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"You have an actual World War I biplane?"

"An exact replica, not an original, but yes. My father has a real, restored World War Two Helldiver. That thing is fun to fly." I grinned. "There's just nothing like open-air flight, Jax. It's a whole other world up there when there's nothing between you and the wind."

"There'd be something up there between me and the wind, alright,” Jax said. “The shit that would fly out of me."

I found a big, flat chunk of granite, set the fish on it, and settled down next to him. "If you can fight a goddamned bear with your bare hands, you can do a loop in my biplane."

He held up his hands. "These are man hands, not bear hands."

I set the knife down and stared at him. "Fuck you." I could only hold the straight face for a moment before I burst into laughter. “That was terrible, and I hate you for it."

"It was the best joke of the year, and you should thank me for it."

"Puns make me stabby."

"So are you gonna stab me with that knife as…pun-ishment?"

I knuckled my forehead. "Jesus, help me." I gestured at the fish with the knife. "Tell me what to do. I know in theory, but…"

"Okay, sure, but first." He just grinned at me for a long moment. "Ever have sex while camping?"

I blinked at him. "No. And we're not—"

"It's fucking in tents."

"Oh my god," I groaned. "Please, please stop. I'll do anything, just stop the puns."

"Anything?" Jax wiggled his eyebrows. "Careful there. I've got a hell of an imagination.”

I pointed at him with the knife. "No. Don't get any weird ideas."

"What counts as weird, though?" He took a long hit, and I could tell it was starting to kick in. "You could unzip that top a little."

My heart thundered. Mainly because I actually considered it. "Jax—"

"I'm kidding."

"Are you, though?"

He groaned, leaning forward away from the wall. “Listen, Tea—"

"I can hear you from here, Jax. You're gonna hurt yourself trying to get closer."

He ignored me and laboriously butt-scooted toward me. His big, rough hand closed around my knife-wielding one. "I was teasing. I'm kinda fucked up right now, so don’t take me too seriously."

"Okay, I won't." That came out too glib, too easy. "Kidding." I wiggled my hand beneath his, uncomfortable with the touch, with the knowledge that, by merely touching my hand, he could so totally disorder my thoughts and tangle my emotions. "Jax, let go."

He didn't. "No, listen. Please."

“ ’Kay."

"Can you look at me?"

“No."

He snorted. "Fine. Sissy."

My gaze shot to his. "Excuse you?"