The Boys of Summer

by C. J. Duggan

  I guess that’s not really a guy thing to do.

  Sean obviously didn’t know what Toby was referring to. It seemed his knight-in-shining-armour rescue apparently wasn’t anything worth mentioning to his mates, unlike my analysed play-by-play and detailed breakdown of events with Ellie.

  I knew boys were different, less analytical, less emotional than girls (I mean I had done the survey in Cosmo, so I was kind of an expert), but I wondered if Toby would look as disappointed as Stan did when he broke it to Ellie about not being able to make it today. And then I scoffed at the thought; why would he? He had a girlfriend, he was probably disappointed about Angela not being here. Wake up, Tess!

  “Time to shine, Tess,” Ellie whispered to me.

  She scooted out of her denim cut-offs and peeled off her top, revealing a black bathing suit that exposed her flat stomach. Her suit was linked together by large rings along her sides, giving it the illusion of a one piece. Sean looked up from the logbook he and Toby were leaning over.

  He smirked. “You girls must get the most unfortunate tan lines.”

  Ellie laughed as she adjusted the gold links. They really would leave unusual whites circles on her skin.

  She looked at me expectantly.

  “Where are the tunes you boys are so famous for?” Ellie asked. She stretched her long arms above her head, tying her hair up in a messy ponytail that always somehow managed to look good.

  I took a deep breath. Here we go. I chucked my thongs off, trying not to think too much as I crossed my arms and peeled my dress upward, over my head. Thank God for all the times Ellie and I sunbaked in our backyards, turning every couple of minutes like rotisserie chickens, and the only time I ever exposed my midsection. One thing I wasn’t bashful about was my ability to tan a sweet, golden brown colour. It was the best thing about summer: my hair lightened and my skin darkened. And at this very moment, my darkened skin was exposed to two new sets of eyes that trailed over my attire – or lack thereof. I quickly glanced away, embarrassed, as Toby and Sean’s eyes lingered at my chest.

  Oh my God, Toby was looking at my boobs.

  Toby coughed and tried to find something on the boat to occupy his attention. Sean’s brows raised, and he glanced at Toby with a not-too-subtle smile. Ellie looked triumphant, smiling, twirling her hair around her finger. I only prayed she wouldn’t embarrass me further by giving me a thumbs up.

  I pretended not to notice when Toby’s eyes betrayed him, when his gaze strayed back towards me in a long, assessing look. He wasn’t wearing sunnies either, so there was no hiding it. But he wasn’t smiling like Sean had been; he seemed uncomfortable with it. With me.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Mission accomplished: I had gained his attention, yes, but I wasn’t sure it was in a good way.

  Ellie was working on sunscreening her nose and cheeks, slathering it over her neck and shoulders.

  “Tess, can you do my back?”

  I squirted the lotion onto my hands and rubbed it vigorously into her skin like I had done a million times before.

  Ellie threw the sunscreen over to the boys, landing at Sean’s feet. “That sun’s got a bite in it.”

  They looked at the bottle, then uneasily at each other.

  “Sorry, mate, but I am not lathering you up,” Sean said to Toby.

  “Likewise.” Toby frowned.

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “Honestly, what big babies! Here …” Ellie snatched the bottle off the deck and squirted some lotion on her hand as she approached Sean. Oh, she was good. “Turn around,” she said, in a no-nonsense way.

  Sean even looked taken aback. “Yes ma’am.” He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on top of his bag.

  Now it was our turn to try not to stare, and judging from the smile that crept onto his lips, he totally knew it. His broad muscular shoulders were something to behold on his six-foot-three-inch frame. A chiseled six-pack, I didn’t even know guys in Onslow were built like that. He cast a wicked grin at us as he turned around to expose the taut curves of his smooth back. All of a sudden I was envious of the task Ellie had before her. Even Ellie, who was no stranger to the ways of skin on skin, seemed to pause and showed a moment of fluster. I tried not to smile. Was she blushing? She shook off her moment of weakness, placing it in that locked cage of hers, and rubbed the lotion onto his shoulders.

  Sean stretched his neck and leaned forward a little.

