Page 24 of Riding the Pine

Oxygen pushes its way through my clenched body and slowly fills my lungs with a shallow breath.

“I mean, you stripped off right in front of me without a care in the world, Gizmo. Ass. Naked.”

“You fucking did what?” Artemis’s voice booms from behind me, and my lungs seize yet again, squeezing out any last molecules of oxygen I’d managed to let in. I’m pretty sure I can hear Apollo snickering, but my body is creeping into fight or flight mode. When it comes to Artemis de la Peña, he’d kick my ass all the way from here to Moline. And back again.

“It’s not what you think.” I toss over my shoulder. Not sure who I want to have my back to, Athena or her brother, but the amusement dancing in her eyes is the last thing I want to see if I’m going to die right now.

She nods. “He was drunk and getting into bed. Apparently, his clothes were offending his delicate sensibilities. He stripped everything off and climbed into bed. No show.” She addresses me like she’s trying to comfort my insecurities. “It would have been online by now if you’d done anything of note.”

The dizziness threatening to overcome my whole body starts to subside ever so slightly. I’m still alive, so the twins must not be too offended by her explanation.

“I’m so sorry.” I whisper, not to anyone in particular. “I don’t remember any of it.” I hold up my palm. “I know, that doesn’t make it better.” I drag my hand over my face. If anything, that just adds to how off my face I was last night and how I need to get in line.

Apollo chuckles again behind me, and if I’m not mistaken, I can feel Artemis’s vibrating anger receding just enough for the invisible straps around my chest to ease off.

She shrugs. “You didn’t proposition me if that’s what you’re worried about.” She tips her head to the side. “You didn’t offend me, Scott. You just got naked.” She snorts. “Nothing I haven’t seen before.” Her brow twitches almost imperceptibly as a wave of pure jealousy washes over me.

I’m not ignorant enough to think no one has ever seen her naked but I’d like a list and a sharp object so I can gouge out all their eyeballs so they can never see her naked again.

Please and thank you.

She can never be my girl, but that doesn’t mean I want anyone else to have her. No one deserves her, no one is good enough for her.

“I should have at least kept my briefs on.” I force the words out past the embarrassment crackling in the back of my throat.

Someone behind me growls. Twenty bucks says it’s Artemis.

She approaches me and pats my shoulder, not dropping eye contact. “You have a very nice penis, Scottie.”

I don’t have time to pat myself on the back for impressing her with my cock. She winks at me, that mischievous gleam dazzling under the kitchen lights. Ugh. She totally said that to rile up her brothers, who rise to the bait.

“Can you please, please stop talking about our best friend’s dick, Hen?”

She smirks. “But I love how it makes your face do that twitchy thing.” She flicks her finger in their direction.

I turn to look at the twins, their faces are both kind of green like the idea of their sister seeing my cock makes them queasy.

Apollo snorts. “I can’t believe you flashed my sister, man.” He shakes his head.

Artemis winces at his brother’s words.

I don’t blame them; it’s one thing to see each other naked at the rink or whatever. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. But this is their sister, and their best friend. Nary the two worlds shall intertwine.

And from the look on everyone’s face, that’s exactly how it needs to stay.

CHAPTER 11

Scott

DECEMBER 2021

It’s cold as fucking balls outside. In fact, I’m pretty sure if I checked, my balls would have tiny icicles dangling from them. You’d think being a born-and-raised Iowa boy that I’d be used to the Iowan weather, and yet every year it takes me by surprise like it’s the first time.

The stands are packed. It’s the annual December teddy bear toss game, and if you could find an empty seat out there, I’d be surprised.

It’s the end of the first period, we’re all in the dressing room, and the score is still a big, fat goose egg.

The atmosphere is charged, heavy with anticipation, and we’re all on edge. You never want to be the team whodoesn’tscore a goal at the teddy bear toss. That’s… just… sad. It’s sad.

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