30. Shoua
CHAPTER 30
shoua
I came out of the bathroom this morning to find Andy hovering over Julie on the bed. He was half-naked in what looked like running shorts, sweat beading on his back. She let out a muffled giggle with Andy’s lips locked with her in a kiss. Before I could open my mouth to say anything, Andy’s hands slipped into the camisole she wore to bed. I think I saw a flash of her pink-brown nipples before his large hands covered them.
“It is too early for this, Andy,” I announced, startling the couple as I averted my eyes away from the bed.
“Aw, come on, Shoua,” he said with a laugh as Julie immediately pushed him off her. She was bright red as she tried to make herself look decent while Andy carelessly grinned in my direction. “I know you’d appreciate if Anthony did the same to you after a morning run.”
“No,” I said and grimaced as I quickly made my exit. “No, thank you.”
Andy laughed wholeheartedly as I closed the bedroom door behind me. So much for sharing a room with Julie when her boyfriend was that needy. When she told me months ago that being with Andy had made her sexually confident, I didn’t expect her to mean this.
I glanced back at the closed door when I heard her soft moan and then immediately walked away. My cheeks burned with frustration and just as I turned around to look forward, my face smacked into a hard, sweaty chest.
“You all right?” heaved Anthony as his hands came out to grab me to keep me from falling over.
“Your brother is dicking down my cousin,” I said with a grimace.
“I definitely didn’t need to know that,” Anthony said. Disgust washed over his face as he quickly motioned me to come into the room he shared with Andy. I wasn’t surprised to find their room clean and neat. “Looks like you’re rooming with me after all.”
“I was hoping that wouldn’t be the case,” I mumbled, throwing myself onto the bed and under the covers. “Did you sleep on this side?”
“How’d you know?” Anthony sounded surprised as his spine straightened.
I laughed. “It smells like you.”
His cheeks turned crimson as he looked over at me. “W-what do I smell like?”
I buried my nose into the pillow he used and took a sharp inhale of his scent. “When you don’t use your cologne, you smell fresh and light. Like pine. Like the body wash you use.”
“Yeah? You can sleep on that side of the bed then. But what difference would it make when you can just smell me all night?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I flipped onto my side to glance at him as he approached the bed.
He watched me closely, observing my every move with sweat dripping down the column of his neck to his pecs. His chest heaved up and down as if he just finished sprinting. He climbed onto the bed and hovered over me, placing his hands on each side of my face.
With a thick swallow, he whispered, “I definitely would.”
He quickly brushed his lips against my temple with a sigh. “For practice.” His words came out as a long breath.
“Yeah,” I barely managed to mumble.
We were far from needing any more practice. In fact, we should probably do less of it. However, Anthony took no heed to it. He was about to kiss my temple again when a series of soft thuds began to come from the room where I left Julie and Andy.
Anthony pulled away from me with an irritated scowl. “I’m going to kill that horny bastard one day.”
I laughed. “At least shower first.”
He sheepishly smiled as he slipped off the bed and grabbed a few items before taking his shower. It wasn’t until I heard the shower turn on that I let out a shaky breath. Now that it was certain Julie and Andy were going to room together, I was certain sleeping in the same bed with Anthony for the next few days would be perfectly fine.
Things between us were still awkward and had taken a while to fall back into place. Not that our relationship would ever really be the same again. Regardless, sharing a bed should be fine, right? We were just going to share one bed for a few nights. That was all.
I let out a frustrated sigh as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I debated whether I should change out of the two-piece swimsuit I had on for the black one-piece laid out on the bed. I had been trying to build confidence in myself and love my body the way it is naturally. I didn’t really like showing off my body, especially my midsection since it wasn’t slim like Julie’s and Evelyn’s.
But fuck that .
I decided right then to fuck insecurities, wear this bikini, and show off my body the way it was. This was how I looked and there was nothing wrong with it, despite what my mom would say if she saw me in this. Before I could slather on sunscreen, there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find Anthony standing there. He quickly slipped in with knitted brows. He looked worried.
“Hey, what’s wrong? The others are already in the lake.”
“I’m fine. Just about to put on sunscreen,” I replied as he closed the door behind him and locked it.
He observed me in my firetruck red bikini and the mesh shawl I had tied around my waist. His honey brown eyes darkened slowly as his gaze took me in from head to toe, drinking me up bit by bit. “You look good,” he said, his voice husky and deep. “You look fucking hot .”
In the mirror, I could see myself flush as red as my bikini. “Thanks,” I muttered meekly.
He grabbed the bottle of sunscreen off the dresser and popped it open. “You look amazing, Shoua. But you’re so damn clueless about it. Did you see the way people were looking at you last week at the bar?” Before I could say anything to him, he spoke up again. “Turn around, I’ll put sunscreen on your back.”
