Behind the Mask Ch. 08

All characters are at least 18 years old.

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"I am just checking on you, mademoiselle. You rarely miss a Friday evening at the club," Alain said over the phone. "Were you out celebrating your graduation?"

"Something like that," I sighed. "Charles showed up. Wasn't exactly my idea of, y'know, a happy memorable experience."

"I understand." He was quiet for a moment. I could tell when he was pausing out of courtesy, and waited patiently for him to speak. Probably was gonna appeal on Charles's behalf. I admit there were times I suspected him of being Charles's spy, to keep an eye on me. But we'd been through enough that I knew I could trust him. He was more of a dad to me than that other bitch ever was. "'E is not an evil man, mademoiselle."

I snorted. "Don't need to be evil to be a bad parent," I replied. "Let's face it, Alain. I've given up trying to make any kind of relationship work. All we can hope for is polite." I shook my head. "And that's being optimistic."

"I understand. Will you be coming in tonight, mademoiselle?"

"We'll see." The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of my friends. "Gotta go, Alain. Talk later." I hung up and went to get the door.

"Hey, you," Brie said cheerfully.

"Sup, Lex," Stef greeted, a duffel slung over his shoulder.

With a grin, I welcomed them in and replied, "Of course you two would be first. Wanted to get some alone time before the others arrive?"

Brie said "No" at the same time Stef said "Maybe," and she glared at him while he grinned at her cheekily.

I nibbled my lip and bounced an eyebrow before ushering them away to get changed. "Better get going then. Can't imagine the others will be long."

Brie waved Stef off before pulling me to one side. "Hey, where's that guy of yours?"

I could only manage a weary look. "I don't have a guy." Quickly, I transitioned to a flirty expression. "Unless you're volunteering yours."

"Not even in your fucking dreams," she snapped. God, she was so easy to tease. I loved it. "I'm talking about your fiancé, obviously!"

"I told you, that whole thing is just something that came to my dad in a fever dream."

"Yeah? So what was he doing here the other day?" My brain wasn't moving fast enough, and she grinned when I hesitated. "He even gave you a diamond already. All you have to do is say 'I do.'"

She had me on the back foot, and I scowled, making her smirk victoriously. "Go fetch your brother before I do something scandalous to him," I muttered, but by now she wasn't buying it at all. She literally skipped away, humming happily that I finally had a weakness.

Jesus, did I? I had a weakness for August now?

"Hello?"

My eyes fluttered in confusion. August's voice was crooning into my ear over the phone. When had I called him? What was happening to me? Was I having a stroke? Being possessed? I wasn't even in control of my body anymore. And I was getting so dumb recently. They said love makes you do stupid shit-- Wait. It's not love. It's not love. It's not even a crush! He was just some guy--

"Lexi?"

"Hey, yeah," I stammered. "Are you free?"

"We don't have any drills today, and I only have some paperwork to do, so I guess you could say I'm free. What's up?"

"I was just having my friends over for a swim to kick off the summer. Did you wanna come?" What the fuck am I doing?!

There was a pause before he spoke again. "Sure. I'll be over in a few."

I hung up and looked at my phone as if I'd never seen a phone before. Damn it. There was no helping it now. With a sigh, I went to drag an ice box out to the pool. It was packed with beer and soda, and there was more in my fridge. I could have had my entire catering team here, and they would be fixing up hors d'oeuvres and everything. But I had no intention of the others finding out about Taboo. Maybe it was hubris to think I could keep that secret from them forever.

Someday, I promised.

Brie and Stef came outside, Stef in his navy trunks and Brie in a cerulean bikini. "Is this the first time we're actually swimming here?" Stef wondered aloud. "Before everything, I could probably count the times I even came to your house, Lexi."

"Well, you woulda only come with me," Brie explained flatly. "I've never used her pool before, so if you were coming here alone..."

