Page 11

“So…” Now it was my turn to push, apparently. “Why is your sister hell-bent on setting us up?”

We were on the way out of Columbus, having finished all our errands in record time. When Alex wasn’t pushing, poking, or playing ice-prince he was surprisingly good company. And it was…oddly attractive to see him in his element, arranging, talking, and charming the vendors we visited into giving him what he wanted.

“You’re one to talk. Joe’s nearly as much of an instigator as she is,” Alex interrupted my thoughts with a laugh.

“And my mom.”

“Too true.” Alex shook his head, amused. “Honestly? I think June thinks we’d be good together, as naive and silly as that sounds.” Thus far, we’d avoided the topic of Brendon. Not since the Picstogram post—which I was resolutely refusing to think about .

“June doesn’t even know me.” I frowned. “How could she possibly know that? It makes no sense. Shouldn’t she be…I don’t know…jealous or something? Most people would be pissed an ex was invited to their wedding—not trying to set him up with their brother.”

“June and Roderick are very odd people,” Alex admitted fondly. “I don’t think either of them have a jealous bone in their body.”

That…made sense.

When we’d dated, Roderick had been nothing but smiles. Sometimes I’d wondered if he had the capacity to feel anything but happiness. He never raised his voice, never got mad, never jealous. It was that lack of passion that made us so fundamentally incompatible.

Unlike Alex. Alex, who had big hands, and a big temper, and became pissed off on my behalf—despite the fact he had no reason to be protective of me at all.

Alex, who wanted to spoil people.

Alex, who was apparently…kind of sweet—even if he was still frustrating.

“It’s too bad I’ve sworn off men entirely. Otherwise having this many matchmakers would be useful,” I sighed, gazing out the window as we passed by even more cornfields. I swear to god I’d seen enough over the last two days I was drowning in them. Because Alex hadn’t pushed, and he’d already seen more of the way Brendon treated me than anyone else, it felt natural to open up.

“Brendon was…” It was challenging to sum him up in a single word. And even now, a year after I’d broken it off, it was difficult to speak about him. Like I was being disloyal. Like I expected punishment for the infraction. “Brendon is…hard.”

There.

That was accurate, wasn’t it?

Hard to please. Hard to be around. Hard on me. Hard-handed. Hard-headed.

“Not that you should care. But…”

“I care.” Alex picked up speed, the roads barren of anyone but us. “Of course I care. I’m not heartless. You seem like a good guy. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry that Brendon—” God it felt weird to hear Alex say his name, “sucked enough that you’ll never give another man a chance again.”

He was poking fun. But not in a mean way. Simply pointing out how silly my statement had been. I supposed it did seem rather…depressing.

“You know what the best revenge is after a bad breakup?” Alex continued, taking the exit that would lead us southwest toward Hocking Hills.

“What?”

I knew where this was going, but…didn’t stop it.

“Being blissfully, happily in love with someone else.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes. Again, Alex was nothing if not predictable. “Not posting pictures with handsy men online?”

“That too—” Alex laughed. “But, seriously,” he added. “ Look . I’m not trying to manipulate you into accepting my offer—and also, to be totally honest, as someone who is still hung up on what my shitty ex did, I am far from qualified to give advice—but don’t you think cutting off all possibility of happiness with someone else would be exactly the kind of thing an ass like Brendon would want you to do? He’d want you miserable. The texts he sends you make that pretty clear.”

Oh.

Fuck.

“I guess I never thought of it that way.”

“Food for thought,” Alex replied.

We were quiet for a few tense minutes as I processed what he’d said.

“I’m still not having sex with you,” I teased, because again, it was jarring having him be so nice to me. Alex was the kind of man that kept you on your toes.

“Sex is optional!” Alex chuckled. “Buuuut…for the sake of my promise to be honest, I feel it imperative I inform you that what I’ve got downstairs would be on par with your tastes.”

“Jesus. ”

“Size queen.”

“I really will strangle you.”

“I’m driving.” Alex said, like operating the vehicle gave him immunity. “Mutually assured destruction.”

I glared at him, but there wasn’t any real heat to it. “Are we at a truce now?” I asked because I was curious. “You apologized. I accepted. You helped me. I went along with you on a thousand and a half errands.”

