-Nic-

I didn't feel like swimming anymore, not after I realized Jax would be left all alone while the rest of us were having fun in the water. I couldn't leave him all by himself, especially since he was anxious about letting people see his scars. And especially since we were supposed to be on our perfect date, but I had dragged him here. I didn't care much about swimming, anyway.

Besides, Jax let me use his lap as my pillow when I lay down to enjoy the warm sun. I stared up at him, resting my head on his leg while he played with my hair. I couldn't contain my smile.

I was happy.

"You look so good," I told him quietly.

"You're staring right up my nostrils," he noted, and I laughed.

"You have... hot nostrils?" I said.

"Thanks. Yours aren't that bad either," he said with a smirk, and I wiggled my nose at him.

He chuckled, shaking his head, but then he turned to look over the crowd. I had the feeling he was making sure no one was staring at us. I'd kept an eye on it as well, but no one seemed interested in what we, a bunch of strangers, were doing. Gay or not.

Jax was doing so great, though. I knew he was anxious. I knew he hated being there with his hands bare, but he was getting used to it. I was sure that in time, he would stop being anxious about letting people see his skin. It would take some time, and maybe he would never be completely comfortable with it, but it would get easier. He was very brave, after all.

"Are you having fun?" I asked after a moment.

"I am," he said, turning his attention back to me. "Are you?"

"With you, I'm always having fun," I said. "I'm just worried you regret coming here..."

"I'm not," he said gently, and leaned in to peck my lips. "I'll never regret spending time with you."

My smile grew wider, but then a small, nagging voice at the back of my mind asked if he'd still say the same once I told him about the bet, and the anxiety returned. If only I could go back in time to fix that...

"What?" Jax asked, his smile fading.

"I... I don't think I deserve you," I admitted quietly, and he frowned. "I don't know... Like I said... I don't like the person I was before you. I..."

Maybe I should've just told him right then and there... I hated lying to him. I wanted to get that horrible secret off my chest. But when I looked into his gray eyes, the words died on my lips.

Not now. Not like this...

I was a fucking coward. I secretly wished I'd never have to tell him about the bet. Not so secretly, either. I wanted to pretend it never happened. I could just pretend it never happened and hope Jax would never find out about it. If he did, he wouldn't forgive me easily, if at all. I feared he wouldn't believe me when I said it was the biggest mistake I'd ever made, and I regretted it so deeply I sometimes wished I was dead because I couldn't stand myself.

Because that was why I'd been panicking. Because of the bet. Because I couldn't stand what I'd almost done to him.

"Well, to be fair, I've not been a decent person, either," he said when I didn't continue.

"But you had a good reason. I was just a bored, entitled jerk who didn't really care about other people's feelings," I said.

"Nic..." he said softly, brushing my hair back. "You are a good guy. And people grow. They start as fucking brutal little shitheads and most of them turn out to be decent, kind adults."

I had to laugh at his words. "I guess..."

Would he still call me a good guy if he knew...?

He smiled at me and pecked my lips again. "You are a good guy. Maybe you just... I mean, I'm actually surprised how great you really are. You could've easily turned out to be a massive, massive dickhead."

"Because of my dad..." I guessed.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "So what made you an entitled jerk?"

"Hmm?"

"You said you were an entitled jerk. I always thought you were a kind, laid-back guy. Not really a jerk," he said.

"Oh, I uh..."

My anxiety started rising again. I couldn't tell him about the bet. I just couldn't...

"I... didn't really care about anyone, I guess. Not the girls I was dating. And... I was mostly just frustrated with Jess and Allan. I've only now learned how much they actually mean to me," I told him, speaking from my heart. "But I mostly regret how I treated the girls..."

And the bet...

"Does your newly found sexuality have something to do with it?" he asked.

"I... Don't know," I said slowly with a frown. "Haven't really thought about that."

"Maybe that is something to consider," he said.

"Maybe..." I muttered.

"Or maybe I beat some sense into you," he said playfully.

"That you certainly did," I said, laughing.

We joked around for a bit, and my mood was slowly getting back up, but the nagging thought about the bet didn't really leave me. At least it was over now. It had already eased up my mind a lot. But I knew I had to tell Jax about it at some point. I'd just have to find a good moment for that.

Definitely not now. I just wanted to enjoy my time with him.

"You sure you don't want to come swim with us?" Jess asked, walking over to us.

"We're sure," I said, wiggling around a bit to find a better position in Jax's arms.

"You're pressing my bladder..." Jax muttered.

"There's a café next to the parking lot. They have toilets," I told him.

"I know, but I'm too lazy to go," he said.

I laughed and wiggled a little more while Jess sat down next to us. Jax grabbed my head in his two-handed iron grip and glared down at me. I gave him an innocent smile.

"Stop," he hissed at me, his eyes flashing at me.

I pushed myself upwards. "Make me," I whispered.

