Bump and Run (Wide Open #6)

Chapter Two

Jones

It was stifling hot in my room when I woke up the next morning even with the box fan in the window. Sweat slicked over my skin, causing my boxers to stick to me. I wasn’t ready to get up. To deal with the morning or the cheerfulness that Mama was going to give me. How happy she was that we were going to be moving out of the trailer, how excited she was about me meeting her future husband, and how thrilled she was about living in an actual house.

Well, she might be right about that last part. I wondered if it would have central air. It would be nice to not wake up covered in sweat.

I glanced over at my phone to see I had a few text messages. Mostly from Ollie and Travis, but the ones from Charlie were the reason I grabbed my phone to unlock it.

Charlie: Good morning, Jones. I hope I’m not being too forward by texting you so soon. I know I said I could go to your race with you tonight, but something came up. What time does it finish? Can we meet at our spot on the beach later instead?

Charlie: Saw this and thought of you. Since, you know, you’re a big picture guy.

Charlie: Just realized you might be sleeping. Hope I didn’t wake you up .

He had attached a photo of a balloon tied to a fire hydrant. It was pink with white dots on it. My face broke out into a smile so big it hurt. The texts had only come in a few minutes ago.

Jones: Thanks for the picture. Don’t worry, you didn’t wake me. Are you one of those annoying morning people?

My heart raced in anticipation when I saw the bubbles appear for his reply, and I quickly climbed from my bed as my nerves got the best of me. Was that rude of me to say he was an annoying morning person? I didn’t know what I was even doing.

Charlie: Oof, already wounding me before nine in the morning! Is our relationship doomed before it’s even gotten started?

I stared at the message like it wasn’t even real. Was Charlie flirting with me or was he just joking? I was so confused. Instead of messaging him back, I pulled on a pair of shorts before I stepped out of my room. I freshened up in the bathroom before I found Mama sitting at our small two-person table as she drank her coffee and ran one hand through her dark hair. She smiled when she saw me, lifting her head and waving me over.

“Mama, I have a question.” I swallowed nervously, afraid of what she would think when I told her that I liked a boy. Scared she would hate me or think less of me.

Mama nodded. “You’re so serious for so early in the morning. Is it a girl that’s got your knickers in a twist?”

“Mama...” I hoped she thought the flush was from the warm morning .

She laughed softly. “Come sit with me, honey.” She motioned for me to come closer, and I gripped my phone in my hand. When I sat down, Mama’s hazel eyes searched my face. “Jones, you know you can always tell me anything. I would never, ever think less of you.”

I ducked my head. “Mama, how do I know if a boy likes me?”

I was absolutely terrified to look at her face. To see if she was disgusted with me. Afraid she would tell me that boys shouldn’t feel that way about other boys. But when Mama didn’t say anything, and the silence got to be too much, I looked up from under my lashes to find her smiling at me.

“Tell me about him first. What’s his name? Where did you meet him? What does he look like? Oh, my sweet boy, love is in the air,” she gushed as she placed both of her hands on the table. “Jones, God made you the way you were supposed to be. There is nothing to be ashamed of. You’re perfect.”

I wanted to burst into tears. I had been so miserable since my mother told me she was going to marry some stranger, and now she was telling me she accepted me just the way I was.

“He’s handsome and has brown eyes and dark hair. I met him on the beach last night when I was taking pictures.” I was blushing again. “I just... Mama, how do I know? Maybe he just wants to be friends.”

She shook her head. “Nonsense, Jones. You’re beautiful, funny, and smart. He’d be a fool not to realize that.”

“Oh fudge!” I hadn’t texted Charlie back. He said something about not making the race tonight but meeting at the beach and probably thought I was mad. “Mama, may I be excused?”

“Of course.”

I rushed back into my room to respond to Charlie in private.

Jones: I totally understand you have other plans. What time did you want to meet? I can be there any time after eight.

He had probably already moved on already. Went about his day and found something better to do that—

Charlie: How does nine sound?

Jones : That sounds perfect.

***

I couldn’t wait for the race to end. It wasn’t that I wasn’t having a good time, it was just that I had something more important I wanted to do. Someone I wanted to spend my time with tonight. A handsome boy with warm chocolate eyes and dark hair who’d sent me pictures all day of things he thought I would like. It started with that balloon first thing this morning, his iced coffee, his Jeep, a package of marshmallows, the radio station he was listening to with the Sam Hunt song “23” playing, and a six-pack of the hard cider that he had me try last night. I returned the favor by sending him pictures of my dirt bike, my racing helmet, and my racecar.

I was totally, one hundred percent, crushing on Charlie, and I hadn’t even known him for a full twenty-four hours yet .

Normally after a race, tonight I finished fifth, I would stick around and talk to my fellow drivers. Not tonight, though. I hurried home so I could shower, because I was covered in sweat and grime, changed into a clean pair of boxers, shorts, and a t-shirt, then rushed down to the beach.

I somehow managed to slip out of the house at eight fifty-nine. I hurried down the steps and down the sandy walkway that led to the beach, hoping I wasn’t going to be late. I prayed that Charlie didn’t think I was standing him up. What if he left? Mama had kept me busy all day, into the early evening before the race, and I swear it was because she knew I was going to meet him. Luckily, she had a date with Remington, which distracted her, and—

Charlie was sitting in the exact spot from last night. I stumbled over my own feet when I tried to slow down, but instead I tripped and face-planted into the sand, making a weird sound that sounded anything but human. More like a cross between a whale and a snoring dog. Very embarrassing actually.

