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Chapter Nine
Cigarettes, Sex, and Everest.
I just happened to look out my window on Wednesday night to see him standing next to his ute. There was a dark pile of something in the tray and a spark of orange at his hand.
I held up a hand to him with a smile, pulled my ugg boots on over my socks, headed downstairs, and opened the back door.
“Hey,” I said as he jumped onto the porch.
“Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“Well… I’ve loaded the tray up with blankets and wondered if you wanted to go and watch the stars with me?”
“That almost sounds romantic,” I pretended to chastise him.
He smirked, but his eyes were hard. “Yeah, or it sounds like it’s been pouring rain all day and I don’t want to sit on the wet lakeshore like a pussy.”
“Okay, less romantic,” I laughed, approving.
His eyes softened slightly. “You don’t have to come. But, I thought you might like to hang out.”
That stopped me in my tracks. “You okay?”
He looked behind me and shrugged nonchalantly. “Not really.”
“You want some company though?”
There was that shrug again. “What can I say, Barlow? I feel better when we’re not saying anything.”
I nodded, a little bubble of warmth growing in my chest. I knew what he meant and I was glad it wasn’t all one-sided. “Okay, sounds good. Let me just leave Mum and Dad a note, yeah?”
He finally looked back at me and smiled. “Take all the time you want.”
I paused for some unknown reason, then popped back inside to leave my parents a note saying I was out and safe, and would be back. I wasn’t in my warmest clothes. But if he had blankets, I was sure I’d be fine.
I jumped back out the door and he looked down at me.
“Not changing?”
“Do I need to?” I asked, looking down at my shorts and knee-high ugg boots.
“Doesn’t bother me.”
“Oh, won’t you keep me warm, Roman?” I teased and he chuckled as we got into the car.
“You just have to say the word, Piper, and I’ll keep you warmallnight long.”
“Oh, and now you’ve ruined it!” I said sarcastically.
“I’m not apologising,” he said as he started driving.
“Good. If you did, I’d be worried you got abducted by aliens or something.”
He laughed that big, open laugh. “If I ever apologise, you’ll know I’m being held hostage.”
I giggled. “That will definitely be your tell.”