"I will rip your head off," he growled at me.

"You're not scaring me," I replied.

"Aww, you two are so cute together," Jess cooed.

I laughed while Jax shot a glare at her, but Jess couldn't be intimidated. He acted like he wasn't happy about that and shoved me off his lap before getting up on his feet. I laughed and sat up to watch Jax as he marched toward the parking lot.

"Could you bring us a bag of chips?" I shouted after him but didn't get a reply.

"He's so sweet," Jess said, watching him as well.

"I heard that!" he shouted.

"And funny," Jess added, then turned to me. "So? How's things?"

I stared after Jax for a moment, then slowly faced Jess. "I paid Caleb."

"What?" she asked in a whisper, her eyes wide. "You did? When?"

"This morning," I said, taking a deep breath. "You were right all along, and I should've listened to you."

She let out a weird little scream and hugged me tightly. "I'm so happy for you!" she whispered, then let go of me. "You took your goddamn time too!"

"Keep it down," I said, glancing at our friends who hopefully hadn't noticed her excitement.

"So it's over?" she asked quietly. "No more challenge?"

"It's over," I said, nodding.

"That's a relief. Everyone can see how you look at him. I could see it from the very beginning," she said.

"Yeah, yeah, you always see and know everything," I said with a chuckle.

She had a huge smile on her face, then she took a deep breath. "You have no idea how happy I am right now. I was so worried you'd ruin everything."

"Well... There is still a chance for that," I said. "Jax doesn't know, and... Well... You can probably guess how well it will go if I tell him."

Her smile vanished. "Yeah... I know you should tell him before he hears it from somewhere else, but... He's been through so much already... But if Caleb or Jacob say something before you do..."

"Yeah, it'll kill him," I muttered.

"I had no idea he was the Miller kid," she said, peering over her shoulder to make sure Jax wasn't returning just yet. "I remember the horrible things people used to say about him. Now I understand why he hates everyone."

"He's actually really sweet," I said. "Everyone would love him if..."

"I can see that," Jess said quietly. "He looks happy with you."

"Well that's a relief," I said and laughed.

She laughed as well. "He does. And you do too. I think you guys are a perfect fit. I know, I know, it's only been a month, but... I've never seen you so happy with anyone before. I have a good feeling about this."

"Thanks," I said quietly.

Jax returned a few minutes later, bringing a bag of chips with him. He also had his gloves back on, but neither of us questioned it. I had the feeling he had exhausted himself.

"Now, where were we...?" he asked as he sat down next to a bigger boulder and leaned against it.

I immediately wiggled my way back into his arms, pressing my back against his chest and head on his shoulder.

"Ah, yes, your head was about to come off," Jax said when I smiled up at him.

"Nooo, I'm innocent!"

He grabbed me by my throat and held me still, glaring at me with a hint of amusement in his gray eyes.

"Are you now...?" he muttered.

"Yes. Completely innocent. I did nothing," I said, very much enjoying his hold on me.

He snorted, then leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Fuck you, Gabriel..."

I shivered. Those were the good kind of shivers.

And he blessed me with pressing his lips on mine. It was a harsh kiss. Very demanding. With his hand still on my throat, I was pinned against his strong shoulder, completely at his mercy. I loved being there. Kissing him was always exhilarating, like I was in danger.

And it reminded me that he was sweet only because he chose to. He was called The Snake because he could look deceivingly harmless, then strike when people least expected it. And he was full of venom.

He bit into my lower lip, made me squirm for a bit, then let go. He pulled back and gave me a warm smile, but there was a warning in his eyes. Though it felt more like an invitation to me... I was a melting puddle in his arms.

We stayed by the river for a few hours after that. Once my friends got exhausted playing in the river, they joined us, and we spent a long while just talking about whatever. I paid a lot of attention to Jax so he didn't feel left out, but he actually seemed to enjoy chatting with the rest of them. But making sure he was having fun wasn't the only reason I showered him with attention.

That short kiss was still lingering at the back of my mind. I wanted more. It was like he'd set a fire in me I couldn't put out on my own. So... When it was time to return home, I was not sad about it. By the time we arrived at his place, his lips were the only thing on my mind.

"Is no one home?" I asked when I parked the car in front of the house, peering at the dark windows. Alex's car was gone, too.

"Yeah, I think they said something about going out tonight," Jax said.

"Oh. I see," I said, acting like I wasn't internally cheering at the fact that no one would be there to interrupt us making out.

"Why?" he asked, squinting his eyes.

"Because I'm dying to kiss you right now," I told him, and got out of the car.

I made my way around the car while Jax got out of it. Out of a whim, I grabbed him, pressed him against the door, and kissed him. He let out a light chuckle against my lips and squirmed a little when my hands found their way under his shirts.

"Just kissing?" he asked.

"Just kissing. I promise," I muttered and kissed him harder.

He let me have my fun for a moment, but then forced me off him.

