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“He was trying to show me how to skip rocks,” I say, the excuse sounding lame, even to my ears. But I feel the need to defuse the situation, like I’m stuck in some sort of weird competition between two good friends. And I don’t want it to escalate.
“Are you hungry?” Wyatt asks.
“Starving,” I admit, relieved to be back on neutral territory.
I gently remove my hand from Wyatt’s and push a strand of hair behind my ear. The same ear that Zane just had his tongue on. The memory makes me shiver again.
“Are you cold?” Wyatt asks, noticing.
“No,” I assure him.
I see Jessica watching from the edge of the fire as we walk closer to the flames. They made more of a small bonfire than a campfire. There are a couple of guys standing around a charcoal grill a few feet away, cooking burgers.
“Hamburger or hot dog?” Wyatt asks.
“Hot dog,” I answer without hesitation. I love hot dogs roasted over an open fire.
I help Wyatt remove a package from the cooler, along with some skewers from a bag. We both grab fresh beers as well. Zane reappears as I’m roasting my dog over the open flame and drinking my IPA. Jessica walks right up to him and laces her arm through his, making me wonder if he was being truthful with me before when he said there was nothing between them.
Zane keeps his distance from us while we eat. Wyatt and Benji entertain me for most of the night. I’m tipsy by the time we’re roasting marshmallows, sharing our stash with anyone who wants something sweet. I eat two s’mores before I tap out. Wyatt drifts over to talk to another group.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I ask Benji.
He points to a small building near the parking lot on the edge of the forest.
“Want me to walk you?” he asks.
“Nah,” I say, already moving away. “I’m good. I’ll be right back.”
The sounds of the crackling fire and conversations start to fade as I walk to the restroom. The lighting is dim inside the compact building. I use the facilities quickly, wash my hands, and leave. Right after stepping through the door and leaving the space, the metal frame slams shut behind me. I gasp when I’m pushed against the wood facade, out of sight of the group. Zane’s cleanscent engulfs me as my shocked gaze latches on to his midnight-colored eyes through the shadows. I’m even more surprised that he has me trapped up against a wall.
I know I should probably push him away, but I don’t. I can’t. Right or wrong, I like this roller coaster we’re on. It’s electrifying as I wait to see what will happen. Wondering what he’ll do next.
He doesn’t speak, but he leans against me until we’re one flesh. I almost groan as his hard chest molds into my soft curves. He stares at me, his eyes dropping to my mouth. There’s no more than a brief second or two before his lips crash into mine.
My hands are in his hair, and his are sliding up my waist. They land on my breasts. I arch my back, encouraging him to continue. We’re both out of our minds with lust as we grope and grind against one another. And it feels so good to lose my tight grasp on control. The pad of his thumbs run across my nipples until they harden into sharp points through my shirt as he continues to devour my mouth.
Our chests are heaving when he pulls back a mere inch, speaking against my lips. “You drive me fucking crazy.”
I wrap my leg around his, pulling his hard length toward my aching center. “Same.” I groan when I feel him grind against my sweet spot.
“And I didn’t kiss you that night because you were sad. I kissed you because …” He pauses to nip at my lower lip. “Because I couldn’t stand not to.”
I want to believe him. I want us to be on the same page with this strange, uncontrollable pull I feel toward him. I don’t understand our attraction, and maybe I don’t want to. I just want to experience every minute of it for as long as I’m able to.
“Promise?” I whisper.
He kisses me again, softer this time. “Is it not obvious?”
“Not to me,” I admit.
He doesn’t know that my trust has been shattered recently. That I can’t just let my guard down easily. Automatically. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to again.
The crunch of twigs break beneath shoes as someone approaches the bathroom. I freeze, and Zane chuckles softly.
“Come on,” he says, grabbing my hand and leading me around the building.
I start to pull away from his hold, but he tightens his grip.