“I want to say no,” Alex replied. “Because if I say yes that means we can’t fight anymore.”

“Something is wrong with you.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t like it too!” Alex’s head tossed back as he chuckled. A dark lock bounced on his forehead as his grin turned wicked, sending a frisson of heat down my spine. Before he could open his mouth and say something flirty, I cut him off.

“So, not a truce. But…maybe sometimes we can be this too.”

“Amicable.” Alex bobbed his head. “Two guys who find their families’ meddling endearing but obnoxious.”

“Too true.”

“Two fellas who may or may not become practice boyfriends,” Alex waggled his eyebrows in a way that was supposed to be enticing, but was more dorky than hot.

“ Maybe ,” I huffed.

“Glad to know we’re on the same page. I’m enjoying our enemies to lovers arc far too much to end it now.” If I hadn’t known he was into romance novels the comment would’ve felt out of place. But I did, so it wasn’t.

“Are we even enemies?” I arched a brow at him. “There’s debate among the book community that in order to be a true enemies to lovers plot line you have to actually be enemies.”

“Romeo and Juliet?”

“Kylo Ren and Rey,” I countered .

“ Star Wars nerd?” Alex’s eyebrows shot up. He looked way too giddy.

“A bit.”

“ Lord of the Rings ?” he inquired, excited. We weren’t talking about enemies to lovers anymore, but I didn’t mind. For the first time in a long time, I was simply content to chat.

“Obviously. Anyone with taste loves Lord of the Rings .”

“Pick a favorite hobbit.”

“Bilbo,” I replied.

“From Lord of the Rings ,” Alex said.

“Bilbo is in the Lord of the Rings .”

“As a side character.”

“Still.” It was difficult not to laugh too.

“Fine, pick a hobbit from The Fellowship ,” Alex tried again.

“Bilbo is in that too.”

“ George ,” Alex admonished.

I squinted, mulling it over. “Frodo.”

“Hmm,” Alex cocked his head to the side as he processed this. “I can see that.” If he was trying to psychoanalyze me based on my hobbit preferences, who was I to stop him?

“Now you pick one.” I waited expectantly.

“Sam.” Alex was quick to answer.

Huh.

“Really? I thought for sure you’d like Merry or Pippin.”

“Because of my merry attitude?”

“Because you’re chaotic. Like a demon,” I replied, and then, “Why Sam?” This was way more fun than I’d ever had talking to anyone else.

“He’s steady,” Alex replied. “Honest. Loyal. And dependable. I admire those qualities.”

“And he can cook,” I tacked on.

“Which is a great skill. I can’t cook for shit. ”

“I can cook.”

“Really?” Alex’s eyes drifted over to me, only long enough for a fizzle of heat to burn between us before his attention returned to the road.

“I make a mean steak,” I added, not sure why I was still talking about my cooking prowess. Was I trying to impress him? Is that what I was doing? Jesus Christ.

“I’m a big steak fan,” Alex purred. “I like meat in general. Don’t care what kind or size.” Was he talking in innuendo again? “And I really like to eat out. Probably my favorite hobby.”

“Eat…out?”

“Mhm. I bet you like to be eaten out—I mean—” Alex coughed, a healthy flush decorating his cheeks. “Sorry. Got distracted by my own…” He cleared his throat, shaking his head. “I’m trying to be good.”

“You’re failing.” I laughed. I couldn’t help it. And once I started, I couldn’t seem to stop. For the second time that day he’d cracked through my exterior. “You…” I covered my face, snorting into my hand, embarrassed by how loud my laugh could be. “We were discussing hobbits! And now you’re talking about eating my…I mean?—”

Oh geez.

Visions of just that assaulted my senses.

Me with my pants around my knees, bent over a kitchen island after I’d cooked Alex a nice steak dinner. Those big, tan hands pulling my cheeks wide enough they stung, as his slick, clever tongue slid inside my hole. He’d be able to keep me in place, hold me open. The memory of the picture he’d taken of his hand on my thigh proved that.

Alex would be greedy about rimming me.

That much was obvious.

Alex would push and lick and suck. He’d use his teeth to make me sob. Shove his tongue in deep—add a finger, then two. Not because he was rushing to fuck me, but simply because he liked the sounds I made when I was full of him.

