22. Warren
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
WARREN
“ H ow ’bout this place?” I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth.
We’ve been paddling for a few miles, and my arms can already feel the burn. We rented kayaks and left the crowded part of the river, looking for our own private beach instead.
“Isn’t it kinda rocky?” Kyle yells back.
“That’s the point! No one else is gonna stop here!” I don’t know about him, but I had high hopes for a make out session.
“Okay! Let’s stop,” Kyle agrees, and we paddle over, hop out, and drag our kayaks onto the rocky shore.
“God, it’s magnificent out here,” I say, taking in the calmly flowing river and stunning sandstone that surrounds us as we stand at the very bottom of the gorge. I get my camera out of my backpack and tell Kyle to stand next to his kayak.
He smiles wide, and I snap a Polaroid. Then we switch, getting one of me as well.
I take my baseball cap off and run my fingers through my loose hair. I’m already sweating profusely and ready for a dip in the cool water, but my stomach takes the opportunity to voice its disagreement, rumbling loudly.
“Guess you’re ready for lunch, then?” Kyle teases, setting his bag down. He gets his towel out, folding it in half to sit on.
I do the same, but the towel isn’t much help as I attempt to get comfortable enough to enjoy my lunch on the hard, lumpy ground. “Ah, shit. These pebbles are digging into my ass.”
“Fuckin’ right,” Kyle grimaces, grabbing our lunch bag and handing me a sandwich wrapped in plastic film.
“Not to keep bitching, but I think I’m actually getting sick of sandwiches,” I confess.
“I’m definitely looking forward to a home-cooked meal when we get back,” Kyle admits with a chuckle.
“Hell yeah. You better invite me, bro.” I can’t deny that I’m looking forward to Mama Carol’s cooking, too.
“ Duh, ” he says with a little smile before taking a giant bite of his sandwich.
We finish eating quickly, ready to get into the river.
“Let me put some more sunscreen on you,” I tell Kyle.
“I already did right before we left.”
“And it won’t hurt to reapply,” I insist.
I tan pretty easily and hardly ever get sunburns thanks to my Italian heritage, but Kyle isn’t so lucky. “Don’t want you to burn, blondie. ’Cause then I can’t do this.” I step into his space, running my hands up his hard abdomen, feeling every peak and valley of his delicious body.
Kyle sucks in a sharp breath of air as my palms brush over the tight buds of his nipples. I curl my hands over his shoulders and squeeze, massaging his muscles for a moment.
“Okay. You’re right. You’re definitely right, ” he says breathlessly.
I laugh as Kyle fumbles through his bag, nearly dropping the can as he comes back to me all flustered.
I can’t tell if he’s blushing or if it’s the heat. Probably both.
Spraying liberally, I make sure he’s covered, then rub it in for good measure. I give my own shoulders another quick spray, knowing they’ll get the most sun bobbing in the water all afternoon.
We pop open an energy drink and split it, waiting for our sunscreen to dry.
It’s hot as balls out here, and the glistening river has been calling to us all morning.
My hand caresses Kyle’s shiny bicep, traveling down his forearm and lacing our fingers together. “Ready to swim?” I whisper, planting a quick kiss on his lips before I tug him toward the water’s edge.
We wade into the river, enjoying the slight shock of the cold water as it instantly cools us down.
“Ahh,” I sigh, floating on my back as the sun beats down on me. I close my eyes, basking in it. “This feels amazing.”
Strong hands suddenly press down on my shoulders, catching me off guard and shoving me beneath the surface.
I pop through, sputtering and coughing, having nearly swallowed a gallon of river water. “ You dick! ” I shout, swiping the wet strands out of my face. “It’s freaking on! You’re goin’ down, Ky!”
Kyle laughs heartily, swimming away as fast as he can.
But I’m faster.
I catch up, clinging to his back and attempting to shove him under, but he doesn’t budge.
The big jerk!
