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  Aerie snorted. "I bet it was. How many girls did you bang at once that night, Canaan?"

  Canaan waves a hand. "Wasn't our tour bus, and there wasn't really space for that. There was just a lot of shenanigans. Dancing, grinding, drinking, body shots, shot gunning tokes, general nakedness and tomfoolery."

  I blow a raspberry. "Right, like two hot seventeen-year-old rock stars are gonna be on a tour bus with nine naked college chicks and not get any action at all? Bullshit."

  Corin snickered. "We got plenty of action, we just didn't bang any of them."

  "Ah, now the truth comes out," Aerie said.

  Corin shook his head. "Man, by the time we dropped those chicks off, they'd all swallowed so much cum it was unbelievable."

  I choked on coffee and slapped him on the chest. "Corin! That's horrible!"

  He shrugged. "That's what they got on the bus to do. The girl who'd set it up in the first place showed me the texts she'd sent. And it was, literally, a group thread conversation about how she was with two different bands, and she was gonna go on their tour bus and suck so much cock her jaw was going to ache the next day. Verbatim, that's what she said. The other girls in the thread were all like, I'm in, I'm in, come pick us up. And the girl--what was her name, Cane? Tiffany? Something like that. She was like, if you get on this bus, you've gotta be ready to go down all night long. And she added hashtag 'sucking rock star cock all night long'. I'm not making this up, I swear."

  Canaan was chortling. "He's not. I saw the pic. As a matter of fact, I think I took a picture of the thread. If I can find my phone in this mess, I'll show you."

  He kicked through the pile of assorted clothing until he found his jeans with his phone still in the back pocket. He dug the phone out and started scrolling through photos until he came to the section of photos in question, slowing until he found the right one, and handed me the phone. Aerie looked over my shoulder, and we both started cackling, because as Corin had said, the thread was an explicit discussion of how they were planning to "party with rock stars and suck a shitload of cock," which is a quote directly from the screengrab.

  Which...they did. More power to them? I don't know. Sure not my thing. Maybe I've just met too many famous people to understand the groupie mentality.

  Corin, though...that was different. I'd go down on him until I couldn't physically swallow any more, but that wasn't because he was a rock star so much as that he was Corin, and he made me crazy. Like, I couldn't control my libido around him. I have an insane sex drive, so it's always raging in the background. But when I'm around Corin? It's like someone threw jet fuel on a wildfire.

  Canaan still had his jeans in his hand, and glanced at the rest of us. "So...have we had enough coffee to have this conversation, and do I need pants for it?"

  I sighed. "I think we should talk about it now, yes. And I think it'll be best if we're dressed, yes. But that's just me."

  Aerie nodded. "Pants and conversation." She covered her breasts with her arm, shivering. "And bras, because my poor boobies are cold."

  Corin snapped his fingers. "Shucks. It's a shame you have to put those beauties away." He said this looking at me, though.

  "Well, I'm sorry I'm not going to just parade around topless for your enjoyment, Corin," Aerie snapped, stepping into her underwear.

  He wasn't fazed. "I was joking, A, relax." He quirked an eyebrow and shrugged. "Mostly."

  I glared at him, giving him silent attitude over his comment. "Really, Corin?"

  He shrugged again. "What? I'm a straight male surrounded by beautiful, naked breasts. Like I'm going to want them to get put away?"

  I laughed. "Good point." I twisted to face Corin, which meant the tips of my breasts brushed against him. "I'll parade around topless for your enjoyment," I muttered for his ears only. "But later."

  "I like that plan," he murmured back.

  "I'm sure you do...horndog."

  "Not denying that title," he answered, finding his jeans. "Especially when it comes to you."

  Within a few minutes, we were all dressed again, which was equal parts a relief and a strange disappointment.

  We all topped off our mugs, and in a silent mutual decision, headed outside. Unsurprisingly, we ended up back on the dock, sitting in a circle with the sun just rising above the tree line.

  After a moment of silence, as we drank our coffee, Corin looked at each of us in turn. "So, show of hands, who else feels weird and mixed up about our accidental switch up last night?"

