You're the Reason - J. Nathan Page 0,34

and stood in front of us in his black boxer briefs. I’d felt what lay hidden inside his briefs against me in the library, but now I could see the outline, and my thighs quivered.

This was bad. This was very bad.

“Fine,” Chantel sighed.

Chase moved toward her to hold up the towel so she could get undressed, but she shooed him away. “I’m no virgin. Let ‘em look.” She shimmied out of her short denim skirt and pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her in a thong and bra. The girl had a perfect body. No wonder she didn’t mind flaunting it.

Ryan took off for the water, running in and howling with laughter. Under the water he removed his boxers and tossed them onto the beach. I laughed as I grabbed them and moved them away from the shoreline.

I dropped my towel and jogged in next, screaming when the cold water hit my skin, stealing my breath away. I could see Chase and Chantel standing on the beach watching, so I lowered myself in the water up to my neck. Might as well check this one off my list. I unfastened my bra and shimmied out of my panties. I balled them up and tossed them onto the sand.

“Nice,” Ryan said, keeping an appropriate distance, given I was naked under the water.

Chase dropped his briefs right on the beach and walked toward the water.

I couldn’t take my eyes off his dark figure moving into the water. I wasn’t sure if it was the temperature of the water making me tremble or the sight of Chase naked.

“Jesus Christ! It’s cold,” he cried out.

Ryan and I laughed, understanding his shock.

“Come on, Chantel,” Ryan called to her, standing alone on the beach.

My gaze wandered toward Chase who stared back at me.

Ryan splashed water at me, pulling my attention from Chase.

Startled, by the unexpected blast of bitter cold water stinging my face, I swept an armful of water his way. “Not nice!”

He laughed. “Just making your bucket list adventure one to remember.”

“Oh, it’s memorable all right.” I glanced to Chase who now stared out at the ocean.

“This is stupid and I’m cold,” Chantel said. “I’m going back to the car.”

I rolled my eyes at Ryan.

“It is friggin’ cold,” Chase agreed. “You guys almost ready?”

Ryan looked to me.

I nodded, my teeth now chattering.

“I’ll grab your stuff and turn away so you have privacy,” Ryan said.

I watched as he and Chase made their way out of the water, stifling a smile at their bare white asses. I couldn’t hear them over the crashing of the waves, but their heads whipped from side to side as they walked all over the area of beach where we’d come in from.

“What’s wrong?” I called.

Ryan glanced over his shoulder at me, careful not to reveal his naked man parts. “We can’t find our stuff.”

“Did we drift?” I asked.

Chase shook his head. “Chantel must’ve taken everything.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Even the towels?” I called.

He nodded.

“Well, you head to the car,” I said to Chase. “Ryan can block me.”

Several emotions flash across Chase’s face. Even in the darkness I could see he didn’t like that idea.

Sorry, dude. A double date was your idea.

Chase turned and retreated to the car.

Once he disappeared on the other side of the dune, Ryan turned away from me and I hurried out, cursing the cold air that bit away at my skin. I grabbed hold of his shoulders and walked directly behind him.

“She’s such a bitch,” he said as we hurried toward the car.

“Why is that?”

“Because she can be.”

“That’s a terrible answer.”

He laughed. “No, seriously. People don’t ever speak up when it comes to her. They allow her to be awful. You don’t and she hates that. And,” he continued. “She sees the way Chase looks at you and it drives her crazy.”

“How does he look at me?”

“Like you’re his.”

I said nothing, though his words brought a tiny sliver of warmth to my frigid body.

We finally reached the car. Chantel sat in the front seat, avoiding all of our pissed faces. Chase stood outside with a towel outstretched and his eyes looking elsewhere. Ryan grabbed the towel and wrapped it around me, making sure not to touch or look at any part of me.

“Thank you,” I said. “Let me just put my clothes on and then you can have the towel.”

“Ummmm…” Chase began, still averting his gaze.

Sudden dread swept over me. “What?”

“Your clothes are soaking wet.”

“Of course they are,” I said, knowing Chantel had purposely