by JC Szot
“Hell yes!”
Chapter Five
“I say you come with us.” Zane zipped up the deposit bag, glancing back at Sean, his hand resting on the handle of the door.
“I was thinking that someone should stay home and cut the grass…we do have a house to maintain now, not to mention a business to run.” Sean busied himself putting all his color tubes back in the rack on his work station.
“The business is fine,” Zane frowned. “I’ll be inking soon.”
“I know…it’s not that.” Sean avoided his inquisitive eyes.
Zane and Meg were planning on going camping this weekend. Zane had suggested they get away for a night and do some fishing and swimming. Sean wanted to go, but didn’t. He and Zane had been there before, just the two of them, but having Meg with them put an entirely different spin on things. His thoughts were torn in two. How much torture could a man take? Maybe if he surrounded himself with them more the novelty would wear off, but Sean knew deep in his bones that Meg Sullivan was no novelty.
“I’ll go home and cut the grass now. You close up, pick up Meg, and it’s a done deal. Are you in?” Zane held the deposit bag to his chest, his other hand rotating through the air impatiently. Sean gave in. Could he ever be honest with Zane? They’d been friends and business partners for years, too many to count. This was the first secret he’d ever guarded. The treachery didn’t match one of a lie, but it was one that wasn’t sitting well.
Sean released a low, hissing breath. “Sure, let me close up, and after we get home I’ll pack up all the gear. Should I put Meg on food detail?”
Zane laughed.
“That could be dangerous. If you think we’ll be having hot dogs…think again.” His laughter was sarcastic.
“I don’t care what we eat,” Sean mumbled. When I’m near her I can’t eat anyway.
Zane left for the bank. Sean took out the trash and set the alarm. He was just about to walk down to the Holistic Hut down on 7th when the buzzer sounded at the door. He walked back out front to see Meg leaning against the counter. The sight of her helmet tucked under her arm rattled him. He grabbed his off the shelf, eager to be riding with her again.
* * * *
She liked the lightness of it, the way the air moved between and around their bodies. Meg felt safe with him. Sean was a skilled driver, mastering the bike as if he’d trained the machine himself. She could relax now and take it all in. It was a different type of freedom she’d never experienced. Meg tipped her head back. A rich, green canopy moved above her, making her giddy with excitement. Hopes and lighthearted expectancy rode on the breeze as it hit her face, making her eyes tear.
Zane was home cutting the grass. He wanted them to go up to Gap Creek Lake. Since his illness he’d become more spontaneous. It was a new side of him, a refreshing openness, so different from the dark, closed door she’d battled when they’d first met. Thank God she’d gotten through that door, but he had met her halfway. She had to give credit where credit was due. Her mother always said, “All things work together for good.” Though Zane’s cancer was a scary low point she’d rather not revisit, it had added something to his personality. He was a richer person now, so free and willing to embrace whatever was in reach.
Zane had asked Meg the other night, while they were lying in bed, if she was all right with them spending so much time with Sean. She’d once again reinforced that she had no qualms, and that Sean would always be a big part of their lives. Meg emphasized that she would never be the type of woman who put conditions on things. Zane was all she ever wanted. Whatever came along with him, she’d take. Sean had a compassionate softness that balanced everything out, and it came so naturally to him.
* * * *
The morning air was thick inside the tent. Meg leaned over and unzipped the front flaps. Cooler air pushed through the screen. Zane rolled over. His eyes fluttered as a hazy beam of light crossed his face. They’d arrived last night with just enough daylight left to set up camp.
“What’s it doing out there?” His voice was raspy with sleep.
Meg crawled over to him, leaning in for a kiss. “The sun looks like it’s trying to burn through.”
“My mouth tastes like shit. I can still taste those dried apricots.” Zane waved her away.
“I don’t care.” She reclined on top of him. “I’m the one who told you to eat them.”
“Is that right?” He grinned, pressing his morning wood into her.
She stroked his scalp, running her hands though the dark, tousled strands of his hair. He smelled like sleep, his skin musky and holding a residual saltiness from the day’s previous sweat. The warm sleeping bag that still held the freshness of laundry soap had her crawling inside.
