Page 20 of It Starts With Summer

His eyes widened slightly, and he cleared his throat.“Well, I’m not,” he admitted, looking away.“Not a physical person.And I’m awkward about everything.So it felt weird.Sorry.”

I furrowed my brow, unsure of what to make of his comment.Was it a rejection?A boundary he was setting?Or was he just trying to tell me something about himself?

“It wasn’t weird to me.”

A shout from our campers ended our conversation.They spotted the glistening blue waters of the lake and took off at a sprint.There was a lifeguard at the lake, but we couldn’t lose track of our group, so we had no choice but to sprint after them.

Ravi looked a little irritated as he shouted at them to slow down, but I lost myself in the joy of the moment, racing for the water next to my new friend, laughing as we threw our towels into a pile on the ground and ran into the cool embrace of the lake.I felt alive—exhilarated by the sheer joy of being with Ravi, by the laughter on his face, even by the over-the-top water fight the kids started.

I dove under the water, blinking at the blurry outline of legs and underwater plants, then swam towards a pair of striped shorts, a grin on my face as I pulled Ravi’s feet out from under him.He made a huge splash as he went down, landing, eyes open, just inches away from me.And he growled, lunging at me, sending us tumbling through the water, a tangle of slick, muscled limbs and hard bodies.I laughed as I came up for air and picked a piece of duckweed out of his hair.

He shook his head at me.“We should pay attention to the campers.”With that, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked towards our group, adorably serious.And I copied him, watching out of the corner of my eye as Ben and Sutton led their campers up to claim a spot on the beach.I sidled a little closer to Ravi, keeping an eye on the kids as the two groups came together to swim and play.Sutton and Ben sat on the dock, their legs dangling in the water, and watched from the other side.They were talking quietly about something, and Sutton seemed upset.

I moved even closer to Ravi, so our shoulders brushed, and he sighed and dropped his hands to his side, letting our fingers brush under water.“Needy, aren’t you?”He clasped my hand in his.

“Yes, I am.”Realizing what I’d said, I tried to make light of it.“Sutton called me a level five clinger, remember?”

He snorted, tightening his hand around mine.“Sutton is the one who showed up at your summer camp looking to get back with you.”

I couldn't contain my laughter."That's not what he's here for."

"I am terrible at reading people, and even I can tell it's what he's here for.He’s hooked on you.You must be very good with your mouth."Ravi blinked, as if only just processing what he'd said.I squeezed his hand and he relaxed a little.I waited a moment to speak again, knowing he was probably freaking out.

“I thought you didn’t like touching people.”

Ravi glanced at me, his dark eyes warm.“You’re not people.You’re Parker.”

Before long, the kitchen staff arrived with a picnic lunch for everyone to enjoy.I quickly scanned the assortment of blankets laid out on the grass, ensuring I could sit next to Ravi once we settled the kids down with their food.

“Hey.”Ravi plopped down beside me, close enough that our thighs brushed against each other.The warmth of his touch sent shivers up my spine.He leaned on his left hand, sliding his fingers out until they brushed against mine.It was a quiet, subtle touch, but I was sure it was intentional, and it made me smile.

ten

Parker

Itwasthelastbonfire of the session, but not the last of the summer, and still we stayed up past when the campers had gone to bed, celebrating, enjoying each other’s company.Flames danced like passionate lovers, casting a hypnotic glow on the faces of my fellow camp counselors.The scent of burning wood and the sound of laughter filled the air.

The counselors from the girls’ camp had joined us, and I could tell everyone was ready for the three-day break between sessions.

All around me, people were making plans — day trips and hotels and excursions.Nothing I could afford, of course.I’d be in the counselor’s cabin, waiting for the session to start, scrounging what food I could from the camp kitchen, along with the few other stragglers who couldn’t afford to spend their camp salaries.And they were flirting, kissing, maybe even fucking.To my left, two women were making out enthusiastically, and to my right, a couple was sneaking off into the woods.

But I didn’t pay attention to any of that.My attention was focused on one person: Ravi.He was a few yards away, in a deep, focused discussion with Ben.They were sitting far too close for my comfort, and I wasn’t even sure why it bothered me.But what the hell were they even talking about?And why wasn’t Ravi hanging out with me?He was my friend.

“Hey, Parker, love the longer hair.”Sutton’s deep voice pulled me from my creepy staring.He slipped into the spot beside me, his muscular body radiating a warmth that made me want to scoot a little closer.I could feel him surveying me with more than just friendly curiosity, and I knew right away what he wanted.

“Hey, Sutton,” I replied, trying to keep my tone casual.

“Nice night, isn’t it?I’m so ready for break,” he said, leaning closer.His masculine scent mixed with the smoky air, creating an intoxicating blend.I knew what he was after, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t tempt me.

“Yeah, it is.”I forced any signs of flirtation out of my voice, but still stole a glance at his chiseled jawline and strong shoulders.He was so damn sexy.Way more conventionally attractive than Ravi, not that there was any reason to be comparing him to Ravi.

A quick hookup wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it?Just a moment of pleasure to fill the void inside me.A body was a body, and it didn’t matter if the body belonged to an asshole.

“Listen, Parker,” Sutton began, leaning in even closer, putting an arm around my waist.I stiffened at the touch, then forced my body to relax, to lean against him.It was kind of nice.“I’ve been thinking about us, and—”

“Okay, that’s enough.”Ravi appeared in front of us, stepping between us, grabbing my arm, and wrenching me away from the bonfire.

“What the fuck?”Sutton yelped, but he didn’t follow, didn’t give chase.Whatever he had been thinking about wasn’t that important.

---