"You think I'd wanna go anywhere without this fine ass of yours?" Stef murmured, brazenly cupping Brie's cheeks. She went pink in the face, hands on his biceps in a half-hearted attempt to push him away. She screamed as he tipped them over the edge and sent them tumbling into the pool, his laughter swallowed up by the splash.

The doorbell rang, giving me a good excuse to leave the two lovebirds to some making out before the others got in with them. On my doorstep were Drew, Coco, Cherry, and Leon. Even after all these months, the adults still looked shy being with their children around other people. It was cute, and I smiled widely as I invited them in. Before long, they were in the pool as well, thanking me for inviting them over. Drew was in Hawaiian trunks, while Leon was in a solid bright yellow. Cherry was in a frilly red bikini, which made her look younger when combined with her small stature, though I didn't see Leon complaining. Coco had donned a much more chaste black one-piece, and still she was bashful and needed encouragement from Drew to walk out without covering herself with her arms.

Before long, Drew was busy trying his best to drown Stef, pulling him down by the ankle from underwater. Brie and Cherry were each holding one of Stef's hands while he swallowed a few mouthfuls of pool water screaming for help. Coco and Leon were having a beer together, watching from the sidelines and chatting. I went to get changed, coming back out in my violet bikini with my hair tied up.

"Not going to partake?" Leon joked, gesturing to the mayhem in the pool.

"As surprising as it is, I think I'll pass," I giggled, sitting down on a deck chair. The doorbell rang one more time, and I winced. Coco and Leon looked back into the house with mild surprise.

"Were we expecting any more people? I wasn't aware there would be anybody other than... us," Coco said, her nerves slowly entering her voice. I could see why. The relationships of all present were still supposed to be secret. I could have my other friends here, but Leon and Coco being here too could raise questions among mixed company.

"Or is it pizza?" Leon guessed.

"Don't worry, you can trust him," I said distantly, heading toward the front door.

"'Him?'" Leon echoed in curiosity.

And there he was, standing at my front door. With flowers, I noted.

He looked down at my body in shock, drinking me in with his eyes. It was clear he liked what he saw. I smirked and posed a bit for him. Just a bit of revenge for how he'd riled me up yesterday. I saw him swallow, and decided to push a bit further. Biting my lip coquettishly, I leaned forward to sniff the flowers he was holding in front of him, giving him a generous view down my cleavage.

"Flowers? You shouldn't have," I finally said, and it seemed to break his spellbound daze.

"Oh yeah. They're for you," August mumbled.

"No, like, you really shouldn't have," I laughed, but took them anyway. I led him inside, and he shut the door before plodding obediently along after me. "Why orchids? Do I strike you as an orchid kinda girl?"

"Do you not like them?" he asked.

"I do. Just seems like a niche pick."

"'Cause you told me you like orchids," he answered.

I set them on my dining table and turned to him solemnly. "I have never told you I like orchids."

He frowned. "Yeah you did. You even told me why you like them."

My eyes narrowed. Could I have told him while I was phased out, like I was apparently wont to do around him? Impossible. "Literally nobody knows why I like orchids. Even I don't remember."

"But you said..." His look of confusion returned, as if he wasn't sure where he was getting the information. It couldn't have been from Charles. Charles knew fuck all about me, he certainly didn't care what my favorite flower was.

"What did I say?"

"You said that out of all flowers, orchids are the smartest. They're the best liars."

Had I said that? It sounded familiar. Maybe I'd read it online. "Why's that?"

"There are a lot of types of orchids, and a lot of them trick bugs into pollinating them. Some look exactly like other nearby flowers, or like female insects. Some smell like carrion, to attract flies instead. And if they're alone, they can self-pollinate. You said it was smart, but you also thought it was funny 'cause it sounded like masturbation."

I scoffed. "That sure sounds like me." I looked at the flowers again, racking my brain for the memory. I was fairly certain I'd said no such thing to August, but who could it have been? Only Alain knew I liked orchids, since I had a pot in my office at Taboo. "Forget it," I decided. "Did you bring trunks?"

