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He’s shirtless now as he weeds the basketball court, since that’s the only job left that we can do on our own before reinforcements arrive. Tina is picking them up tomorrow.
I don’t know when Eagle grew into his body like this. I haven't seen him shirtless in quite a while, and all I can say about that is that it’s been too long. The hot afternoon sun is making the sweat on his back glisten like gold, and every tug on the weeds and every toss of said weeds into the tall grass bordering the court, sends the defined muscles of his arms and back, and stomach and neck for that matter, rippling in a picture of perfection. It’s certainly mesmerizing me. Maybe it’s just because I’m dead tired from all the carrying and holding and nailing together we’ve been doing. Oh, and the cleaning. I don’t think I’ll ever get the dirt from under my fingernails from all the cleaning. And every time I blow my nose, the snot that comes out is all black and cobwebby. But we did find a bunch of mattresses that look brand new and don’t smell so badly of damp and mildew. When they locked up this place over two decades ago, they wrapped them well in a tarp. It’s one expense of opening this place up again less to worry about. At least for the first season.
I wouldn’t mind sharing one of those mattresses with Eagle.
Whoa, where are these thoughts coming from?
The tiredness. But I can’t deny that he looks damn good in those low-riding black jeans of his, the way they show off that V his abs make just enough to leave you wondering what else might be hidden.
He straightens up, the muscles in his back coiling and uncoiling as perfectly as in a dream and looks at me over his shoulder, grinning like he knows perfectly well that I’ve been checking him out and thinking the stuff I shouldn’t really be thinking.
I grin right back and wave too. Because today’s a new day and the things that shouldn’t be yesterday might be perfect for today.
“So what’s the deal with you two?” Tina asks. She’s standing right next to me, her bulging black backpack on her shoulders. “Because if you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”
She laughs harshly and the sharp pain in my stomach and loud, “No!” in my mind that were the answers to her question are hard to process.
“Relax, Lily,” she says, still smiling. “It’s clear he’s got it bad for you. What’s not so clear is why you’re not making your move.”
“It’s complicated,” I say evasively. But is it really? Still? Back in Pleasantville, we were from different worlds. Here we’re melting together just like we used to and nothing is standing in our way. We’re no longer bouncing off each other. Maybe.
But he hasn’t made any move any which way since we got here. Sure, we’ve been working like slaves, but still.
“Anyway, I’m gonna take off now,” she says. “I’ll be back with the others the day after tomorrow. So that should give you guys the chance to figure it all out.”
She laughs again and I feel my cheeks grow hot.
“Find out what the situation is with Ariana’s accusations,” I say. The cell phone service is non-existent out here, so we’ve had no word one way or another from the outside world.
“Don’t worry about it,” she says, gives me a hurried hug, then strides towards my truck.
“Have a safe trip,” Eagle calls after her.
He’s standing right next to me and I never heard him come up.
He wraps his arm around my shoulders and even though he’s all icky with sweat it’s kinda the most perfect thing he could’ve done.
Tina blasts the horn three times in quick succession, waves to us and then takes off at speed down the bumpy road.
“I think I’ll try to take a swim in the river,” he says. “To wash up. Wanna join me?”
“Naked?” I ask, the word just slips out of my mouth.
Kill me now.
“What?” he asks, looking at me with a cute little lopsided grin.
“What?” I repeat, since maybe I can still pretend I didn’t say anything.
“Yes, naked,” he says and takes him arm off my shoulders. “Or not. Whatever you want. No rules here.”
He strides off towards the golden water, stopping on the bank and grinning over his shoulder again, before proceeding to take off first his boots, and then his jeans. But he leaves his boxers on. And yes, the muscles in his legs and hips match those of his arms, back, and stomach perfectly. He’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen naked. Or seen period.
He wades into the shallows and lets out a roar that could either be extreme pain or extreme pleasure. It’s certainly very wild and sends a flock of birds cawing as they fly from their perch on a distant tree. It also touches something deep in my stomach. Something primal that’s been sleeping for a very long time.
“It’s freezing,” he calls to me. “But it’s nice. You should come too.”
And yes, I think I should. I’ve been holding myself back, very tightly, for a very long time and I don’t want to do that anymore. I don’t see any reason why I should.
