surprised me. “No, really. This assignment can’t be right.”
“It’s no treat for me either. They roomed me with the one girl who doesn’t put out.”
I rolled my eyes and freed the purple fitted sheet from my bag. “And don’t you forget it.” I popped the pleated elastic over one end of the mattress. The fresh laundry smell of the fabric softener helped alleviate the tent smell. “Get the other side.”
Trey knelt to get both ends. “Sometimes you sound like Coach.”
“I know. Sorry.” I crawled up the mattress and shoved the sheet over the edge. The back of my fingers scraped the rough tent wall, making a giant rusty screech. I withdrew my fingers with more care, thinking how happy I’d be never to hear a fresh manicure against canvas ever again. I looked from the end of the inflated mattress to the few inches of space at the entry. Given the size of Trey, he had nowhere else to go. “Stay on your side of the mattress.”
Trey nodded.
***
The thumping sound of the rain discouraged any attempts to leave the tent. “You’re still shaking the air mattress,” Trey said.
“I’m c-o-l-d.” I shivered again and clutched the blanket tighter.
Trey sighed and rolled to the center. His weight caused me to roll toward him and we met in the middle, only a few inches apart. He threw his arm over my waist, and I moved closer to his heat. The move might have been exciting if the air weren’t freezing.
“T-h-a-n-k-s,” I said.
He rubbed a hand against my back. So warm, he practically radiated heat. I snuggled closer. His warmth made me shiver again and it felt great.
“They have a bonfire going.”
“It’s too c-o-l-d. I’m not leaving the blankets.” I tightened my arms around him. “And you have to stay here ‘til I warm up. You’re so warm. And you smell nice. I’m so glad you’re my roommate.”
Trey stiffened. “Why are you being nice to me?”
“You’re warm.” I clutched him and dropped my forehead to his chest.
Trey laughed and kissed my neck. “Fine.”
Tingles radiated from the spot where his lips touched. “Do that again.”
Trey pulled away and searched for my eyes. The darkness inside the tent made it hard to read him, so I gave up trying and closed my eyes. He leaned down, and his mouth was on mine. Warm, open, sure. He tasted like hot chocolate and summer. I dug my hands into his hair and moved closer, opening my mouth, kissing him back. He was big and warm and--.
Someone banged on the outside of our tent, causing the canvas to rattle. “Hey, Trey. You in there?” Ian asked. There was a squeal from the metal zip, then a curse word when the tab stuck.
I rolled away, flat on my back, and put an arm over my eyes. My heart pounded and I blew out a breath.
Trey lifted his head and told Ian where he could go.
Their back and forth ruined the intimate atmosphere. I turned on my other side, feeling warm and tired now that my whole body was no longer tense. I patted my pillow. “Night,” I said, my voice sounding slurred in my relaxed sleepy state.
***
Creak.
I rubbed my eyes and blinked. The pillow beside me bore an imprint but the tent was empty and Trey was gone. How Trey of him.
Creak.
I looked up. The roof of the tent slowly bent and folded toward me. Weird. When the plastic touched my face, I came fully awake and scrambled for the exit. I yanked the zip up to its maximum height and dove through the hole. My hands and knees sank into new mud as I pulled to freedom.
Chapter Six
The morning air nipped at my face as I rinsed mud off my hands with a jug of half-frozen water. The runoff caused the prairie dog dirt to liquefy and pool around my cream ballet flats. I inched back and continued to pour. When my fingers grew numb, I hurried to finish and joined the others by the fire.
I sank onto a fallen log, pulled my sweater over my knees to hide the mud stains, and stretched my fingers toward the flames. Most of the campers did what I was
“It’s no treat for me either. They roomed me with the one girl who doesn’t put out.”
I rolled my eyes and freed the purple fitted sheet from my bag. “And don’t you forget it.” I popped the pleated elastic over one end of the mattress. The fresh laundry smell of the fabric softener helped alleviate the tent smell. “Get the other side.”
Trey knelt to get both ends. “Sometimes you sound like Coach.”
“I know. Sorry.” I crawled up the mattress and shoved the sheet over the edge. The back of my fingers scraped the rough tent wall, making a giant rusty screech. I withdrew my fingers with more care, thinking how happy I’d be never to hear a fresh manicure against canvas ever again. I looked from the end of the inflated mattress to the few inches of space at the entry. Given the size of Trey, he had nowhere else to go. “Stay on your side of the mattress.”
Trey nodded.
***
The thumping sound of the rain discouraged any attempts to leave the tent. “You’re still shaking the air mattress,” Trey said.
“I’m c-o-l-d.” I shivered again and clutched the blanket tighter.
Trey sighed and rolled to the center. His weight caused me to roll toward him and we met in the middle, only a few inches apart. He threw his arm over my waist, and I moved closer to his heat. The move might have been exciting if the air weren’t freezing.
“T-h-a-n-k-s,” I said.
He rubbed a hand against my back. So warm, he practically radiated heat. I snuggled closer. His warmth made me shiver again and it felt great.
“They have a bonfire going.”
“It’s too c-o-l-d. I’m not leaving the blankets.” I tightened my arms around him. “And you have to stay here ‘til I warm up. You’re so warm. And you smell nice. I’m so glad you’re my roommate.”
Trey stiffened. “Why are you being nice to me?”
“You’re warm.” I clutched him and dropped my forehead to his chest.
Trey laughed and kissed my neck. “Fine.”
Tingles radiated from the spot where his lips touched. “Do that again.”
Trey pulled away and searched for my eyes. The darkness inside the tent made it hard to read him, so I gave up trying and closed my eyes. He leaned down, and his mouth was on mine. Warm, open, sure. He tasted like hot chocolate and summer. I dug my hands into his hair and moved closer, opening my mouth, kissing him back. He was big and warm and--.
Someone banged on the outside of our tent, causing the canvas to rattle. “Hey, Trey. You in there?” Ian asked. There was a squeal from the metal zip, then a curse word when the tab stuck.
I rolled away, flat on my back, and put an arm over my eyes. My heart pounded and I blew out a breath.
Trey lifted his head and told Ian where he could go.
Their back and forth ruined the intimate atmosphere. I turned on my other side, feeling warm and tired now that my whole body was no longer tense. I patted my pillow. “Night,” I said, my voice sounding slurred in my relaxed sleepy state.
***
Creak.
I rubbed my eyes and blinked. The pillow beside me bore an imprint but the tent was empty and Trey was gone. How Trey of him.
Creak.
I looked up. The roof of the tent slowly bent and folded toward me. Weird. When the plastic touched my face, I came fully awake and scrambled for the exit. I yanked the zip up to its maximum height and dove through the hole. My hands and knees sank into new mud as I pulled to freedom.
Chapter Six
The morning air nipped at my face as I rinsed mud off my hands with a jug of half-frozen water. The runoff caused the prairie dog dirt to liquefy and pool around my cream ballet flats. I inched back and continued to pour. When my fingers grew numb, I hurried to finish and joined the others by the fire.
I sank onto a fallen log, pulled my sweater over my knees to hide the mud stains, and stretched my fingers toward the flames. Most of the campers did what I was
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