My stomach flipped, and heat washed up and over my sternum, making a beeline for my neck and cheeks.
“King of hearts,” he guessed quietly.
A beat of silence passed while I collected myself.
“You got it,” I murmured. Embarrassment had me standing abruptly and turning away.
I was stiff from sitting too long as I started pacing the length of the space, but thankfully, the cold couldn’t touch me. I was too wound up and flushed from—from whatever that had been. I’d gotten caught staring like a middle schooler. But Brady wasn’t teasing me for it. In fact, he hadn’t said a word.
I kept up my pacing as he gathered the cards and returned them to the small box.
Ignoring me, Brady moved a bag of mulch under the blankets and used it to recline against. He leaned back and wiggled until the covered bag held a Brady-sized impression, and he got comfortable. Stretching, he extended his long, lean body as far as it would go. The fabric covering his stomach rode up as a sliver of pale, toned midsection became visible.
I swallowed and looked away, ignoring the trail of fine, dark hair that disappeared beneath his jeans.
A groan escaped his lips as he stretched. I definitely didn’t compare it to the sound he’d made when I’d fisted his shirt in the front seat of his truck.
Crossing his hands behind his head, Brady watched me walk from one end of the shed to the other.
“Did you just develop claustrophobia all of a sudden?” he said around a yawn.
My watch told me it was after eleven. It was quiet, but I could hear night sounds outside—insects and the rustling of the grass, probably some small animals.
But I wasn’t afraid of the relatively small space we were trapped in. I was uncomfortable, and I couldn’t put a finger on why. I didn’t like being alone with Brady when I didn’t know what was going on with my body. Between the kiss weeks ago and the way I’d been lusting after his lips just now, I didn’t want to admit that I was probably (definitely) attracted to the boy I’d hated all my life.
If we kept playing cards and getting along, then I’d keep getting my wires crossed. I’d embarrass myself again. And worse, I’d keep smiling and laughing and ... having fun.
“No, I’m not claustrophobic,” I finally answered. “I just want to move around. We’ve been sitting forever, and I’m all stiff.”
“Yeah, you do look tense.”
I glared and then pivoted in the other direction. Pacing didn’t take me but a few steps before I had to turn around again. “Well, we can’t all be laid-back frat bros.”
He chuckled. “Would you prefer I freak out and complain the whole time? We’re stuck. We can’t do a damn thing about it. So I’m making the best of it.”
“Making the best of it?” I practically shrieked, halting in my frantic walking.
“Sure, why not? We’re not going to die. Someone will let us out in the morning, and we can go get some breakfast if you want.”
I stared at him incredulously. “We are trapped. In the cold. We don’t have food or water.”
He held up the half-empty bag of candy.
“Realfood, Brady. What if one of us needs medicine or a doctor? Or a damn bathroom?”
What if I’m having thoughts and I don’t like those thoughts? What if I’m considering grabbing you by the puffy vest and kissing the hell out of you again?
“Do you need to pee?” he asked, oblivious to my internal freakout. “I can face the wall and hum. I think I saw a watering can somewhere.”
“No,” I said quickly when he started to rise, presumably to get a watering can for me to pee into.Jesus Christ. “I’d rather die. Thank you.”
He laughed and lay back down on the makeshift pallet. “Okay, calm down.”
I must have shot laser beams of rage out of my eyes because he quickly backtracked. “Shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
With hands raised in surrender, Brady sat up. “You can be as mad or worried or upset about this as you want. But I’m going to stay positive. As long as both of us don’t panic at the same time, we’ll be okay.”
After a long moment, I nodded. That sort of made sense.
