Stepbrother With Benefits 10 (Second Season) (8 page)

Yup!

"Do they have graham crackers here?" my mom asks.

"Yeah, they're right over here," Caleb says.  "Are you going to make s'mores?"

"We are!  Oh, what about marshmallows?  Chocolate, too.  I saw some chocolate bars up at the counter, so we're probably fine there, but if there's anything else, we should weigh our options before we commit."

Caleb smiles and he leads us around the store.  We get everything for the s'mores, then some fresh bacon straight from the butcher, chicken breasts, some canned vegetables that weren't available fresh in the produce section, and a bunch more.  Not too much, but it should tide us over for the next few days.

While the woman at the counter is ringing us out, I smile over to Caleb.  "Do you want to come over tonight for s'mores?" I ask him

"Uh... is that alright?" he says.

"Sure, why not?"

"Er... Ethan?  I think he hates me."

"He probably does," I say, faking a frown and nodding.

"Ashley!  Ethan does not hate him," my mom says, shocked.  "He heavily dislikes him, that's all."

Caleb stands there, mouth open wide, looking at the both of us.  He looks a little worried and scared, like as soon as we get back to the campground Ethan is going to search him out and beat him up or something.  It's kind of funny but then I feel a little bad, too.

"Ethan doesn't hate you," I say.  "I don't think he does.  I'll talk to him, alright?  Just don't try to flirt with me or kiss me."

"You should probably avoid hugs or overly friendly gestures, too," my mom adds.

"What kind of overly friendly gestures?" Caleb asks.  "How do I know what to do?"

"You probably shouldn't smile or laugh," my mom says.  "Also, I'd suggest standing at least arm's length away from Ashley at all times.  Don't look at her for more than two seconds, either."

"Are you serious?" Caleb asks.

"No, not particularly," my mom says, grinning.

Caleb stares at her like she has two heads.  I think it might be an apt assessment at the moment.  My mom really seems to like teasing him.  It's kind of funny.  I start to laugh, and Caleb shuffles side to side for a second before cracking a smile.

"You'll be fine, dear," my mom says, patting him on the shoulder.  "Just be yourself, alright?  We'd love to have you over for s'mores later.  It'll be fun."

The bait shop is crazy.  I don't mean to sound like some spoiled city kid, but they seriously have taxidermy stuff in here, too.  It's not a bait shop so much as an all-purpose outdoorsman sort of place.  There's guns locked up in cases behind a counter, and archery equipment off to the side, plus more fishing rods than any one person could ever need.  The guy who runs the place does taxidermy too, I guess, and he's showing my dad his handiwork.

I'm not sure if my dad is impressed or scared.  I feel like in a situation like this you should be a little bit of both.  You don't want to screw around with a guy who makes home decorations out of dead animals.  I have to admit, they do look pretty cool, though.  There's a large moose head on a plaque hanging high up on the wall behind the clerk's counter.  That is not a moose I'd want to mess with.

Also, there's a bear.  An entire bear.  It's standing on two legs on a short wooden pedestal, paws stretched out like it's about to attack you.  I'm pretty sure if Ashley saw it, she'd faint.  It's cool, Princess, I'll catch you.  I'm your knight in bad boy armor or something.

Just so you know, the bear isn't real, though.  The taxidermy guy made sure to tell me that.  They aren't allowed to shoot bears here.  I guess if you see a bear you just punch it or something?  Or you hope and pray you never see a bear to begin with.  Fuck if I know?

I go to a cooler in the back and look through my options while my dad talks with the shop owner.  Let's see, for fishing we have... worms, worms, and worms.  Lots of choices.  I go with the worms on the right instead of the worms on the left, because who the fuck likes things on the left?  I don't know.  Actually, I have nothing against left as a direction, but I just felt like going with the worms on the right.

I take them over to where my dad and the shop owner are talking, but before I get there I see John, the campground owner.

"Hey," he says to me, smiling and waving.

I wave back.  "Hey."

"You all going fishing later?"

"Probably not today but we brought fishing poles, so we might try at the lake," I say.

"Nice," John says.  "Yeah, it's fun.  You could try the river, too.  Feeds into the lake, but you can catch different kinds of fish over there sometimes.  They're a little more feisty if you're looking for a challenge."  He winks at me.