“So what’s on tap for today?” She ran her fingertips over his nipples. The dark peaks beaded in response.
“What’s your fancy?” Zane tilted his pelvis. “I think Sean’s gonna try and teach you how to fish.” Meg shrugged, smiling. His heat enveloped her, her heart and mind all about Zane. Without answering him she lowered her head, raining kisses over his chest. His hands held her head. Meg moved down his body. She licked the seam where his groin met his thigh then pressed her nose into the dip of his abdomen. Her tongue lapped at his skin, her palate flooding with the taste of him. She inhaled his personal scent.
Zane’s body shifted below her, his breaths quickening.
“I like what you’re thinking.” Zane’s tone was husky, lust lacing his voice. “You gonna have me for breakfast, Meg?”
Meg rubbed her cheek along his skin. “Mm.”
“Man,” Zane sighed. “My dick’s so hard, hard for you, baby.”
“I’m going to own you,” Meg growled, her voice rough with hunger.
“I’m liking this.” Zane chuckled. His cock lay against the ripples of his tight navel. The tip beaded with need. She brushed her fingers through the thin, dark curls. Zane often commented on how he’d lost all his pubic hair during his treatments, sarcastically saying he’d given himself a chemo wax. The hair had grown back, but not as thick as the hair on his head.
She traced the head of his cock with her tongue, feeling his body tremble. She gripped his hips, wanting him stationary as she took him.
“Sweet Jesus, Meg.”
Her tongue washed over his dick, up and down the length, slow and easy. She held the base as she took him into her mouth, drawing him in deep.
“Oh yeah.” His hands caressed her hollowed cheeks. Her eyes lowered, relishing the smooth feel of Zane’s stretched skin between her lips. His scent flooded her insides, fertilizing the root that was already there, making it yet stronger. Zane was hers forever.
His arousal leaked onto her tongue, soaking her palate with the rich taste of him. His strained voice moved through the heavy air in the tent.
“God, Meg…I just love you so much. Get up here,” Zane said, his tone darkening. “I need to be in you.”
She released him, still craving more of his flavor, and crawled over him. Zane yanked her tee shirt over her head. She’d slept without panties. He buried his face into her breast, groaning into her chest. His teeth scored up and over her shoulder, his need sharp and edgy. His flexing cock jabbed at her in warning.
“Take me hard, baby, let me feel it,” Zane demanded, his words hurried. Their arousal rose into the stuffy air. It settled in her nose, making her rabid with desire as she lowered herself onto him. Zane’s fingers dug into her arms. Meg looked down at him. His stormy eyes burned. Zane moved one hand down to her ass, pressing. They moved, grinding, their skin rubbing with a delicious burn. Her knees ground into the floor of the tent, the pain wickedly delightful. Zane’s thumb found her clit, pressing then easing off. Meg rocked back and forth, a crazed frenzy that never grew stale between them. He swelled inside her, filling her.
“I can’t hold out,” Zane gasped. His chest pushed beneath her palms. Meg stroked his shadowed jaw.
“Then don’t, let me take you there.” Her mouth curl
ed into a sly grin. She loved it when she had him. Zane released a strangled groan. He jerked, flooding her pussy with his molten heat. Meg placed her hands on either side of his head, rolling her hips over his. Her pussy contracted. She rode the surge, searching for the switch. It was a sleeping dog, but once awakened washed over her, ringing through her body, exhaustion following close behind.
Chapter Six
Zane heard the rustling in the brush. He watched the hikers in the distance as they moved over the crest of the hill, their feet snapping over twigs. His eyes then darted to the rock where he’d left his shorts.
Meg and Sean stood on the opposite bank. Meg was holding the fishing rod in her hands. Sean had his arms wrapped around her, instructing Meg on how to cast the line. Soft rays of light hit the water with a crystalized glare. Zane swam toward the bank. The water felt like satin as it moved over his bare body, his skin pimpled as he passed through a frigid pocket. He turned, seeing that the hikers had slipped below the horizon.
“Becoming a nudist, are we?” Sean spoke through a clenched jaw as he untangled the line, holding the slack in between his teeth.
“You should try it, it feels amazing.”
