
"Yeah." I stood up and walked into the kitchen. "Yeah. They do the same to me."
"You want them to, brother." Derek tossed a package of sausage to me. "Go get on some shorts and let’s get these things on the grill. You're the best man for the job."
"That's because you guys burn everything." I sat the sausages down and ran my fingers through my wet, blond hair. "Do I really objectify women?"
"Yep." All three of my friends yelled in tandem.
"Well, I guess I should change that." I walked toward the bedroom as they all started to laugh. I joined them before yelling back behind me. "Naw, it's not my style. Fuck 'em all."
Chapter 3
Cora
"Finally!" Cindy walked out onto the porch as I pulled my bag out of the back of the car. Her red hair was the color of copper, and her freckles only added to a false sense of innocence that fit her personality well.
"Hey. You guys need a hand?" Dedra walked out beside her as she tugged her hair into a ponytail. Her mixed heritage left her skin a beautiful mocha and her hair black and silky to the touch.
"No. We just have our bags." I lugged Emily's out first and then mine. After a quick glance around, I pulled my bag toward the quaint log cabin we'd rented and laughed as Cindy bounded down the stairs and almost knocked me off my feet with a huge hug.
"Summer has finally started!" She moved back and turned to Emily, giving her a hug, as well. "How are you? How was the funeral?"
"It was good." Emily tugged at her suitcase, forcing it up the stairs as she grunted and grumbled.