A knock at the RV door jerked me back into place underneath the low-pressure, lukewarm water.
I turned off the shower and stepped out. Another knock sounded as I tugged on my robe. “Coming!”
On my way to the door, I tossed things into drawers. Amid our practice sessions, we hadn’t been keeping the RV clean. Everything from snacks, wooden arrows, and garlic necklaces. I shoved a couple of signed copies ofYour Ghost, Your Storyinto the microwave before fixing my high bun in the reflection.
The nerves in my belly whenever I expected to see Octavia felt like I was gearing up to unwrap something new and untouched. It was Christmas when I was still young enough to believe in flying reindeer.
When I opened the door, she stood there looking up at me with her bottom lip between her teeth. Her arms werefull of some knitwear, clutched to her chest like a shield. Half her body turned to the house, leaning toward it as if it had a magnetic pull.
“Hi.” My voice was unusually high. I tugged at the robe, trying to cover more of my chest.
“Hey.” Octavia's throat bobbed. Her gaze strayed to my legs, the most skin she’d ever seen from me. I’d already got a glimpse of her post-shower over a month ago, so it felt fair to let her enjoy the same for a moment.
“Hi,” I repeated with a small smile. The nervousness in my stomach lessened when her brow shot up. She released her lip and an inaudible sigh to go with it.
“Hey.”
We stood there like two teens who didn’t know how to make sense of the world, much less the warring feelings of a body in hormonal chaos. I shouldn’t do it. Every part of me screamed not to, but I said, “Come in. You can hang out in the kitchen for a second while I get on some clothes.”
“Okay, sure.” Octavia paused on the first step, taking a beat before she followed me up the stairs, shutting the door behind us. “I’ve never been in one of these before.”
“Really?” I asked, gazing over my shoulder to see her taking everything in.
It was surreal having her in this space. In this world. She didn’t quite fit, her earthy tones clashing with the vibrant neon decor. But I loved it. She was a pine tree surrounded by palms.
I disappeared into the bedroom at the back, grabbing underwear, sweats, and a tee.
From a distance, Octavia’s voice was muffled as she said, “It’s bigger than I thought it’d be. Smells nicer, too.”
I snorted as I tugged on the tee, banging my elbow intothe wall because of how quickly I moved. “Why wouldn’t it smell nice?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I just imagined it’d smell funny. Enclosed places like this always smell like burnt rubber or old eggs, you know?”
I pulled on the sweats, nearly falling on my ass.
Rae, I scolded myself.Slow down. She’s just a woman.
Yeah, there was no ‘just’ about her.
I pressed my hands against the wall, taking a breath to calm my excitement before starting back out.
Octavia’s forehead wrinkled as she examined the bulletin board December had put up. “These are all the places you guys have had cases?”
I nodded, joining her side. She smelled of fresh linen. I longed to press kisses against her exposed collarbone.
“You’ve been everywhere,” Octavia marveled, not pulling her gaze away from the map. “Twice over…what are all those?” She pointed to a cluster of pins. “The same job?”
“All different. Those are the hotspots we’re monitoring. It’s a long-term project.”
Octavia pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, forehead wrinkled. “Does it ever make you nervous? Not knowing what’s next? That always used to make me so nervous.”
Her warm, brown skin glowed under our dim lights. Her hair was down, locs flowing past her shoulders in a lovely wave. And I wanted to massage that wrinkle right out of her brow. Coax the relaxation of her jawline using nothing but my lips.
“Sometimes.” I dug my nails into my palm, pushing away the urge to “accidentally” bump the back of my hand against hers. I stood close enough to feel her heat. Smell worn leather and peppermint oil on her skin.
“How do you deal with it?” She finally looked at me, eyes flickering to how tightly I held my hands.
“Get busy.” I clasped my hands behind my back. “Distract myself with writing or research. Those always are…nice guiding posts.”
