The Boys Next Door

Shouts and splashes echoed through the late May afternoon, bouncing from the neighbors’ backyard pool to Diana’s second story bedroom. She stretched out on her unmade bed, trying to lose herself in Hamlet and ignore the party going on next door. Senior year finals were coming up, with graduation two weeks away, and even though she was accepted and set to go to Yale in the fall, the grades still mattered to her. But every time she turned a page, some girl would shriek or some guy would bellow, or another splash would tell her someone had jumped in the pool, and it just reminded her how very hot her room was and how very alone she was this weekend.

Throwing her book aside, she tugged the window open to let in some air, glaring at the O’Brians’ landscaped patio and manicured lawn. Beer bottles littered the grass, thumping bass shook her floor, and sleek wet bodies in swimsuits dove into the glistening pool. Her eyes swept the yard for the twins. They’d be hard to miss: tall, muscled, powerfully built, moving with an easy confidence that made her sick with envy.

Her gaze stopped at a tanned male reclining on a patio chair, beer in hand, surrounded by laughing girls. Hard to tell from this distance whether it was Brendan or Ian. Up close, she’d know the difference right away: the cleft in Brendan’s chin, the dark freckle on Ian’s left cheek below his eye, were obvious signs to anyone who knew them well. But she hadn’t been up close to them in years, and she couldn’t say that she knew them well. Anymore.

The twin on the patio looked up from the bevy of girls, sipping his beer. Suddenly, his eyes met hers. Shock zinged through Diana. God, she was in her underwear because it was so hot, and spying on her neighbors’ party like the social lame-o that she was, and he’d seen her! She ducked down below the window, her heart beating fast. Maybe he hadn’t seen her. Maybe he’d seen her, but he hadn’t noticed her black lace bra and the creamy cleavage spilling over the top.

Once her heart slowed down, she crawled along the floor and maneuvered back onto her bed. No way would her hand slide into her panties just because a pair of hazel eyes had turned her insides to jelly. Tossing aside her black-rimmed glasses — oversized enough to be hip, if you embraced the hipness in being a complete nerd — she squinted at her laptop, trying to motivate herself to bang out another 500 words before she took a break. But she couldn’t forget the eyes that had just met hers. Heat curled through her body that had nothing to do with embarrassment.

Shaking her head, she closed her laptop. How pathetic could she get? Saturday afternoon, sunshine so gorgeous it hurt, and she was alone in the house with Hamlet and her half-written paper for company, ignoring her friends’ texts because schoolwork came first, while her parents spent the weekend at the beach with Mr. and Mrs. O’Brian, and the twins, home from UConn for the summer, took advantage of having the house to themselves. Themselves, and thirty other people.

Diana could hear her mother’s excited voice in her head: “When you go away to Yale, the twins will practically be your neighbors again! It’ll be almost as good as having them next door. You can go cheer for them at their basketball games, and they can get you settled into campus life.” Diana didn’t have the heart to remind her mother that their schools were an hour apart, and no one would be cheering or helping anyone get settled — except in their parents’ imaginations.

She sighed, taking a long swig of the watery iced coffee on her desk and rubbing the condensation over her face and neck. It hadn’t always been like this. Ten years ago, she’d been the one splashing in the pool with the twins or playing basketball with them in their driveway while Brendan gave her encouraging tips and Ian teased her mercilessly about her lack of skills. Growing up, they’d been in and out of each others’ houses all the time.

Two years older than she was, the twins had always looked eerily identical, with wavy brown hair, bright hazel eyes, broad dimpled grins —and wildly different personalities. Brendan had been friendly and easygoing. Diana smiled, remembering how he’d always taken the time to explain the rules of any game they were playing with total patience. Ian, on the other hand, had pelted her relentlessly with water balloons during the hot summers, dumped ice down her shirt at family picnics, and put fake spiders in her bed when she’d slept over while her parents were out of town, the summer before third grade. She’d quickly learned that with Ian, survival meant one thing: fight back, fight harder. If he dumped ice down her shirt, she’d dump it down his pants. Spiders in her bed? She retaliated with a caterpillar in his cereal bowl — a live one. And even though she’d been scared of Ian, she’d worshiped both the twins when she was little.

Diana kicked at her sheets restlessly, running her fingers through her sweaty dark hair and pulling it off her neck. She couldn’t pinpoint when things had changed. She just knew that she’d gone the studious route, the twins had gone the popular and outgoing route, and once they’d started high school, her path stopped crossing theirs completely. She’d always been on the shy side, but as she got older, it got worse, not better. She hated the way she got tongue-tied with boys, and now the twins were definitely boys. Tall, good-looking, and confident; always off playing basketball and having dates with girls and going out with their friends. Or so she heard when their parents got together for dinner and she was the lone kid at the table, politely answering questions about her grades and achievements.

By the time she was in high school, her friendship with the twins felt like a hundred years in the past. They ran in completely different circles. Brendan and Ian were basketball stars, always on the court practicing or pumping iron in the gym. She found a niche in the literary magazine and stayed up late at night working her way to the top of her class. Brendan at least called out a hello the rare times that she passed him in the halls, and she tried her best to say hi back without breaking into a sweat. Ian ignored her completely now.

It wasn’t hard to pick up on the gossip about the twins, though, and she knew that Brendan was a reasonably conscientious student, voted “Most Likely to Succeed” and busy with student government, while Ian was giving his parents one headache after another. End of sophomore year, he and some other guys had been suspended for pulling a prank on their biology teacher that involved more frogs than anyone should have access to, and his mother complained he was partying every weekend and doing the bare minimum to keep his grades up in order to play basketball.

Diana snorted now, remembering all the rumors she’d heard about Ian in high school. Knowing him, every word was true: the girls, the pranks, the traffic citations, the mouthing off to teachers, the partying. But she couldn’t help feeling warm, remembering what had happened last week, after the twins had gotten home from college for the summer. She’d run into Ian in the grocery store, and right there in the dairy section, he’d looked her over and smirked at her. Turning beet-red, she whirled around and marched off to the produce aisle, where she’d pretended to be choosing just the right bag of cherries until she could be sure he’d left the store. He’d been laughing at her, no question. Leering at her vintage dress, her bobbed haircut, and her glasses while the giant bags of chips in his shopping cart rustled mockingly at her. So why were her breasts tingling, her hard nipples telling her they could still feel his eyes? She didn’t even want to think about what she’d done in bed late that night as she pictured Ian unbuttoning her dress in front of the milk and eggs. Of all the people.