"Yeah." He gestured to the bag he had with him. God, this was awkward. He looked outside, which I noticed was now quiet. Everybody was watching us. God, this was really awkward. "How much do they know about us?"

"There's no 'us,' remember?" I said softly, arching a brow.

"We told them that diamond story, and now this is the second time I'm over at your place this week." He grew a small smile and shot me a glance. "You sure you want me to walk out there?"

Had to play this off. "Why not? Make me look good. A navy stud coming to my pool party? I bet you're ripped under that shirt."

"I am," he chuckled. "And I was a Marine, not a squid." I shrugged irreverently, and he only shook his head. "So do you want me to change right here, or...?"

"Bathroom's that way," I directed, and he went off to put on his trunks. I walked back outside, and everybody was giving me teasing looks. "Not a word out of any of you."

Leon looked like he was proudly watching his daughter grow up. That's just what I thought, anyway -- I knew he had no desire for Cherry to grow up any more. Coco looked even gentler than usual, perhaps a bit wistful. She was the only one who knew about Jordan, so maybe she knew the significance of me having a guy in my life again. Was August in my life?

At that moment, August and his abs walked out. He had fucking abs. Hell yeah he was in my life.

"Hey everybody," he said, then turned to Coco and Leon, shaking both of their hands in turn. "Hey, pleased to meet you. I'm August. Friend of Lexi's."

"Leon. Cherry's father," Leon said.

"Coco. Drew's mom."

"It's a pleasure," August said with a smile. He turned to the others in the pool. "So what'd I miss?"

"Chicken fight," Drew announced, making Brie groan.

"Drew, we're not chicken fighting. You're too tall!"

Drew jerked his thumb at Cherry. "Yeah, but Squirt's so short, so it balances out."

"Fuck you, Stilts," Cherry snapped.

"Eh, he's not wrong though," Stef admitted. "It does balance out. What about you, August? You in?"

August turned to me, and I grinned. "I'm always down for a three-way," I quipped, and everybody groaned. "I'll probably sit this one out, though. I can ref."

As Brie climbed onto her brother's shoulders and Cherry was pulled onto Drew's, August sat down next to me. "Not gonna swim in your own pool?"

"I was thinking of just tanning a bit. God knows we don't have that many nice days around here," I replied.

"Did you put on lotion?"

"Eh, it's not that sunny. I think I'll pass."

"Actually," Drew cut in. These gossips were listening in on us.

"Actually," Stef repeated, affecting a nasally voice, and Brie giggled.

"Actually," Drew went on, ignoring him, "sunburn has nothing to do with light and heat, and everything to do with UV. UV goes through clouds, so yeah, you should absolutely rub some lotion on her, dude."

"Absolutely," Stef echoed in agreement. Everybody else was nodding.

These motherfuckers.

Drew in particular. Heh.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need help. I can do it myself."

"Can you though?" Cherry chimed in, voice mischievously skeptical.

"Yeah, August should at least do you from behind," Brie added, trying to hold in laughter.

I grit my teeth. Coco and Leon were just watching with amusement a few feet away. Apparently everybody was ready to return the matchmaking favor and wingman me and August. "Fine," I muttered, and I swear they had to hold back from cheering.

August looked about as smug as a person could get as he squeezed out some lotion onto his hands before settling behind me. "Your friends are quite something," he murmured. His hands touched my back, and the cold lotion made me flinch a bit.

"Yeah, they're a riot," I grumbled. His hands glided across my skin, spreading the lotion with slow but firm movements. I could feel my heart rate pick up. He was being more sensual than he needed to be, his hands lingering at the end of each stroke. I tried to focus on the chicken fight, but they were only going at it half-heartedly as they watched the lotion massage out of the corner of their eyes.

"How's that feel?" August whispered in my ear, sending a thrill through my body.