  10

  Corin

  * * *

  Everyone raised their hands, which was a relief.

  Aerie's eyes cut to mine and then away as she lowered her hand. "When you say weird and mixed up, can you elaborate?"

  I hesitated to answer, unsure how much honesty I was prepared to bring to this.

  Tate elbowed me. "Just answer, Cor."

  Canaan nodded. "For real. You're the one who's always got something to say, so if anyone can make sense of this, it's you."

  Aerie toyed with a lock of her bright blonde hair, eyeing me again. "Can I put this out here, first? I think if we're going to talk about this and get anywhere, then we need to agree that we're all going to be one hundred percent honest about how we feel, and that this is a circle of trust. Meaning we're not going to judge each other, and we're not going to let petty jealousy or weirdness get in the way."

  We all verbally agreed to this, and then all eyes were on me.

  "So let's be clear about what exactly happened, first. We got drunk, we played strip poker, and then we ended up in the lake. I think it all started with strip poker, though. There was this feeling, for me at least, that it was...open season for staring at each other. Like just now, back in the cabin. Like, we don't need to be embarrassed or weird about the fact that we were all naked." I hesitated, formulating my thoughts. "The part that's tricky for me, here, is that we've sort of paired off, right? But opposite to how things were in high school. Back then; it was me and Aerie, and Cane and Tate. Now we've switched. Tate and I are sort of..." I met her eyes, pausing, searching her for a sign that I should shut up, and found none. "We're sort of exploring a thing, I guess. There's just the little fact of the business in the lake that's got me trippin'."

  "Why does it have you tripping, Cor?" Aerie asked.

  I let out a breath. "Because...shit, this is tricky. We agreed to total honesty, so here goes." I glanced at Tate, and then turned my attention to Aerie. "When we started splashing, I lost track of who was who. So when we first started wrestling, I thought you were Tate. But...after a second or two, I realized I wasn't wrestling with Tate. I knew it was you, Aerie. I was drunk, though, so let's keep that in mind--"

  "You don't have to justify anything, Corin," Tate said, touching my elbow, pulling my attention to her for a moment. "We were all there, we all did the same thing. So...no excuses, no bullshit, no trying to justify. Okay?"

  I groaned in frustration, running my hand through my hair; it was still down, which tended to drive me crazy after a while. "Okay, fine. I was drunk, but that just loosened my inhibitions. I knew what I was doing. I knew it was Aerie, and I...I kept going with it."

  "I knew it was you, too," Aerie said, her voice quiet.

  "It was...weird, though," I said. "Because in some ways, it was hot, right? Like, I'm not gonna gloss over that. It was. But it was also hot at least in part because it was you, instead of Tate. Because even then, I still felt this...pull, I guess, to Tate. Which made you and me fooling around the way were...not...not wrong, per se, just..." I shrugged, unsure of what I was trying to say. "I dunno."

  Canaan's eyes were on Tate. "I know what you're saying. I don't think that'd have happened if I was sober, but I still knew what I was doing. And I knew you were also totally aware," he said this to Tate, "so it was...consensual all around, on all our parts."

  Tate nodded. "Yeah, it was. Which is what makes it so weird." She looked at Canaan, and then at me, and then turned her gaze to her coffee while she
spoke. "Because I'm...the honest truth is that I'm attracted to both of you. Like, a lot. I just mean in a physical, chemical sort of way. Like Corin said, I'm not gonna gloss over the fact that last night, messing around with Canaan...it was fun. I liked it. I enjoyed it. I knew it was him and not Corin, but I still went with it. In the moment, at least."

  I'm not going to lie, here, and say I didn't feel a bit of a sting at her words. But then, I'm sure she felt a sting, too, at mine.

  "Is it an equal amount of attraction?" I asked. "I'm not fishing here, I'm just honestly curious."

  Tate shook her head. "No. Well...I mean, physically yeah. You're twins, so...duh, you're both gorgeous and I can't help looking at Canaan and being like, damn, boy, you're fine. But there's more to you and me," she nudged me with her knee, "than just physical attraction. Or there is for me, at least."