But she had to admit: if she was sprawled here on her bed now, listening miserably to the good time next door and thinking about all the parties she’d skipped because she feared the drinking and noise and what might happen with the wrong guy; the times she’d left, uncomfortable, when her literary magazine friends lit up a joint at someone’s house; the hard fact that she was eighteen and had never, ever kissed a boy because she was terrified to get close — she had to admit that she was also incredibly, undeniably, inescapably horny.

And this wasn’t anything new. She wondered what the guys at school would say if they knew that the shy girl who wore her retro dresses buttoned all the way to the collar, wouldn’t dream of getting less than an A, and kept her arms crossed over her breasts when talking to anyone male had fantasized about fucking most of them. In pairs, or separately, or in front of an audience. She’d spent her eighteenth birthday money on a high-quality dildo that arrived in a plain brown package, and god, that thing was good. It only made her long for the real deal even more.

The doorbell startled her. Quickly, she grabbed a robe, pulled it on over her black bra and panties, and ran downstairs, belting the robe tightly before she opened the door.

One of the twins leaned against the doorframe, wearing a pair of blue swim trunks and a big smile. Diana blinked, her eyes darting away from his long bronzed body, then back. His smile was so welcoming that she began to relax. This was Brendan. The cleft in his chin — and the friendly smile — didn’t leave any doubt.

“You’re all alone this weekend,” he said. She caught a whiff of beer on his breath, but he didn’t seem drunk — just relaxed.

“You’re not.” She couldn’t help sounding snippy. She had a life too. Brendan didn’t have to assume that she had no friends — even if she was avoiding them right now to study.

“You shouldn’t be, either. Come on over.”

“No,” she said quickly.

“No?” He raised his eyebrows.

“I’m studying for finals. Not all of us are done with school for the summer.” God, why oh why did she have to get bitchy whenever she managed to talk to an attractive guy?

But Brendan just smiled more broadly. “All the more reason to come over. You need a break. Mom said you’re going to Yale. We should celebrate.”

Her heart was pounding, just like it had when he and Ian had taken her to school almost four years ago. No. She couldn’t handle the party next door. Thirty people she didn’t know, college-aged, drinking and yelling and laughing. Her throat went dry just thinking about it. And here was Brendan, looking at her expectantly.

“Why are you inviting me over when we haven’t talked in years?” she managed, doing her best not to stare at the floor — though she really, really wanted to. Brendan may have been hot in high school, but now he was gorgeous. His face was more chiseled, his body more filled out. His eyelashes were thick and dark, and a soft line of hair divided his hard abs and disappeared into his swim trunks. She forced her eyes to stay on his face.

He looked up at the doorframe, then back at her. “Can I come in?”

“Oh. Uh, sure. Sure.” Quickly, she stepped back as he entered and closed the door behind him. His arm brushed hers, and her stomach lurched. God, she was wearing a bathrobe, and she’d forgotten that until this second.

“I saw you watching,” he said softly.

Blood rushed to her face. So the twin on the patio had been Brendan. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“Don’t be sorry. I figured you were up in your room studying and wanted to have some fun. So go get your swimsuit.”

Diana blinked at his authoritative tone. He was probably used to telling people what to do — telling girls what to do — and having them listen. The easy confidence in his stance made that much clear. And what’s more, it was making her stomach lurch again. Her whole body prickled.

“I’ll be right back,” she heard herself saying.

As soon as she made it up the stairs, she shook her head in shock. Had she lost her mind? No way was she going over there, and no way in hell was she parading around in front of Brendan — or his friends, or definitely Ian — in a swimsuit. The last time she gone swimming, it had been with her family and she’d worn a giant t-shirt the whole time that she’d been out of the pool.

But just out of curiosity, she pulled her swimsuit out of her drawer and tried it on to see if it still fit. It was a retro two-piece, yellow with red trim. The waistband was high, but the top showed plenty of cleavage. The bottoms laced up on both sides, ending in cute little red bows, and the top laced up the middle. The kind of suit she pranced around in for her fantasies, but didn’t have the guts to show off in real life.

Brushing her bangs to the side, she took off her glasses and turned around in front of her full length mirror, studying the body she’d always considered a liability instead of an asset. Her curves were almost cartoonish, she thought, like a pinup girl’s and then some, with a narrow waist flaring out to her round hips and ass, and oversized breasts that threatened to spill out of the top of the swimsuit. Without glasses, her big blue eyes looked like a doll’s, she thought disgustedly. Put them together with her pert little nose, her rosebud mouth, and her heart-shaped face, and it was basically a given that she needed to wear glasses to get taken seriously. Her straight dark hair, growing out from the bob, tickled her shoulders. Even if she had the guts to go next door and lounge on a pool chair like she belonged there, she’d stick out like a sore thumb among the tanned, athletic partiers frolicking across the grass. Her skin was pale, and she stayed as far away from sports as possible.

But for just a second, staring at the mirror, Diana let herself see a pretty girl. A…sexy girl. A hot girl, built for action and ready for a good time. The girl starring in her fantasies, who wasn’t afraid of boys and didn’t worry what might happen if she let go.

A knock on her door made her jump.

“Are you okay?” Brendan’s voice came through the door.

“Fine,” she croaked.

“Can I come in?”

“Uh—” She blinked as the door opened. Brendan’s broad grin turned her prickling skin into liquid heat. Too startled to look away, she stared into his hazel eyes.

“You look great. Let’s go.”

“I— I can’t.” She shook her head.

“What do you mean?” He crossed to her and put a hand on her bare shoulder. Oh God, why did he have to do that? His palm was so warm, his hand big and masculine. She could smell his male scent, cologne or deodorant or something else, salty and fresh. He didn’t even seem to notice that he was touching her, but she could barely breathe. “You’re all ready. You don’t have anything else important to do.” He cocked his head teasingly toward the pile of books and papers on her desk next to her laptop. “Come have fun.”

“You don’t understand.” And she hated the way her voice dropped to a whisper. Dammit, when would she get past this insane shyness? When would she just be able to express herself like a normal person, as easy and comfortable as Brendan was right now? “I don’t do parties. I don’t hang out with people I don’t know.”

