Lake Emerald Chronicles: The First Summer: A Reverse Harem Romance

by Melissa Adams

  ‘About the bonfire...’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Would you go with me? I mean, don’t worry, I won’t be all over you all the time, I know you want to hang out with Hazel and Brie, I am going to play beach badminton, and beach soccer but we can have dinner together and maybe dance...’

  I smile at him:

  ‘I would love to go to the bonfire with you.’

  ‘This is the best summer of my life! Remember what you said when I asked you last year?’

  Honestly I can’t even remember that he asked me...

  ‘No...’

  ‘That’s exactly what you said...’

  I sigh, I think Logan deserves an apology.

  ‘Logan, I’m sorry...’

  He places a finger on my lips to shut me up.

  ‘No, don’t be. I apologise for being petty. I know last year you thought I was a little kid and you were probably right. I am just so happy that now you want to kiss me and hang out with me the same way I want to be with you. I know I joke a lot but I am extremely serious about you, Clary...’

  His gorgeous blue eyes darken and have a intense light to them, so out of character for Logan and his kiss is now also different, more urgent and charged, it reminds me of Xander because of the heat and Austin because of the intensity.

  He also holds me very close, our bodies touching, his knee resting between mine.

  He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and sucks on it gently while his hand gets under my dress, on my outer thigh and trails its way to my hip, up until it finds the lace of my panties.

  His finger slips under the material, touching my hip and his kiss deepens again: I feel that familiar current starting to flood my body and my breathing gets more laboured.

  He takes his hand up, still under my dress but when it reaches my waist, it just tickles.

  It tickles so much that it makes me squirm and I break the kiss, laughing and trying to escape from his hold.

  ‘Oh, really? Is this funny?’

  He asks and starts tickling me on purpose. I beg him to stop but he doesn’t, so I say:

  ‘Oh, this is war then!’

  And I try to tickle him back, so we end up rolling around on the bed in a fit of laughter.

  He’s much bigger than me though and I only stand a chance as long as he’s playing, when he decides he’s done, he rolls me on top of him and holds my wrists gently but decisively on his chest: I can feel his heart beating furiously and his whole body is all hard planes and muscles underneath me: the other 2 boys are well defined and toned but Logan, despite being the youngest, is the biggest one, he definitely lifts weights.

  It’s like comparing a soccer player’s body or an underwear model with a NFL quarterback.

  And Logan right now is hard everywhere and the situation worsens when he starts kissing me again: I am not ready to have sex with him, I know this for sure but I don’t want to stop him because this feels so good.

  ‘OM... Fucking G! There should be a scrunchy on the door here or something!’

  Brie and Hazel are at the door, both of them with a surprised look on their faces and Brie has a smirk on hers too.

  ‘Shall we go and come back in 20 minutes?’

  She offers.

  I am so embarrassed, even though they are my BFFs: I am still on top of Logan and he slowly twists around so he can deposit me on my back.

  ‘No, girls, it’s ok. I have to go anyway, Mrs Taffar wanted to know by 4 if you want pizza or a cheeseburger for dinner and if I don’t let her know, I think she’ll give me no dessert for the rest of the summer, she threatened that much...’

  We ask Logan to have both and to ask Mrs Taffar if she doesn’t mind sending dinner for Brie and Hazel too, we might as well have some girl time.

  Logan departs with our orders and I ask Brie:

  ‘Didn’t you have a date with Justin tonight?’

  ‘Yes but he has to work on preparing the bonfire so we agreed to meet at his cabin at 10...’

  ‘So third base is still happening?’

  I ask her rolling my eyes.

  ‘You betcha!’

  Brie narrows her eyes and sits by my side on the bed, waiving her finger in my face:

  ‘But don’t you try and distract me from what was going on here with Logan, Missy! Last I knew you hadn’t been kissed but I think it’s safe to say that the first kiss has happened and we are onto bigger and...Harder things?’

  I blush up to my hairline, Brie will tease me about catching me with Logan for the next 50 summers.

  ‘Yes, aren’t we?’

  Interjects Hazel with her blue eyes full of amused puzzlement.