“Fuck,” Alex swore. Evidently, we’d both been thinking the same thing. I shifted, grateful my jeans hid my arousal fairly well. Alex was not so lucky. His joggers clung to his cock, thick and trapped against his thigh. One of his hands drifted from the wheel to give it a squeeze.

I was tempted to lean over, pull his waistband down, and take it into my mouth.

But…I didn’t.

I wasn’t a one and done type of man.

I was a serial monogamist.

This was flirting, and flirting only.

“What about non-hobbits?” I asked, breaking the silence for a second time. Again, something that was entirely unlike me. “Gimli is my favorite?—”

“Legolas,” Alex blurted. “God. Those legs . I’m a leg guy for sure.” He blinked. “Leg and ass—oh, fuck. His name’s pretty on point, isn’t it?” Again, he glanced at me, but this time his gaze scraped over my thighs. “Blonds too. I love blonds.”

“Is everything that comes out of your mouth filthy?” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Mostly.”

We chatted for another fifteen minutes, trading barbs back and forth. I learned that Alex was a secret nerd. Not even his sister knew about his anime obsession. A fact that immediately made me like him more, as I was a big fan of manga—Japanese comics—myself. I had a giant shelf at home dedicated to my BoysLove collection that no one had ever seen—not even Brendon. It was the one thing I hadn’t wanted him to ruin for me, as he’d ruined most other things.

Eventually, we settled into comfortable silence.

I stole a few glances Alex’s way. And in return, he was touchier than before. Simple, tantalizing brushes of his fingers along my thighs, across my shoulders, as he unnecessarily checked my seatbelt after we stopped for gas .

My stomach growled when we were getting close to the turnoff leading into the mountains. No doubt Mom was already at the cabins cooking up a storm. Despite this, Alex turned off the main road and headed in the wrong direction.

“Where are we going?”

Alex didn’t explain himself. He smiled, dark brows twitching upward as he pulled into the parking lot of a local diner. After he flipped the ignition off, he twisted to look at me, that peculiar air of gentility hanging between us.

It was…addicting.

And I wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

“You’re hungry,” Alex said, not giving me a chance to protest before he was out of his seat and heading around the car. To my surprise, he opened my door, gesturing magnanimously for me to head in front of him.

“You didn’t have to open my door for me,” I protested, my cheeks pinking up.

“True.” Alex’s eyes danced with mirth. “I did it because I wanted to.” And then, because he couldn’t help but ruin everything, he added, “After you, your majesty.”

“Your…majesty?” I echoed, confused.

“You know. King George. King Arthur? Take your pick.”

I laughed, unable to help myself.

Alex groaned, a hand slapping over his chest like he’d been shot. “ Damn , you’ve got such a nice laugh.” It was the exact same thought I’d had about him the day before.

“You’re such a liar.” I just glared at him, settling into our playful routine like it was second nature. When I exited the car and headed toward the cafe’s front door, I resolutely did not look Alex’s way. And if I smiled as I stomped through the parking lot, that was my business and no one else’s.

Alex whistled appreciatively from behind me, trying to inspire another laugh. “Hate to see him leave, love to watch him go,” he called, voice a silky rumble .

I flipped him off.

My secret smile remained.

The food was tasty. Greasy, but tasty. I enjoyed my fries a little too much, hiding my chewing behind my napkin as Alex demolished a massive mushroom Swiss burger. He wiped up the leftover sauce with one of the fries he’d pilfered from my plate, grinning at me as I rolled my eyes.

I ate slower than he did by a fair margin. My bites were normal bites, and his were gigantic.

“Like a baby bird,” Alex cooed, leaning his head on his hand as he watched me. Heat simmered between us. But this time it felt more intimate. Alex’s gaze was darker than before, assessing, like he enjoyed having dinner with me as much as I enjoyed sharing it with him.

A revelation for sure.

Alex’s watch gleamed in the sunlight that streamed through the window, and I glared at him, frustrated it had taken me so long to come up with a comeback.

“Shut up. I do not eat like a bird.”

“What?” he teased, his leg brushing against mine. “I never said it was a bad thing.” He was messing with me again, his blue eyes flashing. “It’s cute.”