Brendan looked surprised, but he didn’t take his hand off her shoulder. “You need to get past that. You’re going to college soon. Everyone you meet will be a person you don’t know, and the parties—”

“I’m scared.”

Jesus, had she really just admitted that? And was Brendan moving closer and putting his arm around her? He couldn’t be. Yes, he was. He was standing right next to her, right up close, with his arm around her shoulders. And all she could think was that she was in her swimsuit, with her skin more exposed than covered, and he was almost naked too, and tall and muscular and very male, and she was hot and cold—

“What are you scared of?” he murmured.

“People,” she muttered. “Guys especially.”

“Tell me,” he said softly. “Why guys?”

Oh. My. God. He was rubbing her back, gently, and she felt like her body was on fire. Her crotch, especially. Her pussy was going to explode. “I—just don’t trust guys. And I don’t know what to do with them.” She looked up from the floor. Brendan’s head was cocked toward her, listening. His hand still stroked her back. “I’ve never…I’ve never kissed anyone. I’ve never even let a guy touch me the way you are, since—” she broke off. She’d said way too much. Any minute now, Brendan would flee her house, repelled by her complete uncoolness. He definitely wouldn’t be leaning toward her the way he was right now, turning his head and lifting her chin with his fingers as he—

His lips met hers in a light kiss. She stared at him, shocked, as he pulled back. Smiling hazel eyes met hers. “Now you have,” he said softly. “Not so bad, right?”

It was a second before she found her voice. “That was a peck,” she said hoarsely. “That wasn’t a real kiss.”

Brendan’s eyebrows shot up. Before she could backtrack, he cupped her neck, twining his fingers in her hair, and pulled her close. No. Yes. He was kissing her, his lips soft and alive, the beer on his breath sexier than she could have expected, and — oh God, that was really his tongue snaking into her mouth, hot and wet, touching her tongue, even licking it. Her nipples were achingly hard, her whole body quivering. Her hands were pressed against Brendan’s chest — yes, his bare chest, feeling thick hair and hot skin. Her bikini bottoms were completely soaked with excitement. His other hand still toyed with her back, sending shivers down her spine and straight into her pussy. And her mouth was opening eagerly to his as he sucked on her lower lip. He let go all too soon.

“Come over,” he said softly. “We’ll take care of you.”

We? Meaning who, exactly? Him and Ian? He had to be crazy. Ian certainly wouldn’t take care of her. And even though Brendan had his arms around her right now, caressing the back of her head in a way that made her want to scream from the fever pitch of excitement building in her, this couldn’t possibly mean anything to him that even came close to what it meant for her. He’d kissed a lot of girls, she was sure of it. Screwed a lot of girls, most likely. And if she went next door, he’d probably introduce her to everyone, dutifully, and then forget about her.

“Not this time.” Her voice was soft. “I really can’t. But thanks.”

“Then come over after everyone’s left. When it’s just me and Ian. You can handle that, right?” He smiled encouragingly at her, as if he didn’t even notice that her thighs were quivering as he massaged her back.

Maybe you, she wanted to say, but not Ian. He’s an asshole who won’t give me the time of day. What came out, weakly, was, “I don’t think Ian likes me very much.”

“Sure he does. Come over around eight. We’ll go swimming.” Brendan grinned at her as he gave her back a final pat and unwound his arms from around her. She was rooted to the spot as he left the room. A minute later, the sound of the front door opening and closing sent a sigh of relief through her.

This hadn’t meant anything to him, she told herself, as she tugged down her damp bikini bottoms. It felt all too good to peel off her top and let her breasts surge free. Her nipples were deep red, puckered with excitement, just begging to be pinched and caressed. She shook her head quickly. Brendan had been tipsy and horny, and probably would have gone for anything woman-shaped. She just happened to be available. Or he’d felt sorry for her and had given her a pity kiss. Or…or…

Two seconds later she lay flat on her back in bed, moaning, rubbing her swollen clit and teasing her birthday dildo in and out of the juicy entrance to her pussy. “Brendan,” she moaned. “Oh god, fuck me, Brendan.” She might stutter with boys in person, but in her fantasies she was wanton, confident, all woman and all about sex. As her aroused pussy clasped the thick dildo, she imagined Brendan on top of her, smiling like they shared a special secret, working his cock carefully into her most private place. And — oh God, Ian was there too, watching exactly the way he’d looked at her in the grocery store, his eyes exploring every detail of her writhing naked curves beneath his brother’s muscular body as he smirked at her. And stroked his hard cock. And— She groaned out loud as her tingling pussy clamped down on the rigid spear buried in her depths, her frantic circles on her clit peaking in a long spasm that left her gasping as she came again and again.

*****

At eight-thirty that evening, the last guest left the house next door, staggering down the front walk and shouting some joke over his shoulder. Diana had been pacing her own empty house for the past half-hour, listening to soothing music that was doing nothing to calm her down, and arguing with herself about whether to take Brendan’s invitation. He’d just asked her over because he felt sorry for her. He’d probably forgotten all about it. And—

Fuck it. She twisted the radio dial to the rock station, cranked up the volume, and swung open the door to her parents’ liquor cabinet for a shot of liquid courage. Rum? Gin? Frangelico? She had no idea which one to choose. She’d never tried more than a sip of wine. But time was ticking, so she did her best to toss back a shot of vodka, spent most of the next minute bent over coughing, then went upstairs to put on her swimsuit, a sundress over it, and just enough makeup to look like she’d tried a little but not a lot.

As Diana walked up the path to the house next door, tingling warmth spread through her arms and legs. She was starting to feel more relaxed. The door opened, and she caught the cleft in Brendan’s chin, relieved that the right twin had answered the door. Then she sucked in her breath as he bent to kiss her cheek. He was still just wearing his swim trunks, and she realized too late that she was staring at his rippling muscles.

“You came.” He smiled at her, walking her into the kitchen with a hand on her back. Her heartbeat accelerated. Oh yes, she had, just a few hours ago. Suddenly she wondered if Brendan could smell her pussy on her fingers, and instead of being terrified, her stomach curled with arousal. A little part of her hoped he could. He was standing much closer than he needed to. “I was about to go over there and get you myself. Beer?”

