Page 64 of The Burning
“You know who.”
A small laugh shook my shoulders. God, this woman was infuriating, but so damn charming. She practically hated me now, but her jealousy made me happy, as fucked up as that was.
“The only person I have any desire to date is you.”
She jerked her head toward me so quickly I thought it might pop off. “Shush. Don’t say stuff like that.”
I shrugged. “You brought it up.”
I was like an attention-deprived child, causing distraction just to get a rise out of her. She rolled her eyes again and didn’t give me the satisfaction I was craving.
“So, if you’re not planning on spending a romantic night in the back of your truck, then what’s with all this?”
I shook my head. “I have this stuff lying around, I use it to keep myself entertained. No romance involved.”
“Why don’t you just hang out and drink with everyone then? Isn’t this supposed to be one last hurrah for my brother, anyway?”
I rubbed my hand over my leg. It wasn’t hurting for once, but I guess I had formed a habit. “I see your brother every day, lucky me,” I replied. “Someone has to be sober when there are so many variables.”
We both looked toward the noise coming from the campsite. Hollering, laughing, the ruckus was getting louder by the minute.
“You’re the one who decided to take my brother in.”
“Touché.”
“But you’re right about the drinking. I kept worrying about what might happen out here, but then I drank tequila and beer and more beer. I was pretty buzzed, but now it’s wearing off.”
“Yikes. That’s a very direct way of calling me a buzz kill,” I teased.
Her smile grew and she shook her head. “Not what I meant,” she said, a few pieces of hair falling out of the clip and onto her cheeks.
It was hard not to reach over and tuck them behind her ears. Her hair looked so soft and my mind remembered way too clearly how it smelled like vanilla and soap. It was more smooth than usual, which was weird, considering we were in the humid Georgia woods. She always looked beautiful, but I preferred when her strands were wild and unruly, like her mind and spirit.
She caught me staring at her, but it wasn’t as awkward as it should have been. She stared back at me, and it felt like neither of us knew what to say. I was afraid of pissing her off and dredging up the past, so I waited for her to make the next move. She shivered and tried to cover her legs with the blanket.
“Please tell me you have more clothes in your bag. It’s going to be warm during the days, but freezing at night.”
“Your truck has been holding my bag hostage and I forgot to bring a hoodie.” She sighed.
“You can have mine.” I began to take it off before she could stop me. My body always ran hot, and with not one, but two portable heaters aboard, I had no intention of leaving the truck.
She must have been really damn cold, and put my hoodie on without an argument.
“You can take one of my heaters with you to your and Elodie’s tent when you get settled there.”
As much as I didn’t want Elodie’s pregnant body to be cold, I was much more concerned about Karina. She was chronically cold, and I cut myself some slack for putting my friend’s pregnant wife second. Elodie seemed well enough taken care of since Fischer had appointed himself in charge of her lately.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Karina’s voice was cautious and soft.
“What? I’m always nice to you—” I stopped midsentence. “At least I try to be.”
Her eyes left mine and landed on her crossed legs where the blanket was. My white hoodie was too long on her arms, but she already seemed warmer and more comfortable than she had a few minutes ago.
“Well, I guess I better get back to the party. Elodie is probably wondering where I am . . .” she said, making me wish I would have started a better conversation.
“Doesn’t seem like we’re missing out on much.”
In the distance, I could see Mendoza and Gloria hugging, Elodie sitting in a chair with a sleeping bag wrapped around her body, and Fischer standing next to her like a guard dog. There weren’t many other campers around us and for their sake, I was glad. The fewer people, the less chance of something going down.