“Maybe later, when it’s dark,” Sean winked. “You got balls doing it in the daylight. Speaking of balls…do you want to cover yours up?” Sean’s chin jutted to the boulder where Zane’s shorts lay.
“Not yet.” Zane grinned.
Meg dug through the tackle box and stood, holding out her hand. The brown worm slithered between her fingers. Sean baited the hook and handed the rod back to her. Zane’s eyes consumed her as if savoring a sweetened cocktail. Her beautifully curved legs sported a pair of cut-offs. A sunny yellow tank top hugged her torso. Her nipples pushed against the fabric, the sight appetizing, clouding every logical thought. Watching her was like ingesting a drug, one he’d never build a tolerance to.
“Are you going to watch me cast my rod?” Meg laughed, raising a brow.
“You’ve got a dirty mind.” Sean steered her arm, shaking his head.
“Hey…dirty’s good,” Zane called from the clear depths of the lake.
“Lucky you,” Sean’s voice echoed across the water.
Zane reclined back, floating on the water. The air smelled clean like fresh rain. The muted blue sky moved above him as his body drifted. Man, life is good. He’d been rewarded for his pain and suffering and rewarded well.
Meg’s laughter chimed through the thick-treed woods that surrounded them. Zane righted himself and swam closer, seeing that they were entertaining themselves. Sean was waving a worm in front of Meg’s nose, asking her what the nutritional content might be. Zane laughed, liking the camaraderie between them. They fit well. A sweet wave of contentment ran through his veins.
He saw the end of Meg’s pole bowing. She squealed, stepping back to pull the rod back. Sean dropped his line and ran behind her, his arms around her again, his hands over hers.
“Use the reel,” he instructed. Meg fumbled, turning the reel quickly. Zane bobbed in the water, seeing the splash on the surface of the water about eight feet away.
“You got it, babe,” Zane called, swimming closer.
The fish emerged from the water, spinning in the air as Meg stepped back, reeling it in. Sean grabbed the line, tugging it closer.
“Hey, look at that.” His smile was bright. Sean held the line. “You’ve got yourself a large mouth bass.” The fish hung suspended. Zane’s heart swelled, watching Meg’s enthusiasm grow, her cheeks flushed with that pretty pink he loved with all his being.
“Look,” she pointed, taking the line from Sean, her gaze finding Zane out in the water.
“I see it, babe. Good for you.”
“I think you better put these on.” Sean threw his shorts out into the water. “That is if you want to join in this celebration.”
Zane retrieved his shorts as they floated on the water. He fumbled, feeding his legs through the wet fabric while trying to stay afloat.
* * * *
Sean had gutted the fish. Meg opted out of that lesson today. The sky dimmed into a slate gray smeared with strokes of violet. As Zane fed the fire, Meg sat down on the large boulder, spearing marshmallows with a thin twig. Sean was washing the frying pan at the water’s edge. He had fried their fish while Meg steamed the frozen vegetables she’d stored in the cooler.
“I think it’s almost time for our night swim.” Zane wiped his hands on the towel that hung from a nearby tree.
“Your boy likes being naked.” Sean set the frying pan down on a rock and tightened the tarp on his tent, his eyes avoiding hers. Meg hoped that Sean wasn’t feeling uncomfortable. Maybe he thought she was feeling uncomfortable and that she wouldn’t want to skinny-dip because he was with them. It’ll be dark. What difference does it make?
“So it seems.” Meg gave Zane the marshmallows, tossing him a knowing glance. He held them over the fire, spinning them over the flames. Glimmering embers rose into the night sky, fizzling out like firecrackers. The air sharpened with the odor of wood smoke. She’d stepped out of her comfort zone. They’d had such a good time. Any awkwardness would ruin everything. Sean had been so nice, easy, and patient. He’d exposed her to a lot of new things the last few days.
“Naked is good.” Zane’s voice pushed through her silent thoughts.
“Yup, that it is.” Sean looked away. Meg took the leap.
“You’re coming, I hope?” She checked his expression. Sean’s dark eyes held her captive from across the campsite. She tried to read him. His gravelly voice wavered.
“Ah…yeah, sure.”
