Mark chuckled.
“As long as you wear those bikinis for me, I’ve got you covered,” Dylan replied.
Avery brightened. “Oh my God, Cadence. These bikinis!” she squealed.
“The ones that go up your ass?” Cadence asked.
“Yeah.” Avery giggled. “I bought you two.”
“What??”
“I guessed your size,” Avery went on.
“Bikinis are expensive, Avery,” Cadence said.
“Uh huh. What’s your point?”
“My point is that you shouldn’t be buying me any!”
“You’re not hanging out on the beach with me in your frumpy get-ups.”
“Excuse me? I do not have frumpy bikinis! They’re cute.”
“They’re boring. So I bought you a few that say, ‘Hi, my name is Cadence, and I don’t mind if you wanna look at my ass. Go ahead. Take a peek’.”
“Oh my God.”
Mark chuckled and turned around. “Where are these bikinis, Avery?”
“In a bag in the back,” she replied.
“Can you get to them easily?” he asked.
Avery grinned maliciously and unbuckled her seatbelt. She hung over the seat searching until she spotted the shopping bag. She sat back down and pulled out a purple sequins two-piece. She handed the bottoms to Mark.
“Okay, you see that piece of elastic running down the center?” she asked.
He nodded.
“That goes up her ass and pulls the bottom in to show off some of her butt cheeks. Not thong style. It’s much more coquettish.”
“Coquettish?” Dylan asked.
“Yeah. Like, sexy, flirty demure,” Avery explained.
“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Cadence said. “Demure means modest.”
“Yeah, that’s why only part of your ass hangs out,” Avery replied.
Mark chuckled and pulled gently on the elastic, then watched as the material bunched up once he let it go.
“I am so not wearing that,” Cadence said.
“Well, now I don’t know,” Mark said thoughtfully. “You do have a cute ass.” He fingered the side ties.
“Mark! I cannot walk down a family beach wearing that!”
“I am,” Avery said.
“That’s because you have no common decency.”
“Maybe you oughta just try it on first before deciding against it,” Mark suggested.
“Here’s the other one,” Avery said, handing the bottoms to Mark.
“Oh, I like this one. Very Pocahontas,” he said.
Avery laughed. “Fringe is so in. Won’t this top look adorable on her?”
Mark nodded.
“Adorable? Those bikinis are for hos,” Cadence said.
“Hey now. What are you saying? That I’m a ho?”
Cadence pursed her lips.
“O. M. G. I would think that a girl dating a kinky motherfucker like Mr. Connelly would be into showing off some skin,” Avery said.
“I’m a kinky motherfucker?” Mark asked.
Dylan shook his head. “Dude, I try. All the time. It doesn’t work.”
Mark laughed.
“And not only that, but God knows you need to loosen up, Cadence!” Avery went on.
“I’m not done with my twelve steps yet! I’m not ready to show off my ass!”
“Twelve steps? Oh my God, are you in AA?” Avery breathed.
“No, they’re my own twelve steps.”
Avery stared at her friend. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Cadence tried hard not to laugh.
“Um, okay. If they’re your own twelve steps, then they don’t count. You’re wearing these bikinis, and we’re getting hammered every night.”
Cadence giggled and shook her head. “You have to be the worst best friend on the planet.”
“I have to pee,” Avery said, ignoring Cadence.
“Hold it,” Dylan replied.
Cadence never did get to continue the book she was reading. They had about thirty minutes left until their arrival, and Avery chattered the entire time. Once they reached the condo, Avery had one thing on her mind: getting wasted.
“Now here’s what I’m thinking. You boys sit right there on the couch, and Cadence and I will put on a bikini show for you.”
“No!” Cadence cried.
“I like it,” Dylan said.
“Ditto,” Mark piped up.
“I don’t want your boyfriend looking at my ass!” Cadence said to Avery.
“I’m only gonna be looking at Avery,” Dylan replied. “Don’t worry.”
“No. No no no no no.”
Avery huffed. “Mr. Connelly, make your girlfriend drink and wear these bikinis.”
Mark smirked and walked over to Avery, plucking the fringe bikini from her hand. He led Cadence to the bedroom and closed the door.
“Mark, I don’t wanna wear that,” Cadence said.
“Shh. You don’t have to wear it on the beach if you don’t want to. But how about you just put it on for me?”
She thought for a moment, then nodded.
He started with her tank top, pulling it carefully up and over her head. He unhooked her bra and tossed it on the floor beside her shirt. He knelt before her and unbuttoned her jean shorts, sliding them down her legs slowly. Next her panties, and he sat back on his heels, drinking in her nakedness.
“How did I get so lucky?” he asked.
“I was young and vulnerable,” she teased.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Well, lucky me.”
He tied her bikini top first.
“I look ridiculous,” she said, fingering the fringes falling over her breasts.