"Everyone doing okay in here? Need more lemonade?"

"Mom, for the last time, we're fine!" Riley rolled his eyes at me and we shared a small laugh. My mom ruffled my brother's hair and then mine as she circled around our card table, refilling our glasses of lemonade, whether we needed it or not. Always the happy hostess, our mother.

"Thanks, Mrs. Masterson, this lemonade is the best." Joshua took a huge swig of his drink and held up his glass before she could get too far away. "Could I get some more?"

To her delight, our mom filled his glass up again and then waltzed back to the stairs, her flip-flops flapping as she went up to the kitchen. Riley flicked Joshua in the ear.

"Laying it on pretty thick, aren't you?"

In return, Joshua smacked Riley in the back of the head. "I can't help it if your mom loves me. Besides, I don't have one so I'll lay whatever I need to on your mom."

"Unfortunate phrasing," I muttered and cringed. "Don't ever say that again."

"Are we gonna play cards or what?" Noah reshuffled the deck for the hundredth time, giving me a wink.

"They're just stalling. We all know who's going to win this game." I smirked and grabbed my cards as Noah dealt.

"You talk a big game, little girl, but you weren't so cocky when we were kicking your ass in volleyball not even an hour ago." Joshua chugged more of his drink, swiping the back of his hand across his mouth.

"Neither were you when we threw your ass in the pool." Riley brushed his wet hair from his forehead.

Our volleyball match concluded when Riley, Mal, and I got sick of losing to Joshua, Noah, and Beth. Beth and Mal had to bail anyway so we used that as the excuse to quit the game. On our way back to the house, Riley pushed Joshua into the pool. While I was busy laughing my ass off, Noah picked me up and jumped in with me. My brother thought he was going to get away unscathed until all three of us ganged up on him.

Good times.

"All right," Noah corralled them back in. "Put up or shut up. Five card stud, let's go."

In a matter of seconds, we'd analyzed our cards and settled in for a game. The first few hands went by in silence other than calling bets or folding. We took our games very seriously even though we never played for money. And we didn't even have any chips. Instead, we'd just bet random things. Noah would usually bet "IOUs" since he was loaded and liked buying stuff for people. It was usually paying for someone's movie ticket or a tank of gas for our cars. Joshua would bet favors – wash our car, give us a ride to school, stuff like that. Riley and I, while working at the waterpark for the last two summers, had collected quite the stash of weird arcade prizes that for some reason, everyone loved. Spools of stickers? Check. Cheap glitter markers? Of course. Tiny stuffed dog toy? We had four of them. Plastic squirt guns? A whole box. The piece de resistance was a four-foot-tall stuffed rip-off of a yellow Minion that looked more like a penis than one of the famous movie characters. One of its eyeballs had been ripped out and someone had scribbled "Dickpicable Me" across its face. We all lovingly called him Dickie.

While Joshua and Riley got into another debate – this time about what female video game fighter would be coolest to meet in real life - Chun-Li from Street Fighter or Ivy from Soul Caliber - Noah dealt the cards again. As I reached for mine, concentrating totally on blocking out what Joshua was saying about Ivy and her whip, I grabbed Noah's hand instead of my cards. Normally, I wouldn't have thought anything about it except then our eyes met for just the briefest of seconds and he stroked his thumb across the back of my hand. I drew in a sharp breath at the contact and pulled my hand away. My gut tightened with an unfamiliar feeling.

"Sometime today, Noah," Riley sighed as he gave up trying to win the argument with Joshua and turned back to us.

"You're pretty impatient for someone who's losing," Noah chuckled and flipped a card at Riley. The spell was broken and I could feel myself blushing. I hoped no one was paying attention.

I slouched down in my seat, mortification and embarrassment warring inside me. Daring a glance at Noah, he seemed relaxed and normal, with no indication of the split-second moment we just shared. Was I reading into something that didn't happen?

As if in answer, Noah's foot brushed against mine under the table. I jerked upright, earning glares from Joshua and Riley as all the drinks sloshed in their glasses. Noah gave no reaction except for a small smirk as he pretended to be studying his cards. His foot continued rubbing against mine, slowly inching higher to caress my calf. I took a breath, determined to ignore him and not give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to me.

His foot dropped away for a moment and I breathed a small sigh, trying to regain focus on the card game. He shifted his chair and slumped down slightly, all behaviors which appeared normal. Until I felt his foot on mine again.

"Your call," Joshua waved his hand in front of my face, grinning. "You feeling, okay?"

"I'm fine."

He glanced over a Noah who was still smirking and nodded in understanding. When his bright eyes met mine, Joshua winked.

Wait a second - did he know what was happening?

I matched the current bet, knowing my face was bright red and they could all see it. Riley raised an eyebrow, a silent question in my direction. I tried to give him a small smile in return to set him at ease but I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't buying it. It didn't help matters that as soon as I looked away from him, I immediately locked eyes on Noah. In response, he slid his foot up the length of my leg to my knee. I kept my legs pressed tightly together. He hesitated a moment before skimming his toes back down my leg.

The corner of his mouth was turned up in a grin. I swallowed and looked away.

Riley was still watching me trying to figure out what was going on.

Noah continued his little game of footsie and I didn't stop him. As confusing as it was, the secret shenanigans under the table were kind of fun. Except it seemed it was only a secret from my twin. Joshua adjusted his position in his seat and then I felt another foot caressing my other leg. I bit down to keep from squeaking my surprise and grabbed my lemonade.

My concentration on the game was shot. Riley was winning every hand and gloating. Part of me didn't care. Okay, most of me. The adrenaline rush from their attention was worth it.

