S.O.S. Summer of Secrets

5. ADAM

Nearly eight hours, several food breaks and a few pit stops later, they were pulling up to their rented summerhouse. It was much bigger than Adam was expecting. The traditional country home had several large windows and an incredible porch that wrapped around the entire front half of the house. This is not the shack I was imagining.

"Kids, why don't you go get settled in your rooms upstairs. According to the rental site, there should be two identical rooms on the second floor...not the big one with the master bath...that's ours!" Jen said enthusiastically as Jon began to unload the suitcases from the trunk.

Adam grabbed his bag and headed upstairs with his sister. Sure enough, there were two fairly large rooms on opposite sides of the Jack and Jill bathroom. "Any preference?" Adam offered politely.

Lexie quickly scanned the rooms and chose the one furthest from her parents' room. "I'll take this one," and she headed in and shut the door behind her. You're welcome...it's not like I wanted that room anyway.

Adam walked into his room and was again pleasantly surprised. It had a queen-size bed, which was significantly bigger than his twin bed at home, a walk-in closet and a desk for his laptop. This will do, he thought.

There was one other door in the room he hadn't opened yet. He quietly walked over to it and gently turned the knob and opened the door.

"GET OUT!" Lexie screamed.

"Sorry, sorry," Adam quickly shut the door as his sister was putting on makeup in the bathroom. "Next time just lock the door, and this won't be a problem," Adam said defensively.

"There is no lock, you idiot. Don't you think I would have done that?" she yelled through the door. "Jeez, just give me some privacy, damn it."

Adam rolled his eyes and stepped away. He started to unpack, which didn't take long, and already was wondering what to do with himself. He pulled out his laptop and checked the WiFi. There was a weak signal that came up but didn't last long enough to connect. This is going to be a long summer.

"Adam, can you help us unload the car?" his mom yelled from downstairs.

Can't they do anything without my help? "Sure thing, mom," he eventually said. After a few trips back and forth from the car to the kitchen, almost everything was in the house.

"Thanks. I would have asked your Dad, but he's setting things up in the attic."

Just then Lexie came racing down the stairs. "I'm going out. I'll be back later."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You just got here. You don't even have a car to drive...just where on earth are you going?" Jen asked.

"Give it a rest, Mom. I'm just going into town. I saw a sign by the pool we passed on our way in. Said they were hiring lifeguards. Figured I'd give it a try...beats sitting around here all summer."

"Can you even swim?" Adam chimed in with impeccable brotherly timing.

"Oh, stop now, your sister is a perfectly good swimmer. We made her take lessons for years. And now it's paying off," Jen said warmly.

"Right. Whatever. I'll be back later," Lexie said as she slung a backpack over her shoulder and headed out.

Adam didn't want to be a lifeguard, but he did envy how quickly Lexie got herself out of the house. He was still frustrated over the lack of internet, his only connection to the world now and it didn't look promising.

Diiiiiiiiing Dong. The doorbell rang with an annoying buzz at the end. "Why don't you see who it is," Jen said to Adam while trying to hide a smile.

"Oh, lord. What have you done now, mom?" Adam said, recognizing his mom's playful grin as he opened the door.

"Adam!!!" Before he could place the familiar voice, a body crashed into him for a hug. "It's so good to see you! What's it been? Six, eight years?" she took a step back and looked him up and down. "You look...so much taller!"

"Ashley?!" He paused to hug her. "Mom, you didn't tell me she was coming," Adam said as he looked at his cousin. She was wearing a thin, light blue sundress that swayed slightly in the summer breeze and flattered her perfectly. "What are you doing here?" he asked unable to keep his smile hidden remembering all the fun they had as kids. Sure, she was a little older than him, but she used to babysit him and let him do pretty much whatever he wanted. He had fond memories of eating endless bowls of ice cream and watching several R-rated movies with her.

"I'm staying here with you. For a few weeks anyway. I just got back from my trip around Europe and now I need to settle down and get cracking on my book. Thought this would be a nice, quiet spot to really organize my thoughts."

"I had no idea you were a writer, or in Europe for a few months. Or coming here," he chuckled a little, "I guess I have no idea about any of the things you've been up to for the past few years," Adam said.

