The Stepbrother (Red's Tavern 5)

“It’s hot tub time,” I told the two of them, throwing off my collared shirt as I headed to my room.

“I was thinking I was going to stay and read in bed,” Logan said.

I whipped around, staring at him from the hallway. I could see Fox behind him, already laughing.

“Excuse me?” I said.

Logan couldn’t help but smile, too. “I said, I was just going to read my book tonight.”

“Oh no. Oh, no, no, no,” I said, walking back to the living room to grab Logan’s hand. “Your book will be there forever. This rooftop hot tub is something we only get to experience tonight. Don’t you want to look at the stars? The moon? The hotties walking by?”

I led Logan to his room where I helped him find his swim shorts. He wasn’t hard to convince, and after I’d gone and changed clothes, I found Fox in the living room, all ready to go.

He was wearing his swim gear, too, but also sporting a breezy, half-unbuttoned shirt on top. Just like the guy I’d ogled earlier.

“Look at you,” I said, walking up and gently running my fingertips down the exposed part of his chest.

Bad idea.

Really bad idea to touch him, because now I just wanted to touch him more.

“Oh, please,” he said, batting my hand away. But I could tell he liked the attention.

“I didn’t think you’d adopt the open-shirt sexy look so quickly.”

“Shut up,” he said.

“It’s okay if you’re feeling yourself tonight, Fox,” I said. “I’m feeling that look, too.”

We headed up to the rooftop. It was an expansive deck that circled around the entire top floor of the building, with incredible views of the city lights and mountains below. At each corner of the deck was a separate swimming pool and hot tub, and behind them, plenty of cabanas and towel stations.

In the center was an outdoor bar, where we stopped to get drinks—margarita for me, martini for Fox, and a cherry Coke for Logan. I still couldn’t get him to let loose and party, and if he didn’t want to, that was his choice.

We headed to the pool at the far east corner of the deck, the one that was the least crowded. For about an hour we swam in the blue lit water. Fox and Logan did some nerdy bonding over the history of New York—Logan was a history buff, and apparently knew more about the city than Fox did, even though he’d never visited. I kicked back, enjoying the stars above. As the night air cooled our wet skin, it finally started to feel a little chilly. By the time we’d hopped into the hot tub, we had it to ourselves.

I leaned over the side of the hot tub, checking my phone.

“Finally,” I said, seeing a notification from the LoveWave app.

Fox and Logan were on either side of me, Fox cradling his third martini of the night. “New Instagram comment?” he asked.

“A guy matched with me on LoveWave,” I said. “He lives back in Kansas. Here. Come look.”

They moved in close, and I read the message out loud.

“Hi there, cutie. I like what I see. Can I get a look at what’s under those tank tops? Xx Brett.”

“Sounds like a waste of time,” Fox said, rolling his eyes.

“What? Not necessarily,” I said. “Let’s check out his profile. Maybe I could meet up with him when I get home.”

Brett had the standard dating app photos—a nice one of him in a restaurant, one where he was on a boat, and one just of his abs in the mirror. He was attractive enough, with brown hair and a nice smile.

As we were looking through his photos, another notification came through.

>>Brett: You up? Didn’t see you were online ;)

“Damn,” I said. “He’s messaging me right now. What should I say?”

Fox sighed. “Tell him you’re busy, obviously.”

“That’s no fun,” I said. “I can play with him a little.”

Fox got a steely look on his face. Logan, on the other hand, seemed fascinated.

“You’ve never used a dating app before, have you?” I asked Logan.

“No way,” he said. “I’ve never really dated anyone, to be honest.”

“Aww,” I said. “Well, you’re still only twenty-one. You don’t have to worry about this stuff.”

“When you were twenty-one, you’d been dating for like, seven years,” Logan said.

“That is true,” I said. “But you’re a lot more pure than I was.

He laughed. “You’re just saying I’m nerdy,” Logan said. “I know I am, Sam. It’s okay. You can say it.”

“You are wonderful, and yes, you’re also nerdy.”

“You should just tell the guy you’re in the hot tub with two other dudes,” Logan offered.

I let my jaw drop. “Wow,” I said. “I did not expect such a bold suggestion from you, Logan. I like it, and I’m proud.”

He grinned. Even without any alcohol in his system, the night was apparently cracking open his usual shell.