Lake Redstone

by Hollyfield, J. D.

  My fingers latch onto my jeans, and I shove them down, along with my underwear. I kick out of them, then off goes my top. Unhooking my bra, I toss it to the side—

  “Hey, I forgot my…holy fuckin’ Jesus.”

  I whip around to the deep voice, and it takes a few seconds for my brain to catch up and remind me I’m naked. “Jesus!” I jump, throwing my hands over my boobs, then my crotch, then I try to mastermind a full body cover up with my arms, hands, and legs. “Dude!” I scream.

  “Dude,” Jim groans.

  “Don’t you knock?” I turn around and hurry into my bottoms.

  “Knock knock?”

  I whip my head back to give him my perfected eye snarl and throw my bikini top over my boobs. I fumble with the string, but I’m all out of sorts and can’t seem to get it tied.

  “Here, let me help you.”

  “Yeah, no need. I got it,” I snap, but still can’t get this damn strap to—

  I shut up real fast the second his warm hands land on my back. He’s slow and gentle as he adjusts the straps, securing them in place. “There. All good now.”

  I want to turn around and say thank you, but my face is hot, my ears burning, and there’s a flutter in my belly I can’t quite place. Embarrassed? Turned on? Both? He may have removed his hands from my back, but I can still feel the warmth of his fingers lingering on my skin. “Mmm…okay, great. Thanks.”

  “Yeah, great. So, I forgot my sunglasses. Just gonna grab those. Yep. Right there. Cool. See you out there.”

  He’s gone, and I’m pretty sure I have a lady boner.

  Ugh.

  Seventy-two hours. You can do this, Casey.

  Jim/Bob

  What the hell have I gotten myself into?

  I stand at the top of the stairs a few seconds longer because I need my fucking boner to go down. I adjust the big guy. I really don’t want to be standing near the door when she comes out thinking I’m some creep. Not that I’m not a creep. Who agrees to be someone’s fake boyfriend for money? You do, asshole. Not that I need the money. The traffic at the bar is doing okay and the band gigs are steadily coming in. I just figured, how bad could it be hanging out with a random chick for three days? And get paid to do so.

  Making my way outside and down the grassy path leading to the dock, I try to dissect why this girl needs to pay someone to date her. She’s hot as all get out. A little feisty, but that body? Damn. I’m forced to make another adjustment down below, replaying the images of her naked and perfect in all the right places. And fuck, that cute little ass.

  She’s gotta be crazy.

  One of those bat shit crazy chicks who reels in guys, then goes all psycho when you eat the last bite of their taco or don’t hold the door open for them. Man, speaking of, tacos sound good right now. When was the last time I ate?

  “Hey, bro. You must be Bob.”

  This damn Bob bullshit. Who the fuck names their kid Bob? Who names their fake boyfriend Bob? She couldn’t have given me a cooler name? Something more badass? Like the dude who drove us, Mick. He sounds badass. “It’s Jim, actually.” I stretch out to take his hand. He looks familiar. TV maybe?

  “Oh, sorry, man. Thought the girls said your name was Bob.”

  “Yeah, it’s confusing. It’s Jim and Bob, and just Jim.” I should just go with Bob. She’s paying me enough money to call me whatever she wants. “You look familiar,” I say as we release hands.

  “You watch football?”

  “No way! Jason Maniac from the Oakland Raiders? Holy shit.”

  “Yeah, retired now, but I’m assistant coaching for the Bears.”

  “You were a badass on the field. What’d you have, like, over eighty solo tackles last season?”

  Jason laughs and opens a cooler. Tossing me a beer, he grabs one for himself and cracks it open. “Something like that. But I tore my ACL at the end of the year and that was that.” I remember that now. A running back from the Broncos side charged him during a tackle causing him to land faulty, taking him out the rest of the season. “So, how’s Casey treatin’ you? Never thought I’d see her settle down.”

  “Why’s that?” Inquiring paid boyfriends need to know.

  “Well…you know her, wild party girl. Don’t get me wrong, we love her, but it’s definitely time for her to grow up and find a man to put her in her place. You get me?” He laughs and takes a swig of his beer. My girl is not only crazy, but wild. Interesting.