I don't know why he winks at me, but I guess I look like someone looking for a challenge?  I'm fine with it, because it's probably true.  Who wants to do easy stuff?  Yawn, boring.

"Caleb knows his way around there and he loves fishing if you want to ask him," John says.  "He gets kind of bored hanging out at the campground all day, so he'd love an excuse to take off for awhile."

"Yeah, maybe," I say, gritting my teeth.  Do I look like I want to hang out with Caleb?  I guess so, if his dad just said that, but whatever.  "Is he here?"

"Nah, he went to get food.  He's at the grocery store."

Wow.  Seriously?  I guess this could be a coincidence, but I don't know.  He just coincidentally goes to the grocery store when Ashley and her mom are also coincidentally going to the grocery store, and that little fuck is going to have a chance to be alone with her now?  Seriously, what the fuck bullshit is that?  Obviously I'm not there, either, and that pisses me off, because who knows what he's saying?

I bet he thinks he's smooth and suave, too.  Talking some crap about wanting to lay out under the country sky and look at the stars with her or something.  Let's go into the woods.  It's magical.  Also, take your pants off and let's fuck.

I really don't like him.  Only I'm allowed to tell Ashley to take her pants off so we can fuck.  I'm pretty sure one of the perks of being a boyfriend is that you get to say stuff like that.  I mean, I don't know for sure, but I'm just pretty sure that's one of the perks.  Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

The stars and shit, too.  Only I'm allowed to ask her to look at the stars.  Why the fuck didn't I ask her if she wanted to look at the stars yet?  Fuck.  I'm not good at this boyfriend thing.  I need to step up my game here.

Fuck you, Caleb.

"Are you alright?" John asks me, looking at me funny.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, frustrated.  "Just can't fucking wait to go fishing, that's all."

Yeah, that's it.  Makes sense, right?

I guess so!

"Ah," John says, giving me an understanding nod.  "I know what you mean.  There's nothing quite like the sense of calm and relaxation that comes over you when you first cast your line.  It's truly amazing."

"Yeah," I say, trying not to laugh.  He sounds so into it.  Fishing is pretty nice, though.

"I'll tell Caleb you might want to go," he says.  "I've got to head out, though.  Let me know if you all need anything back at the campground, alright?"

"Sure," I say.

I decide not to add that I need his son to stay the fuck away from Ashley.  I mean, he asked if I needed anything, and I think that kind of counts, but maybe it's not the best thing to say.

I head over to my dad and the taxidermy guy.  They're looking at a fish now.  I don't know why anyone would ever do that to a perfectly good fish, because it looks like it would have made a great dinner, but whatever.  Apparently you can taxidermy a fish.  What the fuck, is that even what it's called? 
Taxidermy?

"Worms!" my dad says as I join him.  "Great."

"Did you want to get some of that deer jerky I mentioned, too?" the shop owner asks him.  "It's as fresh as it gets.  Genuine country flavor and I smoke it at home myself."

Holy fuck, deer jerky?  Seriously, that sounds amazing.  I guess I'm drooling or something, because both my dad and the shop owner seem excited by the look on my face.

"You think we should get some for the ladies?" my dad asks.

"Yeah, but I don't think we should tell them it's locally made.  They're going to think it's Bambi's mother or something."

My dad laughs.  This is kind of nice, just hanging out with him.  I wish we did it more often.

That's what the camping trip is for, though, right?

Yeah, maybe.  Hopefully.

By the time my mom and I get back to the campsite, Ethan and his dad are already there.  They're just mulling around, goofing off, and it's kind of nice to see.  I know Ethan and his dad don't always see eye to eye, and sometimes his dad doesn't have a lot of free time outside of work, but I think Ethan wishes they could spend more time together.

I don't know why I think that.  I haven't actually ever really talked with Ethan about it before.  It's just something I've thought about sometimes.  I like spending time with my mom, and I honestly couldn't even imagine
not
spending time with her.  I call her every day when I'm at college and tell her almost everything.  I know Ethan doesn't feel as comfortable as that with his dad, but...

I don't know.  Maybe he wants to be?  Even if they aren't, I think it would be nice if he at least felt like he could be comfortable talking with his dad about things.

I suppose I have ulterior motives there, because I want him to tell his dad about us, but that's not the only reason.  I'm just not sure what the other reasons are yet.