  “A bloke could get used to this. So what do they recommend? Application every hour?”

  “Every four,” Toby corrected, as he peeled his own shirt off and walked over to stand directly in front of me. I stood frozen with sunscreen-covered hands.

  He gave me a small smile and said, “Be gentle with me,” before turning his back to me.

  I had so enjoyed Ellie’s moment of unease. Not so much fun when it was me. The only difference was, unlike Ellie, as I studied the lean bronzed lines of his shoulder blades, I didn’t have the skill to tamper down my awkwardness. Ellie threw over the sunscreen, which I dropped. Twice.

  Toby flinched as I touched the middle of his back with my lotioned hand. I paused momentarily, and watched him relax before starting again. I started to rub it in until the whiteness disappeared, and it blended into his deep brown skin. His back was so smooth. Whenever I applied lotion onto Ellie, I did it with a slip, slop, slap and all done! She would always ask if it was rubbed in properly, and I usually lied and told her yes, even though it never was. I hated having sunscreen on my hands and just wanted to get it over and done with.

  But in this instance I wanted it to last forever. I was slowly working in the lotion, sweeping circular motions, as I became more at ease with touching him. When I glanced at Toby’s profile, I saw his eyes were shut, his expression serene. By this point, Sean was smearing his face with sunscreen and rubbing it over his chest, arms and legs as Ellie looked dreamily on. All too soon every last drop had been absorbed into Toby’s skin and my job was done.

  I coughed, and said, “Good to go.”

  I held up the tube to Ellie, miming for her to do mine, but she just shrugged and cringed, showing me her hands.

  “Aw, Tess, I just wiped them clean.”

  I glared at her. “I’m sure that …”

  “I’ll do it,” Sean and Toby said in unison.

  Ellie smiled broadly. Her smug smile spoke for her. ‘Aren’t you glad you wore the bikini?’

  Sean and Toby looked at each other, surprised. Motioning to Toby, Sean swept his hand in my direction as if to say, ‘After you’, and now Toby was the one that looked out of sorts.

  “You have to make sure she gets covered well, Toby; Tess burns easily,” Ellie said.

  It was an utter lie, which I made obvious when I glared at her. She dipped her sunnies down her nose to give me a wink before she pushed them back in place and leaned back on her towel in the sunbaking position.

  With a subtle, deep breath, I turned around and Toby placed his hands gingerly on my back. I could feel his breath on my neck and my body swayed with each hypnotic caress. I fought not to let out a moan as he massaged the sunscreen into my muscles. It felt so intimate. I blinked with surprise as he dabbed sunscreen on the top of my ears.

  “Oh, I forgot to do yours.” I spun around.

  His eyes went to my hands and a look flashed across his face, a look I had seen before, the night in the poolroom when he shook my hand.

  “What?”

  A crooked smile formed as he shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “What was that look for?” I pressed.

  Toby grabbed my wrist and brought my hand up towards him, turning it from side to side in deep scrutiny.

  “Your hands are tiny,” he said.

  “Shut up, no they’re not. Thanks a bunch, I’ll make sure to sign up for the freak show next time the circus is in town, shall I?”

  A crease formed on his brow; he looked annoyed.

  “I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” He grabbed my other wrist and turned my
hands over so my palms faced the sky. He smiled slowly; my skin tingled under his fingertips.

  “So dainty.” He looked at me now.

  “Dainty?” I repeated.

  “Yep.” He held his hand up in front of me and motioned for me to do the same. I placed my hand against his. The tips of my fingers only touched the top crease of his, he bent the tops of them as if to prove a point. I mock-glared at him.

  “Don’t be fooled,” I said, “they pack a mean punch.”

  “I’m sure they could. At the right angle, they could slip between my ribs.”

  “They are not that small.”

  “What were you saying about the circus?” he teased.

  I went to hit him with my freakishly tiny hands, but he grabbed my wrist, too quick.

  “Oh, you’re fast,” he said, fingers locked around my wrist as I tried to pull it free. He grinned. “But I’m faster.”

  I struggled to break free from his vice-like grip.

