“Jones told us how you met.” Ollie grinned as he went back to breakfast. “Romantic.”
Charlie nudged my shoulder. “I mean, I couldn’t not shoot my shot. He was just lying on the sand staring up at the stars as he took pictures with his phone.”
“He does that a lot. Jones is a bit of a himbo.” Travis snorted into his coffee when I glared at him.
Charlie squeezed my thigh. “Jonesy’s special, but I wouldn’t call him a himbo. He’s funny, beautiful, smart, and he makes me happy. He knows what he wants to do for the rest of his life, unlike a lot of people our age.”
Swoon.I ducked my head as I blushed and started to pick at the bacon on my plate. I was used to my friends picking on me for me, but I knew that they didn’t mean it. When I looked up again, Ollie and Travis were staring at me with wide eyes and smiles on their faces.
“What?”
“You’re unusually quiet,” Travis commented. “You have anything to add, Jonesy?”
I shook my head. “No, only Charlie gets to call me that.” I smiled at him when he squeezed my leg again. “And I think he’s the nicest, sweetest, kindest guy I’ve ever met. He even introduced me to hard cider.” I kept the sex stuff to myself, because it was private. We were close, but not that close.
“You drank alcohol?” Ollie gasped. “You’ve corrupted our Jones, Charlie. I think I like you.” He snorted withlaughter when I threw a piece of bacon at him, which he caught and promptly ate.
I leaned into the warmth of the man next to me. “It’s good. You should try it.”
“How about tonight?” Charlie suggested as his hand slid farther up my thigh. I felt myself start to harden inside my shorts, despite being out in public. “My dad’s gone. We could have a party, although I wanted some alone time with my boyfriend.”
Ollie’s eyes went wide as saucers. “Boyfriend? You’re like official?”
“Sure are. Aren’t we, Bashful?” Charlie had that big smile on his face, and I wanted to kiss the heck out of him.
I nodded as I felt a blush begin to creep up over my neck and face. “We are.”
I laced my fingers through his hand that had stopped creeping up my thigh. It didn’t help my erection, though. It sat like steel inside my briefs. I silently willed it to go down, but it was impossible with Charlie so close to me, his hand on my bare skin and his warmth seeping through my body. I swear I could smell his beachy scent even with the smell of fried food that was wafting through the restaurant.
“Jones! I’m so dang happy for you!” Travis exclaimed. “You’ve wanted a boyfriend since you figured out you were... Well, you know. And this is something special. Heck yes, we’ll come to your party. Can we bring fireworks?”
“No fireworks! You really do have a death wish, don’t you?” Ollie shook his head at his brother, and when they began bickering back and forth at one another, I turned to look at Charlie.
His eyes glittered with happiness. “You okay with me calling you my boyfriend in front of your friends?”
“Of course I am.” I was a little nervous, but I liked that Charlie wasn’t afraid to tell people I was his. “They’re my best friends. Travis and Ollie don’t judge me.”
Charlie reached over to drag his thumb across my bottom lip. “I really want to kiss you, Jonesy, but if you’re not comfortable with that—”
I pressed my mouth against his before he could finish his sentence. “Forget what Mama said, Charlie. I’m yours.”
Chapter Ten
Charlie
I figured it would be safer for Jones if I invited his friends over for a party. That way, he could tell his mother that he was hanging out with them, and she wouldn’t get too suspicious. I didn’t really know anyone else in North Carolina so I told Ollie and Travis to invite anyone else they might want to attend. I just didn’t think it would be so many people. I figured maybe four or five at the most. Right now, I was standing on the beach outside the house, my arm around Jones, while twenty plus people laughed and had a good time. Enjoyed my booze and ate my food.
“Do you know all of these people, Bashful?” I asked.
I didn’t want the police to show up. Then my father would be really pissed. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d had a party, and the cops were called, but back home in Boston, I had a lot of friends. I knew people. Down here? Not so much. My father would be more than upset with me if the authorities showed up.
Jones shook his head. “Ollie and Travis do. Half of them are probably family.” I listened to the sound of his giggle when I tickled his side with my fingers. “Their father is the sheriff, though. You don’t have to worry.”
“Did I look worried?”
“You did.”
I smiled down at him before he surprised me again and stood up to brush his lips against mine. Jones totally caught me off guard earlier this morning at the restaurant when he kissed me in front of his friends. In front of everyone in his hometown. Maybe he figured it was dark out here. No one would see us together because they were too busy dancing, drinking, and enjoying themselves to care. Maybe the hard cider was making Jones loosen up a little bit tonight.
