sure the ice chests were all
properly sorted.
“Fuck off,” Austin and I screamed back at him.
“You guys are annoying the shit out of us,” Derek returned in
Carson’s defense.
“Stop crying, you little bitch,” Austin said. Carson’s neighbors
were probably loving our little display.
Derek and Carson looked at each other. Carson shook his head.
Derek nodded his. Then they both ran straight at us. Austin and I started
running, but we didn’t get far. We ended up with our faces pressed to
• 51 •
AShley BArtlett
the window of the truck, which our heads barely even reached. Derek
trapped my arms behind my back and pulled up until I was on my
tiptoes and in serious pain. Carson held Austin in the same position.
“Help,” Austin cried out in a rather high-pitched voice. “Rape,
molest, assault.”
“Shut up and take it.” Carson pushed him harder against the truck.
I started laughing at Austin.
“You think that’s funny?” Derek rewarded me by raising my arms
even higher until I whimpered.
“Now say you love each other,” Carson demanded.
“No.” I refused to give in.
“I give up.” The pain on Austin’s face was replaced with a sneer.
“I love Vivian.”
“Hate you,” I spat at him.
A car door slammed, followed quickly by another. Two seconds
later, Ryan was pulling off my captor and Reese was doing the same to
Austin’s.
“What is wrong with you guys?” Ryan tossed Derek back against
the truck. His head narrowly missed the side mirror. Carson landed on
my other side.
“It’s seven thirty in the morning,” Reese stated the obvious. “Have
all of you been drinking?” The four of us looked at one another sheepishly.
“Can you even drive? We’re leaving in less than an hour,” Ryan
said. Damn, we didn’t think of that.
A chorus of, “Sorry,” sounded down the line.
“Great impression, by the way.” Reese turned and held out her
hand to a chick standing behind her. “This is Kerry.” Kerry was pierced
and tatted everywhere. She had a dark faux hawk like mine, but mine
was better. I guess she was kind of hot, if you’re into pretty eyes and
toned arms.
“Hi, Kerry,” we responded like school kids.
“The twink is Austin.” He looked outraged. “Blond hair and blue
eyes is Carson. Blond hair and green eyes is Cooper. I know they look
the same, but the one with green eyes is a girl.”
“Thanks for clarifying, buttercup. That’s a toughie,” I said like I
was thankful when I just wanted to knock her out.
Reese smirked in response. “And finally, the tall, dark, and
handsome, self-appointed God’s gift to women is Derek.”
• 52 •
Dirty Sex
“Lovely to meet you, Kerry.” I shook her hand. “Sorry to make
such a poor impression.”
“It’s all right. You guys lived up to every one of Reese’s
descriptions.” She smiled in a way that made it sound funny instead
of rude.
“Fabulous.” Austin pushed off the truck and shook her hand as
well. “Let’s get this shit packed up now. Hey, Kerry, do you want a
beer?”
“Or a Bloody Mary?” Derek asked. “It’s like breakfast. But with
vodka.”
“You know? A beer sounds great.” Reese shot Kerry a look. “I’m
still on East Coast time.” She shrugged like that explained it.
“Follow me,” I told her. We walked toward the house past a Reese
who looked like she might kill.
❖
“Seriously, guys.” Austin stood surveying the pile of gear in the
driveway with Derek and me. “Do we need all of this?”
“We could leave your sleeping bag,” Derek offered.
“Can I share with you?” Austin asked innocently.
“Sorry. I’m already sharing with Carson. Too bad.” Derek pursed
his lips like it was a real tough call. “You know how we love to spoon.”
“You know straight guys aren’t supposed to say things like that,
right?” I said.
“I’m enlightened,” Derek said.
Austin and I rolled our eyes. “We went over The List
properly sorted.
“Fuck off,” Austin and I screamed back at him.
“You guys are annoying the shit out of us,” Derek returned in
Carson’s defense.
“Stop crying, you little bitch,” Austin said. Carson’s neighbors
were probably loving our little display.
Derek and Carson looked at each other. Carson shook his head.
Derek nodded his. Then they both ran straight at us. Austin and I started
running, but we didn’t get far. We ended up with our faces pressed to
• 51 •
AShley BArtlett
the window of the truck, which our heads barely even reached. Derek
trapped my arms behind my back and pulled up until I was on my
tiptoes and in serious pain. Carson held Austin in the same position.
“Help,” Austin cried out in a rather high-pitched voice. “Rape,
molest, assault.”
“Shut up and take it.” Carson pushed him harder against the truck.
I started laughing at Austin.
“You think that’s funny?” Derek rewarded me by raising my arms
even higher until I whimpered.
“Now say you love each other,” Carson demanded.
“No.” I refused to give in.
“I give up.” The pain on Austin’s face was replaced with a sneer.
“I love Vivian.”
“Hate you,” I spat at him.
A car door slammed, followed quickly by another. Two seconds
later, Ryan was pulling off my captor and Reese was doing the same to
Austin’s.
“What is wrong with you guys?” Ryan tossed Derek back against
the truck. His head narrowly missed the side mirror. Carson landed on
my other side.
“It’s seven thirty in the morning,” Reese stated the obvious. “Have
all of you been drinking?” The four of us looked at one another sheepishly.
“Can you even drive? We’re leaving in less than an hour,” Ryan
said. Damn, we didn’t think of that.
A chorus of, “Sorry,” sounded down the line.
“Great impression, by the way.” Reese turned and held out her
hand to a chick standing behind her. “This is Kerry.” Kerry was pierced
and tatted everywhere. She had a dark faux hawk like mine, but mine
was better. I guess she was kind of hot, if you’re into pretty eyes and
toned arms.
“Hi, Kerry,” we responded like school kids.
“The twink is Austin.” He looked outraged. “Blond hair and blue
eyes is Carson. Blond hair and green eyes is Cooper. I know they look
the same, but the one with green eyes is a girl.”
“Thanks for clarifying, buttercup. That’s a toughie,” I said like I
was thankful when I just wanted to knock her out.
Reese smirked in response. “And finally, the tall, dark, and
handsome, self-appointed God’s gift to women is Derek.”
• 52 •
Dirty Sex
“Lovely to meet you, Kerry.” I shook her hand. “Sorry to make
such a poor impression.”
“It’s all right. You guys lived up to every one of Reese’s
descriptions.” She smiled in a way that made it sound funny instead
of rude.
“Fabulous.” Austin pushed off the truck and shook her hand as
well. “Let’s get this shit packed up now. Hey, Kerry, do you want a
beer?”
“Or a Bloody Mary?” Derek asked. “It’s like breakfast. But with
vodka.”
“You know? A beer sounds great.” Reese shot Kerry a look. “I’m
still on East Coast time.” She shrugged like that explained it.
“Follow me,” I told her. We walked toward the house past a Reese
who looked like she might kill.
❖
“Seriously, guys.” Austin stood surveying the pile of gear in the
driveway with Derek and me. “Do we need all of this?”
“We could leave your sleeping bag,” Derek offered.
“Can I share with you?” Austin asked innocently.
“Sorry. I’m already sharing with Carson. Too bad.” Derek pursed
his lips like it was a real tough call. “You know how we love to spoon.”
“You know straight guys aren’t supposed to say things like that,
right?” I said.
“I’m enlightened,” Derek said.
Austin and I rolled our eyes. “We went over The List
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