  "Same for me, in this direction," Canaan said. "You girls are sexy as hell, and I'm not gonna be like, no, I don't feel any attraction to Tate. Obviously I do. But there's just something...else...with me and Aerie. What it is, I don't know."

  "So, what does this mean for us going forward? Like, as a group?" I asked.

  Tate shrugged. "Are we cool with what happened last night?" she asked.

  Aerie twisted a lock of hair around her finger. "I mean, yeah? It's a weird situation. And things are also still very new all around. We just got reconnected, and now there's a new element to everything, and things have always been a little weird and intense and indefinable for the four of us."

  "Again, just to be totally clear..." I looked at each person in turn. "There's nothing on the table between us about any kind of an open thing, right? Like, what happened last night happened, and we're all more or less cool with it, but we're not going to be going for a repeat?"

  Aerie glanced at me. "Sounds about right."

  Tate sighed. "I think we have to be honest with ourselves, though." She finished her coffee, and set the mug on the deck between her legs. "If we get drunk together, there's a distinct possibility of a repeat."

  Canaan nodded. "I think you're right." He glanced at me, and then Tate.

  "But we're not talking about entertaining the idea of a foursome, or establishing a four-way open relationship?" I pressed. "I just want everything to be on the table, here."

  "I think last night was as close to that as I want to go," Aerie said. "If a repeat happens, I don't think any one of us is going to, like, pop a jealousy casket, but no, I'm not interested in a foursome or anything open."

  "Same here. We were drunk, and there's underlying...what was it you called it yesterday?" she asked me.

  "Multi-directional sexual attraction," I supplied.

  "Right, that." She pointed at her twin. "Like she said, if we get drunk and there's more messing around, I think we'll all understand where it's coming from, and that it's just part of the weird thing we have."

  Canaan nodded, but I could tell he was chewing on something.

  I wiggled an index finger at him. "Out with it, bub. You're thinkin' a deep think."

  He nodded, gesturing at the circle of us. "Where's everyone's jealousy-meters at? Honestly?"

  Aerie eyed him. "Why do you ask?"

  He shrugged. "Just out of curiosity. Like after last night, and this talk, and being naked this morning...we're sort of at a place where we can probably just be cool with each other."

  Tate twirled her finger around the rim of her mug. "I see what you're saying. Like, at this point, I wouldn't really think much of stripping in front of you, or skinny-dipping again. I wouldn't necessarily feel comfortable just making out with you, but I'm not going to go out of my way to avoid you either."

  Aerie tossed back the rest of her coffee. "But the other thing we should all remember is that this is all really new. And subject to change." She glanced at me. "I mean, I feel the same way as everyone else about messing around last night, about the weird multi-directional attraction we all obviously feel. But if Canaan and I become...I don't know, I don't want to jinx it, but...if we develop into something real, I'm not promising my jealousy-meter won't go up. So we have to constantly reassess things, I guess is what I'm saying."

  "That's rational enough," I said.

  "Wow, thanks, Corin." Aerie laughed acerbically. "Glad I'm capable of rationality."

  I frowned at her, since that wasn't the first time she'd snapped at me this morning. "Dude, what gives, A? You're being kinda salty with me this morning."

  Tate eyed her sister. "You kinda are, hon."

  Aerie sighed, standing up and pacing to the end of the dock, and then back, but she didn't sit back down, instead she stood to one side, facing the water instead of any of us. "I don't know. This whole thing is weird and I'm just out of sorts, I guess. Like, I'm irritated at Corin for the fact that I'm as attracted to him as I am. Like, I just want it to be simple, you know? It's not his fault he's identical to Canaan, and I get that, and I'm sorry I'm being a bitch. But like, I just want to able to have this thing with Canaan without a bunch of drama. And getting all hot and bothered every time Corin is around is just...irritating. Because I'm not just attracted to Canaan--I like him, like him, at the risk of sounding like a middle schooler. I want this with him. It makes sense. It's easy. It's fun. It's crazy hot." She shrugged, pausing, and then blew out an irritated raspberry. "Fuck it, here's some honesty for you: when you guys walked in on us this morning, I heard the door open, and I knew it was you guys. I knew you knew what I was doing, that I was going down on Canaan. But I didn't stop. You know why? Because in the back of my head, I wanted Corin to know. Because, in the back of my head...I kind of want to...I want him. In a different way than I feel about Canaan. More...on a base level, I guess. Not, like, emotionally. Which is stupid."