“Shit, are you all right?” A hand landed on my shoulder.

I was so embarrassed. I was normally much more graceful than this.

I met his eyes as heat bloomed in my cheeks. “Other than my pride being hurt, I’m fine. I don’t think anything’s broken.”

“Here, let me help you.” Charlie grabbed my hand to help me to my feet. “I’ve been thinking about your eyes all day.” My belly clenched at his words. “About how beautiful they are. ”

I had to physically stop myself from touching him again. Because I wanted to. Lord Almighty, I wanted to grab his thick biceps, his broad shoulders, crawl into his lap, and press my mouth against his. Find out what his lips tasted like. I let my gaze move over him in the moonlight. He was an absolute sight.

“Th... Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s go sit down. As you might have guessed from the picture, I brought more cider.” He grinned at me as he moved toward the fire.

Of course, I followed him. He could suggest we jump off a bridge, and I would do that. Go streaking down the beach? I’m your man. Charlie had me by the weenie, and he didn’t even know it.

“Thanks for the pictures,” I said the moment I sat down.

“Yeah, you liked those? I’m not much with a camera, but you said you were. How was your race? Sorry I couldn’t make it. My dad kept me occupied most of the day and early evening. I would have rather been with you.” Charlie handed me a bottle.

I nodded as the flavorful alcohol hit my mouth. “I got fifth place, but I didn’t crash.” Also, you occupied my brain the entire night, so it was hard to concentrate.

“Fifth is great, right? Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

Charlie peeled the label on his beer before he spoke again. “You want to go swimming?”

“It’s getting dark. Aren’t you afraid of sharks? ”

I was. I wasn’t the best swimmer. I got along fine in a pool, but it scared me to think of what might be out there in the ocean. Even if I had lived here my entire life.

He smirked. “I don’t think they will come this close, Jonesy. We won’t go out that far.” My skin prickled with heat at the nickname that slipped from his lips. “I’ll watch out for you.”

“I mean, I guess I could swim.”

I watched wide-eyed as Charlie stood and reached behind him to yank his shirt up over his head, leaving him in nothing but a pair of board shorts. I tried to keep my tongue from rolling out of my mouth. He looked like he spent hours in the gym. Biceps built with muscles, a stomach you could bounce a quarter off, and his skin was flawless. I took care of myself, but he made it look like it was his full-time job. I was still a kid, and I liked sugary junk food, like most American teenage boys.

“You going to sit there and ogle me or get in the water.”

Busted. “I... Uh...” I directed my gaze back to the fire as shame mingled in my throat.

“Come on!” Charlie called out to me, then I heard the soft splash as he hit the water.

I swallowed the lump in my throat before I dared look back where he had stood, only to find his shorts and underwear next to his shirt. He was naked. He was now skinny dipping in the ocean and wanted me to, what? Do the same? I dragged my eyes out to the water to see Charlie waving at me.

I somehow managed to stand on shaky legs, then pulled off my shirt and toed off my sneakers before I toyed with the string on my shorts. I wasn’t about to strip down to nothing. There was no way. I could go in my boxers. That would be okay, right? I slowly managed to take them off before I walked down to the water.

“See? It’s fine. Nothing’s going to eat me. It’s not even that deep.” Charlie stood up to reveal himself, and I nearly died. The water almost came up to his hips. In the bright moonlight, I could make out the base of his penis nestled in his dark pubic hair, and my own swelled my underpants.

This was bad. So very bad. I was an innocent little boy, while Charlie was my dream come true. I started to turn away, backing up as I did. A hand grabbed at my wrist to turn me back around.

“Don’t.” My voice came out in a whisper. Hardly even loud enough for me to hear, but I knew Charlie heard me.

His dark eyes went round. He dragged his bottom lip between his teeth as he continued to stare at me. The only sounds I could hear were my heart beating in my chest, loud enough to wake the dead, his breathing, and the water.

“Does it bother you that I’m naked?” he finally asked, breaking the silence between us.

I shook my head so hard I thought I might dislodge my brain. “I’m gay, Charlie. I’m very much into... Well, you know.”

“But it bothers you in other ways. That you can see me like this.” He suddenly dropped back into the water so that I could only see his shoulders and face. “Is that better?”

It wasn’t. I still knew Charlie was naked. That his penis was literally right there . That if I brushed up against him, I might touch it, and my own was now hard as steel .

“Yes.”

“You need to work on your poker face, Jonesy.” Then he splashed me.

I gasped, then splashed him back. It broke into a mad game of who could splash who the hardest. It was a fight to the death as Charlie scooped up the ocean water with both of his hands, tossed it at me, and in turn, I tried to do the same. I was laughing so hard I could hardly see. My stomach hurt, and I was dripping wet, but honestly, I had never had so much fun.

“Okay, okay, Uncle!” he cried, holding up a hand.

When I stopped, he launched himself at me, grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing, his bare butt right there asking to be touched. He carried me back to the fire, sitting me down in the chair. Charlie stared down at me as the fire danced in his mocha brown orbs, then leaned down to cage me under his naked body. “Just so we’re clear, I’m into you, Jones.”