"Well, hello there, boys," my mom says after we park and get out of the car.  "What kind of trouble are you two getting into?"

"We grabbed some jerky at the bait shop.  Want to try some?" my stepdad asks.

Ethan's already eating his own piece.  He spares a glance over at me while his dad comes to offer my mom some jerky.

"Ashley?" he asks, holding the bag out for me, too.  "It's good stuff."

I take a small piece and try it.  Oh, wow!  It really is pretty good.  I chew and swallow, and I kind of want another piece, but Ethan's dad is hanging around my mom by the firepit now.  He also has the bag of jerky.  Ethan sees me staring and he steals a piece for me and brings it over.

I smile.  "Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem," he says.  Then... "Meet anyone interesting while you were shopping?"

"Huh?"

"Caleb?"

"Oh."  Um... this doesn't look good.  Ethan looks kind of mad, actually.  "Yup, he was there," I say, trying to sound casual and nonchalant.  I'm not sure if it works.

"And?" he asks.

"I don't know.  He was just there," I say.  It's not like I can explain everything to him right now.  "He helped me and my mom with our shopping.  He had to buy some things, too."

"Yeah, sure," Ethan says, rolling his eyes.  "I'm sure that was it."

I stick my tongue out at him.  "Well, that really
was
it.  You don't have to be jealous or anything."

Ethan gives me a look, and it's a kind of sexy, smoldering look, though I'm not entirely sure what it's for.  I kind of want to find out what it's for, though.

He sneaks closer to me and whispers something.

"Um... what?" I say, confused.

"Just do it," he says.

Ugh.  I don't know what he has in mind, but I'm pretty sure nothing good will come of it.  I'm curious, though.  This is a dangerous combination, the demanding bad boy and the curious good girl, but I think I can handle myself now.  If not, I'm sure I'll enjoy what Ethan has in mind, so...

"I have to go to the bathroom," I say to Ethan's dad and my mom.  They stop looking lovingly at each other and look over at me.  "I'm just, um... I forget how to get there?"

Ethan grumbles.  He's not even grumbling, though!  He's pretending to grumble.  What a jerk, seriously.

"Yeah, yeah," he says.  "I'll show you.  Try and remember, though.  I don't want to have to do this every single time you've got to go."

I glare at him and stick my tongue out.  My mom laughs, but my stepdad just rolls his eyes at the two of us.  Alright, good, this is sort of going according to plans, I think.

"Ethan, stop teasing her," my stepdad says.  "Ashley, it's fine.  I can show you if you want, and Ethan and your mom can stay here and start making lunch?"

"Nah, it's cool," Ethan says, grabbing my arm.  "Come on, Princess.  I'll show you."

I know where the bathrooms are, though.  They're up front by the main office, which is kind of far away but not that far.  I can get there fine on my own, but Ethan told me to make it seem like I couldn't, so, um... well, we're going together now.

I don't even have to go to the bathroom, either.  Also, as soon as we're out of view of our campsite, Ethan takes a serious detour.

He guides me a little further into the woods, going directly away from the bathrooms.  I follow, partly because I'm curious and mostly because I'm a little excited at how excited Ethan seems.  He might not show it very well, but I can feel the anticipation in his fingertips, the slight squeeze as he holds my arms, and his quick pace as we hurry to hide in the woods.

It's not like we're that far away, but we move off the beaten path and hide behind some trees.  We're effectively hidden now, or mostly hidden.  I doubt anyone will see us.

Ethan spins around, then pushes me against one of the trees, pinning me there with his body.  He grabs my hips and moves close, grinding against me.

"Yeah, so, what's up with Caleb?" he asks.

I smirk and toss my hair over my shoulders.  "Why?" I ask him.  "Are you jealous?"

"Yeah, actually, I kind of am," Ethan says.

"Oh."  I laugh because I didn't expect that.

"Yeah, real funny, Princess," Ethan says, smirking.  "Seriously, though, why'd he follow you to the grocery store?  I don't like that kid."

"He's not even a kid," I say.  "He's the same age as us.  If he's a kid then I'm a kid and you're a kid, too."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"He just had to go shopping, that's all," I say.  "He told me he was going when I left the shower earlier but you and your dad were gone by the time I got back to the campsite so I couldn't have told you.  Honestly it's not a big deal."