"We better take this inside," he said, his cheeks already turning red and his breathing heavy.

After a few hurried moments later, we entered his bedroom. I slammed the door shut so I could push him against it. He let out a content breath when I returned my lips to his and kissed me back just as fiercely as I was kissing him. His nails dug into my skin on my back, and I realized I was already halfway losing my shirt.

Just kissing, right...?

I grabbed the zipper of his hoodie and yanked it open, then pushed the hoodie itself down on his shoulders. I couldn't take it completely off him since he was still too busy clawing his marks on my hips and sides, but at least now I had more skin to explore with my lips. Jax trembled when my teeth scraped his shoulder in my haste, and seconds later, he bit into my neck. And his hands continued roaming... His body pressed tightly against mine... His hot breath tickling me... His quiet voice teasing me...

Fuck, I was getting in the mood... I hoped he wouldn't notice that, but with his hips tightly against mine... Moving slowly...

He pulled me back by my hair and bit hard on my lower lip, forcing me to calm down. His breathing was fire on my face, and his eyes were taunting me to do my worst. I wanted to, but he still kept my lower lip hostage.

He let go of me slowly a moment later, then walked away from me, taking his lips out of my reach.

"Please... I need to kiss you..." I muttered, following him. "Your lips are so goddamn addictive..."

He turned around and stopped me, keeping me at arm's length away. He gave me a smile, then undressed my tank top, letting it fall on the floor. Then he took off his gloves and touched my chest, sending shivers down my spine.

"You are very hot, Gabriel..." he muttered, his fingers making slow circles on my skin. "You have a very nice body..." he added, his fingers now trailing down to my stomach.

And lower... I couldn't stop myself from reacting when he rested both his hands on the brim of my pants.

"Uh... just kissing... right?" I mumbled.

He raised his eyebrows, stepped back, and got rid of his hoodie and T-shirt.

"Not... just kissing?" I said, my voice embarrassingly high, so I cleared my throat, and tried again. "Are we, uh...?"

He pulled me into a slow kiss. His bare chest against mine felt good, smooth, and strong. His body was warm, his touch was soft, and his tongue in my mouth tasted like heaven. There was less heat between us, but more warmth. It was just as enjoyable.

Without breaking the kiss, he pulled me to his bed. There, his fingers landed on my pants, nearly turning me into a shy virgin kid. I somehow managed to stop myself from giggling when he opened the button, then my zipper. He moved the flier out of the way, but didn't go any further. He pulled out of the kiss, his fingers lightly playing with the brim of my boxers, and looked at me.

"So, uh... not just kissing?" he asked almost timidly.

"I'm up for not just kissing, yeah," I said.

He nodded, then looked down at my boxers. "This isn't going too smoothly, is it?"

I laughed and pulled him into a hug, kissing his forehead. "The first time never goes smoothly," I told him when I pulled back.

"Good," he said, chuckling. "I've never, uh..."

I took his hands in mine and pecked his lips. "It'll be fun. We'll just... go with the flow."

He nodded slowly a few times, then gave me a shy glance. "And uh...whose parts gets to go where?"

"Oh. Uh."

"I mean I can bottom for you," he said. "Maybe it's better that way. Since, uh..."

Now it was my turn to nod slowly. "Since... why?"

"Well, I'm assuming you've not had anything up there yet, so uh... While I... uh..."

I frowned. "You said this is your first time?"

"I mean... With a human," he said.

"Oh. Oh! Gotcha," I said with a smirk. "Yeah let's... let's do it that way this time. With everyone in their own comfort zones."

He nodded, then burst out laughing. "Are we still even in the mood?"

"Well..." I muttered with a smirk. "Yeah."

"Okay. Okay. We can do this," he said.

"Go team!" I cheered.

"Shut up already," he said, laughing, and sat down on his bed.

I watched him for a moment with a smile on my face, feeling all kinds of good emotions in me. I placed my hands on his cheeks and leaned in to kiss him slowly. He took a gentle grip on my wrists when he kissed me back...

Badabimbadabum, Wattpad changed the age of consent from 16 to 18 so here's some elevator music while we wait, aaaaand looks like the boys are done, let's get back to the chapter!

(You can read this scene on my Ream for free, all you have to do is follow me there to get access to the story! The link is right here in the comments>>>)

"Wow..." he muttered, stretching his body, then laughed lightly. "That was good..."

"It was," I said, pushing myself up just enough to kiss him. "Next time, I'll try to last a bit longer though."

He laughed and pecked my lips. "It was perfect," he murmured, hugging me gently.

I rolled to my side, pulling him with me, and kissed him slowly, but thoroughly. I really was hooked. The bet crossed my mind again. I was glad it was over. The thought of doing this with Jax while still deceiving him like that... I couldn't stand it, so I was so goddamn glad I already got out of it.

And this was a very good way of celebrating it.