“Then it worked. But I’m more impressed by that thing you did with my leg over your shoulder.”
“I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve, you know.”
“Don’t tempt me.” Her eyes took on a dark quality that had me wanting to dive right into them.
I took a piece of bacon and held it in front of her lips, and she took a bite, smiling at me as if I were the damn sun. Apparently, bacon was the way to her heart.
“This is a lot of sweet things, Davis.” She lifted her plate to demonstrate. “I don’t remember you having a sweet tooth.”
“I don’t, but I was really feeling like s’mores for some reason.” I paused as she snorted. “And since they don’t have those this early in the morning…”
She didn’t explain her burst of laughter, taking an apple chai scone and biting into it as though she was attempting to cover it up. Which reminded me of another thing she’d been covering up.
I tugged on the blanket and took a better look at her hip opposite her wildflower tattoo. It was a more subtle image, a small constellation.
“It’s Phoenix.” She watched as I traced the stars. “We each picked a constellation when we named the camp, and I chose this one because… Well, you’re going to think it sounds stupid, but—”
“Starlight was your fresh start.”
“Yeah.” Her voice was just above a whisper. “It’s my home.”
I tried to imagine a younger Autumn starting this new adventure with the hope that it would stick, to the point of branding it on her skin. She’d taken a risk, and it paid off. I didn’t think I’d ever put myself out there like that, and I couldn’t imagine taking such a leap.
The silence stretched between us as I gazed at her skin to the point that I realized it had been too long. I looked up to find Autumn opening her mouth to speak before closing it. Then she went through the same motion before opening her mouth one more time and spitting out whatever she was thinking. “I’m not wrong. It got better, right?”
Ah, thesex.A perfect non sequitur. “Well, I hoped we’d improved since we were teenagers.”
“I’d call it more than just an improvement. You’ve been practicing.”
“That’s not flippant at all,” I joked.
“Fine, I’m proud of you.”
“Not better.”
She smiled from ear to ear, and I wanted to reach out and touch her beautiful lips, wishing they were pressed up against mine.
“So, no regrets?” I asked nervously.
“No regrets.” It sounded like she meant it. “But obviously this can’t go anywhere,” she stated plainly.
I wanted to argue with her. It was where my talents lay. But in this case, she was right.
“I have to say, it was great connecting—literally.”
She sputtered out a laugh, opting not to respond to my cheesy joke. Instead, she changed the subject. “What’s your itinerary for today?”
“Well, to start: we’re gonna be missing morning yoga.”
Autumn’s eyes opened with glee. “That’s the hottest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
A memory of more than one occasion where I’d given her a courtesy wake-up call so she’d get to class on time reminded me how much she detested mornings. I’d forgotten how bad of a morning person she was.
I placed the plate on the tiny nightstand and pushed her hair behind her ear. “Wow, I really had no game when I was younger, huh?”
She took my other hand and kissed my knuckles. “Your game was more like ‘we have twenty minutes until my parents are home…’”
I cringed. We’d never had any time. “That’s right, and you loved it.”
“I wouldn’t say ‘loved,’ but it was effective.”
“Hey, Autumn.”
“Yeah?
“We have an hour until your first class.” I winked.
She pulled me to her and kissed me, her lips tasting like bacon and… Still, for some reason, marshmallows? It was oddly sexy. That made me sound desperate. Who cared? It was satisfying as hell.
She pulled away, tilting her forehead against mine. “Then we better make the most of our time.”