Joshua changed tactics and very casually slid his hand under the table and rested it on my upper thigh, my beach towel parting easily. His hand was warm as he gave me a squeeze and Noah pressed his foot against my knee again. With my heart thundering in my chest, I parted my knees slightly. Noah let out a cough of surprise, camouflaging it by casually taking a sip of lemonade.

Readjusting in his seat, he stroked the inside of my knee with his toes. Joshua's thumb began a light back-and-forth motion over my skin, urging me to spread my legs wider. I wanted to moan but held it in, briefly closing my eyes.

This was kind of - naughty.

Noah must have taken that as a sign to continue because the next second, his foot caressed the inside of my upper thigh. Way upper.

I jumped up from the table, my knees banging against it and almost sending the cards, chips, and drinks to the floor. Riley grabbed and righted the table just in time.

"What the hell, Zig?"

"Sorry, I – uh –" I became suddenly very aware that all I had on was my bikini and towel wrapped around my waist. Noah looked like he was very aware of it as well. "I need more lemonade." I grabbed my full glass and took off up the stairs.

My brain was jumbled and couldn't make sense of my reaction to Noah and Joshua's touches. I shouldn't love the sensation of them on my skin so much. But I really did. Like really, really did. So why did I just run away from it?

How about because Riley was right there!

Thankfully, my mother was no longer in the kitchen when I reached the top of the stairs. Dashing to the sink, I spotted her outside across the yard, trimming some of her rose bushes around the pool.

Are you crazy? I yelled in my mind. These are your brother's best friends!

Hot best friends. My crush on Noah had only gotten stronger over the years, which Beth was always quick to give me shit about. Growing up with him hadn't stopped me from thinking he was the hottest guy I'd ever seen. He had the brightest hazel eyes that always seemed to be looking right through me and a sexy little smirk that made my knees weak.

And Josh was just as bad. I had begun swooning over Joshua around Junior year. He looked like he belonged on a sunny beach with a surfboard tucked under his arm, posing for a swimsuit ad that showed off his lean muscular body and killer smile.

Riley's best friends! I screamed internally again.

They were practically mine as well. We were always all together, although Beth and I did separate from the group for girl time, the boys doing the same when they were up to something especially boyish.

But these were my friends. My boys, as I affectionately referred to them. Noah always took my side when I was fighting with Riley. Joshua liked to hold the doors open for me when we walked the halls together at school. How about that one time we danced together at the Spring Fling after I caught my boyfriend trying to screw another girl? That dickhead was one layer of taffeta away from nailing Lisa on the benches in the girl's locker room. Instead of letting me cry in the corner all night, Noah, Joshua, and Mal all took turns dancing with me. Their dates had been pissed and they just shrugged it off like it wasn't a big deal.

"Mal, too?" I whispered to myself as a realization swept over me. Dark and broody in a sexy nerd way - yeah, I could get on board with that.

"Reggie?"

I let out a shriek and whirled around, banging my elbow on the counter, causing both of us to wince.

"Damn, are you okay?" Noah was next to me in an instant, reaching out for my elbow. I dodged him, moving to the side, my back to the counter, hands gripping the edge. He gave me a puzzled look, his hand still outstretched towards me. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I muttered. "You."

Since I couldn't push myself into the counter any further, he was able to grasp my elbow and tilt it toward him for a better look. His eyebrows scrunched as he studied it, running his fingers over the red spot that was forming.

"What did I do?" He was teasing me, breaking from his intense studying of my injury to give me his best flirty grin.

Christ, it was hot in here.

"I think you like me."

I let out a breath in protest. "No, I don't."

He shook his head and without taking his eyes off of me, took a step closer. My breathing became erratic as I found myself boxed in by his tall, muscled body. He placed his hands on either side of me, close enough so his forearms were grazing each side of my ribs. The contact caused me to shiver and he grinned.

He leaned in close. "And I think you liked Joshua touching you, too."

My blush had to be the same shade of red as my bikini. What was I supposed to say to that? He was right, of course, but I couldn't admit it and give him the satisfaction.

He studied me for a few seconds before he sighed. "I was sent up here to check on you. Riley thinks you're being weird." He was whispering and leaning his face close to mine. I ducked my head, at a loss of where to look. He was so close I could feel his breath on my face. My heart was pounding hard in my chest.

"I'm not weird," I muttered again. "It's just that you – and well, uh –"

"Regan."

Shocked that he'd used my real name for the first time ever, I looked up at him, just in time for his lips to meet mine.

He was hesitant at first, seeming to give me a chance to push him away or beat his ass for this bold move. I held still, not sure how I was reacting until he placed his hands on my hips and pulled me forward. Feeling his hands on me forced a small moan to escape me. His kiss became firmer, more confident, and his fingers dug into my sides, almost painfully. My hands eventually released the counter to slide hesitantly up to his chest, where they stayed, fingers gripping his damp t-shirt. They gripped tighter as his tongue licked along my lips, coaxing me to open for him. He tasted like lemonade and I decided in that second it would be my favorite drink forever.

"Hey, bring down some more chips!" my brother called from the basement.

With a groan, Noah pulled away, resting his forehead against mine. We were both panting, our breaths ragged. As he stared down at me, I felt him run his fingertips very lightly up my side, halting before he reached the string of my bikini top.

"No," I whispered. "We shouldn't do this."

He very slowly took a step back from me, his hands leaving my sides. "Reggie –"

"Not here. Not with Riley around."

He relaxed, nodding in agreement. "We'll continue this later then."

With a quick kiss on my forehead, he reached around and grabbed a bag of chips off the counter then turned for the basement.

I walked outside and jumped into the pool, towel and all.