“I’m not a bird,” I repeated.

“Chipmunk then?” Alex perked up, no longer resting on his hand. “I could see that. Though…there’s another kind of nut I’d like to see you stick in your mouth.”

I kicked him.

Hard.

He cackled like a hyena, reaching down to rub his shin as his dimples flashed. He sat back up. “There it is. My favorite Georgie face. Look at that little chin dimple?— ”

I slapped a hand over my chin, violated.

“So grumpy. So cute. God, I wanna bite you so bad.” As he spoke, his fingers fiddled with his watch band, metal catching the light. The dark gunmetal color had a stark contrast with his tan skin. The waitress, who had been walking over to refill our drinks, paused, turned around, and walked back the way she’d come.

“You’re terrorizing the employees.”

“Giving them a show, is all,” Alex replied, back to his regular bullshit. “Nothing to worry about, Prissy-Mc-Leggy-Legs.”

Prissy-Mc— what?

“I’m not the one who’s wearing a designer watch on a camping trip.” Ha! Take that. I couldn’t wait to see what he said in reply. I expected Alex to quip back, to flirt again, to smile—anything.

Instead, he clammed up, his eyes growing cold and far, far away. He slid his feet back to his side of the table. No longer within comfortable kicking distance. An invisible wall rose between us.

That same icy wall I’d met at the barbecue.

It wasn’t until it was in place that I realized how open we’d been before it.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, regret pulling at my heartstrings.

What had I said wrong?

The…the watch?

What was so special about it? It was nice, yes. Designer, like I’d said. But upon closer inspection, it looked rather old. Chips in the glass, and if I didn’t know any better, the time was incorrect.

I suppose it didn’t matter, though.

Because I’d obviously fucked up.

This was far from comfortable. And way too close to the way I’d felt when I was with Brendon. I drew into myself, staring at the table, willing the chill in the air to dissipate.

“Sorry,” Alex said, his voice less stiff than before. A pause. “Can I…touch you?”

I nodded. “You don’t need to ask. ”

He certainly hadn’t earlier.

His hand found mine. His skin was colder than before. I relaxed a bit, finding the courage to lift my gaze from the crack in the table I’d been looking at. The ice in Alex’s eyes melted by the second.

“It’s not you,” he whispered, the reassurance helping immensely to soothe my panic. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Alex observed me, a frown on his lips—not because of my comment this time—but because of the way I’d reacted to his displeasure.

I knew I’d shown my cards too obviously.

My fear of retaliation.

He was observant.

He’d seen.

His thumb swiped steadily along the back of my knuckles. A shaky smile spread across his lips. “The watch is a sore spot,” he confessed. “Wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know.”

I nodded, a sharp, jerky motion.

I wanted to ask him why , but I didn’t. One good afternoon didn’t make us any more than strangers. We certainly weren’t friends. And if a single mention of the watch could turn flirty, chatty Alex into a block of ice, then asking him outright about it would be inappropriate.

I’d called him brain-damaged. I’d stabbed him. I’d taken everything he’d given me and responded in kind. But…I didn’t actually want to upset him or make him uncomfortable.

If the swipe of his thumb and his reassurance were any indicator, that feeling was mutual. He’d snapped himself out of whatever had struck him, just to comfort me.

“I won’t bring it up again,” I promised, my voice far weaker than I liked it to be.

“You can,” Alex said immediately. “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. ”

Had I been scared?

I…

Fuck.

“I wasn’t scared,” I lied.

Alex saw right through me. He gave my hand a tight squeeze, heat back in his skin and bleeding into mine. “I won’t scare you again.”

I wanted to believe him.

And I resolved myself to try.

As much as I complained, I actually kind of liked the way he messed with me. It made me feel alive. Like I was desirable. Not a broken husk of a person who didn’t know who he was anymore.

Alex released my hand so I could finish my food. I missed the contact immediately. The waitress came over with the bill shortly after, and I quickly procured my wallet so that I could slip her my card before Alex gave her his.

He paused, card in hand, hovering.

“Split or together?” the waitress asked, tucking my card into her clipboard, waiting for Alex’s as well.

“Together.” I hurried to reply. Alex’s gaze bore a hole into the side of my head. He studied me with an unreadable look on his face.