  I open my mouth to grill him for more information, but chatter from up the hill has us both turning. Three girls and two husbands join us on the dock. I stare at Casey, trying to get her attention, but she seems to be avoiding eye contact.

  “Let’s get this party started!” Katie sings, walking past me and jumping on the pontoon boat. I’m quickly introduced to Katie’s husband, Jerry, and when everyone is loaded and seated, Mick pulls away from the dock. I take a seat in the front of the boat next to Casey and inspect the crew. Everyone seems relaxed, hanging on their better halves. I also notice they’re all staring back at us, as if we’re a goddamn circus act and they’re waiting for us to put on a show. I gaze over at Casey, who’s stiff as a board. She’s sure doing a bang-up job at convincing her friends we’re a couple with the whole cold shoulder act.

  Looks like I’m going to have to take the lead on this.

  Definitely gonna have to work for my money.

  She squeals when I capture her waist and pull her into my lap, cuddling her in my arms. My smile outshines the noon sun as I rest my hand on her bare thigh, her skin soft and smooth like silk. Damn, just the simple gesture has me giddy, feeling like I won the lottery with this gig. I stroke my thumb up and down the inside of her thigh, still sporting a happy-go-lucky smile on my face, when she whips her head around, a fire in her eyes making this even more enjoyable. If this is how it is to get paid for my company, I would have applied to these ads a long ass time ago. The only problem is when I lean in and kiss her shoulder, my sugar momma becomes rigid in my arms. There’s no disguising the rumble of her anger as her body quivers within my hold. I lean in even closer, my lips still grazing the corner of her shoulder. My voice dips to a husky whisper. “Baby, you gotta learn to relax. Don’t think about work—”

  “You have a job!” Poppy blurts out.

  Fuck.

  “No. Yes, I mean, I—”

  Shit. That didn’t help. How was I supposed to know she didn’t have a job? “She’s…uh, actually doing work for me.” Which is what again? My actual job is far from what the ad requested. How the hell do I fight the can of worms it seems I just axed open? I’m rich, I invest, and I like fancy steak restaurants. Go with that. “Investment stuff. Lots of it. Really great with her hands. All professional, though.” Winking, I give her a big squeeze. Man, I almost blew it. It does strike me as a little concerning, though, considering she still has to pay me. I bring my mouth to the back of her ear, keeping my voice low. “How are you going to pay me if you don’t have a job? And why don’t you have a job?”

  Her elbow goes into my gut, and I grunt.

  Damn, she’s feisty.

  “That’s great, Case! I thought you were still walking dogs. Glad to hear Jim-Bob’s getting you on the straight and narrow career path finally,” Poppy says, opening a spritzer.

  “Yeah, ya know, really movin’ up in the world.” She wraps her arms around my neck and digs her nails into my skin. I fight through the pain and match her by sliding my hand farther up her thigh. Her nails dig deeper, and I’m forced to call uncle because I’m pretty sure I’m about to start bleeding.

  “Cool. So, what exactly is it he has you doing?”

  I brace for her nails to hit a vein at Poppy’s next question.

  “Um…just research. Lots of research. Hey! What’s this amazing spot June was telling me about? Something about a rope swing?”

  Subject change. Thatta girl.

  Her nails ease up as Poppy drops the subject. She begins explaining all the activities they have set for the
weekend. I play fair too, forcibly dropping my hand from her thigh, and I say forcibly because damn, her thigh under my palm feels fucking fantastic. My mind heads down a bad, bad place at what that thigh leads to, and I have to adjust her on my lap because I’m starting to poke her with my bad, bad hard-on.

  The boat slows, and I stare straight at a steep rock ledge dangling over the lake and an old rope hanging from an even older looking tree branch. Yeah…fuck that shit. Casey jumps off my lap like it’s on fire, and I adjust myself to hide my semi-boner. Mick parks the boat and drops an anchor.

  “Oh boy! Who’s going first on that?” June pops up next.

  Not fucking me. I’m more of a keep my feet on the ground kind of guy. I get up to head to the back of the boat, pretending to need anything but a lunatic dive off that sketchy ass rope, when I hear my name.

  “Jim-Bob! Dude, where you going? You’re up first, man.” It’s fucking Jim. Deep breath. I turn around, facing my audience, including Casey, who’s smiling.

