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She rolls her eyes and starts down the ladder. “You know I keep telling myself to take the high road, but with you I find it absolutely impossible. Why do you have to be so rude all the time? Are you like this with everyone in your life?”
“Just people who try to take advantage of others.”
My comment is very clearly referring to the time she took my wallet and we both know it. She grinds her teeth and is about to let out a string of words sure to send me into an equally annoyed rage, but then she turns on her heel, storms into the bathroom, and slams the door behind her. The whole cabin shakes.
“I’d like to be reassigned to a new cabin!” she shouts through the wood. “If I’m going to have to deal with you all day, I need a break at night.”
“Too bad.”
“What?” she shouts.
I raise my voice so she can hear me through the door. “Too bad!”
The door flings open and she stands there with her toothbrush in her mouth, white suds foaming at the corners. “Why do you even want me in here with you anyway? I know you don’t like me any more than I like you.”
With the toothbrush in the way, her words come out warbled, but I still understand her perfectly.
“Keep your enemies close,” is the only response I deign to give her before I flop back on my bed. I’d grab my paperback and start reading, but, well, that’s not an option. Instead, I fold my hands behind my head and stare up at the bottom of her bunk.
She spits out her toothpaste in the sink, the faucet runs for a few seconds, and then she’s back out here. This cabin feels as confining as a jail cell when we’re both in it, like two caged animals.
My eyes go to her—as they always do when she enters a room—and I watch as she stalks over and leans down, her head dipping beneath the bunk. Her hair grazes my bare chest. Blood rushes south without my consent.
“Just to be clear, anything that happens in this cabin is outside of work. Is that clear? From dusk till dawn, I’ll be sweet and doting, will fulfill your every need—but when we’re in this cabin, don’t expect me to treat you like my boss.”
I can’t help the snide smirk that curls the edge of my mouth. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. As long as you’re on this property, I’m always your boss.”
Yes, Ethan, you’re always her boss, so stop trying to sneak glances down the top of her shirt.
She fists her hands by her sides, swallows whatever retort was forming on her tongue, and hurries up the ladder, apparently ready to be done with me.
I have no choice but to stand to turn the lamp off. The cabin’s plunged into complete darkness. I have no clue what time it is. I don’t even feel tired, but there’s nothing else for us to do out here unless we want to kiss and make up, and right now we’re probably closer to biting than kissing.
“Oh, and I wasn’t going to mention it because I knew you’d only accuse me of snooping, but what does it matter now? Your opinion of me can’t get any worse—”
“Just say it,” I snap.
I can sense her desire to strangle me as she speaks with a clipped tone. “A woman named Isla texted you while I was on the phone. I didn’t try to read it, but it popped up, and well…she’s wondering where you’ve been.”
“So you read my text messages?” I ask, sounding pissed.
“Like I said, I couldn’t help it. Also, I was a little curious. Who would possibly want to text you? Finding out it was a woman wanting to know where you were was shocking to say the least. She should count her blessings that she can’t find you. I’d love to be in that predicament.”
I’m grinning now, utterly annoyed and yet entertained nonetheless.
“Trying to get rid of me, Taylor?”
“A girl can dream.”
“Then why’d you come back to the cabin?”
“It wasn’t by choice. In fact, last week, I slept in an old truck instead of bunking here with you. That’s how desperate I am.”
In a truck? That’s where she’s been?!
I turn onto my side and stare at the wall. Cicadas fill the quiet until Taylor speaks up again.
“And just for the record, if I still had the option, I’d be in that truck right now.”
“Are you going to keep doing that all night?”
“What?”
“Talking.”
She growls and her sheets rustle as she turns over, probably facing the wall too, probably wondering how she can pull off killing me in my sleep.Chapter 18TaylorIsla…Isla…Isla… Who is she and why is she texting Ethan? If she were in my shoes, she’d know better. He’s not worthy of a text. He’s not worthy of a polite greeting at this point! He’s under my skin and going nowhere, and even when we’re not together, my annoyance and hatred of him seem to fester. He’s just so…so arrogant! And rude! And coldhearted! I cannot believe he hung up on my mom. It was my first phone call with her in two weeks where I could actually hear her clearly. All our previous calls were more like poor parodies of those old Sprint commercials. “Can you hear me now?”