“Treating me on our second date? How traditional of you,” Alex teased, lips tipping upward. Second date? When had our date first been? Brunch? The last of the lingering tension I’d been carrying since I fucked up slipped away.

“You wish.”

We were the last of the main group to arrive at the cabins. There were four buildings, all knit together in a clearing surrounded by trees covered in leaves as pale as Granny Smith apples. The buildings were fairly large; though, despite that, it was clear the housing situation was going to be more complicated than I’d realized.

Especially as we pulled into the parking lot, and I was shocked to note that Roderick’s family had begun to set up tents along the border of the meadow at the front of the central area.

“Tents?” I asked.

My tone had apparently betrayed my alarm because Alex took pity on me and answered without his usual teasing. “There were supposed to be six cabins, but the listing got double-booked. I had to switch locations last-minute, and this was the biggest place I could find.”

“So, who exactly is going to stay indoors…?” I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to my question, but I asked it anyway.

“The wedding party. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, the older guests, including your parents—and Roderick’s—as well as all the kids.”

“And the rest of us?”

Oh fuck.

I did not like where this was headed.

“We’re in the tents.” Alex did not look disturbed by this at all. Though he did narrow his eyes at me, taking in my rapidly paling skin with curiosity—and dare I say it, concern?

Mortified to be so caught out, I gaped in horror at the nylon—tents were made of nylon, weren’t they?—sweat-box monstrosities at the bottom of the meadow.

“I want to go home.” I decided immediately, turning my attention back to him. “Take me back, Alex. I’ll pay for gas. Hell, I’ll pay for your time too. Think of it like being a Ryde driver.”

“A Ryde driver? ” Alex blinked. Then he laughed, that same lovely sound that had charmed before. “That’s a new one.”

His eyes said, you’re delightful.

They said, don’t worry.

They said, I promise you’ll be okay .

His eyes were liars.

“It’s really not that bad.” His mouth was a liar, too. “Didn’t you ever go camping as a kid?”

“Yes.” I glared at him. “That is exactly why I know I’ll hate it.” I didn’t actually want to leave and go back home to New York. It felt like admitting defeat, plus facing Brendon right after I’d posted that picture was a recipe for disaster. But the idea of staying here was just as unpalatable.

“It’ll be fine.” Alex’s voice was a soothing rumble. He reached over to squeeze my shoulder, this time without asking permission. I was glad. It was unfair how the heat of his grip made me melt.

Stop it, heart, you traitorous whore.

“Why do you hate camping?” Alex asked, instead of dismissing my fears and forcing me from the vehicle.

“The bugs. The animals. The dark. The… dirt . It’s all so…unpredictable.” It didn’t help that I’d lost my luggage and therefore only had like two outfits. Doing laundry would be a lot more difficult if I wasn’t staying in the main cabins.

Alex’s eyes narrowed as he drummed the steering wheel thoughtfully with the hand that wasn’t turning me into goo. “Even though we’ll be in tents, we still get to use the showers—so the dirt problem is easily solved. I’ve got bug spray if you need it, and the yard is fenced off to protect us from rogue critters. I think you’re safe.”

“What about snakes? Snakes can go under fences.”

“How about this? If you see a snake, all you need to do is yell, and I’ll come running.” He was teasing me again, that humorous twinkle in his eyes. His confidence that we’d be okay was as reassuring as his words.

“Do you mean that?” I blinked, fiddling with my seatbelt. “That I can actually come to you if I…you know, need to?”

“Of course I mean that, Georgie. You have my word. If you need someone to take care of any big, bad creepy crawlies, I’ll be your guy.” Releasing the steering wheel, he held out his hand, his pinky extended. I narrowed my eyes at it, unsure how to proceed. “What? You’ve never done a pinky swear before?”

“Of course I’ve pinky sworn,” I huffed. It was just…this felt intimate. Very intimate.

I swallowed, my heart fluttering as I reached out tentatively to lock our pinkies together. He smiled, clasping me tighter before releasing.

“What if your tent is way far away from mine?”

“Knowing our families? I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

It wasn’t until we were hauling our stuff from the car that it became abundantly clear that there were not enough tents for everyone to have their own. I hoped I didn’t get paired with someone who snored. Or…god…someone who didn’t use deodorant .