"Sounds like you two will just have to get caught up then, won't you?" Jen added. "Why don't you show Ashley to her room. She'll be staying in the loft in the attic. Your father should be done getting it ready by now."

Ashley leaned in for one more tight hug. This time Adam was ready for it and held her close. She still had that same flowery smell he remembered from a child. She lingered there a little longer, and he could feel the heat radiating from her. The soft pressure of her body against his. Oh god...am I getting turned on from this?

Adam broke the hug for fear she would feel his subtle bulge beginning to form and grabbed her duffle bag from the floor. "Come on, you're all the way up on the third level."

Ashley quickly led the way as if she knew where she was going already. Adam followed closely behind her, watching as her summer dress lightly shifted and clung to her butt. Stop looking at her like that. She made her way up the stairs and Adam trailed behind and couldn't help but try to peer up her skirt a little as she got a few steps ahead of him. He lowered his head a little further to try to see if he could actually see anything. His eyes traced up the back of her legs and the dress seemed to block his view right at the base of her cheeks. He couldn't actually see anything, but that didn't stop him from getting rock hard.

She turned around and gave him a wry smile. Shit! Did she catch me?

"Thanks, sweetie. I'll take it from here." She tousled his hair playfully, grabbed the bag from him and went up the final leg of stairs into her loft.

Adam stood there stupidly as he watched her legs disappear from view. Once out of sight, he went into his room more confused and harder than ever.

6. LEXIE

Lexie rode through the small town and tried to find where she passed the lifeguard for hire sign. The streets were lined with quaint mom and pop shops, an old Post Office and a few other small buildings here and there. She couldn't decide if it was a charming old town or depressingly behind the times. Thank God I'm only here for a summer.

Lexie pulled up to the building with the sign out front: Now Hiring Lifeguards. After locking up her bike to a pole nearby, she realized how unlikely it would be someone would steal it in a town this small and began to make her way to the door.

There was a cute girl with short brown hair behind the desk wearing a grey baggy hoodie that said, GUARD, in all red letters. It looked like she purposely stretched neck of the hoodie so that it fell low over one shoulder and down her arm. A name tag that read, Emily, was pinned near the sloping collar. A slim dark strap was visible over her shoulder, but Lexie couldn't tell if it was a bra strap or part of a bathing suit.

Gathering her courage, she walked up to the desk. "Hi, I'm Lexie and interested in applying for the open lifeguard position."

"Hmmm...I'm not sure we're still hiring at this point," said a careless voice.

"But your sign out front says you are."

"Yeah, we should probably take that down," Emily started to file her nails as if she was done with the conversation.

"Is there anyone I could talk to...a manager or someone?"

She let out a huge sigh. "MARK! There's someone here for you." She said without looking up.

"Thank you," Lexie said not sure what to make of her.

A minute later a boy walked in the room. Lexie guessed he was around 19. He had shaggy hair and blue eyes. His white tank top also said, GUARD and made his tan skin look all the darker next to the pristine white. With a laid-back smile, he reached out his hand. "Hi, I'm Mark. How can I help you?"

"Hi, Mark. I'm Lexie. I'd like to apply for the lifeguard position...if you're still hiring."

"Oh shit, is that sign still up there? Em, I told you to take that down weeks ago."

Emily just shrugged her shoulders.

"Anyway, it's not that we don't need any more lifeguards, we certainly could use the help. It's just that you need to take our training course and then pass a test. We normally only have that class available in the spring. You just missed it by a few weeks," Mark said.

"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense," Lexie said with clear disappointment on her face.

"You know what? Screw it, I teach the class in spring and I give the test. If you're willing to come in the evenings for a few weeks or so, I can go over the basics and test your swimming ability. It would have to be after we close though, so you'd need to come around nine. Sound good?"

"Really? I mean, yeah, thank you so much! That would be amazing," Lexie said in disbelief. "Anything I should bring?"

"Just bring your bathing suit and be ready to work. I gotta get back on duty, but I'll see you tomorrow at 9," Mark gave her a genuine smile and shook her hand.