  "What are you saying, A?" Tate asked.

  "That I'm curious, I guess. And I don't want to be, but I am."

  "Curious about what?" Tate pressed.

  Aerie finally turned around. "Everything!" She stared at me, hard. "So, I'm being salty at you because I'm irritated at you for being so damn sexy, when I just want something simple with your brother. I'm irritated, because you walked in on me blowing your brother, and when I knew you were watching, part of me half wished it was you I was blowing. Which makes me feel weird, and dirty, and slutty, and stupid."

  I stood up abruptly and paced away. "Jesus, A. Way to complicate things even more."

  "Well I'm fucking sorry, Cor. It's not like I wanted it to be this way."

  I laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be a dick." I sat back down, and gestured to the empty spot in the circle vacated by Aerie. "Sit down for a second, will you?" She did, and I addressed Tate. "Do you feel anything like what she's talking about?"

  Tate stared at the dock. "A little, yeah. A few thoughts of that nature have crossed my mind, thus my overall confusion with this situation."

  I glanced at my brother. "Cane?"

  He nodded. "Yep. Curiosity is the right word. I wouldn't call it anything, like, crazy overwhelming or intense, nothing that I can't push away if circumstances shift into committed monogamy or whatever. But...yeah, there's curiosity."

  "Me too," I said. "So...shit. This is fucking ridiculous."

  Tate laughed. "Yeah, it really is. Trust the four of us to get ourselves into a situation like this."

  I glanced at everyone in turn, starting with Canaan, then to Aerie, and then to Tate. "My thinking is this. We have to be careful about getting drunk together. If this curiosity is a thing for all of us, but we're all in agreement we're not comfortable openly exploring it, then we're at a sort of impasse. But if we get drunk together, we'll forget that, and shit will happen. So, if we don't want that to happen, we have to be careful."

  "I agree," Tate said. "Because if we get drunk and go too far, we could open a box of worms none of us are probably prepared to deal with."

  "Meaning, if we cross too many lines, things could get messy," Canaan said.

  Aerie's eyes were still on me. "Right. Supe
r messy. And we don't need that. I don't know about you guys, but Tate and I moved back to Ketchikan to simplify our lives, not complicate them."

  A silence stretched out. Eventually Canaan tapped his mug on the dock. "So. Now what?"

  "We clean up the cabin, head back to town, and eat a shitload of food," Tate answered.

  "Agreed," Canaan and I said.

  Canaan and I were scheduled to work that night, and the girls said they needed to unpack, so after a long, lazy, late breakfast at a greasy spoon place, we parted ways, dropping the girls off at their grandparents', and Canaan and I headed back home. We showered and headed to Badd's for our shifts on the floor waiting tables which took us to the next day. Cane and I didn't discuss things any more that night, and I think we both mutually understood we needed time to process everything.

  The girls said they were spending the day with their grandparents, leaving us to hang out with our brothers.

  We ended up at Zane's place, playing with little Jax. Mara made some killer pasta, we drained some whiskey with Zane and played the latest installment Call of Duty on his giant flat screen, tickled Jax and laughed at his hearty little chuckle. Eventually, Mara announced Jax needed to eat and take a nap, so she disappeared with him into their bedroom, leaving Zane alone with us.

  And that's when he pounced. "Where'd you boys disappear to the other day?"

  Canaan shrugged, focusing on the game. "Out."

  I laughed. "Yeah..." I made my voice all gruff, mocking Canaan. "Out."