“Didn’t you come out here to get away from all of that?” I nod to her phone where she’s probably reading.
“Mmm. Kind of.”
“Why are you breathing so hard?”
“No reason.”
“Booksy. What are you reading?” I know a bit about the books she’s read in the past, but why she’d be reading that here beside me seems an odd choice.
“Nothing.”
I reach for her phone. It’s late and she needs her sleep. If I have to confiscate her technology, then I will.
But her reflexes are a bit quicker than mine, seeing as how I just woke up, that makes sense. And then somehow in the wrestling, I find myself hovering over her. And I know I’m not imagining it. Her breaths are shallow and her eyes are heavy lidded.
“What the hell are you reading?”
“I swear I’m not reading.”
“Then why do I have the mistakable sense that you’re…hot?”
“I’m writing.”
“What?”
“I’m…inspired to write something in my book. By you.”
“Me?”
She nods and I can see the desire in her eyes. For me.
“Em, we’re friends.” Her face falls. “You’ve always wanted to be friends. I don’t want to ruin that.”
“I’ve always wanted to be friends. That’s true. Because it’s safer that way.”
“For who?”
“For everyone.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means…nothing. I don’t want to fight, Jack.”
“You think I do?” I’ll never fight with her. Never. If it’s the last promise I make to myself.
“I don’t know. You’ve been pretty angry with me.”
I lean on my elbow and face her. I can’t believe this. I’m doing everything in my power to not fight with her. To protect her. To save her from the dirty things I want to do with her, and all my efforts are only causing a bigger rift. To hell with it. I’m sick of being the nice guy.
“I’m not angry with you, Booksy.”
“You’re not?”
“No.” I brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I want you so badly that it’s taking everything in me not to pull you into my sleeping bag and pump into you until you scream my name and wake up every living creature in the woods.”
“Jack.”
I thought her tone would be admonishing, but it’s not. She’s aroused. And then she says the words I’ve been waiting to hear for far too long.