  “Yeah, babe. You first. You’re always telling me how adventurous you are at work. Show us what you got.” Her celestial smile is cute and sexy and also about to disappear when I take a hand to her perky ass.

  “Nah, babe, I’m good. Tired from all my world traveling. You should go first, since you did tell me on our app site where you hired—”

  “SHUT THE FU—front door. Babe, no business talk.” I’m pretty sure she wants to throw me off the side of the boat, which wouldn’t be the worst thing. The fire in her eyes keeps waking up my little buddy down below. Actually, big buddy. Fuck. He’s big. Huge.

  “Why don’t you both go? It’ll be romantic. Hold hands and jump together!” Poppy chimes in. We both snap our heads her way, our expressions matching. No fucking way. “Staying on the boat and making out is not allowed, kids.” She laughs, and my horny mind creates this awesome visual of my tongue passing those adorable pursed lips and exploring her mouth, which I bet tastes sweet from her fruity spritzer.

  Fuck…

  “Let’s go!” I blurt, then grab her hand and jump off the side. I force her in with me, because it was either that or introduce everyone to my dick. Casey squeals as we go under, and the moment we pop up, I prepare for a lashing. I wipe water off my face and catch her breaking the surface. Just in time for her to throw her hair over her face all Baywatch style. And why the fuck is this chick single again? Smokin’ hot, kinda scary when mad, and yeah…crazy. She must be crazy.

  “Why the hell did you just do that?” she hisses. Her eyes shoot such fiery flames, the lake water should fear evaporation. But I’m more focused on her cute little nose and running my tongue over her wet lips.

  “’Cause I had a boner thinking about making out and had to hide it. I did you a favor.”

  Her cheeks begin to match the blaze in her eyes, forming a rosy tint across her face. “How’s that doing me a favor?”

  “Because I’m not an escort. I don’t have sex for money. And if you saw him, you’d want him. He’s not for sale.” Her eyes go wide, and I laugh knowing he’d take her for a fair price. Which is free. He would take her right now in the water three times over if he was calling the shots.

  She splashes me, followed by a loud huff. “This isn’t what I signed up for. I’ve clearly made a mistake thinking this was a good idea.” She pivots and starts swimming toward the rock.

  I swim after her, trying to keep up. “Well…too late, sweetie pie. I blew off a good paying gig for this. So, unless you wanna pay me now and send me on my way, you’re stuck with me.” She doesn’t stop swimming until she reaches the rock and begins climbing out. Her ass cheeks flex as she slips and almost falls back into the water. I mistakenly start to chuckle, and she whips her head around, giving me that stare.

  “You’re a jerk.”

  “And all yours for the next three days, babe.” I make it to shore and start climbing up the slippery rock behind her. She’s pretty quick to make it to the top. I’m hot on her tail as we hit the flat surface. “What’s your problem? Why are you so angry all the time?”

  Wrong thing to ask.

  “I am not always angry. I’m annoyed. I hired you to be someone you’re clearly not.”

  “Well, no shit, princess!”

  She raises her hand to take a slap, possibly a punch, since she’s nuts, to my actual nuts, when I seize her wrist, interjecting her assault. “Not nice, babe. They didn’t do anything to you.”

  “Oh my god, why is everything sexual with you?” Is it? Maybe she should stop being so damn hot so my mind will get out of the gutter. “Hello? Staring at me like a creep doesn’t help you.”

  “I’m normally not. Apparently, my dick has a fetish for feisty, crazy chicks. I can’t help—”

  Dammit!

  I missed that one. She gets me good, kicking me in the shin. I buckle down, holding my ankle like a fucking pansy. What I also do wrong is look slightly up and realize simply how high we climbed. My nuts suck up into my stomach as fear hits me. During our little fake relationship scuffle, I forgot I was afraid of heights. Staring at her ass the entire way up kept me from realizing just how high we went.

  I panic and step back, bumping into Casey. “Whoa, watch it! You almost threw me off! Who’s the crazy one now?”

  “You, for bringing us up here!” I snap. Shit, I can’t breathe.

  “You followed me!” she yells back.