The squirt of the sunscreen into his hands sounded lewd as he stepped into my sphere. I quickly clipped up my hair and did as he asked. His hands slowly worked from the back of my neck down to my shoulder blades as I had done for him the last two days.
Anthony exhaled, sending a sharp puff of air across the back of my neck, which made tingles shoot down my spine to my toes. His calloused hands drifted down to the small of my back. He squeezed more sunscreen into his hands and then motioned me to twirl around to face him in the mirror.
“Turn around, I’ll get your front,” he said.
“It’s fine. I’ll do it myself.” I quickly turned around to grab the sunscreen bottle, but he stopped me. His sunscreen-ladened hand covered mine.
Anthony sighed. “Look, I already got all this sunblock in my hands. I need to put it on you.”
“Fine.”
His fingers immediately spread the lotion under the string of my bikini top along my clavicles, and my cheeks began burning again. I glanced up at him, but his eyes were on my neck.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” He let out a little amused chuckle as his hands moved lower.
“You’re not even looking at me in the eyes. How would you know how I’m looking at you?”
His beautiful eyes finally met mine. I was expecting them to be hazy and cloudy with lust and desire. However, they were far from it. They glinted brightly with so much clarity I was a bit surprised.
“You think I’m not looking at you, but I am. I’m always looking at you.” His voice dipped low and gruff as it came out just above a whisper. “I’m always following you with my gaze, through the crowd or through the room. You’re beautiful, Shoua. Just absolutely breathtaking.”
I swallowed thickly and licked my lips wet. His eyes immediately darted to them as my heart began to race.
“I-I—” My lips trembled, but I couldn’t say anything else.
A knock was suddenly at the door. “Yeah?” Anthony answered, irritation clearly in his voice.
“Hey, Shoua. Are you—”Julie began as she opened the door and took a step inside only to stop when she saw Anthony’s sunscreen-covered hands on my chest and immediately turned and walked out. “Sorry for interrupting!”
After she closed the door, Anthony let out an agitated chuckle. “Why is Julie acting as if she just walked in on us doing the deed when she was the one getting railed by Andy this morning?”
I laughed. “Give her a break, Anthony. She’s shy.”
Julie wouldn’t even look at Anthony and me in the eyes at breakfast. I, for sure, wouldn’t be able to look at her either if she had walked in on Anthony pounding me relentlessly from behind?—
Never mind. Scratch that.
Regardless, we wouldn’t be doing anything anyways to start off with.
I quickly grabbed the sunscreen bottle and squeezed out a handful of it into my palm. “You know what? I’ll finish putting sunscreen on myself. I’ll be there once I’m ready.”
I pushed his hands away from me and started to slather it all over my chest and waist.
“You sure?” He seemed apprehensive to leave.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just go back.”
Once Anthony was gone, I was able to recollect myself with a shaky breath as my heart continued to pound in my chest. I ignored the intrusive thoughts swirling in my head and forced myself to go out to the lake. I had barely arrived when Jonathan and Andy sneakily came up behind me and pushed me into the lake.
“What the hell?” I yelled as I came up to the surface. “I’m going to get back at you for that, Jonathan Lo and Andy Hughes!”
“Sure, su—” Jonathan laughed before letting out the loudest shrill scream I had ever heard from him. Anthony had slipped up behind him and pushed him into the lake.
Andy was immediately on guard as he tried to fight off Anthony before being thrown into the water as well. I laughed as Jonathan and Andy came to the surface.
“Thanks, Anthony!” I yelled.
He catapulted himself off the long private deck that extended out of the backyard of the lake house we were staying at and deep into the lake. A wave of water from his cannonball splashed in all our faces before he came up for a gasp of air with a wide grin. He swam toward me but was intercepted by Jonathan’s foam football.
Sai and Evelyn were bobbing on a shared floatie in the distance, to my surprise. They seemed to be hitting it off. Meanwhile, Kelvin hung out under the gazebo sipping smoothies with our parents.
Julie was swimming toward me with an apologetic smile. “Sorry for earlier!” she said.
“For what? For this morning or for—” I laughed before her face became bright red.
“Both!” She flashed a flustered look at me. Sweet Julie was always the most considerate of everyone.
“Let’s go grab a cup of smoothie and we’ll call it even,” I said, swimming toward the ladder to get back up on the deck.
I helped Julie up once I was on stable ground. I heard Anthony let out a disappointed groan. “You’re leaving already?” he asked.
“Only to have some smoothie,” I said and then laughed.
Julie smirked at him. “Someone sure is needy.”
“Nope, your boyfriend is!” Anthony retorted.
Andy let out an echoing laugh. “And what about it?”
Julie shook her head with a smile tugging at her lips. We walked over to the gazebo, where Auntie Yee handed us a smoothie. The icy, refreshing drink was a welcoming contrast to the rising temperatures and blazing sun. We shared a giggle as we started sipping our fruity concoctions.
