Wicked Places (An Ivy Morgan Mystery Book 4) by Lily Harper Hart Page B

you sure this is where we were supposed to come?”
    “Whatever I was feeling earlier is gone,” Ivy said. “You’re right. It’s just an open space in the middle of the woods. I’m sorry for dragging you away from your friends.”
    “I’m not,” Jack said. “I like spending time with you. Even if nothing is here, I’m glad we had a few minutes alone together. It’s okay. I’m kind of relieved there’s nothing here.”
    “I guess,” Ivy said, her eyes distant as they scanned the trees one more time. “I don’t understand why I felt the need to come here. It feels stupid now.”
    “Don’t let it bother you, honey,” Jack said, leading her back in the direction of the camp. “Nothing was lost, and at least now you won’t dwell on it. Let’s go back to camp and take a nap before dinner.”
    Ivy snorted. “Everyone is sitting around camp,” she reminded him. “They’ll know what we’re doing.”
    “I don’t care.”
    “What if I care?”
    “I’ll talk you out of caring,” Jack said, urging Ivy forward with his hand at the small of her back as they exited the clearing. “I have powers of persuasion that will boggle your mind.”
    “I already know that,” Ivy said.
    Jack was almost beyond the tree line when he paused, the hair on the back of his neck standing at attention. He turned swiftly, expecting to find another camper – or even one of his friends back for another round of teasing. The small expanse remained empty, though.
    “What’s wrong?” Ivy asked, instantly on alert.
    “Nothing,” Jack said, shaking his head and forcing a smile. “Now I’m convinced the dogman is out there and I was just checking to make sure he didn’t follow us.”
    “I’m not napping with you if you keep making fun of me.”
    “And we’re done talking about the dogman,” Jack teased, tickling Ivy’s ribs as he cast a final glance over his shoulder. They were alone. He was sure of it.
    So why did he feel like someone was watching them?

Seven
    “ W here are you guys going ?” Maria asked twenty minutes later, her gaze zeroing in on Ivy and Jack as they moved toward their tent.
    “We’re going to take a nap,” Jack replied, not caring in the least that everyone knew sleeping was the furthest thing from his mind.
    “Didn’t you just do that in the woods?” Donnie asked. He sat next to the campfire with Alex and Scott, his expression full of mirth and teasing. “Seriously, are you animals or something?”
    “We didn’t nap in the woods,” Jack replied. “We took a walk.”
    “I think you did more than walk.”
    “Hey, I am not risking getting Poison Ivy in a dangerous place,” Jack shot back, gesturing toward his groin. “Trust me. That will never happen to me.”
    Ivy snorted, her mind going back to an incident shortly after she met Jack. “That’s right,” she said. “Jack knows all about Poison Ivy.”
    “Do tell,” Alex prodded.
    “He just fell in some accidentally one day,” Ivy replied, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing.
    “I still maintain you knew that Poison Ivy was there and wanted me to fall into it,” Jack charged. “That was the first time you saw me with my shirt off. I believe there was actual drool on the floor when you got finished rubbing lotion all over me.”
    “Nice,” Donnie said, pumping his fist. “These are the stories I want to hear.”
    “You’re so full of yourself,” Ivy scoffed. “You cried like a baby when that happened. I’m the one who had to warn you not to put your hands in your pants, otherwise you would’ve really found yourself in a world of hurt.”
    “Oh, that’s priceless,” Alex said, barking out a hoarse laugh. “Poison Ivy brought you and Ivy together, Jack. That’s almost poetic … even if you did cry.”
    “I did not cry,” Jack snapped.
    “You wanted to,” Ivy interjected.
    Jack grabbed her around the waist and pushed her toward their tent. “I’m going to make you cry,” he muttered.
    “You