Page 29 of The Boys Next Door

Every day? More like never.

In fact, she’d planned to be home right around now, Diana thought, finishing her stretch and turning back onto her stomach to play with the dandelions sprouting from Marissa’s lawn. She’d planned to be back home, alone and sober, practicing the speech for tomorrow’s graduation that she’d written weeks ago and then done her best to forget about, because public speaking held a place of honor in her worst nightmares. All those eyes, everyone focused on her…

When she’d been told she was valedictorian and would have the “distinction” of speaking at graduation, she’d almost asked that the school just pass that distinction on to the next-best person. Then, annoyed with herself, she’d accepted. And by all rights she should be pacing her bedroom right now, rehearsing every word of her already-memorized speech, just in case.

But she couldn’t bring herself to worry about it. Having a thousand eyes on her didn’t seem so terrifying anymore. Not after exposing every inch of her smooth curves to the eager hazel gazes of the boys next door while they lounged, fully dressed, against her desk. And definitely not after letting them pull her thighs open wider and wider while she worked her dildo into her moist pussy…

A bowl nudged her hand, bringing her back to Marissa’s backyard. Pretzels, being passed around. Diana scooped up a handful and scarfed them down. Someone was singing, and someone else was singing a different song, and a third person had pulled out a guitar, and in the meantime she was consumed with a total desire to eat everything in the world.

“I’m getting us more food,” she announced vaguely to the circle.

But once she was alone in Marissa’s quiet kitchen, leaning against the humming fridge and spooning peanut butter straight out of the jar, she had to admit the truth: she wasn’t just craving food.

Her whole body felt warm and loose and relaxed. The brush of her skirt against her bare legs made her tingle with excitement. Night air, wafting through the open window, caressed her skin and teased her nipples into hard points against her bra. And being up against the humming fridge…

Jesus, she was actually wondering whether she could sneak into Marissa’s room for some time alone — or casually call Brendan and ask what he and Ian were up to without risking her dignity.

Of course, she’d already done that, three nights ago, right when she should have been one hundred per cent focused on finals.

She’d been in a state of disbelief last Wednesday night, doing her best to study and all too aware of the scrap of paper she’d found on her desk after the twins left: a scrap scrawled with Brendan’s name, his cell number, and the wordsCall us.

Had she really stripped in front of both the twins? Masturbated for them with the best-kept secret in her underwear drawer? Taken both Brendan and Ian inside her at the same time?

Yes. Yes, she most certainly had. And she managed to stop thinking about the two of them in her bed just long enough to focus on the last days of class. But as soon as she’d headed out into the sunshine to meet her friends on Friday afternoon, she heard Ian’s lust-soaked voice in her head, begging her to suck his cock.

She was busy, she’d told herself firmly. Very busy. So were the twins. She had her life, they had theirs.

But Sunday evening, right before finals — perched at her desk again, slogging through her AP chemistry notes, and trying to ignore the temptation of the dildo under her pillow that she’d already used twice that day — she’d pulled out her phone and impulsively texted Brendan:I need a study break.

Oh God. She practically slammed her head into her desk as soon as she’d hit “send.” Had she really just texted him like that? He’d be out somewhere, doing something, and she’d just thrown herself in his direction. But two minutes later, her phone buzzed:Come over.

When Brendan led her into the O’Brians’ den, his warm hand on her back, three smiling faces greeted her. Well, two smiling faces and one smirk from Ian. The twins were watching baseball — with their parents? How wholesome.

She settled down on the couch next to Brendan, tensing with excitement when he draped his arm around her right in front of his parents, unsure where this was going and accepting a handful of chips when a bowl was passed around. At least Brendan was the kind of guy who was affectionate with everybody. He was always putting his arm around girls and clapping guys on the back and hugging his mom.

Mr. and Mrs. O’Brian were thrilled to see her, and asked her more questions about Yale, her high school career, and her upcoming summer job in a research lab than she would have liked to answer in front of Ian, who shot her occasional glances from where he was lying on the floor in front of the giant TV.

By the ninth inning, it occurred to her that he was looking up her bicycle-printed skirt. She hadn’t even noticed that her legs had slipped open. Her nipples tightened, and heat flooded her cheeks.

“Are you all right?” Brendan asked sympathetically. He rubbed her shoulder. “You look warm. It’s pretty hot in here.”

Thanks, Brendan,she thought. Now Mr. O’Brian was offering to turn up the AC, and Ian was looking back at the TV screen with that innocent expression she knew all too well.

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Don’t worry about the AC.”

She crossed her legs tightly, half-tempted to open them and give Ian a show but knowing she didn’t have the guts to do it with his parents anywhere in the vicinity. Her stomach was turning somersaults now, and Brendan was playing with her hair, idly, like he didn’t even notice. Every movement of his fingers sent a current of excitement down Diana’s shoulders and straight to her nipples.

“I like your skirt, Diana,” Ian drawled from the floor. “Makes me want to go for a ride.”

Jesus. She bit her lip hard to keep from laughing, her whole body hot and prickly. Brendan squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, while Mr. O’Brian pointed out that the twins’ bikes were gathering dust in the garage, and Mrs. O’Brian launched into a fond reminiscence about the three of them riding through the neighborhood as kids: Ian speeding ahead, Brendan behind him keeping an eye on Diana, and Diana pedaling extra fast to keep up with both of them.

“I remember when this one was doing bike tricks on the skateboard ramp in the park.” Mr. O’Brian pointed to Ian, who just stretched his long arms over his head. “For some crazy reason, you got it into your head to try too, Diana.”

“It was fun” she said brightly. Brendan’s hand on her back was beyond distracting. “It didn’t seem so crazy at the time.”

Mrs. O’Brian shook his head. “You were flat on the ground. Your poor mom went into in heart attack mode. Brendan was the one who calmed her down. We got an earful later.”

Mrs. O’Brian laughed. “That’s right. ‘I would never consider letting Diana play with Ian if Brendan wasn’t looking out for her…’ It wasn’t the only time we heard that. I can’t blame her.”

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