  “Tobias, didn’t your mum teach you to play nicely?” Sean said dryly as he and Ellie watched on.

  It was a Mexican standoff now; Toby didn’t want to let me go in case I lashed out.

  “Truce?” he offered, watching me suspiciously.

  I smiled sweetly. “Truce.”

  He slowly let me go, and I calmly placed my hands by my sides. He seemed to relax, thinking it was over. I moved to brush past him and, with his back to me, slowly picked up the sunscreen. I silently pointed and squirted a stream right across his shoulders. He froze and slowly half turned towards me. I covered my mouth trying to contain my laughter.

  He gaped at me, like he couldn’t believe what I had done.

  “Oops!” I said. “My dainty hands slipped.”

  He nodded as if all was fair in love and war. He went to reach for a towel but he faked out and instead lunged for me. I screamed, darting over the side benches and trying to escape him. I jumped behind Sean.

  “Save me, Sean!”

  Sean stood firm like a fortress protecting his people, until of course I realised his people was Toby. And I learned a very valuable lesson as Sean shrugged, as if to say ‘What’s a fella to do?’

  Toby stepped by him and grabbed me.

  “How could you?” I cried at Sean in over-exaggerated horror.

  Sean held up his hands. “Sorry, my sweet, brothers in arms.”

  Toby flipped me over his shoulder, my legs flailed and screams echoed across the ranges.

  “Toby, put me down!”

  “It’s been nice knowing you, Tess.” He walked me over to the edge of the boat.

  I couldn’t catch my breath for my own hysteria, it was like getting tickled to the point of madness; he eventually propped me down on the boat ledge. I was leaning precariously backwards, Toby the only thing keeping me from tumbling over the edge: his stomach pressed up against my legs, holding my upper arms.

  “Don’t you dare!”

  His smile was wide and wicked, exposing all his bright white teeth.

  He slowly pulled me towards him and leaned his head to the side. My ear tickled, his lips brushing against them as he whispered.

  “Tess?” His voice was low and seductive. I was hypnotised by his proximity, his deep brown eyes. I couldn’t form words, I just held my breath.

  The corners of his lips lifted into a curve. “I’m sorry.” And with that, he let go and I plunged backwards into the ice cold lake water.

  Chapter Fourteen

  I resurfaced, coughing and spluttering, completely sobered and most definitely no longer drunk on Toby.

  Just as I gained my breath a huge explosion catapulted next to me, and I flinched against the force as rivulets of water and waves toppled over my head. All of a sudden, Toby appeared from the depths, flicking the excess water from his head in that famous head flick boys do when they swim. He beamed at me.

  I retaliated with a splash of water to his face. “You’re such a child.” I glowered at him.

  “Aw, don’t be like that,” he laughed.

  Laughter rang from the boat as Ellie and Sean leaned over the rail, observing us.

  “He had little choice, Tess, mutiny means walking the plank.”

  “Traitor!” I threw back at him.

  Sean clenched his heart and looked hurt.

  Toby caught my eye, and he didn’t even need to say what he was thinking. We were on the same page. On the count of a silent three, we let Ellie and Sean have it. With a unified sweep of water, we saturated them with a giant splash.

  Before we knew it, we were set upon by a six-foot-three-inch sized human bomb.

  And it was ON!

  I decided to escape the caveman display of who could outdrown the other and made a wide berth for the boat.

  While Toby and Sean continued to wrestle like rolling crocodiles in the murky lake water, Ellie was waiting for me with a towel and a knowing smile as I hauled myself up the side of the boat.

  Toby followed thereafter, causing the boat to dip slightly as he effortlessly hoisted himself in.

  Glistening droplets fell off his shoulders and down his flat stomach. I eyed the beads with a slow, lingering look that made me want to reach out and touch them.

  Sean was next. He scurried over to Ellie and captured her in a huge, soppy, saturated bear hug.

  “Ugh, don’t!” she grimaced.

  “At least you didn’t get thrown overboard,” I said, as I threw an accusatory glare at Toby. He shrugged as if he had no idea what I was referring to.

