Page 47
Sure enough, when I push the door open with a quiet creak, Matty glances up from his spot on the bed, his phone glowing in his hand. My breath catches as my gaze snags on his bare chest, broad and glistening with a light sheen of sweat. The lamp on the nightstand casts shadows over the ridges of his abs, disappearing below the waistband of his boxers. My mouth goes dry, and I force myself to look away, silently thanking every higher power that he’s alone because a naked Valerie would make me puke.
“Just grabbing my bag,” I manage to say, clearing my throat when I spot it in the corner near a small dresser. “Do you know what room Salem’s in?”
“Christian and Arya’s, I think.” His voice is low, a rasp catching on the words. “They’re sharing a twin bed.”
Well...shit. No room for me then.
“What about Jenna and Hannah?” I ask, trying to mask my growing discomfort.
“Same thing,” he replies, rubbing the back of his neck. “Though Hannah isn’t here right now, my parents took her for a slumber party on their boat. Most of the rooms have a twin except this one and the loft. Tyson’s up there, and Valerie has some air mattresses in her room for her friends.”
“So…where the fuck am I supposed to sleep? In the lake?”
Matty shrugs, patting the bed next to him like it’s no big deal, before going back to scrolling on his phone. My fists clench at my sides.
“No. Hell no. I’m not sharing a bed with you, Matthew.”
His eyes snap to mine, surprise flashing in them before his expression darkens, his jaw tightening. “Why not? We’ve done it before.”
“You know why.”
He drops his phone onto his lap with a sigh, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Every other room is claimed. What else are you going to do, sleep on the floor?”
Yeah, maybe.
But when I glance at the ancient carpet, I grimace. “I’ll just sleep in the Benz with the air conditioning.”
Snatching my bag and his keys off the dresser, I quickly leave the room. Cool night air hits me as I step outside and reach the SUV. After starting the engine, I climb into the back, lowering the seats to lie down. I’ve barely managed to kick off my jeans when the back door yanks open, making me yelp.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Matty stands there in a pair of sweats, arms full. Without waiting for an invitation, he climbs in beside me. “This is my car, man. And you forgot the pillows and blanket.”
A pillow lands in my face as he stretches out on his back, taking up too much room in the already cramped space.
Huffing in frustration, I yank my jeans back on but leave my shirt off. “Go back inside. I don’t want you here.”
“Too bad,” he shoots back, closing his eyes as he gets comfortable. “It’s fucking hot in there, and as I’ve stated, this is my car. If anyone’s leaving, it’s you.”
“Goddammit,” I mutter, rolling away from him and crossing my arms as I seethe silently.
The silence stretches between us, broken only by the soft hum of music from the speakers. Through the sunroof, stars twinkle against the velvet sky, and somewhere in the distance, an owl hoots. The sound sends a suffocating wave of nostalgia through me.
“Remember that Boy Scout trip?” Matty asks softly, remembering the same things I am. Our minds have always been in sync.
Sighing heavily, I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling, sadness tightening my chest. “Yeah.”
His chuckle is quiet, almost wistful, making my heart hurt. “I was so scared. We were lost the whole night.”
“Luckily, we had our tent and packs with us. You wouldn’t even sleep because you were so freaked out about red ants.”
He shudders, turning to glare at me. “You would be too if you’d ever been bitten by one of those bastards. Shit burned like hell.”
“Yeah, and you got bit on the nuts, too,” I laugh despite myself, the memory breaking through the tension. “How the hell did that even happen again?”
“Hell, if I know. I think it crawled up my leg or something.”
We fall silent, the memories of that trip settling over us. We were eleven. Just kids back then.