  She doesn’t say anything but I can read the question all over her face, so I take a deep breath and ask them to sit down while I spill everything including Austin and my heated encounters with Xander.

  By the end of it, Brie’s eyes are almost bulging out with shock.

  ‘Holy, motherfucking shit with a cherry on top!’

  She swears.

  I roll my eyes at her language but she scoots closer to me and hugs me tighter without saying anything for a moment.

  Hazel has her mouth open and is fanning herself, speechless.

  ‘So, you went from never been kissed, had a hopeless crush on Joel to 3 boyfriends in the space of 2 days...’

  ‘They haven’t asked me to be their...’

  ‘Humour me for a second, won’t you? I bet if you ask them, they’ll all swear to god that they have a girlfriend.’

  Deadpans Brie.

  ‘I... Don’t know and girls, please, don’t tell anyone, no one knows. I mean, they don’t know it’s 3 of them...’

  ‘Ok, first things first, I will take this secret to my grave...’

  Reassures me Brie.

  ‘Yes. Cross my heart and hope to die...’

  Begins Hazel...

  ‘... Stick a needle in my eye!’

  They finish looking more serious than I have seen them in ages.

  ‘But, Clary... First of all, I absolutely admire you, you are a badass. They are easily the three best looking guys here at camp and none of them would look out of place in an underwear catalogue. But you can’t seriously think that sometimes soon you won’t have to choose, right?’

  I tell her that I know that.

  ‘I just... I can’t bring myself to decide. I have feelings for all of them: Austin is so deep and intense, so cultured, apart from being smoking hot. He’s so sure of himself and he doesn’t treat me like a kid, he cares to hear what I have to say...’

  Brie has grabbed a piece of paper and is making a pro and cons list. I roll my eyes at her and tell her to knock it off, we aren’t in junior high.

  ‘No, but jokes aside, what else? Maybe if you say what you like about each of them out loud, we’ll figure out which one you like more...’

  Interjects Hazel.

  ‘Well, Logan is the sweetest, he wants to cuddle with me all the time, he’s so playful and he’s gorgeous and strong like a Viking...’

  ‘And he’s been in love with you for 2 years, he hasn’t got eyes for any other girl.’

  Adds Hazel.

  ‘What about cool Xander?’

  ‘He... He’s not only gorgeous, with the most enchanting eyes I have ever seen and a body that seems to be built in granite but he’s considerate, kind and he will protect me from anything. He makes me feel safe but at the same time, it takes a touch from him, a single kiss and...’

  ‘...And what?’

  Asks Brie rapt by my description.

  ‘...And I can’t stop wanting more. I want to take my clothes off as if they were an unnecessary barrier between us. He makes my heart catch in my throat and his kisses are addictive... And yet, even though he’s got a bit of a bad boy attitude and god knows how much he irritated me at first, he adores his mom, he’s a loyal person. And he’s funny, he’s got such a witty sense of humour...’

  ‘Well, if it helps at all, I’m team Xander!’
r />   Declares Brie.

  ‘I don’t want Logan to get his heart broken...’

  Begins Hazel.

  ‘...But Austin is so dreamy...’

  I shake my head and shrug:

  ‘See? Even you have trouble picking one. I think I’ll have to decide soon but for now, I need to get to know them better...’

  Brie laughs and winks at me.

  ‘Yeah and keep making out with all of them, it really sucks to have that problem...’

  ‘I know, don’t take me wrong, each of them is amazing and gets my heart racing. Do I sound like a coward if I let them choose? I mean as soon as one of them says the word girlfriend, it’s a done deal...’

  Hazel takes my hand and says that it is a bit of a cop out and then warns me:

  ‘Just be careful not to get your heart broken in the process, Clary. I see that you care for all of them. Just promise me that you’ll be careful.’

  I’m about to promise when someone knocks on the door.

  Brie opens up and comes back in the room followed by Austin.

  He’s carrying several dishes covered by silver globes on a little wheelie cart.

  ‘I come bearing dinner, princess...’

  He says with a smile.

  ‘Gosh, Mrs Taffar is trying to fatten me up...’

  I groan.

  ‘I’m not even that hungry, I’ve been on this bed all afternoon...’

