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I shook my head. “No. She was one-ten soaking wet, and a few inches shorter than me. I was always bigger and stronger. Honestly, I think she knew better. She was an awesome mom when I was little, but after she started partying when I was about twelve, it all went downhill from there. Her boyfriends used to beat the shit out of her all the time, and I’d have to call my dad to come rescue me.”
“Did they—” Asher started, his voice falling off.
I shook my head again. “Hell no. They were all little, too. Mom liked guys she could throw around if need be. They were always smaller than me, so if they ever said anything to me, I’d let them know what came next if they didn’t back the fuck off. They never messed with me. They were drunk, drugged-out assholes. I tried to help Mom a few times, but she would fight me, too. Yell at me. Call me awful names. So, I gave up and just kept to myself. Called Dad and let that be the end of it. Eventually, she quit coming around.”
“That’s a lot,” Damian said, his voice thoughtful as his eyes looked far off into the distance.
“It was,” I replied. “That’s why all the bullshit that gets thrown at me at school isn’t worth my time. I’ve been through hell. I’m a bit drunk, and I’m sure I’ll regret telling you any of this later. Especially when you use it against me. But that’s why I’m so feisty. When you spend your youth dragging assholes off your mom and being called a whore and a mistake for it, you kind of don’t register much after that.”
Taking a deep breath, I poured a few more ounces into my cup and chugged it before standing. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, and the colors were unreal. The most vivid yellows, oranges, pinks, and purples I’d ever seen. I’d seen beautiful sunsets before, but this was better than any of them.
“Well, no offense, fellas, but I’ve had about enough of this conversation. Especially since I know it’s all cannon fodder for later.”
I walked toward the ocean, stepping off the raised concrete patio and into the sand. I stripped off my shirt and pants and threw them both back onto the concrete before continuing toward the water in my bra and panties. I was drunk enough to not care what they thought. Like Luna said, a bra and panties were no different than a bikini. Hell, they showedlessthan a bikini.
All I wanted right then was to get in the water and enjoy the night. They could join me or not.
Tonight, was for me.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
TEMPERANCE
The water was freezing against my legs as I waded in, but I knew it was nothing worse than I’d experienced before. I’d get used to it soon enough. A smile split my face as the water touched my hips. The current was gentle as it moved. It felt as if I belonged there. I dropped under the surface, letting it wash over my long hair.
When I came up, the guys stood at the edge of the water. “Want some company?” Asher asked.
I nodded. “Sure. As long as we don’t have to talk about any more depressing shit the two of you plan to use for later. Save a little for dessert. Damn.”
It was strange how comfortable I felt joking with them about the way they’d treated me, but honestly, I enjoyed it. It felt freeing. Almost powerful. It felt like no matter what they did to me, I controlled how I reacted to it. And right now, I wanted to have fun and let go. I wanted to forget all the bad shit and just exist in the moment.
It was oddly empowering.
They ripped off their shirts, and my eyes locked in place. I ducked back down so only my eyes and nose were above the water, the water keeping me from sighing, moaning at the sight of them, or saying something my drunk ass would regret later.
Fuck,they were gorgeous. Damian was an inch or two taller than Asher, but both were relatively the same size, body wise. Damian’s chest and abs were squarer where Asher’s was rounded, hard muscle shaping each. Both of their torsos were tapered from broad shoulders down to a narrow waist that flared out just the slightest at their hips. Both of them had the sexy, muscular V angling down into their pants.
God,how I wanted to run my tongue up and down each of them right there. Teasing my way down toward—
“Damn, Tempe,” Asher said as he dropped his pants, revealingthickthighs that made mine go weak. “Gonna drown yourself? What’s the matter? You afraid you might say something?”
I came up long enough to say, “Mind ya bidness,” and ducked back down again.
They each laughed before stalking toward me. Each of them wore boxer briefs with medium-length legs. I always thought the short ones looked like the kind of boy shorts girls wear, and the long ones looked like cycling shorts. But the medium ones, I liked.
Especially black on Damian and what appeared to be navy blue on Asher.
Yum.
Damian’s legs were almost as thick as Asher’s, but not quite. Neither of them seemed to skip leg day, and it made me wonder just how fun they could be in the bedroom. All that muscle… All that power… All of it used to thrust deep inside me…
I waded just a little further into the water, and they came to stand on either side of me.
“What do you think?” Asher asked.
“It’s magical,” I said, closing my eyes and leaning my head back in the water.
My eyes shot open, and I gasped as they lifted me up.
