“Do you know that Ash and I used to date? Well, it was more than date, actually. We used to—”
“What the hell, Max?” I stopped peeing as fast as I could. “I said talk, notthat.”
I heard a laugh now, an unfamiliar one. It was Bongani.
“What?” I asked, peeing just a little.
“That makes so much sense now.”
“What makes sense?”
“You two.”
“What about us?” I wasn’t enjoying this line of questioning, but at least it was giving me a chance to empty my bladder, a few words at a time.
“The way you act weirdly around each other. I get it now.”
“Oh my God, that’s ridiculous. We don’t act weirdly around each oth—” I stopped talking when both Bongani and Max chuckled.
“Maybe Max acts weirdly around me, but I’m totally fine with all of this. Why wouldn’t I be fine with having my ex-boyfriend join me for work, not to mention mutual toileting, when I haven’t seen him in thirteen—Crap!” A mosquito had made a beeline for my ass and had bitten me.
“You okay?” Max asked.
“Mosquitoes in places I would rather they not be!” I said, pulling up my pants as quickly as I could. “Stranded with lions, having conversations I really would rather not be having, practically being eaten alive—this evening could not be going better if—Shit. Shit! Oh my God!” I winced a few more times as another three or four little assholes managed to sink their evil claws into me.
This was an actual nightmare. I was living in my own African nightmare. Screw African dreams, because this was not that!
CHAPTER 26
Max
By the time we were rescued and had made it back to the lodge, I was exhausted and all I could think about was climbing intobed.
“Stop scratching,” I said to Ash as we walked to our rooms.
“Can’t help it. I’m dying here.” She continued to scratch at her arm wildly.
I stopped in front of her. “Give me your arm.”
“No, I am not giving you my arm,” she objected obstinately. Fucking hell, it was cute. In fact, that red bite on the tip of her nose was also cute.
“Just give me your arm, Ash.”
“No, I’m fine.” She was scratching so badly, and still not making eye contact with me. It was time to deal with this.
“I think we should talk about what happened last night,” I said suddenly, and she immediately bristled.
“Nothing to talk about,” she replied.
“Ash, you can’t keepnotlooking at me,nottalking to me andnoteating food around me for the rest of the trip because you’re feeling awkward about what happened last night.”
“And what exactly did happen last night?” she asked, finally looking at me. I could see it had taken all her courage and resolve to do that.
“We had too much to drink, things got a bit flirty—very flirty, actually—you tried to kiss me and I—”
“Oh my God, stop!” She put her hands over her face and shook her head wildly. “Let’s never speak about this again. Thanks.” She rushed off down the path, scratching as she went.
“You have no idea how badly I wanted to kiss you,” I called after her, which stopped her dead in her tracks. “It took all my willpower last night not to, Ash.”
