Page 52 of Styx & Stones

“No regrets about the kissing. I may have some about climbing into your lap though, since I can’t get off.”

“Oh God, there are so many puns I could make right now.”

“But you won’t because I’m this close”—she pinches her thumb and forefinger together, barely leaving any space between—“to punching you in the face if you laugh at me one more time.”

I press my lips tightly closed to swallow my laughter. Stones laughs too. It does things to my cock, really good things that I’m sure she’ll be mortified by if I let her keep sitting on me. I reach for the handle and open the door.

It takes a little more maneuvering, but she climbs off me and out onto the grass where she stands, laughing. At me? At us? I don’t know. I don’t care because I have to kiss her again.

I climb out of the car and move toward her, but Alaska has other ideas. She runs. I chase, and when I finally catch up, we go down in a heap in the grass by the side of the road. Her lips meet mine and I roll us so that I’m on top. She wraps her legs around my hips and pulls me closer. “I’m so glad we got out of that car.”

“Yeah, gotta stretch the legs.”

“Stop, revive, survive.”

“What?” I laugh, wondering what the hell she’s talking about.

“It was a thing I heard on an Australian cop show once.”

“You’re so fucking weird.”

“Right back at ya, loner.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ALASKA

Isit huddled nearthe fireplace in our cabin. I’m starving, and I’ve been cursing Styx and his need to see the stupid wilderness since we arrived. As of right now, we have a gas fireplace, a packet of cold hotdogs, and the ingredients for s’mores. A girl can’t survive on marshmallow and graham crackers alone.

I huddle closer to the enclosed fireplace and warm my hands, careful not to let the duvet slip from around my shoulders. This is what I get for following a boy to Disneyland and not packing appropriately.

Outside, in the freezing wilderness of our Big Sur camp, Styx lets out a howl. I shuffle to the window. I’m not opening this door unless he’s produced some kind of caveman skills and created fire.

The idiot jumps up on the picnic table and beats his chest like King Kong. “Stones, you better get your fine ass out here because this guy just created fire.”

I open the door, wincing when the chilly air reaches into the room with icy fingers. “For real?”