“It’s not a game for me,” he said, his expression solemn. “I like you, Frankie.” He moved over and sat on the step next to me. Before I realized what he’d intended, he twisted. One minute I was on the step, and the next I was straddling his lap. “Hi.”
I put my hands on his shoulders for balance. He looked relaxed, but the sun was hitting him just right, turning his hair this gorgeous kind of gold and reminding me of how deep his tan was. He spent a lot of time outdoors, and a lot of that time shirtless.
“Hi,” I said.
“You’re Frankie Curtis, right?”
Wait, what?I tilted my head. Bubba’s hands rested on my hips and let me tell you what a distraction that was. His thumbs tickled the edges of the bathing suit, just barely grazing it. “Yeah?”
Breathless wasn’t usually me, but I also didn’t make a habit out of straddling Bubba’s lap. The edges of his trunks teased the inside of my thighs and I remained vividly aware of just how little we were both wearing.
“I’m Ian Rhys,” he introduced himself or I should have said, he re-introduced himself. “I’m one of the guys you’ve been hanging out with for the last few years.”
“I know,” I said slowly, a kind of awkwardness invading my limbs. Was I supposed to shake his hand? “We’ve met.”
“You’re right, we have. I was Jake’s friend Bubba. He introduced me to you.” Oh, I’d almost forgotten that. “But I was under the impression you didn’t date, didn’t like guys. I like being your friend.” He flexed his hands against my hips. “I’d like to be more.”
The breath caught in my throat.
“But that’s for later. Right now, I already told you I’m going to ask you to homecoming, right?”
I nodded slowly.
“Today? Hanging out with me? It’s a kind of date. I think of it like getting to know each other. Slowly. Without any expectations or interference.”
From the guys.
“Okay.”
“Yeah?” His smile was like the sun coming out, or maybe doubling its wattage because I was getting warm despite the cool water. Bubba shifted his legs and I was floating forward. “I like you, Frankie,” he whispered.
Oh, he definitely liked me. Heat scorched up my chest and set my cheeks on fire.
“I like you a lot. I’m not asking or expecting anything more than for you and me to hang out. I’d like you to get used to the idea of private time, you and me, let us see where this can go. And I want to take you out on a real date.”
Was he leaning into me or had I drifted to him? My hands had been on his shoulders, but I had one on his chest and the other on his nape. I swallowed. “Bubba… you mean this? Even if I’m…I mean Jake and Coop…”
“Yeah, I know.” He shrugged. “I can handle it. You can date all of us.”
My throat was suddenly parched.
“Just—I mean this—I want to have a real shot here. If you don’t feel the same way…”
I cupped his cheeks and leaned forward, pressing my lips to his. It was a short, spontaneous kiss, and I pulled back almost immediately when he froze. “I’m sorry. I—”
Whatever I was, I didn’t finish my thought because Bubba’s mouth was on mine and it wasn’t short or chaste. His lips were full and warm as they massaged mine. A groan escaped. Was that me? Bubba teased his tongue along the seam of my lips, and I opened my mouth to him. He slid a damp hand into my hair, gently fisting it.
The gentle tug seemed to light up my scalp, and I leaned into the kiss. Chest to chest with him, the bathing suit seemed to rub at my nipples and that sent a whole other spiral of tension through me. When he teased at my tongue with his, I chased his and then he sucked on my tongue. Heat unspooled and I clenched my thighs, the urge to grind against him hard to resist. He had both arms around me, and the water agitated as I managed to shift closer. The distinct hard length of his erection firmed against me.
That brought me out of it, so I pulled back, breathing hard and Bubba loosened his arms a little, but only a little. His deep blue eyes were heavy-lidded and his pupils blown. He ran that sinful tongue over his lips, and I had to bite my lip to keep from swooping back in to claim it for another kiss. Everything in me was taut and tense.
“Ian…” I managed to say, which impressed me at the moment because his name was the one thing I was sure about. I was still trying to catch my breath when his eyes widened. “What?”
“You called me Ian.” Wow. His voice was this deep, husky tenor. I clenched my ass as tight as I could to keep from bumping against his erection because it was right there and I was very vividly aware of how little clothing separated us.
“You said you were Ian.” Yeah, that sounded pretty stupid to me, too.
“I like you calling me Ian.”