  Austin smiles and uncovers one of the plates.

  ‘Mrs Taffar feared you’d say that and told me that you wouldn’t say no to French fries... Especially if skin on and hand cut...’

  My mouth waters only looking at them: Mrs Taffar certainly knows my weakness.

  Austin helps me sit up and hands me the plate.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind but I asked her to give me my dinner to have here with you...’

  I look at my friends: after all we were going to have girl time but they both give me thumbs up behind Austin’s back.

  ‘Well, Austin, you can dine with us but since you are here you can help me: I have a date later on, maybe I can get your opinion on my outfit?’

  Austin beams at Brie and promises that he will help.

  We eat and chat at the same time and my friends kind of grill Austin and we discover: that he was a military brat, so he and Brooklyn have gone to school in Italy, Japan, Hawaii and Germany and the constant moves are also the reason why his little brother Brooklyn is his best friend.

  He loves surfing and skateboarding and Italian food is his absolute favourite.

  ‘And I have a real soft spot for red haired girls who can quote dead poets from Ancient Rome...’

  My friends look at a loss but I know he’s trying to make me blush and he totally succeeds.

  We finish eating and after putting all the empty plates back on the cart, Austin asks me how exactly I got hurt.

  I tell the whole story and he shakes his head, his jade coloured eyes flashing with anger:

  ‘That Lucy and her friends! I really don’t like them. They seem friendly at first but all they have done since I got here was gossiping and dissing all the other girls.’

  Hazel tells him about the bet they have going on and he looks horrified:

  ‘Good luck to them, I try to be polite but I wouldn’t like any of them even if I didn’t have my heart set on another girl...’

  Brie giggles at me and Hazel covers her eyes with her hands at my blushing cheeks.

  ‘Can I have a look at your ankle? See if the swelling has gone down?’

  I nod and he takes my ankle and feels around it very gently.

  ‘I think tomorrow you’ll be all right but what happened to your nail polish? It’s all ruined on this foot...’

  I observe that it must have got ruined falling on the sand, since the sand on the lake is very glassy.

  ‘Well, since you were going to have girl time, what about letting me help and I’ll repaint your toes?’

  I blush a bit embarrassed and flustered by his touch.

  ‘Hey, that’s not fair! What about us?’

  Protests Brie and Austin chuckles and promises to paint hers and Hazel’s toes if they go get all the stuff he will need.

  ‘Sure, come along, Hazel!’

  Smirks Brie and grabs Hazel dragging her towards the bathroom.

  Austin smiles and sits by my side on the bed, he tucks a lose strand of hair behind my ear.

  ‘I like your friends, Brie is very perceptive too... She understood that I needed a minute alone with you.’

  He comes closer and kisses me, softly at first and then with the same intensity he had earlier on, his kiss hot and sweet at same time.

  He stops for a moment just to say, cupping my jaw:

  ‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t there this morning, I was working at the range and I didn’t hear until Joel told me when he came to relieve me...’

  ‘It’s ok... I’m fine.’

  I say still a little breathless from his kiss.

  He kisses me again, this time more urgently, his tongue moving against mine less gently.

  ‘We have the polish...’

  Says Brie standing at the foot of the bed with a big smile.

  ‘But if you guys need a moment alone, we can come back in 10...’

  Austin looks at me with longing but he’s a smart guy and he knows better than to delay girl time any further, especially when he promised to paint toes.

  ‘So, what colour would you like? Maybe we could match it to what you are going to wear at the bonfire?’

  I tell him that I’ll be wearing a lilac sundress and he finds a matching shade and gets to work: he concentrates on the task and I think he’s done and pass him the top coat when he smiles at me and he winks:

  ‘Not done yet. I’m thinking some nail art would be nice. Maybe an orchid on your big toe?’

  We all look at him in shock and Brie is the first to recover and ask:

  ‘Are you shitting us? Nail art?’