"Deal!" Lexie couldn't get over how nice that was of him and could barely hide her smile. "Thanks for calling Mark out here for me. Hopefully, we'll be coworkers soon."

Emily rolled her eyes and started scrolling through her phone. "No problem. Hope you pass the test..." she said with a smirk.

Lexie left and got on her bike to ride home. She decided to take the scenic route, not that she knew where she was going but enjoyed exploring the town just the same. It somehow seemed a little more charming now than it did only a few hours ago. Her mind wandered aimlessly but always seemed to return to the same thought. Mark was so kind, and cute too! Lexie noticed she started to enjoy her ride a little more the more she thought about Mark. She also noticed an unfamiliar tingling feeling as she pedaled and sat on the tiny seat. Maybe this won't be such a horrible summer after all.

7. JON

Later that evening, the family joined together for dinner. Jon spent the better part of the day painstakingly slow cooking some ribs in a smoker that came with the house. He took great pride in how each bite felt like a burst of smoke as the tender meat practically fell off the bone.

The family ate noisily, and they went through a roll of paper towels cleaning up their barbeque soaked hands and faces. It was nice to be able to catch up and chat. The group was very casual. Most everyone had on a T-shirt and comfortable shorts. Jon noticed Ashley had on a skimpy, white tank top. It seemed a little revealing for a family dinner. But hey, we're family on vacation...we all should be comfortable, he thought.

"So, Ashley, Jen tells me you spent the better part of last year in Europe?" Jon asked. "That sounds pretty amazing. What were you doing out there?"

"Oh yeah, it was beyond amazing. I was there a little over a year, I think. Germany, France, Amsterdam. Mostly backpacking, staying in hostels, experiencing various cultures and ways of life. I really think it will help with the book I'm writing."

"You're writing a book?" Jon asked. "What about?"

"Yeah. I'm not really sure, actually. About life. About my experiences. About people, relationships, freedom and exploring your desires."

Jon was pretty sure he knew what she was talking about and thought it best to end the conversation before it got too inappropriate for a family dinner. "That sounds fascinating. You'll have to let me know when I can read a copy." Is she not wearing a bra? He suddenly noticed a faint outline of her nipples through her thin tank top and also noticed how intently Adam was looking at her. This could get pretty inappropriate fast.

It was getting late and the conversation was dying down. "Alright, I think it's a good time to call it a night, guys. I've gotta get up early, go to the gym, then the store and do some things around the house tomorrow. We've got a big day ahead of us. Try to get some sleep." Jon got up and started to clear the table. Everyone helped with their plates and went off to their separate areas.

Ashley brought a few dishes over to the sink. "Those ribs were delicious," she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks again for letting me stay with you guys. I think the peace and quiet will help with the book. Well, goodnight." She gave him a rub on the shoulder and walked away.

She is a sweetheart, Jon thought. And probably a heartbreaker too. He couldn't help but notice her shorts and how they barely covered her round butt as she walked away. He laughed at how differently kids dressed today compared to when he was in his twenties.

Jon walked over to his wife, who was sitting in the living room with her laptop and gave her a kiss goodnight. "Think you'll be long?"

"Not too much longer. Just want to make sure I have all the details straight for tomorrow...it's the big day...first day of class."

"You're going to do great. The kids are going to love you." He kissed her on the top of her head while reaching down and giving her left breast a soft squeeze. That made her laugh, and she playfully slapped his hand.

"Go to bed, Jon," she said with a smile.

As soon as Jon's head hit the pillow, it seemed like he was already hearing his alarm clock go off. He hit snooze and soon popped out of bed before the second alarm went off. Despite the different location, it was soothing to follow a familiar routine.

After getting dressed and finishing his pre-workout shake, he hopped in the car and drove through the town. There were no other cars when he pulled into the parking lot of Heather's Health and Wellness Center. According to his research, this was the only gym around for miles. It also touted its famous spa. Famous my ass, he thought to himself as he grabbed his gym bag and headed toward the humble brick building. The sign on the door said open, but it didn't look like anyone was there. The front desk was empty. He wasn't sure if he could just walk in, or if he needed to sign anything or what.

