Sophie looks under her table, then comes over with a white box and hands it to me.
“Ohh, Maevyn, what happened?” she asks.
Maevyn chuckles. “Didn’t stick the landing when I came off the zipline.”
“Surprised you didn’t see the video, babe,” Tom calls over.
I rifle through the contents of the box and find some antiseptic cream, then set the box on the ground beside me.
Maevyn groans. “Can’t believe I gave that little traitor a second s’more.”
We all laugh as I uncap the cream and lightly rub it over the scratches on her back, making Maevyn hiss.
“Sorry, Trickster.” My eyes flick up to her as I keep applying the ointment. I’m used to trading barbs with this woman, but increasingly, our moments have felt softer, more vulnerable. I think I like them just as much.
Turns out faking it with her is real easy.
I see goose bumps rise on her skin as my fingers move over her. Swallowing hard, my mind focuses too deeply on the feel of it. I recap the ointment and throw it back into the medicine box before I fix her clothes back in place.
“Naw, not gonna kiss it better too?” she teases.
My breath catches as I’m reminded of our kiss. When I look up at her, she’s staring at my lips. Is she thinking about it too?
She starts to move away, but my hands grip her waist. She looks down at me, and I stare straight back as I pull her closer and press my lips to her. I feel her shiver through the fabric, and I’m cursing the layers between us.
“Jeez.” Sophie fans her face as she collects the box from beside me. “Maybe I should hurt myself and get Tom to kiss it better.”
“Let me lie down first,” Tom says, joining his wife’s side. “I’ll give you something to fall on.”
Sophie smacks his stomach. “Thomas!”
“Hello.” Lydia comes to stand beside the fire, clipboard in hand, and a full face of makeup despite the laidback setting. “We’re about to start the movie. Feel free to grab a drink. We’ll do another round of s’mores during intermission. Tea and coffee are set up at the back,” she says, pointing to the edge of where the kids are gathered, “and chairs are already set up around the perimeter.”
I stand up, keeping an arm behind Maevyn’s back. “Thanks, Lydia,” I say, dropping my hand further down and squeezing Maevyn’s arse. She yelps in surprise, and I wink at her, causing a blush to rise on her cheeks.
“See you guys at intermission,” Sophie says as she and Tom walk in the direction Lydia pointed.
Lydia’s eyes stay focused on us for a few moments before she walks away. The second she’s out of earshot, Maevyn turns to me, arms crossed over her chest.
“What? She was looking.”
She slaps my shoulder with a sweet chuckle, and I catch her hand before she can pull it away. Her brows pinch in question.
“They’re all looking,” I say.
It might be true. I don’t have a fucking clue. My eyes can’t leave her, and all I know is I like having her close. “Mocha?” I ask, as I drop our hands and link our fingers together.
She nods, and we start walking.
“How are you doing with all this?” I ask, looking around to make sure no one’s close enough to hear.
She blows out a breath, tipping her head back. “I was hoping to see some stars, but I wasn’t expecting this.”
I look up at the night sky, at the clusters of stars that peek through the canopy of branches and leaves. I like the way Maevyn comes across as strong and fiery, but really, there’s a softness to her. Something so precious in the way she loves the little things. Dancing in the kitchen with her daughter. Gazing at the stars. Wanting to fall in love.
“I meant about pretending.”
“Oh.” Her hand fidgets, fingers flexing and palm rubbing against mine. “I think it’s helped that we’ve been getting to know each other over the last few weeks.”