My family, I trusted to have good hygiene.

Roderick’s? Not so much. I’d grown up with them, after all.

I went to find my mom, figuring she was the one who would know which tent I was in. Alex disappeared, flagged down by his sister and her gaggle of cowgirl boot-wearing bridesmaids. I couldn’t help the way a flare of jealousy twanged inside my chest at the thought of a flock of women fawning over him.

Which was silly.

He’d flirt with a rock if given the opportunity.

Besides, it wasn’t like Alex was mine to be jealous over.

Neither of us was looking for a relationship.

I didn’t want him.

I didn’t.

Not even as a practice boyfriend.

Shut up.

I found Mom knee-deep in blankets, arranging them over the cots in the cabin that was reserved for kids and grandparents.

“Do you know where I’m sleeping?” I inquired.

“Well, hello to you too, dear.” Mom laughed innocently, like she wasn’t a saboteur-ing saboteur. She gestured at the blankets. “Grab a few of these, would you? I can’t reach the top bunks without climbing the ladders.”

I was grateful she’d asked for help.

She was getting old enough that scaling up and down a bunch of rickety wooden rungs wasn’t a good idea. Luckily for both of us, I was tall enough to reach without having to do any climbing at all.

Nodding, I obediently did as I was told. As I gathered bundles of blankets and placed them up high, she tackled the bunks below. After each bed, I glanced over at her, nervously awaiting her answer to my earlier question.

Maybe she’d forgotten?

Or maybe she was waiting until we finished to speak.

Because it was my nature, I fretted the whole time.

Hopefully, they’d pair me with Joe. That wouldn’t be so bad. I loved Joe. It’d be brotherly bonding. Even Lacey and her phone addiction would be preferable to one of Roderick’s stinky cousins. Perhaps I could convince everyone to let me sleep on the floor in the kids’ cabin?

I could stand watch over them—protect them from…bears.

Or something.

The grandparents were too old to fight a grizzly.

It didn’t escape my notice how ironic it was that I was debating signing myself up to be a defender against animals, when only half an hour previously I’d practically begged Alex to do the same for me.

Mom took eons to reply, waiting until I finished setting up the last of the bunk beds. Uncomfortably sweaty from all the reaching and tucking, I offered her a nervous smile.

“I think you already know who you’re staying with,” she said.

The color drained from my cheeks.

“No.”

“It’ll be good for you.”

“Mom—”

“He’s a nice boy. ”

“Yes, I know, but—” I shook my head.

“He’ll take care of you.” She reached out to rub my back. “I even made sure he had one of those little lamps so you don’t have to be alone in the dark.”

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I walked from the cabin in a daze, my feelings at war. Was I relieved? Kind of. Was I horrified? Absolutely.

An entire week.

In a single tent.

With Alex.

Could I survive that? I mean…the car ride had been pleasant. And he had promised to protect me from snakes. So really, it was…convenient. But it also meant we’d be biting each other’s heads off soon enough. And—and— flirting !

Oh dear.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

I had no idea which tent was ours, so I stood in front of the line of them, twitching every time something rustled in the distance. Snakes. Bugs. Creatures with maniacal, dirty little hands. Just dying to get their grubby paws all over me.

I might as well have a heart attack right now.

The trees shook as a gust of wind danced through the leaves, and I shuddered, my ears tucked into my shoulders. I shouldn’t have come here. I should’ve pushed Alex harder to take me back. Why did I agree to this? What had I been thinking? Had it really not occurred to me that I might end up in the wild? While camping?

How stupid could I be?

“C’mere.” Alex’s voice rumbled warm and increasingly familiar as he sidled up to me from whatever dark pit he’d been summoned. His hands closed tight on my tensed shoulders just like they had earlier that day. He kneaded them as we walked. A bolt of lust shot through my body. “I’ll show you to our bed.”

“O-our bed?”

“Oops. Our tent. My bad.” Alex’s voice quaked with mirth. He was just as unsurprised as I was to discover our families had put us together. Despite my anxiety, I relaxed some. Oddly enough, I trusted Alex to keep to his word.

He’d pinky promised.