Party leftovers littered the long kitchen. Diana blinked at the bags of chips spilling out, the bottles everywhere, the open jars of salsa, the melting ice. “I— sure. I’ve never tried it.”

He opened a bottle from the cooler, handed it to her with a smile, and guided her to the backyard. There was no way he could know what his hand at the small of her back was doing to her. She tried to breathe normally as his thumb stroked her through her light dress, right above the waistband of her swimsuit bottoms. At least that stupid shot of vodka was helping. Her legs weren’t shaking now, even though her crotch was already damp again.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he said softly. Was that a joke? She couldn’t be farther from comfortable right now. “Feel free to swim. I’m going to do some cleanup, but I’ll be down soon.”

What? Diana stared at his back as he walked away, outlined against the setting sun. This was what she’d been afraid of. Maybe she hadn’t passed the fun test. Should she have kissed Brendan when he met her at the door? She had no idea what the hell to do. At least he’d stranded her in an empty backyard, with only the chirping crickets and the darkening sky for company, instead of in the middle of a big party. Sighing, she sipped the bitter bubbly drink in her hand, just to have something to do. But as the bottle got lighter in her hand, she began to relax again, leaning back in the chaise longue.

Years had passed since she’d set foot in this backyard, but she still knew it so well. There was the long pool in the middle where she’d tried to hold her own in water fights with the twins, the crisscrossing lights strung up over the patio that had held birthday parties, the darkness at the back of the yard where clumps of trees made tall shapes against the deepening night sky, and, buried in those trees, the treehouse the twins’ dad had built for them ten years ago. She remembered the “no girls allowed” sign Ian had posted on the treehouse, and the way Brendan had tried to convince him to take it down.

It felt good to be back. Safe, really. Comforting. Relaxing. It was probably better that Brendan had left her alone. And the pool looked so inviting.

She stood up, set the empty beer bottle on the patio table, laid her glasses down next to it, and pulled her dress over her head. More warmth spread through her body, curling out from her stomach in the most relaxing way. Kicking off her flip flops, she strolled to the edge of the pool and jumped in, not with a sleek dive, but a kid’s belly flop. Ooohh — that stung. In a good way. The pool was pleasantly warm, still holding the heat from the day, and she swam a slow lap, enjoying the way the water caressed her body and flowed over her curves, washing away the stress of finals and all of senior year. Her head felt so buzzy and relaxed now. Brendan had been right — she should celebrate after four years of hard work, or at least take it easy for a little while. Her whole body was tingling. Her limbs felt a little heavier, but she could still move easily through the water. On the second lap, she rolled onto her back and floated. The sun had set completely now, leaving the sky dark and salted with stars, with the only light in the yard coming from the lanterns over the patio.

Suddenly, whining chords split the quiet air. A cymbal crash made her splutter and kick. Water streamed into her eyes as someone cranked up the growling music even higher and jumped into the pool with an enormous splash. A sleek body, outlined in the darkness, sent water arcing up, moving swiftly past her with powerful strokes.

“Brendan…?” she asked.

“Ian,” he said briefly over his shoulder, and sped towards the end of the pool.

Diana groaned. Why did Ian have to show up and ruin her relaxation? And where was Brendan? The kitchen had been messy, but not that messy. Maybe he was avoiding her, figuring he’d fulfilled his social charity work by planting a couple of pity smooches on her and inviting her over to swim. She tried to ignore Ian as he whooshed past her the other way — he’d always been a fast swimmer — but he was noisy in the water, and the pounding bass vibrated through the pool. As he streaked past her on one lap, then another, it became obvious: he was crowding her, forcing her to move closer and closer to the side of the pool until she barely had room to swim.

Prickling with irritation, she turned abruptly and cut across his path. A hand grabbed her ankle, and she gasped. She could have sworn Ian was on the other side of the pool.

“What are you doing?” she hissed when he surfaced, his fingers still wrapped around her ankle. It was completely disconcerting, even in the near-dark, to be looking into the same handsome face that had leaned in to kiss her a few hours ago — the same deep dimples, white teeth, and bright hazel eyes. This was definitely Ian, though. Freckle aside, Brendan’s lips would never be twisted in that mocking half-grin, while she’d been seeing that superior smile on Ian’s face for as long as she could remember. That is, until he stopped smiling at her at all. Water dripped off his face, and his brown hair was slicked back from swimming. With a jolt, she realized she was too annoyed to be paralyzed with shyness.

“This is my lane,” he said smugly. As she kicked, he let go suddenly, only to grasp her waist. Diana couldn’t help remembering the time Ian had dunked her at the twins’ ninth birthday party — twice — and more irritation surged through her. Without thinking, she grabbed his broad shoulders so he couldn’t push her under.

“You’re crowding me. You did it on purpose.” And he was crowding her now, closer even than Brendan had been in her bedroom. His breath was hot on her cheek.

“Nah. You’re just blind without those stupid glasses on.”

“I can see you just fine,” she snapped. “And I wish I couldn’t. You’re polluting my view. And my eardrums.”

“You’re in my pool.” She could barely see the smirk on his face, but she could definitely hear it in his voice over the waves of music reverberating through the backyard.

“Brendan invited me.” And where the hell was he? “And now I’m drowning in obnoxious punk.” Too pissed to be scared, she glared at him. “And so’s the whole neighborhood. You’re going to get a noise citation.”

“Ooooh, a noise citation,” he mimicked. “Worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m so scared. But not as scared as you are, goody-two-shoes who’s never broken a rule.”

“How do you know?” she snapped. “You haven’t talked to me in, oh, six or seven years.”

“I don’t have to. It’s written all over your librarian-on-crack clothes, and your perfect fucking resume that my mom brings up all the time, and the way you walk around like a buttoned-up ice princess who’s better than everyone else. And you haven’t talked to me, either.”

Diana could only stare at him. Her whole body was hot now. Why did he have to be squeezing her waist like his hands had every right to be there, and why wasn’t she telling him to let go? His broad shoulders were smooth under her palms, and so muscular. “I don’t think I’m better than everyone else.” Her voice dropped. Ian was staring at her, his face much too close to hers. They’d kicked their way out to the middle of the pool, and she felt completely defenseless.

“Did you like it when my brother kissed you?” His voice was low now, too.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. “He told you?”

