AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I kind of like that she is. “Hypothermia,” I tell her. “It’s like a truth serum.” It’s not, and she’s a nursing student and knows that. I’m just trying to lighten her mood.
“Ah, so if I get you frozen again, you’ll tell me all your secrets?”
“Is that what you were up to?” I tease, enjoying our easy banter. I like this girl, and she likes me too—according to Dane. But the reason I’m here tonight is to help my buddy out and I can’t let her think there can be more between us. I should lay it all on the line, let her know what I’m all about. For some reason as she clings to me, I can’t seem to spit out the words. “If I tell you my secrets, you’ll have to tell me yours.”
“Tit for tat,” she says.
Fuck, I can’t think about tit right now, or I’m going to put my mouth on the ones pressing against me. The boat rocks and we simply hold on to one another, until I’m worried we’re going to get hypothermia again.
“We should get out. You’re starting to shiver,” I say.
“Yeah.”
I make a move a contortionist would be proud of and twist and turn off the nozzle. The water slows, and I open the door and step out, but the only problem is, I slip on the water that seeped out from the shower door and land on my back, Josie toppling down with me, and that’s when all the blood leaves my brain, and I cup the back of her neck and bring her mouth to mine.
3
Josie
I’m a bundle of freaking nerves sitting next to Jesse in the back seat of Dane’s vehicle. Am I really going to his farm? He teased that he’d teach me to drive a tractor in exchange for teaching him how to pilot a boat, which we never got around to doing. But I didn’t think he was serious. Yet here I am, heading to Bass River with him, Dane, and my best friend, Kendra.
“Carter’s family also does a haunted house and a haunted corn maze,” Jesse tells Kendra joining in the conversation coming from the front seat as I sit here in the back with Jesse, resisting the urge to pinch myself.
Kendra turns to see him. “No way.”
Dane grins at Kendra. “We’ll go tomorrow.”
Her eyes go wide. “It’s okay if we don’t.”
Dane laughs and I pipe in. “I actually think that would be fun.”
“Let’s do it,” Jesse says, and I steal a fast glance at the man beside me and try not to have a panic attack. I’ve seen him since that night we showered together, and kissed deeply, passionately on the small bathroom floor of the boat. We haven’t kissed since, haven’t really been alone like that. When we go out, we’re always ‘double-dating’, and once again, I am not even sure what we’re doing could be called dating.
He offers me a smile that melts my insides despite the cool October air. Will we share a bed at his farmhouse? Maybe the better question is, do I want to?
Yes, God yes, I want to.
Like I said, I’m not sure what is going on with us. I do however notice the glances he casts my way when he thinks I’m not looking, even at the rink after a game. Trust me, I’m always looking. Jesse is hard not to look at which reminds me how much he’s loved by the puck bunnies, and once again makes me wonder, why me?
I’m not sure, and I’m not sure I want to delve too deeply into that. I’m a worrier, an overthinker, yet, for some reason, I just want to enjoy every minute with him and let nature take its course without wondering if this is going anywhere. If someone put a gun to my head and demanded an answer on that, I think I’d say yes, we’re going somewhere—based on the way he looks at me. A little bubble of excitement mingles with the nervousness, and I look straight ahead as Dane pulls the car off the road and a big old farmhouse rises up in the distance.
“Wow, it’s so big,” I say.
Dane chuckles. “That’s what cheese says.”
“What?” I ask.
“Ignore him,” Kendra says. Dane comes from a family of artisanal cheese makers, so I guess that’s an inside joke.
Jesse reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. Does he sense my apprehension? Meeting his family feels like it’s kind of a big deal, and I guess I really want them to like me. I really want a lot of things this weekend, actually.
Jesse’s mother steps outside to greet us, and she’s warm and welcoming, her arms spread to bring me in, and I instantly bond with her. I breathe in the scent of cinnamon as she hugs me tightly. My chest expands, longing for a loving family like this. If I ever have kids, I plan to be a big part of their life, and perhaps I chose to be a nurse over a surgeon so I wouldn’t have to work all hours. It wasn’t much fun being raised by a nanny. I hope that doesn’t sound like a spoiled rich girl problem.
As if privy to my inner thoughts, Jesse’s hand lands on my back, a comforting rub on my shoulder blade. For a guy who is tough as nails on the ice, he’s kind of a softie deep down and I’m enjoying getting to know this side of him.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Campbell.” For a second I almost call her Mrs. Soup. God, I really am nervous, even though I shouldn’t be. I think we’re going to all get along just fine.
“Please call me Carol.”
