Page 31 of Wildfire
There’s no way that Clay can help pull me across with Emilia on his shoulders, which means I’m really going to have to jump. The urge to just step off the platform and make us lose is overwhelming. “I’m scared,” I yell, trying and failing to visualize myself being ableto cover the distance. There’s a lot more room now that I’m over here on my own, but it’s not enough for me to run before jumping.
“You can do it, Rory,” Emilia shouts from above Clay. “Please do it quickly, though. I think I’m developing a fear of heights.”
“I don’t think I can…”
“Aurora,” Russ says softly, shuffling so his body is the one closest to the last space on the platform. “Look at me. You can do it, you just need to jump toward my arms and I’ll catch you, okay?”
“What if you fall?”
“Then we’ll fall together.” He smiles at me, and my heart bashes brutally against my chest like the traitor it is. We’re not supposed to be caring about anything, remember? “And Xander can be pissed at both of us.”
“I will be pissed at both of you,” he grumbles.
“Ignore him, just look at me,” Russ says. “I believe in you. Take a deep breath. I’m going to count down from three and then I want you to jump as far as you can.”
“And you’ll catch me?”
“I promise I’ll catch you. Three… Two…”
He leans forward with his arms out and I zone out when he reaches one, instead concentrating on launching my body toward his. His hands are on my arms almost immediately, dragging me forward until I hit his chest.
“Brown Bears! Thirty seconds to be the winners,” Orla announces through her megaphone.
“Nobody fucking move,” Xander snaps.
I wiggle my arms free from the position they’re locked in against Russ’s chest, but he doesn’t loosen his grip on me, and my body stays flush against his, keeping us both on the platform. He smells like clean laundry, sandalwood, and vanilla, and when I look up toward his face, his eyes are shut tight and he’s quietly muttering names of hockey teams.
And then I feel it against my stomach and his hold on me finally loosens, but it’s too late.
It’s the slowest thirty seconds in history, as Russ desperately tries to lose the boner pressing into me.
“Brown Bears win!” Orla announces, much to Xander’s delight.
I step off the platform and away from Russ. Thankfully the other guys are distracted by getting Maya and Emilia off their shoulders, and when Russ looks at me, I can’t help but wink.
His blush reaches his ears this time.
Chapter TenRUSS
“ARE YOU GOING TO SAYsomething, or are you just going to stare at me?”
JJ doesn’t change the smug look on his face, and it’s making me want to disconnect the video call. “I’m just honored, although not surprised, that you’re calling me for life advice. What can I do for you, buddy? You need to know how interest works? What a 401(k) is?”
“Yes, I called you from camp to find out about retirement plans,” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. “I should have called Nate.”
“Take that back right now.” JJ, who was lying on his couch, sits upright. “You have my full attention. What’s up?”
I’m in the main building during our lunch break because it’s the only place to get Wi-Fi. I check around me to make sure I’m still alone. “Aurora. The girl I hooked up with on Saturday night. She’s here.”
“Sweet. I love a summer romance,” he says cheerfully.
“No. There’s no romance here. She, uh, she left while I was in the bathroom.” I sink farther into my seat, embarrassed to be admitting I was walked out on to my friend. “And also staff isn’t allowed to mess around together, but even if we were, she isn’t interested.”
JJ sits in silence and I’m busy waiting for him to react. “Russ, you’re going to have to explain it to me like I’m five, because I’m not following what the issue is here.”
“I was hyping myself up to ask her out, and when I came out of the bathroom she had already gone. Embarrassing, I know, but now it’s awkward because we’re both here and I’ve been staying away from her, an—”
“Back up, Callaghan. You like this woman and you’re staying away from her why?”
