Dirty Sex (8 page)

her with me.

“Done,” Austin shrieked the second we joined him. Triumphantly,

Austin handed Reese our tent bags.

Reese took the bags calmly and said, “I’ll check.”

Behind us, the guys finished with their stakes and clean up. They

sprinted to the fire pit and started wishing one of our tents would fall

over.Reese circled our first tent. She shook it, nothing happened.

Lightly, she tugged on each pole. They stayed in the ground. The guys

looked pissed. After the same inspection of the second tent, we waited

for the verdict.

“Ryan, Carson, Derek.” Reese somberly touched each of them on

the shoulder. “Have fun with the air mattresses.”

For hours, we had to hear about how unfair the competition was.

❖

The first day was uneventful. We spent most of it setting up camp

and walking around aimlessly. In the afternoon, Ryan managed to

convince Reese to join in an impromptu game of football down by the

lake. We put her and Derek on the same team because they pretty much

amounted to one player. Derek was a disgrace. And Reese didn’t give

a fuck.

The next morning, I woke up first, as usual. I started the fire and

the first pot of coffee. Sleeping while camping isn’t fun. It’s too cold

and uncomfortable so I always went to bed last and woke up first.

Reese was the next one up. We didn’t talk. I listened to my iPod.

She read a book.

“Is that one good?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Reese turned the book and glanced at the cover. “I’ll let

you borrow it when I’m done.”

I nodded. “I left a stack for you with Ryan.”

“He gave them to me,” she said.

We went back to our own shit.

“Do you want to help me with breakfast?” I asked once the sun

was actually visible. “I’m sure they’ll wake up soon.”

“Sure.” Her eyes never left the page. “Let me finish this chapter.”

• 58 •

Dirty Sex

I left her to it. The food was all in Ryan’s car so I started hauling

out the stuff we would need. We had learned during our second year of

camping that the rangers weren’t joking about bears. After that, we put

the food away and covered the ice chests every time.

“Let me help you.” Reese joined me when I got to the big ice

chests. We each grabbed a handle and lugged the coolers out. “You

want a Bloody Mary?” she asked as we set the last one down.

I looked up to see if she was serious. Reese wasn’t a big drinker

anyway, let alone this early. She looked serious.

“We’re camping,” she said by way of an explanation. “Plus,

Carson did a homemade mix.”

Carson did make one hell of a Bloody Mary. “Sure, why not? We

are camping.”

Reese smiled and dug around in the cooler until she found an

unlabeled bottle with a ruddy brown liquid. She was more liberal with

the mix than the vodka.

“Here.” She handed me a camping mug, one of those blue tin ones

with white flecks.

“Thanks.” I didn’t really want to think too hard about the truce we

seemed to have. It was better to just go with it. The bed I’d packed for

Reese and her girlfriend probably helped. I was pretty sure it was the

first time I’d been overtly nice to Reese in fourteen years. At least she

was receiving it well.

Silently, we went about making breakfast. Reese mixed pancake

batter. I started cooking turkey bacon and making more coffee. The

turkey bacon was a concession to Ryan and me. Everyone else ate real

bacon. But they’d given up on trying to convert us. Mostly ’cause one

year Ryan and I packed turkey and chicken substitutes instead of the

real shit. We made it through hot dogs and sausage before they noticed.

They caught on at the bacon. That was when they gave up. So our

camping meals were beef and pork free.

The smell of bacon lured Derek and Ryan out of their tent. They

were easy to please.

“Can I have a piece?” Ryan tried to take the tongs out of my hand.

“It’s not cooked yet, but sure.” I pulled out a half-cooked slice of

bacon.

“Gross.” He scowled and walked away.

• 59 •

AShley BArtlett

“Why don’t you guys wake everyone up?” Reese asked. “Breakfast

will be ready soon.”

“They can starve.” Ryan collapsed in front of the fire. It wasn’t

warm enough for him though so he went back into his tent and remerged

with a blanket in his hands and a joint in his mouth. Then he checked

back on the bacon to see if it was done.