"You're really taking advantage of this, aren't you?" I hissed back.

"Would you like me to stop?"

"No, I would not like it. Keep going, lunkhead."

"As the lady wishes." He stroked my arms, then my midriff, hands barely skirting around my breasts, my bikini feebly holding them in. "Like that?"

"Just like that," I breathed. My head was tilted back, eyes shut and rolled back. How did his hands feel like a gentle breeze and a lightning storm all at once?

When he got to my legs, he applied lotion generously on the outside of my thighs. When he moved to the inside, he very subtly eased my legs apart, spreading them for my watching friends. I couldn't help the exhibitionist in me, and I actually moaned out loud. Emphasis on loud.

My eyes popped open as I realized everything around us had gone quiet. Everybody was openly staring at the two of us now. The only thing to break the silence was Cherry teetering and eventually falling from Drew's shoulders, but even she had her eyes fixed on us after she surfaced. I panicked. I couldn't even summon the nerve to pass it off as Overly Sexual Lexi. I was just plain embarrassed.

Without a word, I extricated myself from August's arms and went inside, leaving them all out there to talk about me. They were probably happy for me, but it was too much. I was supposed to love only one boy in my whole life. I was supposed to die alone with nine cats and let them eat my body. And here I was, getting felt up by this guy I barely knew, and--

And he was knocking on my door.

"Lexi? Are you okay? I'm sorry about that just now," he said through the wood.

I opened it and pulled him in before quickly shutting it again. "They can probably still hear you out there," I said firmly.

He nodded and let silence settle between us for a bit. Seeing that I was calm, he spoke up again. "Gonna be honest, I didn't think you could be shy. You're kinda cute like this."

"Yeah, well savor it, 'cause you're not gonna see it much."

He looked at me carefully. "Something tells me this isn't just about what happened outside."

"Well, aren't you a sharp one," I remarked sarcastically.

"Sharper than you give me credit for. You're still not comfortable with the whole engagement thing."

"Are you?" I demanded. "We hardly know each other. Maybe this'll come as a surprise, but despite my dumb flirty blonde persona, I do care about substance."

"Of course I know that." He had left a comfortable distance between us, probably to make me less jumpy, but now he took my hands in his. "So c'mon. Let's get to know each other. I hate beets and cilantro. I joined the military because of my dad. And my biggest fear is dying unhappy."

I gave him a bewildered look, and he gave me a good-natured smirk back. "What are you doing? Why are you trying so hard to make this work? My dad, your benefactor, this is what they want."

"Doesn't mean we can't want it too," he murmured. "We don't need to go at their pace, just at ours. I..." He swallowed. "I like you, Lexi. I promise you, for everything that's worth, that I didn't plan to. I was gonna fight this, same as you. But... Tell me you don't feel something too."

"God, that was so corny," I whispered. We were really close now. I had backed against the wall, and he hadn't followed. Despite his urges, he was giving me space to flee if I wanted to. But I wasn't going anywhere, it seemed.

I'm sorry, Jordan.

I leaned forward and kissed August, lightly and gentle. But as the kiss stretched longer, I drew closer. He was still shirtless, and I placed my hands on his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, resting a hand on my nape. As our fervor grew, his fingers crept through my hair and undid my ponytail, loosing my blonde locks across my shoulders. I grew more forceful, and he finally let himself go and pushed me against the wall, kissing me with such need. His words yesterday about how he would ravage me came flooding back, and I felt myself start to get wet.

"Lexi..." he whispered. His voice was like butter, melting on my skin, soaking into my body, frying my brain. I couldn't think. All my grand plans, washed away by his touch. I didn't even care if this was Charles's plan. I needed him. I didn't bed him; I wasn't a slut. But goddamn if I didn't wish I was for a moment. Later, I would walk back out to find my friends gone, returned home to give me some privacy with August. It was just as well, because I was lucky I even walked out of my room with clothes on.