“We don’t have any secrets from each other.” Ian’s mouth was so close to her ear now, his lips brushed her skin. “He told me it was your first kiss.” He squeezed her waist. “And you’re an innocent little girl who doesn’t know what to do with boys.” He pushed her wet hair off her face and gave it a tug. “And you were all alone in your house, too scared to come to our party.”

“Those are my secrets,” she whispered, the air knocked out of her. “Not Brendan’s.”

“Now they’re mine too.” He grinned at her.

Anger and embarrassment stung her throat. Only one way with Ian, she reminded herself: fight back, fight harder. She dug her fingers into his arms, gripping them as hard as she could. “Why are you such an asshole, Ian?” she snarled.

“Why are you such an uptight little priss?”

“I’m not,” she gritted between her teeth.

“Prove it.”

Oh God. What was happening? She’d leaned forward — she, not Ian. As soon as her lips touched his, he pulled her closer with a low growl. Shocked, she opened her mouth to his tongue as he kissed her roughly. Her head spun. She would have gasped for breath, but Ian’s tongue, hot and determined, didn’t leave her any room to gasp.

Why was he doing this? Why was she doing this? And why was hot desire arrowing through her body along with fury? Confused, panting, and painfully aroused, she raked her nails down his back and bit his lower lip, hard.

“Fuck, yes,” he muttered. Diana’s head swam as he sucked on her neck. “I knew you had it in you.”

Keeping one powerful arm around her waist, he cut through the water with the other, swimming swiftly to the far end of the pool. Diana could only hang on to his shoulders as he maneuvered her backward.

Shrouded in darkness at the back of the pool, Ian’s head blocked out the pinpoints of light on the patio. Diana couldn’t see his features or his expression; she could only feel the power in his body as he grabbed the rim of the pool with his right hand and engulfed her lips again. His muscled bulk pressed her firmly back against the side of the pool; her arms clung to his neck. What was going on between their mouths could only be described as making out. And — oh Jesus, his left hand was roaming all over her body, squeezing and pinching her flesh in a way that should leave her feeling completely violated but just left fire wherever he touched.

She pulled back from his thrusting tongue, gasping for breath. He didn’t make it easy for her, keeping her lower lip between his teeth for a long second before he let go.

“Stop it,” she hissed. “Stop making fun of me. I know you don’t really want me.” Her cheeks were crimson, and thank God it was too dark for Ian to see them. Her stomach turned somersaults, and her pussy ached with arousal. He was too close and it was too dark and she was too excited and angry to even think about the crushing shyness getting in the way.

In response, Ian grabbed her hand and pressed it over the hard bulge bursting through his swim trunks. Stunned and more than a little curious, Diana instinctively squeezed before she pulled her hand away. “Right,” he grunted. “I don’t want you. Keep thinking that.”

“You’re just playing with me.” This couldn’t be real. Her buzzing head, her heavy warm body, Ian’s hand and mouth everywhere again as the water lapped around them.

“Maybe I’m just pissed Brendan got here first,” Ian rasped in her ear. “Did you think about that? And either he’s been lying to me, or you’ve been lying to him. You know what to do with a boy.”

“Fuck you,” she gasped. Was this conversation even happening? Was any of this happening?

“Ask nicely.” In the dim light, Diana could just barely see his cocky grin. His mouth swallowed hers again, and God help her, she was actually moaning into his mouth and sucking his lower lip. His roaming hand brushed against her heavy breast, then cupped it. She cried out into his mouth. “Goddamn, your tits are incredible,” he muttered. His big fingers felt much too good, kneading her voluptuous flesh, and — yes — she was pushing her hard pearl of a nipple into his palm, rubbing against his touch as they kissed.

Suddenly he pulled back, his eyes flicking upward. Diana twisted, following his gaze. Brendan stood above them by the edge of the pool, smiling happily.

“So she said yes?” he asked.

And right in front of her eyes, he skimmed his swim trunks over his hips and stepped out of them. Diana goggled. That couldn’t be his thick cock, engorged and pointing toward her and barely silhouetted in the dim light. But it was, and he was lowering himself noiselessly into the pool on her right side while Ian fondled her breast from the left.

“Said yes to what?” Diana demanded. “What are you talking about? I haven’t said yes to anything — oh God,” she broke off with a moan. Ian was pinching her puckered nipple, rolling it between his fingers. He chuckled softly, but she could feel his pulse going faster against her arm twined around his neck, and his cock jerked against her thigh.

“Let us take care of you, Diana,” Brendan whispered. He was right up against her now, cupping her chin like he was about to kiss her again. Something brushed against her leg underwater — his bare cock? “You need experience. You need to get over your shyness. We can help you.” And he was smiling at her like he was suggesting something perfectly reasonable.

“We?” She stammered. “Us?”

“Me and Ian.” His voice was as patient as it had been when they were kids and he was explaining the rules of a game.

“At the same time? Are you crazy?” Her head was heavy or light, she couldn’t tell which. Ian was running a finger inside the top of her swimsuit bottoms, inches above her pussy, pulsing with need. “Both of you—”

“Both, or neither.”

“I don’t—”

“You can trust us, sweetness.” Brendan nuzzled her neck. She tried to get her breath under control, but it wasn’t happening. Trust them? Definitely not Ian, and she wasn’t so sure about Brendan, either. “We’ve known each other forever. We’ll make you feel so good.” His voice was coaxing. Diana shuddered, water lapping her body, as Ian caressed her belly, driving the heat between her legs higher and higher.

“We used to know each other. We’re different now.”

“Yes and no.” Leaning forward, he gave her a soft, sticky kiss. “What do you think?”

Diana turned to Ian, not trusting herself to answer. He hadn’t said a word this whole time. “Say something,” she said softly.

Ian’s hand slid into her wet hair, wrapping it around his fingers and pulling her head back. “I want to fuck you,” he murmured into her exposed ear. Shock and arousal arrowed through her body at the way he punched the work fuck. “I want to fuck you hard. I want to penetrate your tight little virgin pussy and fuck you again and again. Fast. Deep. Over and over while you plead for more.”

