Chapter 277: Micah Testing the Waters and Drowning in Silence
Clyde stood by the edge of the lake, unmoving, one hand slowly rising to pinch the bridge of his nose.
What the hell was Micah thinking?
The boy had just stripped down to his underwear, right in front of him, without a second thought. No shame. No hesitation. Just pure recklessness.
He really needed to teach Micah some damn self-awareness.
Clyde sighed, hard and low. He was confident in his own restraint, sure. But for a split second back there, he had felt something give. Something flickers, hot and dangerous, at the edge of his control. And if even he, with his iron will, felt that...
What if someone else had been here?
What if some creep saw Micah like that, wet skin, flushed cheeks, that sharp collarbone and narrow waist, all exposed under the sunlight, with no one else around?
Damn it.
Clyde gritted his teeth. Micah was really going to be the death of him. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought the others. What if those three idiots wandered over now and saw him like this? Saw Micah soaking wet, half naked, laughing like some mythical nymph who had never known danger?
They would tease him, say Micah was seducing him on purpose. Oh god. They would never believe it was just Micah being careless and painfully innocent.
"Hey!" Micah’s voice rang out across the clearing, echoing over the rushing waterfall. "Come down too!"
Clyde didn’t move. His expression was flat as he stared at the water.