“Asher and I will be a bit,” Miles announced.
“We’ll be there after we pick up lunch,” Asher explained as they headed for his truck.
“Can you pick me up an iced coffee?” I called to Asher and Miles. Asher waved his hand without turning around to let me know he heard.
I turned back to the others. “Well, I’ve got a blanket in the back, so we don’t need to sit on the ground,” I told them.
“Oh, a blanket?” Ethan wiggled his eyebrows. Heat washed through me at the soft, smoky sound of his voice.
I shot him a look. He chuckled. Everyone loaded up.
I followed Zeke’s Jeep until we pulled into a gravel lot full of cars.
“Looks like the quarry is busy today,” Ethan said with a smile.
We climbed out. I grabbed my small bag of stuff and pulled out the folded blanket. Ethan led me to a path through the trees where Zeke was waiting. We were only a few feet along when Zeke grabbed my arm in a hard grip and kept me on the inside of the path. I didn’t understand why until I looked to the right, past him. We were at the very top of a cliff over the quarry. It was at least forty feet down to the deep, water-filled pit. Shit. There was no way I was jumping from this high. Ethan led us down the path and steps that had been carved out of the rock. Being careful, we eventually reached the bottom of the quarry. Zeke didn’t let go until I was off the last step.
People from school were everywhere. Music was playing from somewhere. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to find a good spot in the shade for the blanket. Ethan helped me spread it out under the branches of a tree. I sat down, opened my canvas tote, and pulled out my sunblock. Ethan took off his shirt as I rubbed the lotion into my skin. He smiled and sat behind me. I squirted some into my hand before handing it to him. Zeke laid down and covered his eyes with his large forearm. He looked like he was going to take a nap.
“Don’t forget to put some on you,” I reminded him as I started on my legs. Ethan pulled the back of my shirt up and started rubbing it onto my back and shoulders.
“So, how high are you jumping from today?” Ethan asked.
“She can go to the second level, that’s it,” Zeke snapped. I shot him a look, but his eyes were still covered.
“What’s the second level?” I asked Ethan.
He reached around me and pointed at an outcropping of rocks about ten feet up from the water. “The first level is ten feet. The second, twenty. The third is thirty. The fourth is from the very top.” He went back rubbing in lotion.
“Don’t even think about going above—”
Zeke stopped himself. I looked over my shoulder to watch him clench his jaw. He dropped his arm off his eyes and looked at me. “It’s dangerous over twenty feet. Don’t go higher than the second level… please?”
I eyed him. He was asking? Zeke never asked, he just ordered. “Okay,” I answered. What was going on? Zeke let out a deep breath and covered his eyes again. I slipped my sandals off and rubbed sunblock into my feet. When I was done, Ethan moved in front of me and handed me the lotion.
I sat back on my knees and began to rub the lotion into his muscular shoulders and back. My fingers glided along his toned lines. Needing a distraction, I sang under my breath. It wasn’t until my voice cracked that I realized what I was doing. I stopped instantly, my mood dimming.
“Keep singing,” Ethan told me, “you were doing great.”
“Not here,” I muttered. When I was done putting sunblock on his back I tapped his shoulder. “Lie down.”
“Oh, Beautiful,” he said eagerly as he laid down next to me, “this is going to feel so good.”
Smiling, I turned and put more lotion in my hands. Then I began working on his back. His muscles were tight and knotted as usual. I focused on broad strokes that loosened up most of his muscles.
It wasn’t long until Isaac came down the cliffside and joined us. He pulled off his shirt when he reached us. Oh, mother… definition and muscles. That described Isaac perfectly. I fought not to drool as he moved behind me to sit against the trunk of the tree.
When I started on the small knots, Ethan started groaning into the blanket. I smirked and ignored it as much as I could.
After a while, the guys had had enough.
“Will you shut the fuck up?” Isaac snapped. My eyes jumped to him. His jaw was clenched, his mouth a hard line as he glared at his brother.
“Can’t, she has magic hands,” Ethan mumbled.
“Lexie, just push a lot harder,” Zeke told me. I snorted as I continued to work out the last of the knots. When I was done, Miles and Asher were coming down the stairs with several grocery bags.
Ethan sat up, stretched, and then leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Thank you, Beautiful.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered as I worked my thumb into the muscle between my thumb and forefinger. I gasped as I hit a knot.
“Red?” Isaac asked.
“I’m fine, the muscles in my hands are just tight,” I muttered.
“Why?” Asher asked as they reached the blanket. Miles and Asher sat down and began handing out drinks. I took my coffee happily and popped it open.
“She worked out the knots in my back.” Ethan moved over to sit in front of me. He held his hands out. “Gimme. Time to pay for my massage.” He began to gently rub the muscles in my right hand as I drank my coffee.
Asher began passing sandwiches out. Miles started with the chips. By the time Ethan moved on to my left, everyone else was eating lunch and talking.
“So, who’s here?” Asher asked before biting into a sandwich.
“Uh, the usual crowd,” Ethan answered.
“Is there any news about a bonfire down here yet?” Asher asked.
“We haven’t talked to anyone yet,” Isaac told them. “We’ve been here waiting for you, and Ethan made annoying noises. That’s about it.”
I looked over my shoulder at Isaac. His shoulders were stiff, his brow was drawn down as he ate his sandwich.
“Cookie Monster, are you okay?” I asked gently.
His eyes snapped up to mine. They softened slightly. “Yeah, it’s just hot.” I was smiling at him when Ethan pressed too hard.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow,” I hissed as I jerked my hand away.
“If you can’t fucking do it without hurting her, don’t fucking do it at all,” Zeke snapped.
“You want to try?” Ethan shot back over his shoulder. “It’s not exactly easy, ya know. She’s got these freaking little hard knots in a muscle that’s sensitive.” Wow. Everyone was crabby. Was it just the heat?
I sighed and picked up my sandwich.
“Beautiful, I’m not done with your hands,” Ethan reminded me.
I shook my head as I pulled my legs out from under me. “Everyone is in a shitty mood today. And I’m a little tired of hearing everyone snap at each other.” I started opening the white butcher paper.
The silence stretched as Miles looked at each of the guys. I took a bite of my turkey sandwich.
Isaac sighed. “Sorry.”
“Me too,” Ethan added.
“The heat is just getting to everyone,” Miles offered.
“Then go dunk your butts then come back and eat. ’Cause your grumpy asses are killing my good mood,” I told them. Isaac chuckled and got up. Ethan followed. I sent Zeke a look. He cursed and got up to jump in the water.
I chuckled as they came back. Isaac and Ethan came back with smiles. Zeke came back and squeezed the water out of his shirt over my head.
“You shit!” I laughed as I wiped the water off the back of my neck. He chuckled as he went back to his spot.
Lunch was more fun after that. It wasn’t too long before Miles and Asher were taking off their shirts to head into the water. Feeling more awake, I got to my feet then took off my shorts, folded them, and put them by my bag.
When I stood up Zeke’s face was pained. “Maybe you should keep your shirt on.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “Why?”
He ran his hand through his hair. “There’s not as much shade here as at your house. You’re going to burn like hell.”