Summer with the Bertram Brothers

e i g h t e e n - s a l t

I spit the salty water out my mouth. The beach is still packed with people enjoying the last rays of the sun. Trim attacking me in the water makes me laugh too much. I look back to see his wet tanned body. I get out of the water and quickly fix my slippery bathing suit. I walk to the long white beach chair. Before I know it, Trim beats me to it and sits where I planned to sit. I fold my arms and pout. I

"Hey!"

He grins and motions me to sit on his lap. Hesitant, I walk up to him and rest on his knee. He then pulls me closer to him and nuzzles my neck.

"Stop, you're tickling me," I giggle. He wraps his long arms around me and bites my ear.

"I want to do more than just tickle you," he says. I stop laughing and turn to look at him. He just smirks, "What?"

"Shut up," I say mechanically. But then I relax in his arms and lay back on his body. I stare at the sky and the colours it makes as the sun goes down. Now he's got me thinking about dirty things again. I shake my head instantly and jolt back upright.

"How about we get some ice cream?" I ask him. I watch him look sideways.Bad idea. I can see him thinking dirty things too. Getting a bit uneasy, I try to get up on my feet. Trim doesn't let me go, though.

"Na," he says, "Let's just stay here. I want to stay here with you."

But I can feel your boner... I thought.

Suddenly, I see across the beach Winnie and Rico chatting over walking with surf boards. I shudder at the sight—and the memory.

"Come on, Ambi! Tell me!" Winnie tugs my arm, "I want to know everything."

"Well, I don't know how to say it. It's embarrassing to say it."

Winnie huffs, "If you tell me about you and Trim, I'll tell you about me and Rico."

I give her a weird look.

"You and Rico?"

"Yeah, after our double date at the pizza palace, Rico and I hooked up."

"Hooked up?!" I yell, "What?"

"But you go first."

"Go first? You had sex first!" I argue.

Winnie stays silent as she looks at me.

"You had sex before?" I read her expression. I'm suffering hysteria.

I lower my voice, "How many times?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know. I don't really count."

I frown. She sounds like Eva. But I'm hoping it's not a double digit number. I still look at her weird.

"I don't know! After you have sex one time, guys want to have more. Don't look at me like that!"

I lift my legs on the sofa and sit more comfortably.

"Well, unlike you, and probably every other hormone raging girl, I had my first time with Trim," I say.

"And you're going to tell me all about it!" Winnie beams like the sun.

"Trim?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to come over my house for dinner?"

"If there's dessert, sure," he grins. I couldn't help but smile at his joke. He plays with my hands.

"It's just my mom's been really down lately, you know, my dad passing away and she has to spoil her vacation because of work," I rant, "I just think she'd like to meet you. I don't know, maybe it'll make her feel like a mom."

My nerves make me talk more. Not able to see his facial expression makes me more nervous.

"I know we're not official or anything, but I'd really like for you to come," I say.

"What?"

I squeeze my eyes shut and mentally beat myself up. Nice going Ambi! You totally scared him away for good. Might as well get your room ready with some food supplies as you'll never be able to face another day outside those four walls!

"We're not official?" he asks.

"Huh?" I turn my head around.

"I thought we were," Trim narrows his eyes from the sunlight.

"Well, you never said it, so..."

"I'm not seeing anyone else if that's what you mean," he says.

I pause, "So, I'm your girlfriend?"

Trim bursts into laughter, making me feel extremely embarrassed.

"Of course you are! At least I hope so," he keeps laughing. I blush and pout my lips at him.

"Well sorry for not knowing! I'm new at this, okay!"

He hugs me more, "You're so cute. I'd love to come over."

He makes me smile.