Before I could ask Julie anything, a loud splash from the lake grabbed our attention. Anthony was emerging from the water and grinning mischievously. Rivulets of water cascaded down his well-earned muscles, making my throat catch as I sipped my smoothie.
“I missed you,” he said as he jogged over to us. He quickly grabbed one of the lounge chairs next to me and pushed it up against my side.
“Missed me? I didn’t even go anywhere.” I laughed as he dried himself off with a towel. “How can you possibly miss me?”
“You’re refusing to be in the water with me,” he claimed, taking his seat.
“I’m not!” I handed him my drink and he easily downed half of it. “I just wanted something cold and fruity to drink.”
There was another loud splash. “Tink!” Andy was getting out of the water and smirking playfully. His eyes twinkled as they landed on my cousin.
Julie bit her bottom lip as he sprinted over to us in three long strides, flexing his muscles. Andy quickly toweled himself dry and slipped into the lounge chair she sat on. He easily pulled her into his lap as she laughed. Meanwhile, Anthony and I shared a glance. When did we become the third and fourth wheels?
“Hey! Why did you all leave me hanging?” Jonathan asked as he came up from the lake. He groaned loudly at the sight of the four of us sitting on the lounge chairs cozied up to each other. “When the hell did I become the fifth wheel? Where are the others?”
He looked around baffled as we laughed. Kelvin wasn’t at the gazebo when we arrived, and Sai and Evelyn were floating peacefully not far from the deck.
Jonathan took a seat on one of the remaining lounge chairs with a dramatic sigh. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on? All four of you are together while I’m stuck fifth wheeling?”
“What do you mean? We’re all literally just side characters in Andy and Julie’s world,” Anthony said with a snicker.
Andy nearly choked on Julie’s smoothie as he playfully glared at his brother. His cheeks quickly bloomed fiery red.
“I’m begging you all. I don’t need to know how you two are sleeping with my two older sisters.” Jonathan’s neck dusted pink as he sheepishly looked out to the lake.
I quickly looked around to make sure Aunt Sue, Kelvin, nor Evelyn were in sight. “But Anthony and I aren’t . . . we aren’t . . .”
Jonathan flashed me an amused look. “I’m not stupid, Shoua. I know you and Anthony went home early last Saturday night to—well, have sex. It was pretty obvious.”
My jaw hung open as Anthony laughed. I nudged him in the side as I could feel my face bloom beet red.
“Look! I don’t need to know my two best friends are boning my older sisters. All right?” Jonathan mumbled, his cheeks just as red as mine now.
“We’re your best friends?” Anthony and Andy asked in perfect unison. They immediately got up from their seats and pulled him into bear hugs as he tried to fight them off.
“Yeah! And what about it?” Jonathan screamed helplessly.
Anthony flashed Andy a mischievous grin and Andy nodded. They grabbed Jonathan and threw him off the deck and then jumped in as well.
“The three of them truly are the epitome of ‘boys will be boys,’ aren’t they?” Kelvin asked, startling Julie and me. He took a seat on a lounge chair by Julie’s side.
“Are you going to jump in the water with us?” I asked.
He smiled softly at me. “I’d love to, but I get sunburned easily.”
“Just make sure you put on a lot of sunscreen,” Julie said. She quickly grabbed a spray bottle of sunscreen from the small side table. “Yeah, come here. I’ll help put some on your back.”
“Thanks,” Kelvin said as he smiled.
“I can help with your front,” I suggested, grabbing the sunscreen can off Anthony’s seat.
Julie and I started to spray him down with a generous amount of sunscreen, when he tapped me on my shoulder. He motioned toward the lake and then glanced back at me with a smile. “Shoua, your boyfriend is quite possessive. Isn’t he?”
I looked out to see Anthony quietly treading in the water, watching us. His expression was taut, his lips pursed and nostrils flared. He looked as if he was ready to fight. I quickly glanced back to Kelvin to defend Anthony, but his previously warm smile now sent a chill down my spine. Up close, I could finally see how plastered and strained his snarl was starting to look.
“He’s always watching you as if you belong to him,” Kelvin said quietly. His voice was so low and grating, only I could hear him over the yells and water splashing between Andy and Jonathan.
Kelvin suddenly reached out to put his hand on my shoulder, and I took a quick step back. I gave him a sliver of a smile. “You’re all good now, Kelvin! Just wait fifteen minutes before you get in the water with us.”
He let out a chuckle. “Okay, sounds like a plan.”
I tried not to glance at him as he strode back to the gazebo, where I could hear my aunts let out a shrill laugh along with Uncle Gary’s booming one. I wasn’t sure what I witnessed, but I quickly brushed it off. Julie flashed me a wide smile and grabbed my hand, pulling me back to the water. We jumped in, holding hands. When we came to the surface, I couldn’t help but notice the way Kelvin’s gaze stuck to me.
Another chill ran down my spine.