“More privacy,” Ben says and kisses my neck.
“What about you?” I ask. “What did you spend your summers doing?”
“Typical, boring stuff,” he laughs. “I played sports and hung out with friends. I did camps when I was younger. And by younger, I mean I went until I was fifteen.”
“They still let fifteen year olds in camps?” I tease.
“They let you go even longer. We lived in the same place for all of my high school years, so I had friends to hang out with then. Summers were boring, but winters were more fun. I like to snowboard.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“I’d say I’m better than average at it, but I’m no pro. It’s fun. I still go every winter with friends. And ride snowmobiles.”
“I much prefer warm weather activities.”
He chuckles. “I like warm weather too. I told you, when it’s bad I won’t even go into work. But it’s different when you’re doing something fun like snowboarding and skiing, or riding a snowmobile. You get all geared up and stay warm.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I don’t like feeling all bundled.”
His eyes drop to my tits. “I don’t think I’ll like you being all bundled.”
I shiver, despite the sun beating down on us. He reaches down into the water and rubs my core, wiggling his eyebrows and making me giggle. I think he’s joking until I feel his cock start to harden underneath me. I raise my eyebrows in question.
“You’re turning me on,” he says and pulls me closer. I crane my neck to keep it above the water. “That’s a problem.”
“It is,” I say and look behind me, seeing Zoey and Mindy finally join Danielle and Jake in the water. They make their way over, to the cove. “But I think I have a solution.”
*
“You’re sunburned already,” Ben says as we head back to the dock for lunch.
I look down at my shoulders and grimace. “I was going to put sunscreen on and forgot.”
“It’s not too late,” he says.
“I’ll get it when we get back.”
Mindy laughs, holding her hat with one hand to keep from blowing off. “You are really pale. No wonder you burned easily. I tan. I never burn.”
“Anyone with skin can burn if they’re out long enough,” I say dryly.
“You don’t even have a base tan.” She rolls her eyes and I feel like the lame-o in high school I once was, not allowed to go to the tanning bed due to my mother’s fear of me getting skin cancer. I’m thankful now, but that was just another thing added to the list of why I never sat at the cool table.
“I don’t care,” I tell her bluntly.
“I can tell,” she scoffs.
Ben watches the exchange but doesn’t say anything. Maybe he feels awkward since Mindy is an employee? Whatever. I’m not going to let Mindy fucking Abraham get under my skin. Not today. Not ever again.
The boat slows when the dock comes into view. We have our own slip and it’s never an issue getting in, but the loading ramp near the dock causes the water to get a bit congested. Jake idles the boat and we wait for some of the other watercrafts to clear out of the way.
“Ew,” Mindy says, elbowing her sister. I follow her gaze, expecting to see a dead fish floating in the water. Instead, she’s clearing pointing to a girl who can’t be any older than eighteen. I don’t understand what’s wrong. The girl is on the shore, chasing a toddler who may or may not be her own child. She’s wearing a tankini, and part of her stomach is showing. She turns around to scoop up the kid, who just face planted in the sand.
Mindy and Zoey laugh. My blood boils.
“She should not be wearing that in public,” Mindy says and shakes her head like she just witnessed a legit crime. “Why they make swim suits in that size is beyond me.”
A line lay before me and I knew I needed to pick one side to stand on. I can turn my head, think of something else, and let it go, or I could push Mindy fucking Abraham off the boat, rub my hands together, and laugh like I’d just taken over the Death Star and can carry out my mission to destroy an inhabited planet. Metaphorically, at least.
I cast my eyes down and realize that I’m not just standing up to Mindy, I’m standing up to every entitled, bitchy, thunder cunt in the world who thinks self-worth is defined by your waist size. The words bubble inside of me and I know I have to say something. Mindy points and laughs again, making fun of the girl’s stomach. I look down at myself. I’m not overweight, but I’m not fit with flat abs. My words die in my throat.
I turn my head and look at Ben, who has his feet up, shades on, looking sexy as hell. I can still feel him between my legs as he thrust that big beautiful cock in and out of me, fucking in the boat as fast as we could before we got caught. I set down my wine cooler.
I have a motherfucking spaceship to take over.
“Seriously?” I say and push my shoulders back. Mindy, Zoey, and Danielle turn to me. “Just because you’re insecure about how you look doesn’t mean you have to make fun of someone else. Tearing her down doesn’t build you up. Pointing out her cellulite doesn’t make yours disappear. It’s because of women like you that body shaming is an issue. Why belittle and bully other women when you can empower them? Grow the fuck up and focus your energy on something that actually matters.”
Ben, who I think had been oblivious to Mindy’s comments, sits up and looks at me like he wants to lay me down and fuck me again. Jake turns around from the wheel, eyes wide as he tries not to smile. Danielle will not look at any of us and Mindy just stares blankly in my direction.
“Well … if she didn’t want people to talk about her then she shouldn’t have worn that in public,” she finally responds.
“Oh my god,” I say slowly. “I just can’t with you.” I blink and turn away, fearing that her stupidity might be contagious. I snap my mouth shut, knowing I won’t be able to stop once I get started. I could argue until I was blue in the face and it wouldn’t change Mindy’s mind. She’s right and the rest of the world is wrong. I’m not wasting my time.
We dock the boat and climb out. Ben and I are the last out. He takes my hand, helping me onto the pier.
“That was pretty fucking awesome,” he says. “And I agree with you. It’s all petty bullshit that’s annoying to listen to.”
I nod and reach into my bag, seeing if Erin has texted me she’s on her way yet. She hasn’t.
“Are we eating now?” Ben asks, linking his fingers with mine as we walk toward the beach. The little section that stretches along my parents’ cabins is a private beach, and shouldn’t be this packed with people. But my parents don’t really care, as long as people aren’t getting crazy. It’s a holiday, after all. The whole point of holidays is to celebrate something and not be a dick, right?
“We can eat all day if we want to hang around here,” I say. “I’m sure my mom has everything out now. The party officially starts at three, but most my relatives show up before then. My dad will start grilling soon too.”
“I like this,” Ben says and we step off the wooden dock into hot sand. “It’s very American.” He chuckles. “This is how you should spend the Fourth.”
“It’s how I always did. What did you guys do?”
“Picnic and fireworks, but not to this extent.”
“Halloween gets my vote for best holiday because of the costumes, but this is a close second just because of the food and the water.”
“I agree. Halloween isn’t as fun as when I was a kid, but I do like watching the Halloween movies on TV,” he admits with a smile. “And Christmas is … too much.”
Oh my fucking God he’s my soulmate. I push my heart back into my chest. “Yes! It’s just too long and too commercial, though I do like presents.”
“Who doesn’t?”
We hurry through the sand, our bare feet not able to take it much longer, and climb up the steps to my parents’ deck. It’s just as hot. Feet: 0. Sun: 1. Shoes are going back on. I slip my dress over my head and lead Ben inside to fill our plates. We take a reprieve from the heat and sit in the living room, enjoying the wonderful modern amenities of ceiling fans and air-conditioning.