Chapter 28
Charlie
I’ve been staying with the boys for almost a week now and I still haven’t picked a bedroom.
At this point, I’m convinced that Max and Andy have worked out some kind of schedule and are taking turns having me in one of their beds each night.
It’s not always sex. Sometimes we just cuddle and talk.
Max also seems to have this thing about going down on me when I am reading.
I’ve told him a few times now that it makes it impossible to concentrate on the story and he just tells me to try harder. As if I’d even want to.
I swear I’m not complaining though. I don’t think I have ever been treated this well in my life. Not one morning this week have I had to make my own breakfast, pack my own lunch, or even pour my own coffee. Between Max and Andy, I am very well taken care of.
Andy also let it slip that he has been getting to fuck me raw (he was bragging) so Max went ahead and showed me his most recent clean screening too.
We all agreed that as long as it was just the three of us, we didn’t need to use condoms anymore.
My guys are both very excited about it (me too) and Max told me he’s going to buy me a present with all the money he is saving by not buying condoms. Which is both hilarious and something he would actually do.
Then there is Ben. He’s been less closed off with me, but I still can’t help but feel there is some weird barrier between us.
I’ve been trying to get him to tell me more about himself, but he is really good at changing the subject.
I’ve told him so much about myself and feel like I know nothing about him.
I tried asking Max and Andy about it, but they just assure me that that’s how he is, and he doesn’t like talking about his childhood so good luck getting any information about that out of him.
The one safe subject seems to be Ben’s work.
Being a high school shop teacher, he has a new story what feels like pretty much every day with something dumb a student had done.
Ben teaches them well, but there’s only so much you can do once you’ve handed a teenager a power tool.
Friday evening, I decide to make the boys dinner as a thank you. I kept it simple, making my dad’s ‘world famous’ spaghetti, with garlic bread and Ceasar salad to go with it. Max helped me set the table, and everything was ready by the time Andy and Ben got home from work.
You didn’t have to cook for us sweetheart.” Andy wraps his arm around me, giving me a small squeeze and kissing my forehead.
“I wanted to,” I tell Andy. “As a thank you for ... well, for everything. Plus, we can’t just keep eating takeout.”
“Sure we can,” Ben chimes in. “But this is really nice Charlie, thank you.”
We all sit at the table and dig in. I’m happily listening to Ben and Andy talk about their day but before I know it, the conversation has turned to fishing.
“Did you guys notice how cold it was today?” Max asks. “I think we’re good to go tomorrow.”
“Go where?” Who would want to go somewhere when it’s this cold?
“Ice fishing!” Andy exclaims.
“I’ve never been ice fishing,” I respond with a shrug.
“What kind of Canadian has never been ice fishing?” Ben looks at me incredulously.
“The kind who prefers indoor hobbies,” Andy answers for me and I giggle.
“We’ll rectify this immediately,” Max grabs his phone and starts typing.
“I have no clue how to fish. I’ll probably just get in the way. Plus, it’s super cold outside, and I am a wimp.”
I also really just don’t want to embarrass myself. There is no way I’ll be good at fishing and the idea of needing to touch a worm or some other creepy crawly in order to bait my hook is nauseating.
“It won’t be so bad,” Ben says. “We have a tent we use as well as a portable heater. I won’t lie, it’ll still be a little cold, but I don’t think it will be as bad as you are thinking.”
It feels really nice that Ben actually seems to want me to come with him even though we both know I’m just going to get in the way. I can’t imagine it’s fun for him being the ‘extra guy’ when all four of us hang out together.
“I could just stay here and read,” I counter. “And let you guys have your fun.”
“Too late. I bought you a fishing license,” Max tells me as he sets down his phone. “Besides, you can bring your book. If you really hate fishing, you can just hang out with us and read.”
I roll my eyes. “So basically, you’ve condemned me to freeze to death?”
“Don’t worry gorgeous, I can just warm you up the way I usually do while you read,” Max winks at me.
“I don’t think Ben would appreciate you eating me out in front of him,” I say boldly. Ben chokes on the bite of garlic bread he just took, and Andy leans over to give him a good slap on the back while he laughs.
“What about me, sweetheart? What if I don’t want to see that?” The fake pout on Andy’s face is adorably ridiculous.
“Andrew, not only do I think you’d want to see that. I’m sure you’d join in.”
Max laughs, and Andy flops back into his chair with a big grin. “Oh, most definitely.”
“Perhaps we can keep the bedroom stuff in the bedroom and let the ice fishing tent be for ice fishing,” Ben coughs out, his face still red from choking.
“Bedroom stuff?” Max asks, quirking his eyebrow at the exact same time Andy goes, “Whatever grandpa.” We all laugh.