She thought she would pass out, and Brendan was murmuring “Easy, Ian. She’s never done this before,” as he slipped a soothing arm around her to rub her shoulders. But she had. In her fantasies, she’d talked dirty, ridden guys on desks at school, taken one cock after another. Her whole body was shaking with lust now, her neck was being sucked and she didn’t even know who was doing it, Ian’s fingers were undoing the lacing on the side of her bikini bottoms, and totally of its own accord, one of her hands let go of his neck and moved through the cool water to wrap around — Jesus — a hot naked cock, hard and pulsing but unbelievably soft on the surface.

“Mmmm, yeahhhhh,” Brendan groaned by her ear. He groaned, she thought, shocked. She’d made a guy groan! “That’s so good, Di.”

Oh God. She was dizzy, her breasts begged to be squeezed again, her pussy needed to be filled. Two gorgeous guys she’d known since she was a kid were promising her things she’d only imagined. There had to be some catch, but fuck it, who cared.

“Yes,” she panted. “Yes, yes, I want to.”

Water rushed against her bare pussy, lapping her sensitive lips, as her unlaced bikini bottoms were pulled from between her legs. Light touches on the tops of her breasts made her shiver, goose bumping in the night air: Brendan was unlacing her top. She gasped as a large hand cupped her pussy, giving her mound a quick squeeze, and saw that half-grin on Ian’s face.

She glanced up, blinking, as the sound of wet bathing suit slapped the concrete behind her, and noticed the twins looking not at her, but at each other. “Where we said?” Brendan asked, his eyes on his brother.

“Yep.”

Ian’s gaze flicked over Diana’s full, exposed breasts as Brendan peeled away her top and dropped it poolside. Her mouth dropped open. How much had they planned this? What the hell was going on? Honestly, they were all a little drunk, and— But Brendan was already heaving himself out of the pool, reaching down a hand to her, Ian following and pulling off his swim trunks.

Hands grasped hers, guiding her in the near darkness to the trees in the back of the yard. Someone was running their hand over her ass. God, she could barely see, and she was completely naked, trying not to stumble, clinging to their hands, dripping wet in every sense of the word, hot and cold all at once— They stopped short.

“Time to climb,” someone said in her ear.

As her eyes adjusted to the faint light, she saw where they were. In front of her, a muscular male body swung its way up wooden bars nailed into a wide tree trunk. The treehouse.

“Help her, Ian,” said a voice from the top.

Help from Ian was the last thing she needed, and he was already fondling her heavy breast again and thumbing the tight bud that cried out for attention. The other hand lightly smacked her ass. “Up you go, little girl,” he whispered. “I’ll be under you if you can’t handle it.”

Little girl? Diana bristled. Ian had teased her by calling her a baby when they were kids, and she’d hated it.

“You’re the one who can’t handle me,” she snapped, and swung herself up the tree trunk, digging into the wood with her bare toes. The effort made her sweat. She wasn’t a skinny little kid any more, climbing trees like a monkey, but no way was she relying on Ian for help. She’d expected him to laugh at her retort — obviously it was ridiculous — but she only heard his breathing below her. The knowledge that he could reach up, any second, and palm her ass or her bare pussy sent butterflies through her stomach.

Brendan’s strong hands took hers, pulling her up and into the blackness of the treehouse, easing her back onto a soft pile of — blankets? Shock washed over her body. They really had planned this!

Before she could react, there were warm hands everywhere, two large male bodies on either side of her, naked and hot and muscled. Hot lips kissed her deeply. An insistent tongue worked its way into her mouth. Palms slid over her shaking thighs, smoothing away the goosebumps and burning her skin everywhere they touched. In the near-total darkness, with no idea which twin was which, she felt the treehouse spinning around her. No room for shyness now. This couldn’t be real, anyway. Only a fantasy. Eagerly, she explored broad backs and shoulders, squeezed muscular arms, tangled her fingers in thick chest hair. When her thumb met a tiny hard bead of a nipple, she couldn’t resist stroking it the same way that her own nipple, so much larger, was being stroked and teased. Whoever was kissing her hissed softly. She tried pinching the nipple, and was immediately answered with a much harder pinch on her own nipple.

“Ian!” She yelled instinctively. “Ow!”

A low chuckle rasped against her left ear as fingers continued to crush the sensitive tip of her breast. It excited her more than she could ever have thought, blood rushing to her breast and her pussy. “I’m glad you knew it was me.”

Lips met hers again, and she didn’t know if they were his or Brendan’s. Another mouth closed over her nipple, hot and eager, suckling the firm bud with deliberate swipes of the tongue. Meanwhile, her belly was being caressed so gently, right above her pussy, that she thought she might come just from the pleasure of it. Her thighs were completely slick with juices. She trailed her fingers along the stroking hand and up the muscular forearm, exploring. Brendan, on her right.

“Let’s find out if you’re ready,” he murmured.

Ready for…what? But his hand was already sliding down over the dark curls framing her pussy, massaging her sensuously. Diana cried out as his fingers met her soaked outer lips. A shudder racked her body.

“Yes.” His voice was calm and soothing in her ear, but she could hear the excitement under it. “So ready, baby.” Instinctively, she arched her back, hoping his fingers would slide into her swollen cleft, but instead he spread his fingers, two resting on each outer lip, holding her pussy open. Cool air met her most private place, and she heard Ian laugh softly at her low moan. “She needs you, bro.”

“What? I don’t need Ian,” she snapped. “I— oh God.” Thick fingers suddenly met her sensitive inner lips, sending sensations through her aroused pussy that were stronger than anything she’d managed on her own. “Oh God. Oh God—” She could only whimper as Ian rubbed her exposed pussy with firm, assured strokes, and gasped at a sudden fullness. The fullness eased up for a second, only to be replaced again, stronger, bigger, sharper. She realized he was fingering her. How many fingers? Two? Three? She’d done it to herself, of course, but his were so much bigger, and he was flexing them inside her cunt, massaging her, wriggling and thrusting in a way she couldn’t have imagined.

“Ian,” she gasped. “Too much—”

More fingers found her clit, making her jump. They must be Brendan’s.

“Better, sweetness?” His breath stirred the wet hair on her neck. The pressure spreading open her pussy eased up, and his gentle soothing caresses on her swollen bud contrasted with Ian’s strong fingers stretching her pussy, until she was crying out, even growling, one moan after another ripped from her mouth. She’d completely lost control, she thought dimly. She sounded like an animal, and she couldn’t stop. Words pierced the haze in her head.