“Not yet,” I said. He leaned down and lit his joint off the camp

stove. “Go away. That’s dangerous.” His sleepy eyes held no remorse. I

took the joint from him and inhaled deeply. When I blew out the smoke,

I directed it toward the cherry to make it burn hotter. The end flared.

“Give it back,” Ryan whined. So I did.

“You ready for pancakes?” Reese set a bowl of batter next to the

stove.

I checked the coffee brewing on my second burner. It looked done.

“Sure. You want to take the coffee for me?” She did and I set a big pan

next to the bacon.

“Brother, darling, dearest,” Reese addressed Ryan.

“Huh?” His eyes were all red, the pupils dilated so they filled his

irises.

“Don’t smoke pot this early. You will get even dumber.” He was

unconcerned. “And go wake Austin and Carson.”

“Fine.”

“And don’t bring the joint with you. You’ll burn down the tents.”

Ryan handed the joint to her and strolled to the closest tent. Reese

handed it to me and went back to her tent to get Kerry.

• 60 •

Dirty Sex

Took you guys long enough,” I called back to shore where

Reese and Kerry were wading into the water. Ryan pulled up

on his Jet Ski next to me.

“Yeah. Where you been?” he called to them.

They both blushed then Reese yelled back, “Changing into our

suits.” At least someone was getting laid.

“Put on your life jackets and come on.” Ryan waved them closer

to us.

They clipped the jackets shut and swam out closer.

“Jesus, it’s cold.” Reese reached us first.

“Who is going with who?” I asked.

“Are you going to let us drive?” Kerry wanted to know.

Ryan and I looked at each other. “Hell no.”

“Then I guess I’m with you.” Reese tried to pull herself up. I

grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the water.

“Why me?”

“’Cause I’m not riding with my brother. Is that cool, Kerry?” she

asked.

“Sure.” Kerry clasped the hand Ryan held out to her and let him

help her up.

Once they were both secure, I looked over to Ryan. “Race you out

to the guys?” I barely waited for a response before I gunned it. Reese

screamed and held tight to me. Ryan was right next to us so I turned just

enough to spray him and Kerry with water. At the movement, Reese

threaded her fingers into the side of my life jacket. They were warm

and soft against my skin.

• 61 •

AShley BArtlett

Reese and I made it to the center of the lake first where the guys

were riding in circles and screwing around. That was how the day

went. We raced around the lake, we drenched each other with waves,

we attempted to do tricks and failed. After lunch, I rode with Austin so

Reese and Kerry had their own Jet Ski. They surprised Aus and me by

killing us in a race to the center of the lake. Bitches.

❖

The third night we made s’mores. None of us really liked them,

but we were camping so we made them anyway. Actually, Carson liked

them, but he always ended up covered in melted marshmallow. Kerry

and Reese went to bed first. Carson drank so much we had to carry him

into his tent. Austin and Derek crashed soon after, leaving Ryan and me

alone by the fire.

“I think I’m going to bed too.” Ryan stood and stretched.

“I’m gonna stay out here for a while.”

“You want me to get you some more beer before I go?”

“I think I’m good.” Even with the massive amount of food I’d

eaten for dinner, I was tipsy. Drunk seemed like a bad idea. “You want

to turn off the lantern for me?”

“Sure.” Ryan turned it off and my eyes were temporarily stunned

from the darkness. “Hey.” He turned back. “What’s with you and

Reese?”

“What do you mean?” I fought to stay cool. If Ryan knew I

suddenly thought his sister was hot, he would kill me.

“I don’t know. You guys are being…” He stopped like he wasn’t

sure how to describe it. “…nice.”

“I don’t know. I guess we have a truce,” I said all casual.

“Cool.” He nodded his head. “Well, good night.”

“Yeah, good night.” I watched him unzip his tent and crawl inside.

