Page 275 of Worthy

My heart was still pounding from catching the glimpses of their peachy butts and the barest hints of their sacks as they flew toward the lake, but I managed to jump back from the splashing battle that ensued when both of them emerged, wet and cackling and feigning outrage that the other one dared push them off balance.

“Are we mad?” Tanner demanded. “Fighting between ourselves whenheis still out there.” He pointed at me and Damien redirected his splash at the pier. I was far enough to escape it this time.

“Get in here,” Damien said.

“What are you waiting for?” Tanner asked.

“Er…” I lifted my eyebrows. For a short while, I had been dead certain that they didn’t really want me there. Not after a whole evening of subtle flirting and the fiery exchange of thosefuck-me-slowlyeyes they both wore so naturally. I had fully expected them to forget all about me, so that I could sneak back to the tent and the dwindling fire, happy with myself for at least letting them get on with it.

“Just jump,” Damien said.

I huffed out a breath of air and grabbed the edge of my T-shirt. Wolf-whistles shattered the silence of the night as I threw my T-shirt over my head and rolled my eyes at their relentless teasing.

“Strip! Strip! Strip!” Damien was chanting while Tanner pretend-fainted with excitement and did an underwater backflip, his legs emerging, spread out like a frog’s, but no more than that.

I snorted and dragged my shorts down. There was no way in hell I was taking off my briefs in front of them. Maybe if we were in a locker room with a bunch of other guys — which I had always avoided, anyway — but definitely not when it was only the three of us and they both stared at me with jokingly thirsty eyes.

I took a couple steps back after stepping out of my shorts and readied myself to sprint across the pier. As I did, my two friends moaned and protested that I was cheating.

“What part of skinny dipping didn’t you understand?” was the last I heard and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out which one had said it. I cannonballed between Damien and Tanner, both of whom leaped out of my way.

With a massive splash, I was submerged, my hair weightless and floating up as the rest of me uncoiled and swam through the depth of the lake. Sharp prickling all over my skin shocked me at first. I’d expected it to be a lot warmer and the dickhead twins hadn’t thought to warn me.

Bubbles of air that left my nose and mouth were silver near the surface where the moonlight pierced through the clear water.

Shivers ran down my spine and I swam for the surface. There, Damien and Tanner waited. And as soon as I emerged and drew a deep breath of air, water began splashing me from both sides. In protesting squeals and laughter, the two of them softened their attack and neared me, each touching one of my shoulders, and grinned.

It was enough of a warning that I should inhale again and hold my breath because they submerged me in the next instant. I could only think of my cannonballing as the reason for this, but I didn’t mind. When I flailed, my fingertips grazed two steely torsos, shredded abs and soft, smooth skin, and…I nearly choked, remembering I was under the water in the nick of time. My left hand ran down Tanner’s stomach and I could have sworn I felt his soft cock briefly under my fingertips.

It made my right arm move twice as quickly to keep me from sinking deeper and I grabbed onto the first thing I found. It was Damien’s arms. His thick, swollen biceps was more than I could hold in one hand, but I clung to it with all my strength and found that both of them were sliding their hands under my arms to pull me up.

When I surfaced again, they were laughing hysterically. They both screeched with surprise when I shook my head, and excess water splashed across their faces. Then, silence.

We formed a triangle, floating in the water. My chin dipped in and out of the water as I glanced between Dayton, who was passionate and burning like a newborn star, and Tanner, who was casual, easygoing, and quick to joke about anything. My heart was stretched out between them so much that none remained for myself.

They looked at me expectantly, then glanced at each other. There was that silent exchange between them; the kind that two old friends sometimes had where no words were necessary.

Dayton translated their agreement to me. “Take ‘em off or we’ll do it for you.”

I scoffed like it annoyed me because that was my best and safest shield from looking like a fool. I swam back a few paces, then hooked my thumbs under the waistband of my briefs. It was a true struggle to take the tight briefs off when they were wet and sticking to my skin. I felt my legs as I dragged the twisting fabric down. They were smooth, as were my balls and the skin around my waking, pulsing cock. I was that fool who shaved and prepared just for the kicks and giggles even when he knew full well nothing would come out of it.

Years ago, I would have hoped for something, and done it just in case. But as time had gone on, it had become a ritual. I’d always made myself ready and looked like my best self when I went out. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that there would be a chance to show off the effort. I had done it for myself.

I lifted the scrappy cloth out of the water. It was drenched and dripping and I swung it over my head then tossed it to them. Damien caught my briefs by practically pushing Tanner under the water, and held them in his fist high above his head. “Ha! Suckers.” He swam away so quickly that I stood no chance of catching up.

Laughter rippled over the surface of the lake as Damien got out and ran off with everyone’s underwear and clothes he’d collected along the pier. Except mine were the only ones beyond saving, while theirs were perfectly dry.

Tanner shook his head and looked at me in that familiar way he had with almost everyone. There was always something knowing in his gaze. It was like he used his tomfoolery to disguise the fact that he was perpetually reading people.

I knew he was reading me. Despite doing my damn best to hide my thoughts, I was an open book to him. In everything except the most important thing of all; my feelings for him.

“You like him, don’t you?” he said softly. “Look at you. Christ, dip your face in the water before it catches fire.” He laughed so softly and sweetly that my heartbeat nearly sent ripples in the water around me.

Tanner swam up to me and looked into my eyes as if he was finding exactly what he’d been looking for.

“Yeah, you like him,” he said.

“Shut up,” I whispered, trying to deny it, but my tone confirmed what Tanner already knew. “I don’t.” My voice cracked.

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