“Well, let’s chow down on these, get naked, and go swimming.” Zane stood and circled around the campsite, handing them each a golden-brown marshmallow. Meg knew Zane liked his black, but she’d already warned him that he’d be eating carcinogens. Zane placed a few large rocks around the fire pit as a precaution.
They took their towels and walked over to the lake. Because the local schools were still in session, the campground was desolate. They’d only seen day hikers and one backpacker. Zane pulled his shirt over his head and dropped his shorts right where he stood. He ran down the embankment and dove in. The black water splashed, rippling outward in infinite rings. Meg looked at Sean through the curtain of her hair. He was holding back. She didn’t want that. She removed her tank top.
The temperate, summer air licked her skin. Her nipples peaked. She felt the shifting weight of Sean’s stare. A simmering heat settled over her skin. She unbuttoned her shorts, hearing the teeth of Sean’s zipper click open. He’d stood over her all day in his jeans, baring his wide chest and decorative sleeve of ink. Meg had marveled at the colored detail close up as she watched him slather sunscreen over the vibrant patterns. He’d informed her to use it when warranted if she wanted her tat to stay fresh and bright.
Her exposed flesh welcomed the feel of the air as it moved over her skin. She now knew why Zane had reveled in the feeling earlier. It was an exhilarating sense of freedom.
“Is the water cold?” She walked down the sloped bank. The cool, soggy soil seeped through her toes. The dark silhouette of Sean’s body bled through the borders of her vision. He stood adjacent to her, at a safe angle. Was it curiosity, or her lustful thoughts branching off? She felt the nagging urge to look, but didn’t.
“It’s awesome, get in here, both of you.” Zane swam back and forth, his body cutting through the dark water’s surface. Meg descended down into the lake. The water edged up her body, spreading a warm tingle over her skin. She dunked her head. When she rose to the surface, Sean was already in the water, his body concealed with the exception of his artfully defined chest. Meg squinted into the night, her eyes adjusting. The earthy scent of the woods dangled in the air. A humid mist pushed through the trees, settling over the water.
“Come here, babe.” Zane reached for her. She swam into his arms, wrapping her legs around him. His cock poked at her belly, sliding against her skin. His hand moved through the
water as it fluttered against her body. His fingers slowly stroked through her folds. She clung to him, licking the shell of his ear, whispering.
“Let’s be polite now.” She squirmed at his touch.
“We will.” He kissed her cheek. His hand rose, gripping her waist. Sprays of water hit their heads. Meg turned their bodies, seeing Sean’s ass poke out of the water as he dove below the surface. Something grabbed her ankle and tugged. Meg screamed, jumping out of Zane’s arms. Sean’s head shot out of the water. He jerked the hair out of his eyes, his lips curved into a naughty grin.
“Gotcha.” His deep laughter reverberated through the still night air. Zane laughed, spinning her, allowing her to retaliate. Meg worked her body through the water, splashing Sean, hurling the water at his face. She knew Sean could see her now in all of her naked glory. The air chilled the wet skin of her breasts. The men didn’t seem fazed by this. She embraced the darkness and let the thought slip away quickly. Water ran in lines down Sean’s face.
“You’re in trouble,” Sean growled. He moved in for the kill, diving at her waist. The world tilted, her body tossed like a rag doll, draped over his shoulder. Her skin glided over his. Her head hung over his back. Before she could grab hold of the raised biceps of his upper arms, his hands gripped her ass. With one heave he tossed her back into the water. Warmth returned, coating her skin. She swam through the murky darkness. He touched me. My naked body was against his! What was the lesser of two evils? Seeing or touching? Was it even evil at all? She did feel comfortable with him, but how comfortable was too comfortable?
She rose to the surface, met with two sets of gleaming eyes and wide smiles. Zane broke into the side stroke, sidling against her body.
“You okay, babe?”
She wiped the water from her eyes.
“Yeah.” Meg giggled. Wickedness taunted her, wanting to push things to the limit. Sean’s back was to her. The water must’ve been burning his eyes. With his gaze diverted, Meg moved through the water like a shark stalking its prey. Zane smiled, tilting his head, egging her on. When her feet touched the soft, sandy bottom she pushed off, jumping onto Sean’s back. She pressed her palms into his shoulders. His wet hair grazed her cheek as she struggled to push him under.