Page 76 of Captive of Outlaws

I’M THE ONE TO BREAKthe silence.

“So...what now?” I say.

“What now,” Rob says, “is three fingers of bourbon, a cigar, and a skinny dip.”

Will snorts. “Speak for yourself, Locksley. I’ll stick with the first two.”

“Oh really?” Rob says. “You’d prefer to go in fully dressed, then?”

“I—hey!”

Splash.

With a shove from Rob, Will tumbles back and hits the water.

Will plunges under the surface and pushes off from the bottom, breaking through into the air with a sputter.

“Funny,” he says, panting as he treads water. “Very funny. Not at all childish.”

Cracking up, both Rob and Tuck getto their feet, and I do too, letting out a giggle.

“You too, Maren?” Will groans. He pivots to Rob. “You owe me a suit, Locksley.”

“Like you don’t have a whole wardrobe full,” Rob retorts.

“Still. It’s the—pant, pant—principle of the thing.” Will shakes water out of his eyes. Then his face lights up. “Or, even better...quid pro quo.”

“Hm?” Rob says, but Will’s already gesturing for Tuck.

“If you don’t mind, Tuck?”

“Gladly,” Tuck says—and pushes Rob.

Splash.

Now it’s Will’s turn to laugh as Rob pushes to the surface.

“Goddammit,” Rob mutters. “Guess I asked for it.”

“That just leaves me and Maren,” Tuck says, shooting me a grin, which I return.

“Yep. Safe and sound on dry land,” I say.

“Well,” Rob says. “Not for long.”

“Huh?”

I barely catch him and Will exchange a look before they’ve both sprung out of the water. Each one takes an arm, pulls me forward, and together we fall into the pool.

I buck up towards the surface, gasping as I breach into the night air.

“What,” I pant, swooping wet hair out of my eyes, “the hell!”

The water churns around me as Tuck smashes in next to me, and then we’re all in the pool together, a mess of formalwear and flying limbs and laughter. I scream, in delight as much as shock, and try to dog-paddle my way away from them.

“Jack’ll befurious,” I say.

“He’ll live,” Rob says, shaking water from his ear. “Just means more business for him.”

---