“My brother told me you’ve never been kissed before this.” The voice was heavy and teasing. Ian, she realized. “But your pussy is telling me you’ve been fucked before this.”

Somehow, she managed to speak. “Not– by a guy,” she panted.

“So a girl took your cherry?” Ian’s voice was even more teasing.

Oh God, her pussy was starting to clamp down on his fingers. Brendan’s circles were so coaxing on her clit. She felt him sucking on her neck.

“No,” she whispered. “I can’t tell you.”

“Tell us,” Brendan said encouragingly. “You can tell us anything.”

“I have…” Oh God. She was going to come soon. Her pussy was so aroused, so sensitive to Ian’s penetrating fingers and Brendan’s strokes, she could barely breathe. “I have a dildo…I bought it for my birthday…I just need it so much sometimes…”

“You bad girl,” Ian breathed. “You hot little slut.” And at the same time, Brendan was whispering in her ear, “That is so sexy.”

Oh God, the sensations swirled in her pussy to complete overload. She cried out as her pussy contracted around Ian’s thick fingers, setting off her release.

“Oh, yeah,” he whispered. “Uh-huh. That’s right, baby.”

Diana could only sob with pleasure as she writhed against the twins’ hands, spasming again and again with exquisite tightness around Ian’s probing touch while Brendan played with her melting clit.

“Enough,” she moaned finally. “I can’t take anymore.”

Fingers eased out of her still-spasming cunt, slick with cream. More fingers gave her clit a final caress, making her cunt twitch and contract. The salty scent of her pussy met her nose.

“Taste yourself, baby,” Ian whispered. “Lick my fingers.” And oh Jesus yes, she was taking his fingers eagerly into her mouth, swirling her tongue over them as he stroked slowly in and out of her mouth just like he had in her pussy. Unthinking, her hands reached out to both sides, running over hard male bodies and smooth warm skin until her palms closed over two engorged, hot, pulsing cocks. The sudden identical groans from both twins would have made her laugh if she wasn’t still unbelievably turned on, her pussy tingling and begging to be filled again.

Ian’s fingers wrapped around her hand, moving her palm over his cock rhythmically. “Like this,” he whispered. “Don’t fight me. Do what I do.” His cock felt amazing, Diana thought, so soft and hard at the same time, heavy in her hand. She tried the same movements with Brendan’s cock, but his hand wasn’t over hers; he just stroked her arm, and she wondered if he was content to let her explore. Then she felt him shifting position.

“Open your mouth,” he whispered. Obediently, her lips parted and met satiny hot skin, smooth and rounded. His cock, she thought hazily. He’s putting his cock in my mouth. Brendan’s cock was thick and she had to open her mouth wider as he fed it to her, stopping when the fat head and an inch or two of the shaft were engulfed in her mouth.

“Lick it, sweetness,” he whispered. Ian’s breathing was coming faster on her other side, and he moved her hand faster over his meaty penis. But Brendan didn’t seem to be in any rush. He caressed her hair, rubbing his thumb over her cheek, and murmured reassurances. “Swirl your tongue over the head. That’s right. Just like that. Good girl, Diana.” He was massaging the back of her neck now. “You’re doing so well.”

She was a bad girl, she was a good girl — who knew what the truth really was. All she knew was that she was sprawled naked in the twins’ treehouse, her creamy pussy aching for more touch, her head heavy like this was a dream, everything warm and slowed down a little in the darkness with a cock filling her mouth, another filling her hand that felt harder and harder, fingers in her hair, a palm rubbing her belly so intimately that she was moaning now around Brendan’s cock, and—

“Let go,” Ian whispered. His hand left hers. Startled, she let go of his cock and heard him moving. Hands spread her thighs firmly, and she moaned more loudly when two thumbs stroked her sopping pussy lips, spreading them open. Then she cried out, her voice muffled by Brendan’s cock, as something thick and hard prodded her tight entrance.

“Ian,” she hissed, pulling her mouth off Brendan’s cock. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing, baby?”

“You can’t just— come up and—” Her head was spinning again. “This is my virginity we’re talking about.”

“Which one of us do you want first?” Brendan murmured. His hand was still in her hair. “You decide.”

First? Oh, God. She’d known this was where things were going, of course she’d known, but it was really— they really— They really both expected to have sex with her. Maybe one right after the other. And no matter how many times she’d fantasized about being with more than one guy, the reality was…real. This was real. Completely real, and not in her control like a fantasy. And so much hotter.

She opened her mouth to say that she wanted Brendan first, but Ian was rubbing his cock all over her juicy pussy, setting her on fire. More cream oozed out of her pussy, and she knew from his hiss of breath that he could feel it. She couldn’t stand the thought of him pulling away from her, losing the contact of his fat head with her slippery cunt.

“Ian!” she cried out. “Please, Ian…”

He let out a long exhalation. “Please what, baby?”

She didn’t think she could be embarrassed at this point, but her face was hot again. “You know,” she panted.

“Say it.”

She breathed in and out. The treehouse was very quiet. Outside, the crickets chirped. Brendan’s hand had stopped moving in her hair. Everything was still.

“Say it, Diana.” Ian’s face was barely visible, leaning over her, his eyes locked on hers. His face wasn’t giving anything away. But a shock of excitement ran over Diana’s body from bottom to top. Her name. For the first time tonight, he’d said her name.

She let out a shuddering breath. “Fuck me, Ian,” she pleaded softly.

His eyes opened wide, then narrowed. Diana’s stomach twisted with excitement and nerves at the sheer lust on his face. Gripping her hip with one hand, he grasped his cock and pointed it downward, sliding it over her soaked lips, until the head nestled at her entrance. Then he pushed.

“Ian!” She screamed. Even if she didn’t have a cherry for him to breach, she was tight, unused to a cock in her pussy, but so slippery that he sank halfway in on the first thrust. He eased back a little, then thrust again, until he was buried in her warm cunt.

“Oh God,” Diana moaned, shocked. “This is— you’re so big.” And her dildo had only barely prepared her pussy for this kind of invasion.