"No funny business in the tent Ben, I promise.” I tell him with a smile. He smiles back at me, and I can feel my cheeks heat a little. Ben doesn’t smile often, but when he does it could light up a room.
“So, what are we thinking? 5 AM start?”
It’s too fucking early.
“It’s too fucking early,” I voice my thoughts out loud with a groan.
Max is driving and Ben turns from his spot in the passenger seat to glare back at me. “All you had to do is get dressed this morning. I’ve been up since 3 packing everything up!”
“And I am sure you did an excellent job,” I yawn. “But it’s still too early.”
Ben rolls his eyes and turns around. Andy, sitting beside me, chuckles and pulls me in close so I can rest my head on his shoulder. “Get some rest sweetheart. I’ll wake you when it’s time,” he murmurs into my hair.
I don’t sleep but I do close my eyes and let Andy cuddle me for the rest of the drive.
By the time we get there, Andy has fully wrapped himself around me and I am so warm and cozy that I do not want to move.
Andy must have the same thought because he tells the guys, “You get set up. I’ll stay here and keep Charlie warm until we’re ready. ”
“I don’t think so fucker. Charlie, you stay here. Andy, get your ass out of the truck,” Ben grumbles.
I sit up and yawn. “I can help with set-up.”
I move to get out of the truck, but Andy stops me. “No sweetheart. Just trust me when I say you’re going to want to stay in the truck for this part. We’ll be quick anyways. We’ve got our set-up down pat.”
I shrug. “If you insist. But you’ll let me help with the takedown?”
Andy chuckles. “Sure, sweetheart. Whatever you want.”
Andy gives me a quick kiss and gets out of the truck.
The cold rush of air I feel from the door before it closes tells me exactly why I don’t want to help with the set-up.
I wait patiently, listening to supplies being pulled out of the back of the truck along with the occasional rumble of conversation.
Before long, Max is opening the front door to shut his truck off. He so sweetly left it running for me so I could stay in the heat. “You ready, gorgeous?”
“Yeah, let’s do it!”
Hopping out of the truck, I am immediately full of regret.
It is colder than the 9th circle of hell out here.
The sun is shining bright at this point, but it’s providing absolutely zero warmth.
We’re parked at the edge of a forest. Some of the trees are completely bare, but the evergreens are stark against the otherwise snow-white forest. There is a little path leading down to the lake, where I can see an odd-looking, windowless tent sitting in the middle of the frozen water.
“Warm enough for you?” Max teases.
“It better be warmer in the tent Maximus,” I threaten. Not that I sound very threatening because my teeth are already chattering.
“It will be. C’mon, let’s get going.”
Max grabs my hand and starts leading me towards the tent. Once we are actually on the lake, I slip a little but manage to catch myself just fine. Max looks back at me and grins wickedly.
I start to ask him what he’s looking at, but he scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder.
“Max! What the hell are you doing?” I laugh-shout.
“Don’t want you slipping and breaking that pretty little neck of yours gorgeous,” Max informs me.
“Oh sure. So now when you slip, we both go down.”
“I won’t slip,” Max says with confidence and a slap on my ass.
I hear a zipper, and then a flood of warmth across the back of my legs before Max sets me down. I give Max my best mock-glare before turning around to see what’s happening in the tent. Andy and Ben are huddled over what appears to be a large metal corkscrew-thingy.
“What the heck is that?” I ask, flopping down into a camping chair Max held out for me.
“It’s called an auger,” Ben says. “It’s how we’re going to drill down into the ice.”
I take a moment to look around the rest of the tent. While it’s larger than I was expecting, with three huge guys, myself, and all the fishing equipment in it it’s rather cramped. I see the heater in the far corner, and I can’t see how that is going to keep us warm out here.
Max plops down in a chair beside me and we watch the other guys drill four holes, one for each of us. Before I know it, I am being handed a tiny little fishing rod and given the quickest tutorial on how to use it.
An hour or so later, no one has caught anything.
Not even a freaking nibble.
And my toes are so cold I won’t be surprised if they’ve turned black when I take my boots off later. And I even wore good socks this time!
“Well, this sucks,” Andy declares, and everyone grumbles their agreement.
“Should we call it?” Ben checks his watch.
“Yes please,” I whimper.
“Awe, sweetheart. Are you too cold?” Andy sounds like he’s teasing, but I can tell that he’s also genuinely concerned.
“My feet are going to fall off. I just know it,” I whine dramatically.
“Let me take you back up to the truck, then I’ll come down and help you guys pack up.” Andy reaches for my hand and leads me out of the tent, grabbing Max’s truck keys from him on the way.
“You better come back and help dickhead,” Ben grumbles as Andy zips the tent back up.
Andy just looks at me and winks while a cheeky grin spreads across his face.