  He nods and explains:

  ‘Well, I told you that we kept moving to follow my mom’s military career so the only constant in our lives was spending the summers in San Diego with her mom, nana Helen. This is the first summer We don’t spend with her but I promised she has Thanksgiving and Christmas now that I don’t have to follow mom anymore. Anyways, long story short, 2 years ago, she had a fall and broke her hip, so I actually finished my classes online and moved in with her early to take care of her and help her with rehab, it was a bad fracture, more than one break.’

  ‘That’s very nice of you, but this doesn’t explain...’

  My friends are still sceptical.

  ‘You haven’t met my nana Helen: she’s the most beautiful and stylish lady that ever walked this earth. Her outfits are always matching, her hair is always perfect and her make up is skilfully applied even when she’s just tending to her garden. That summer she was housebound for a few weeks and her nail technician couldn’t come to her so she was really sad that she would look “unkempt “ to quote her. That’s when I decided to learn how to do nails and hair, so you tube came to my rescue, I must have watched a million tutorials, we even experimented with contouring but we decided it’s too much... Grandma was thrilled with my new acquired skills, so much so that she trusted me to do her hair, nails and make up for her 85th birthday party...’

  His eyes light up when he talks about his nana: he reminds me of Xander with Evangeline.

  While he was talking, Austin did paint an orchid on each of my big toes and I have to admit that I have never seen anything more beautiful.

  ‘Now it’s my turn, please. I am wearing a dark red halter dress with a pattern of tiny white flowers.’

  Austin works on Brie and she decides to trust him with hair and make up too.

  I know some girls would be jealous with him giving Brie and Hazel so much attention but this actually makes me like Austin even more, that he’s so nice and at ease with my BFFs.

  Once he’s done working on Brie, we
all stare at her in disbelief: she looks like she’s come straight out of a fashion magazine. Her make up makes her gorgeous brown eyes pop and look huge, her hair frames her face in soft waves.

  She looks at her reflection in the mirror and squeals in excitement, jumping on Austin and covering his face with kisses.

  ‘OMG, you are amazing!’

  He smiles and warns:

  ‘I’m glad you like it but stop with the kisses or you’ll ruin your lipstick, let the lucky guy attempt to do that...’

  Brie turns to me and declares:

  ‘You know that you can never, ever stop dating this guy, right? You two might have to get married and move next door to me, I don’t think I can go anywhere without him doing my hair and make up from now on...’

  ‘Brie!’

  I protest, embarrassed but Austin has the biggest smile I have ever seen on him, he takes my hand and beams:

  ‘See, Clary? This is all part of my master plan: conquer your heart through your girlfriends. If they approve of me...’

  We all laugh at his eyebrows which he’s wiggling funnily.

  ‘Come on Hazel, it’s your turn.’

  ‘But I am not going anywhere...’

  She protests.

  ‘Nonsense! My grandma would say that a lady must always look her best. Plus we can try and find what works with your colouring, so we know what to do for your next hot date...’

  Austin starts working on Hazel and we all have lots of fun suggesting colours and hairstyles when we hear knocking at the door.

  Brie opens it and we hear Justin’s voice:

  ‘Damn, girl! Are you ready? Let’s go!’

  She waves at us and leaves, closing the door behind her.

  The atmosphere in the cabin has become somber all of a sudden: we all look at one another until Austin says.

  ‘If I’d known she had a date with that douche bag, I would have never offered to do her hair and make up...’

  We ask him why he says that and he shakes his head and says:

  ‘You know that all the instructors and camp counsellors, come here one month early for a week to do training. So, I met Justin and the others about a month ago... Please girls don’t tell anyone but basically Hayley, being the new girl and being very pretty, got lots of attention.

  She slept with Joel on the first night we were all here and she told me that she wanted to seriously date him. But Joel must have gotten a different understanding of their relationship because a couple of days later, he told her that Rob and Justin really liked her too and since they were his friends, he asked her to sleep with both of them as a favour to him. Well, she actually did it, thinking that it would prove to Joel how much he meant to her but Joel was also sleeping with Lucy, which I believe he does on and off, and with a girl he met in town one night that we were all out to dinner. So she got her heart broken and she has slept with every instructor since then, except me and Xander... And Hayley isn’t the only girl he’s asked to do that... Same thing with the girl from town... Justin was showing off that Joel is the perfect wingman.’