"Hello? Anyone here?" He looked around and found a small sign on the desk:

I've stepped away for a minute and will return shortly. Please enjoy our facilities.

"Good enough for me." Jon made his way into the only door he could find labeled Locker Room. Seems a little odd...I hope this is the men's room. It was a tiny room. The changing area was not much bigger than a normal bedroom, with the outer walls surrounded by lockers. He put his bag in one of the lockers and made his way out toward the gym. On his way, he passed the open showers and a door labeled, Steam Room. Both were empty. Guess I'm the first one here.

The weight room was surprisingly large and well equipped. He had total reign of the place and was very pleased with his workout. Jon took advantage of the space and enjoyed seeing himself in the mirror. Since no one was around, he could look at himself more freely. He flexed his arms a few times and felt a little silly, but it gave him confidence when he did it.

Standing there, twisting to show off his sculpted angles he smiled and finally walked into the locker room. Again, there was no one around. For maybe the first time in his life, Jon decided to go for it and completely strip for a shower. No one is here...might as well give it a try, he thought as he quickly slid his workout shorts down, followed by his now swear-covered boxers. His semi-erect cock bounced around freely from the movement, which only served to arouse him more.

His heart beat faster as he kept looking around to see if anyone was coming in. This was a new feeling, but the rush somehow felt familiar. Jon grabbed a towel and headed toward the showers. Rather than cover himself with the towel, he decided to just hold it to the side and walk freely and uncovered. So, this is what it feels like for all those guys I see do this every morning.

On his way to the showers, he peeked in the steam room and thought this might feel good after his workout. With his towel in hand, he opened the door slowly and stepped into the steamy fog. The thick heat surrounded his body like a blanket. It was a little hard to breathe, but it felt incredible.

"Hey, close the door will ya?" a soft voice called out. "You're letting out all the steam."

Startled, he quickly shut the door. It was hard to keep from letting out a yell at the shock. After a moment Jon remembered he was naked, and crumpled the towel into a ball, covering his crotch even though he could barely see a foot in front of his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was...I thought this was. I'm sorry. I should have been covered," he blurted out nervously.

"It's quite alright," she said with a giggle. He could just start to make out her shape and saw her wrap a towel around her front to cover up revealing only a hint of flesh through the steam. "I rarely cover up, but then again I'm usually alone."

Jon walked over to the bench beside her. He unraveled his towel and wrapped it around his waist deliberately and slowly giving her a similar brief glimpse covered by steam.

As the steam slowly started to settle, he could make out a little more of her features. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail, she had tan skin and from what he could tell, she was in incredible shape. A tiny bit of cleavage was poking out above her wrapped towel; just enough to make him sorry he couldn't see more.

Jon felt compelled to start a conversation with this gorgeous woman. "Do you come here often?" Stupidest line in the book. "I mean you just look so comfortable in the heat."

She giggled at his awkwardness. "I try to get in here once a day, give or take." She reached her hand over to him, "I'm Heather."

He took her soft, delicate hand in his, "I'm Jon. It's a pleasure." He paused for a moment as a lightbulb went off in his head, "Heather as in Heather's Health and Wellness Center?"

She nodded.

"That explains why you're barely breaking a sweat. I'm sweating my balls off over here," he said with a nervous laugh hoping he didn't go too far.

"Yeah, I saw that," she gave him a coy smile that made Jon blush.

"You get used to the heat. Eventually, you come to need that special kind of release you can only get in here." She undid her front towel and opened it up slightly revealing her hidden curves that were still concealed in thick shadows, only to wrap the towel more securely. "Of course, the towels do make it slightly less comfortable."

"I'm sorry, am I in the female steam room? Is this coed?" Jon asked wondering if he messed up.

"Both actually."

Jon looked confused.

"When I first opened this place, it was an all-female spa for massages and saunas and steam rooms. But it's a small town. As you can imagine, there wasn't enough business with just women. So, I converted some of the space into a gym and made it coed. That's why there's only one locker room."

"Ahhh, I see."

"Most of the time it's not an issue. We don't get too many people in at once," she smiled at Jon.

"Well, I'm glad it allows guys. Otherwise, I'd have nowhere to work out this summer."