Page 112 of From the Ashes

Hudson waves a hand in Knox’s direction, clearly meaning,see?

Phoenix paddles his inner tube toward Knox, no doubt headed to have a quiet heart to heart when I see Jake climbing on the boat and waving Dylan over.

Dylan climbs back on board, listens to Jake talk for a minute, and then lays down across the transom seat on the back of the boat while Jake starts digging around the cooler.

I’m swimming toward Hudson in hopes of sharing his pool noodle when a minute later, Jake is calling us all back on board.

“I just got in!” I protest.

“Yeah, well…you’re gonna win the championship again, Phoe finally gets to marry you, Hud just had a baby, Dyl and I just opened another garage, and I know something big is gonna happen for Knoxy this year, so get your asses up here so we can do celebratory shots,” Jake yells.

I’m about to protest until I see him pour a line of salt across Dylan’s chest.

No fucking way.

Phoenix must see it at the same time I do because he grins like an idiot and starts paddling like his ass is on fire as he yells, “Jakey, is it my birthday? Because it looks an awful lot like you’re setting up body shots, and I’m too drunk to say no.”

We’re all a few in, even Knox. At leasthehad the brilliant plan to anchor the boat in the shade so our drunk asses wouldn’t burn to a crisp.

Jake shrugs. “It’s not foryourbirthday, dumbass. That was four months ago. But it could be formybirthday which happens to be next week, if you need even more reasons to lick salt off my husband’s body…which you don’t because we all know you think he’s hot.”

Having gay friends is a fucking blast. We tend to be a little more open and flirtatious with each other. Even Hud who’s mostly straight, and Knox, who I’m ninety-nine percent sure is straight, gets in on an occasional ass-slap and lewd queer humor.

Like right now. Hudson throws his hand high in the air.

“I’m first!AndI call seconds,” he yells enthusiastically.

“Are you sure you’re straight?” Knox yells, from his raft, not coming any closer to the boat.

Hudson laughs. “Definitely,” he confirms. But then he pauses and cocks his head to the side. “Well, maybe I’m straight and whatever being attracted to Dylan makes me,” he clarifies.

At this point, I’m pretty sure he’s just trying to get under Jake’s skin—which Jake honestly had coming if he’s going to set his smoke show of a husband up as a buffet table for our liquor…while he’s shirtless and wet.

“Okay, I need the rules,” I say, rubbing my hands together as I climb on board, fully planning on indulging in this shit show.

“Don’t touch his dick,” Jake says automatically.

“Obviously,” I say with a roll of my eyes, feeling Phoenix press into me from behind as he climbs on the boat.

His voice is directly at my ear, but loud enough for the others to hear. “Your tongue can’t be on his skin more than four seconds. No licking below his bellybutton. And if your tongue ends up in his mouth, your ass is gonna pay for it later.”

My eyes find Jake’s. “All good with you?”

He nods. “I’m using the little floating shot glasses, so be careful. If you bite too hard, you’ll lose your liquor since you can’t use your hands. You’ll have to go one at a time, because the lime wedge will be in Dylan’s mouth.”

“Jake, trust us, the liquor isn’t the best part of this little game. If it spills, I’m just going after more salt,” Phoenix says, making Dylan laugh. All twelve of his abs contract as he does so, drawing our attention. Neither Phoenix nor Hudson have ever made it a secret they think Dylan is gorgeous.

It’s actually just a scientific fact.

“Knox!” Hudson yells. “Get over here!”

“I’m not doing body shots off of Dylan, for Christ’s sake,” he grunts.

“Yes. You are. It’s my birthday and I want to do it,” Jake says.

“Well, too fucking bad,” Knox fires back.

“Hey, Knoxy,” Dylan says, arching his neck to look at Knox upside down from where he’s lying.