“Maybe,” she whispers back, finally loosening up in my arms and getting comfortable. “When it comes to your brother, I don’t know anymore. Not after everything he’s kept from me that I’ve learned about him this week.”
“…that was three years ago. Remember that?” Seth jumps to his feet and slaps Jake on the shoulder. “You woke up beside the fire pit with your boxers pulled down to your ankles. That shit was not a pretty sight to see.”
“Fuck you.” Jake laughs. “You dicks kept feeding me shots even after I could no longer walk straight. What the hell did you expect?”
“Oh, that’s nothing!” Jess says excitedly. “Remember that one time when Alana walked outside to find Seth floating around on the flamingo in one of her thongs? His balls were hanging out each leg hole.”
Everyone bursts into laughter, Natalie included. I could’ve lived without the memory of that. I’m sure everyone could’ve.
“There was that one time when Logan blacked out and ended up in bed between Jess and I.” Jake shoots my brother a hard look. “I thought it was Jess caressing my leg the entire fucking night until I rolled over and was face to face with that dickhead.”
Logan’s face turns red as he tilts his drink back. “To be fair, your leg was smooth. I thought it was Jess’s.”
“Funny, dickhead!”
“What about that time Madden was brave enough to fuck me in the pool while everyone else was sitting right here talking just like we are now?” Alana’s eyes land on Natalie at the same time she tenses in my arms. “It was a long night. A very long one.”
“What the hell?” Jess says in surprise. “That’s not cool to talk about, Alana. It’s rude and inappropriate.”
“What?” Alana shrugs and sets her drink aside. “We’re all talking about memories from past trips. It was fine to bring it up and laugh about it two years ago. What’s the problem now? Am I just supposed to forget it ever happened?”
“Alana,” I say firmly. “Drop it.”
“Why? So, I’m just supposed to forget the way you pushed my bikini aside and sunk between my legs as if you needed me to breathe? Or did you forget how that felt? Did you forget how much you needed me then? Because I haven’t.”
“If he hasn’t already…” Natalie says, surprising everyone. “He will soon. I’ll make sure of it. Now I’d shut my mouth if I were you.”
There’s an awkward silence after that; although, my brother gives Natalie a look of disapproval that I notice out of the corner of my eye.
“Okay.” Walker turns the music louder. “Maybe we should take a break from talking and just chill for a bit.”
“Yeah,” Logan adds. “Probably a good idea.”
Natalie is staring in Alana’s direction as if she’s fighting something back, before finally standing and walking toward the cabin.
I get ready to stand and go after her, but my brother stands first. “I’ll be back. I left a six-pack in my car.”
It’s an excuse to get some alone time with Natalie. Our friends don’t know that when he disappears into the cabin he’ll most likely be kissing and touching her, but I do, and it has me anxious as shit. After a few minutes and them both still gone, I can’t take it anymore, wondering what he’s saying and doing to her, so I leave the others and head toward the cabin.
I walk inside, their voices catching my attention from the hallway. I can’t see them, and like a nosey dick, I stand here and listen, wanting to know what they’re talking about.
“…what do you expect, Logan? How do you want me to act when I’m supposed to be here with your brother? Of course, I’m not jealous of Alana.” Her voice shakes. “It’s an asshole thing of you to ask. You can’t just show up here five days later and all of a sudden act like the jealous boyfriend.”
“Well, it sure sounded like it out there.” He pauses for a second, before adding. “It sounded real to me, and hell yeah it has me jealous. In case you’ve forgotten, just five days ago you barely tolerated my brother. Now you two are all cozied up together as if you’re in love. What the hell am I supposed to think? Was it real? Outside in front of everyone. Tell me the truth.”
“What?! No. I’m just… I’m playing my part. That’s it. Am I not supposed to act like the jealous girlfriend? Here you are playing