“Open your legs, sweetness,” Brendan murmured. He’d moved behind her so her head rested in his lap. She was grateful for his strong hands, rubbing her shoulders. Her own hands clutched Ian’s muscular back; her pussy quivered around his thick rod. He hadn’t stopped staring into her eyes, and she felt completely naked, completely exposed, and completely committed to not looking away first. If she was really going to get over her shyness, she was doing it all the way. The raw need on his face seared through her, arrowing straight down to her creamy cunt stretched around his cock. He grunted as she spasmed around him. “Wrap your legs around his back.” Dazed, she followed Brendan’s directions, and gasped as Ian’s cock sank even deeper into her clasping pussy. “That’s it.” Ian flexed his hips, starting to pull back. “Ian, give her a minute before you move.”

“You’ve always been bossy, Brendan.” Diana couldn’t help it. Her breath was coming fast, the twin she thought she couldn’t stand had just taken her virginity, her pussy clung to his cock like she never wanted it to leave, and the twin she’d always considered at least somewhat trustworthy had seduced her into a threesome — with his brother. The moment was already crazy enough, and the words just popped out. “Looks like you haven’t changed.”

Both twins burst out laughing. Ian actually buried his head in her shoulder as his body shook. Each pant thrust his cock into her, sending twinges through her cunt that half-hurt, half-felt good, but she didn’t care. She was laughing too, and the way her pussy squeezed Ian’s cock with each burst of laughter just made her laugh harder. It felt good to laugh as the three of them.

“Missed you, Di,” Brendan whispered above her. His hands slid over her shoulders to massage her breasts. She whimpered as he expertly rolled her nipples, or maybe it was because Ian was moving now, working his cock in and out of her clinging pussy with tiny thrusts that sent sparks through her pussy and out to her trembling thighs.

“I missed you too,” she whispered back. “So much.” Her eyes met Ian’s again. He was still staring at her, propped up on his elbows. She wondered if he’d missed her. Or if she’d missed him. She wanted to ask why he’d ignored her, but now his lips met hers, crushing her mouth in a kiss as he lengthened his strokes. His movements felt better and better as she relaxed around his cock, hugging it with warmth. Brendan’s palms still kneaded her breasts, sandwiched between her and Ian’s chest.

“Ian,” she whispered into his mouth. His tongue was so hot, thrusting into her mouth, mimicking his thrusts into her pussy.

“Push back,” he whispered. Experimentally, Diana raised her hips to meet him. Oooh. That felt good. Ian groaned. Every time he thrust into her, he ground against her pussy, rubbing her clit, and fire was building between her legs. Brendan’s fingers pinched her nipples, harder than she would expected from him. Her thighs were shaking again as she moved her hips, trying to match Ian’s movements. Trying to fuck him back. Meeting him now on every thrust, the intense sensations feeling twice as powerful.

“Oh god, Ian—” She grabbed his muscled ass instinctively, urging him further into her.

“Yesssss,” he hissed. “This is the real you, isn’t it, Diana?” He pumped her cunt faster, forcing the breath out of her in little gasps. “You’ve thought about this, haven’t you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, dizzy again. “I’ve thought about us like this…about Brendan…about the three of us…”

“Fuck,” Ian groaned, spearing her tightening pussy. Brendan pinched her nipples firmly, making her cry out as Ian thrust deeply into her cunt. He was coming, she realized, a little stunned. He grabbed her, wrapping her firmly in his powerful arms and pulling her tight against his body while he plunged into her pussy again and again. His low groans made her gasp along with him, their chests heaving in rhythm together. Diana buried her face in his shoulder, clinging to his muscled back as he grunted with pleasure. She felt stretched impossibly wide around his cock, moving in and out of her tingling pussy more and more slowly until he collapsed on top of her, his cheek pressed against hers.

Ian withdrew his cock from her pussy all too soon, on a slippery stream of cream. She was more relieved than she wanted to admit when he lay down next to her and kissed her again. As his tongue moved in her mouth — lazily now — familiar, yet unfamiliar hands worked their way up her calves, stroking her thighs, then firmly opening her legs, spreading her pussy wide. Again, a cock prodded her entrance. This time, it slipped in easily as she moaned, sinking into her pussy in one long thrust.

Brendan’s hands slid to her ass, cupping the cheeks and lifting her slightly off the ground. She could only gasp into Ian mouth’s as Brendan fucked her easily with long, slow, deep strokes, bringing her ass up to meet his cock on each thrust. She felt like she was completely in his hands, exhausted, soaked, and spread open, one arm clinging to Ian and the other reaching up to Brendan to find his shoulder.

“Ian did such a good job opening you up,” Brendan murmured. Oh God. A shiver of excitement tightened her pussy. “Nice,” he murmured. “You feel so amazing, sweetness. I love fucking you so deep.”

Her ass clenched in his hands. He wasn’t kidding. She’d thought Ian had gone deep, but Brendan was nudging her cervix with every stroke. Not hard, but enough for her to feel it.

“Brendan— uhhh—” she groaned. She clutched his back with one hand. Ian found her other hand and laced his fingers through it. She found herself squeezing his hand, hard. “Too much—”

His strokes eased off, just a little, and she sighed with relief.

“It hurts? Or it’s just uncomfortable?”

“The second,” she panted. Ian was sucking on her neck now, one of her breasts filling his hand. She didn’t want to think about how many hickeys they’d given her. “Baby,” he was whispering in her ear. “Your tits are so fucking amazing.”

“Then relax,” Brendan crooned. She let herself focus on his voice, on Ian’s hands and mouth on her body. “Trust us. I promise, you can do it. Let me in, Diana. Let me in deep.”

Oh Jesus. As she let herself give in, pleasure began to wash over her body in waves.

“Say you trust us,” Brendan whispered above her.

“I— oh God. I trust you,” she moaned. And right now, it was completely true. With each stroke of Brendan’s cock, each lick and suck and squeeze from Ian, she let go, allowing herself to trust.

“Oh—” she gasped. “Oh God. Oh my God.” She was coming again, her vision blurring as warm buzzing haze filled her head and a rush of pure pleasure bathed her body in heat. Dimly, she felt her pussy clutching Brendan’s cock in deep, slow spasms that spread through her whole body, felt Ian sucking her earlobe and fondling her breasts, felt Brendan groan long and low and thrust smoothly into her steamy cunt again and again until he slowly withdrew.

Strong arms folded her close, then helped her down from the treehouse and carried her through the dark backyard as she rested her head against a warm male chest, barely able to keep her eyes open.