  “It can be arranged,” said Sean as he grabbed for his towel.

  Boys.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Ellie threatened.

  I realised we could be hoisted overboard at any time if they suddenly felt like it. Although I had secretly loved every single minute of it, there was a part of me that wanted some form of revenge, for the sisterhood. Something to wipe those smug smiles right off their smoking-hot faces. And then I had a cunning plan, it was a risk, but I thought it was my best possible chance.

  “You better watch your backs, boys, or you’ll be the ones hoisted overboard next.”

  “That’s some serious trash talk, McGee, you think you and your dainty self could take us?” Sean rubbed his head, eyeing me with interest.

  I shrugged. “I think I could take Toby.”

  This scored me some laughing and incredulous looks from them both. Even Ellie lifted her glasses onto her head, her expression suggesting that I had lost my mind.

  “Is that right?” Toby asked.

  I tried to play it cool. “I’m just saying if push came to

  shove …”

  I eyed Ellie, hoping to transport some sort of telepathic message to her, but she just stared back at me blankly.

  “What do you think, Ellie?” I asked. “Do you think I could outdo Toby … say to …” I looked for a landmark and found one, “the pylon?”

  The three of them followed my gaze to the concrete pylon that served as support at the base of the bridge; it looked like a little island. I had seen teenagers lounge and jump off it like a colony of seals, but today it was noticeably barren. Ellie’s penny dropped; I knew it had because she gave me a winning smile, and if she was telepathically sending me a message, I could tell it was something like ‘DO IT!’

  “Let me get this straight, are you challenging me?” Toby pointed to his chest, as if he could hardly believe it.

  Cocky much?

  I laughed. “Well, if you’re too afraid …”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa … so what are you suggesting, McGee? That you could beat Toby to the pylon?” Sean said.

  “Oh, I don’t think, I know.”

  Trash talk was fun.

  They both looked over my five-foot-nothing stance. I stood tall and proud, my hands on my hips. Who would have thought that a mere couple of hours before, I was hiding in the ladies’ toilets at the hotel, threatening to go home? Now I stood, staring down two seriously hot boys, challenging them, in my soaking wet bikini. An
element of self-consciousness came over me as I remembered just how much of my bare flesh was in front of them, a thought that ripped my focus back to the present.

  A devilish smile formed on Toby’s lips that silently said ‘challenge accepted’.

  Ellie and I knew I wasn’t outgoing or a go-getter. You wouldn’t find me being the life of the party. I was more often than not a wallflower, praying not to be noticed. A creature of habit in all things school and home life, but when it came to the water, now that was where I shone. Naturally, like many a local, we were born on the doorstep of the Lake District. With a small population, there was little else to do for fun other than water activities. Whether it was swimming, water skiing, boogie boarding, fishing, canoeing, or something else – you name it. We were all water bound, one way or another.

  My preference was (and always would be) swimming. No one had ever beaten me in sprints to landmarks. My mum’s scrapbook was littered with first-place ribbons. I was small and ‘dainty’ but I was fast … real fast. I looked at Toby and knew I could take him.

  Boys being boys, it was clear by the way they looked at me that they underestimated me. And Ellie knew it, too.

  Ellie balanced on the edge of the boat, staring out to the pylon.

  Toby and I looked each other in the eyes, like two opponents about to face off in the boxing ring.

  “Okay! It’s simple, when Tess beats you, she’ll hand your arse back to you in a hand basket, does that sound fair?” Ellie said.

  Only then did Toby’s eyes frown from me to Ellie.

  “Why don’t we make this interesting?” added Sean. “Sort of ‘winner takes all’.”

  “Oh, this sounds good,” I agreed.

  Toby laughed and shook his head. “You are something else.”

  My heart threatened to leap out of my chest, as I stared up into his eyes. His crooked smile formed on his lips.

  “What do you suggest?”

  I bit my lip. Exaggerating deep thought, I clicked my fingers in a Eureka moment.

  “If I win, you fix my bike.” I was quite pleased with this.

  “And …” added Ellie, “until you do, you have to be her personal chauffeur and take her wherever she needs to go.”