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We walk back to the campsite, where everyone is doing various things. I don’t really understand the allure of camping. It seems pretty boring to me.
But turns out, the guys know how to make it fun. I don’t know why I’m even surprised. We take a self-guided tour slash hike and then, like life with a bunch of grown men-children, we have friendly, or not so friendly, competitions back at the campsite. Euchre, which I’ve never gotten the hang of, is entertaining to watch, among some other silly card games. We roast hot dogs and make s’mores and then sit around the campfire late into the night.
I wouldn’t say my mind has been changed about camping, but I enjoyed the day and evening more than I expected. As promised, Wade walks me to the restroom, and we’re joined by Dex, Morgan, Gia, and Ruby before all splitting up and going to our respective tents.
It’s as exciting crawling into Wade’s two-person tent as it is awkward. The latter, because I’m joining Wade, and everyone knows it. The guys seem oblivious. Morgan and Gia send me smiles as they say good night, and Ruby shoots suggestive eyebrows and a wink.
After hours of being with the group, the two of us are finally alone.
It’s the first time I’ve been inside the tent. A pallet has been made in the middle—a thin foam mat on the tent floor with sleeping bags on top. But instead of two separate bags, they have been unzipped and are set up for us to share. Two travel-size pillows complete the makeshift bed.
“You got fancy,” I whisper.
He grins but hands me my backpack. I dig out a T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. I glance at him, and he’s not paying attention to me, so I decide to just get changing over with. I pull off my top, leaving myself in my bra and jeans, then I slip on my tank. While I’m not nervous about sleeping with Wade, we are camping, and our friends are nearby. I know I’m going to have to pee at some point, so I’m keeping my bra on.
At the sound of a zipper, I drag my eyes down Wade’s body as he removes his jeans, and my heart rate picks up speed. He’s hunching just a little so his head doesn’t hit the ceiling of the tent. I watch him stand there in his boxer briefs, and he tugs his shirt off. My eyes widen when he doesn’t move.
“That’s what you camp in?” I whisper.
“Not normally, but you’re here and I’m tempted to strip you down as well.” His voice is low and sexy.
“We’re like five feet from Matt’s tent,” I chide him. “We can’t sleep naked.”
“Bernadette, he’s more like fifteen feet away. These campsites are huge. Plus, he doesn’t have x-ray vision. He’s not going to know we’re naked.” His tone is challenging, and my pulse quickens.
I continue to remove my jeans but then make a show of pulling on my shorts. He chuckles and puts on a pair of gym shorts.
I make quick work of removing my contacts. Foregoing my glasses, I set my glasses case near the side of my pillow, then we crawl between the sleeping bags. It’s a small space, and our knees and feet collide.
It’s about sixty degrees outside, so it’s just chilly enough inside our tent that I welcome the heat of Wade’s body. We both get comfy, and I appreciate the fact that he’s made it as comfortable as possible when it comes to sleeping on the ground. We lie there, facing each other. If it weren’t for the small lantern on its lowest setting, it would be pitch black.
“I’m going to turn off the light. That okay?”
I scoff. “I’m not scared of the dark.”
“I wasn’t suggesting it, but I just wanted to make sure you were done getting ready for bed,” he says with just a trace of laughter.
I feel like a dum- dum and quip out a quick, “Sorry” as he turns out the light.
Truth is, I am just a little bit scared of the dark, but I feel safe with Wade.
The tent is blanketed in darkness. He shifts, our bodies close enough to feel the heat radiating off each other. His hand rests on my hip.
“Did you have fun tonight?” he whispers.
“Yeah,” I breathe out as his thumb brushes my bare hip. While he stayed near me the whole night, he never touched me. But he also didn’t pretend I wasn’t there. I had his full attention, which is more than I’ve ever gotten from him when we’ve been in a group setting. The lack of PDA was fine. I’ve only ever brought one boyfriend around my friends. I normally keep my relationships separate from the team, so I’m not sure how I feel about being all touchy and feely around my male teammates.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you all night,” he whispers, his hand now under my shirt, his fingertips gently gripping my skin.
I shift closer to him. “Same,” I breathe.
“I’m glad we agree.” Our lips are only a whisper apart, his words caressing my skin, and my whole body begins to tremble with what’s to come. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
His lips crash into mine, and as his tongue thrusts into my mouth, I smash my body against his. His kisses are demanding, and I want to wrap myself around him, so much so that we become tangled up in each other. He eventually pushes my tank up and over my head. Our words are hushed as we explore each other’s bodies only a feet away from our friends.
While making out in a tent isn’t anything that hasn’t been done before, it all feels a bit scandalous when I think about it. But I don’t want to think. All I want is to be wrapped up in this moment with Wade.
I run my palms over his firm, hard stomach and chest as his own dance across my skin. Our breath ragged and shallow.