I almost fell asleep sitting by the fire. My jacket was super warm

and the fire was putting off a lot of heat even though it was dying down.

I felt good.

A noise broke through the night. At first, I thought it might be

a bear, but then I heard it again. It was the sound of a tent moving.

I looked hard at all of ours. There was no movement. Then I heard

giggling. Someone was awake. A girl. No guy laughed like that. Voices

• 62 •

Dirty Sex

started to carry to me, also girls. I couldn’t tell what they were saying.

I stopped trying to figure it out. It was kind of messed up to listen in on

someone else’s conversation.

A car drove by, some latecomer looking for their campsite. The

headlights washed over our campsite briefly. The voices stopped. I

should have gone to bed. I just knew my sleeping bag would be cold

and my chair was warm, so I stayed. Reese and her girlfriend would

probably go back to sleep.

The next noise was different. Distinct. Un-fucking-deniable. The

wet sucking sound of fingers buried in a cunt. Low moans emanated

from the tent, and it definitely started moving, rocking back and forth.

I was either in my worst nightmare or a seriously fucking wet dream.

Both, because I was getting really turned on and I couldn’t believe my

misfortune. A wet lapping joined the gentle cacophony. A fresh flood of

moisture soaked my boxer briefs. My clit was pounding. Demanding.

Something had to be done. I pressed my hand against my stomach,

edged up the elastic on my boxer briefs, and slid my hand in. I was so

fucking wet. I dipped down, drew moisture over my engorged tissues,

and started slow circles at the base of my clit.

The moaning got louder, interspersed with “baby” and “honey.”

Damn, I was so almost there. I circled faster, listening to the sound of

Reese’s voice. The beginnings of an orgasm curled around my spine,

through my stomach, my throbbing clit. My hips jerked of their own

accord. The car got close to our campsite again. I froze. Headlights

washed over everything, burning me, shining through the girls’ tent. For

a split second, I could see Reese’s perfect silhouette. She was kneeling

with her head hanging forward and strands of her hair covering her

face. The flash of light lasted long enough for me to see the slow roll

of her hips as she fucked Kerry. I jerked my hand away. I was infinitely

more aroused and equally disgusted with myself.

My heart raced and my clit pounded with every beat. I wasn’t

entirely sure if I wanted to throw up or come. I couldn’t listen to them

anymore; that much was obvious. I couldn’t go in my tent without them

hearing the loud rasp of the zipper. My iPod was in one of the cars, so

that was out. No walking because I didn’t have a flashlight. It seemed my

only option was to sit there and listen. How long could they last, really?

Reese was crying Kerry’s name now with serious fucking

conviction. I couldn’t take it. I pulled up my hood and covered my ears.

• 63 •

AShley BArtlett

It didn’t work. Kerry was moaning now. Reese was nearly screaming.

When she came with a flood of groans that sounded like incantations, I

could see her. In my head, she was slumping over, Kerry was gathering

her in her arms, whispering to her, kissing her cheeks and lips and

forehead. Around me though, it was just dark and cold and I was alone.

❖

Morning was killer. I woke up late to the sound of people moving

around, talking to each other, laughing. I despised all of them. It took a

seriously flat air mattress to force me out of the tent. Ryan gave me one

look as I slumped into a chair in front of the fire and grimaced. Kindly,

he poured a cup of coffee and pushed it into my hand.

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks.”

He took the chair next to me. If I felt like shit for normal reasons I

would have told him then. My reasons were far from normal so I didn’t

say anything. Reese and Kerry were sitting across from us looking

happy. Reese was all sleep tousled, her eyes looked deeper than usual,

and she hadn’t brushed her hair. I was still horny.

“You want some breakfast?” Ryan asked.

“No, I’ll get it.” I didn’t want to stare at Reese anymore. “Hold my

coffee.” I shoved it at him.

Austin was manning the stove and he looked up as I approached.

“Eggs will be done soon.” He had a concoction of sausage and eggs and

cheese in the pan. “Grab a plate.”