  My eyes scan the rope. It looks to be a billion years old and hanging on by a thread. Hell no. The branch…it’s frayed and dead—just like we’re gonna be if we attempt that. “We gotta go back down,” I freak, turning around to find the path we took. Fuck, why is it so steep?

  “Jim, we can’t go back down, we have to jump.”

  “You jump. Enjoy! I’m going back down.” Or I may just live the rest of my days on this ledge, ’cause goddamn it’s too steep.

  “Oh my god, are you scared to jump? Not only are you a pervert and a jerk, you’re a scaredy cat?” Oh, that’s it. No one insults my manhood. I turn back around to face the lake.

  Okay, just this once, I’ll let it slide.

  “Chicken, bawk-bawk-bawk.”

  Dammit! That one hurt.

  Choices need to be made. Mainly on how I want to portray myself as a man. A big, bad, tough, testosterone-filled man.

  “Bawk-bawk-baw—”

  I grab her hand and say fuck the rope. Giving her no choice, I force her to jump off the cliff with me. The screaming on the way down is loud, though I’m not sure if the louder, girly one is me or her. The water smacks into us within seconds, and we’re engulfed under. I lose Casey’s grip in the process, and when I pop back up, she’s nowhere around.

  My head whips around in both directions. “Casey!” Shit. I shift toward the rocks. “Casey!” I shout again, suddenly feeling like that was a godawful move. Without using the rope, we could have landed too close to the rocks. My adrenaline spikes thinking the worst. Fuck. “Casey!” I yell, and finally, I hear her voice, laced with annoyance of course.

  Whipping to the right, I see her on the other side of the water’s edge and swim like a man on a mission until I clutch her and pull her into my arms. “Jesus. I thought…I thought…well…it doesn’t matter…why are you all the way over here?” I ask, keeping my thoughts that I assumed I tugged her off a cliff to her death to myself. And then I realize something else. “Jesus. Why aren’t you wearing a top?” The swell of her tits press against my bare chest. I squeeze her closer, because…well, I’m a man. They’re full and real and wonderful.

  “My top fell off when I hit the water.” Her response is so soft and innocent, I almost forget the hellion girl in my arms. She’s flushed with embarrassment. Gone is the fire in her eyes, and in its place, shyness. I can’t help but crave more of this new person while being curious to see more of her. Learn more about her. I look down as she peers up at me. For the first time, we’re seeing one another, not on a battlefield, but in a moment of possible surrender, where we both call a truce. A
nd in this truce, because I can’t stop myself, it’s okay to bend down and put my lips over hers and kiss her.

  Fuck, her lips are soft and perfect. Her tongue is sweet from the spritzer, just as I imagined. I can’t stop myself from moaning at how good she feels. I hug her closer as I put more pressure in our kiss. Her arms wrap tightly around my neck. She’s just as into this, allowing me to kiss her harder. Damn, I can do this forever. My legs may give out and we may drown in the middle of this lake, but this girl may be worth my demise. Howls and clapping from behind us slice through our bubble, reminding us we’re not alone.

  Casey goes rigid, instantly pulling away from me. Back is the uptight version. She offers me her fiery eyes one last time before pushing away and swimming back to the boat.

  I wait a few seconds because Big Jim Jr. needs a moment. Before I double back, I spot a hot pink top floating in the distance.

  Fuck.

  Seventy hours to go.

  Casey

  “It was out.”

  “It wasn’t out. It hit the corner. In bounds.”

  “Bro, it was fucking out!”

  Us girls are sitting on the ginormous balcony overlooking the guys below in a heated match of pickleball. Apparently, the owners, who Mick’s agent rented the house from, are professional pickleball players. From the gold US Open trophies and framed photos of them alongside famous people, I would say they are pretty darn good too.

  Mick and Jim practically throw themselves at one another, claiming partners, but Jason puts a stop to it, arguing the two were getting too good, and puts Jim with Jerry. Having no idea what the crapshoot pickleball even is, us girls sit around relying on Google and Urban Dictionary to explain it to us. Turns out, it’s kind of like tennis, but played on a smaller sized court, like badminton and paddles instead of rackets. Also, they use a whiffle ball. And if you live your life by the trusty bible of Urban Dictionary, it’s the shit.