I shrug. “Seems like a good enough reason to me.” I pull Cole’s legs into my lap so that he has room to stretch out comfortably, and he grins at me. His shirt is mostly unbuttoned, as usual, and I let my eyes linger, dragging along his bare torso before I look away.
We play a few more rounds, and I can tell Cole is restless, wiggling in place to find a comfortable position, making sure to rub up against me when he does. Finally, he stands up, stretching luxuriously.
“Well,I’mgoing to go jump in the pool,” he says. “Anyone want to join me?”
Bree stashes her controller on the table. “I’ll come with you, babe.”
“It’s crazy that this place has a poolanda hot tub, and the Sound is right there,” I can’t help musing. “I mean, I guess you guys are used to it, but for me — it’s a little nuts.”
Bree laughs. “Well,Maximum Overkill1 and 2 paid for the house, and 3 paid for the pool, I’m pretty sure.”
“Oh man, we sawMaximum Overkill, remember?” Seth leans around Bree to catch my eye. “It was right before I went to college, I’m pretty sure.”
“Andwesaw the third one,” Cole chimes in, a glint in his eye as he looks at me. I suddenly have a vividmemory ofexactlywhere Cole’s hand was during the movie, and I hope nobody notices me blushing.
“Well, now you can all get your money back when you get in the pool,” Bree quips. “Seth, want to join us?”
Seth glances over at me. “I wouldn’t mind doing another battle or two, if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
We shuffle a little closer together on the couch as Bree and Cole leave the room. As he cues up the next round, Seth bumps me with his shoulder. “Hey, I like this whole thing. You and Cole. I always thought maybe you were alone too much, but you relax around him. It’s cool.”
I keep my eyes on the screen and my voice steady. “Yeah, he gets me, I guess.”
We’re only halfway through the next round when we hear voices on the stairs. And when Bree and Cole walk into the room, Seth pauses the game.
Bree is wearing a tiny purple bikini, the halter top and skimpy bottoms barely containing her curves. And Cole, fuckingCole, is walking by in nothing but a hot pink Speedo, a towel slung over his shoulder, his long limbs and trim torso more than a little mouthwatering, the suit leaving absolutelynothingto the imagination. I’ve seen him fully naked on many occasions, and I’m still sitting here feeling like I’m going to have a heart attack.
Bree links her arms through Cole’s, a slow smilespreading across her face as she meets Seth’s gaze. “We’ll be outside when you get bored, boys.”
When they leave, Seth clears his throat. “I, uh — I think I want to go swimming.”
“Me, too,” I agree, and we race for the stairs to change.
***
“Anybody else want anything while I’m up?” Seth is bent over the cooler, the firelight flickering across his shoulders, and I can hear the soft clink of bottles and ice as he rummages through it. We’re sitting down by the water, relaxing after a day spent in and out of the pool.
“I’ll have another one,” I reply, waving my empty bottle. I’m slumped on one of the couches around the conversation pit, my feet stretched towards the fire, typing a long string of eggplant emojis on my phone.
“Are you sure?” Seth chuckles. “You look like you’re more liquid than solid.”
I hit send, and a moment later, I hear a snort of laughter from Cole.
“Aren’t we all 75% water anyway?” I ask as Seth slides the cold bottle into my hand.
Cole gives me a withering look, the corner of his mouth twitching. “That’s the earth. The earth is 75% water.”
“Never said I was a fucking scientist.” I take atriumphant swig of my beer, and Cole hides his face in the cushions, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
Across the fire, Bree appears to be conducting an imaginary orchestra with the neck of her beer bottle. When Seth sits down beside her, she snuggles against him, then turns her eyes toward the two of us.
“Never have I ever—” she begins.
Cole groans, running a hand over his face, and I sit bolt upright.
“This is aterribleidea,” I announce to no one in particular.
