Page 35 of Muscle Cub

“I’m never going to have six-pack abs.” Apparently, I was now blurting out random insecurities.

Austin scowled. “Are you hung up on body image shit? Oh my God”—his eyes went round—“do you think I am? I don’t have a six-pack, and I’m hot as fuck. I love food. Plus, guys with six-packs aren’t all that great to cuddle. It’s like sleeping with a sack of clay. I like a man with a little belly. Muscles are hot, sure, but they’re nicer with a little layer of softness over them. Like yours.” He stepped closer and put his arms around my waist. “I’m a snuggle bear. Sex is easy to get. That cuddling, though…” He made a humming noise and pressed his lips to mine.

I gave in to the kiss, tasting sweet beer on his tongue, grinding against him until I had to come up for air. “I’m going to be blunt again. The ED medication worked really well. I mean, really, really well, as you can probably feel. And I would very much like to go back to my tent and…”

At the exact same moment I said, “Have a do-over,” Austin said, “Do butt stuff.”

“What?”

“Butt stuff.”

“I heard you. I just can’t believe you called it that.”

Austin grinned. “Why? Do you have a problem with butt stuff?”

“I do not. I am, however, questioning how I feel about the term.”

“I like calling it butt stuff.”

“You do seem to be enjoying it.”

“I always enjoy butt stuff.”

“Oh my God! Shut up,” I said through gritted teeth. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

He laughed. “I’m just trying to make you smile.”

“Well, you’re being awfully aggravating.” My tone was surly, but I couldn’t help but reward him with the smile he wanted. I was going to get another chance.

As if he were humblebragging, Austin said, “Aggravation is my love language.”

13

The shortest route to my tent went through the pool complex. The darkness at the edges of the field near the bonfire had given us some relative privacy, but a crowd was already gathering for another nighttime pool party.

I braced myself for a repeated onslaught of the socializing we’d experienced last night.

Austin grabbed my arm and pulled me close. The buzz of his low voice against my ear made me shiver. “Don’t make eye contact with anybody. Keep your head down next to mine like this, like we’re having a serious private conversation, and walk really fast.”

I followed his lead. We made it around the pool without anyone calling out to us. Once we were past the cabana bar, Austin took off in a skipping run up the trail.

When I caught up with him, he was waiting at my campsite, giggling like we’d pulled off some great prank.

“Why are you running?”

“I didn’t want to get sucked into talking to everybody.”

“Isn’t that part of your duties as Best Cub?”

His mouth dropped open. “Who the fuck told you I was Best Cub?”

“Um, like, at least twenty different people.”

“Twenty people, my ass. You don’t even know twenty people here.” Austin reached for my hips. “Eric?”

“Eric might’ve been one of them.” I kissed him, and he immediately opened his mouth, pushing his tongue against mine. He ran his hands under my shirt, and they were warm against my back.

A couple of guys stomped by on the trail, and we briefly pulled apart.