Kyle continues to howl with laughter as I uselessly struggle to overpower him in the chest-deep water. He stumbles around, trying to shake me off, and ends up tripping on the rocky river bottom, taking us under.
We both resurface, sputtering and laughing.
I wipe the water droplets from my eyes, bringing Kyle’s smiling face back into focus as he tucks a lock of dripping wet hair behind my ear.
We stare at each other for a moment, and then he lunges, surging forward and grabbing my face.
Kyle kisses me passionately, his tongue poking at the seam of my mouth, so I open for him, allowing them to tangle.
I wrap my arms around his neck, and soon enough, I’m wrapping my legs around his waist as we continue to make out in the river.
Kyle’s large palm is splayed under my bottom, and I’m so turned on, I know he can feel my erection grinding into his stomach. But we can’t get too carried away when anyone on a speedboat could drive by and catch us.
Or maybe that just adds to the excitement of it all.
Whatever’s going on, I know I want more, just not here.
I finally break away, both of us panting heavily.
“We should stop,” I whisper, even though my cock is practically jumping up and down, begging me not to.
Kyle presses his forehead to mine, sighing in defeat. “You’re right. We should.” But he does the opposite and starts to kiss me again. Sweetly this time.
He finally pulls away, pecking the tip of my nose and running a thumb along my cheekbone. “Okay. Now, we can stop.” The happy look in his eyes and the dopey smile on his face make my stomach bottom out like I just dove off another cliff.
We swim around longer, losing track of time while we toss the little foam football I picked up from the last gas station back and forth.
The afternoon is relaxing and chill—lounging in the river and soaking up the sun—but the multiple energy drinks and all the water we pounded are finally catching up to us.
“I really need to pee. What the hell do we do out here?” Kyle asks with a grimace.
An evil grin curls my lips because I know he’s not going to like this, but I did the research so we can follow the correct protocols.
“You’re swimmin’ in it.”
Okay, not exactly the classiest way to tell him, but I never claimed to be a princess.
“I beg your pardon?” Kyle’s blond brows scrunch together, and I tip my head back, barking out a loud laugh.
“I looked it up. It’s verified. If you don’t have access to a toilet, all fluids, including urine, must go directly into the river.”
“ You’re kidding me? ” Kyle nearly shouts, completely aghast.
“It’s the law.” I shrug with a devilish little grin.
It’s fun to push his boundaries sometimes.
“ Bro. Why is the water warmer all of a sudden?”
My smile only grows.
“Aw, seriously?! Did you really just piss on me?”
“Just following the law of the land, Ky.”
Kyle shoves me under the surface once again and I choke, nearly swallowing a mouthful.
“ Argh! Fucker!” I shout, coughing as I spit the water out.
“How’s it taste?” Kyle asks with a laugh, swimming farther away from shore.
“Awful, you dick!”
“Serves you right!” Kyle laughs, continuing to swim into the darker part of the river.
“Hey! Don’t go too far out,” I holler at him, but he doesn’t listen. “It’s like a thousand feet deep out there!”
“Oh, now you care? You just peed on me!” Kyle shouts, and I think he might actually be upset.
But I didn’t make the rules. That’s seriously what you’re supposed to do out here. This place sees thousands of visitors a month. Imagine if everyone was peeing all over the bushes and rocks with no rainfall to wash it away.
Now that’s unsanitary.
“You’re being dramatic! Now come back!”
I continue to watch Kyle, drifting a little too close to the boat lanes for my liking.
“I really need to pee,” Kyle whines.
“Just go, man. The river washes it away. It’s no big deal. You’re like twenty feet out anyway.”
“But it’s weird that you’ll know I’m going.”
I snort. “Oh my God, Ky. Do you seriously want me to look away? Even though you’re floating in a bajillion gallons of water?” I shout.
“ Yes! I do. So, look away, motherfucker!”
I cackle, but respect his wishes and turn my back, gazing at our lonely kayaks resting on the shore and trying my hardest not to get an inappropriate boner at the thought of Kyle pissing in the river behind me.
What the fuck is wrong with me?