Page 9 of Doink (Rainbow Dorset University)

PEYTON

T here’s something about rain that makes for the perfect conditions for sleeping.

Maybe it’s how dark the skies are. Without the sun, it’s not evident that it’s time to wake up.

It might be the steady white noise that never lets up.

Or the fact that it’s often chilly, innately making you want to curl up under blankets and stay where it’s warm.

I blame this for being the reason I don’t open my eyes until the clock on the wall reads past ten. I can’t remember the last time I woke up so late. When’s the last time I woke up and didn’t head straight for the gym or for a run?

The rain on the cabin tells me I’m doing neither right now.

How can it possibly rain this hard for so long?

Is this island going to be submerged by the time it stops?

The island isn’t large, and it doesn’t rise above the lake surface by much.

It might be worth venturing out today to see how much the lake has risen.

Dana’s head is on my chest. He’s partially draped over me, partially falling off the bed. I chuckle, running my fingers through his hair. The ends are starting to curl. I bet he’s cute as fuck with curls.

My ass feels raw. This man knows how to fuck a guy. There’s nothing hotter than that.

Actually, it’s hard to believe I never really looked at him before now. I must see him almost every single day, and somehow, I never actually saw him. How oblivious of me. Had he been giving me signs he was crushing, but I was too caught up in my damn coach to see it?

Would it have mattered, though? I have a feeling that, before the festival, when Coach told me no outright, it wouldn’t have mattered. No one else existed.

I can’t help but think I wasted months of my life. Years, even. I’ve crushed hard on Coach Lemon since the start of my first year at RDU. How lame am I?

It wasn’t even the festival that actually drilled it into my head that no meant no from Coach. It was the conversation in his office a week later—last week—that has me feeling like a fucking tool. I hadn’t truly understood how my actions were perceived.

Coach was right. I was doing exactly everything he said. I didn’t like his no, so I continued to try for a different answer. That’s the way we’re taught, though. Keep at it. Never give up. When someone tells you no, it doesn’t mean no. It means you’re not the best option. Change that.

What’s left out of that conversation is that it only applies to certain things. Like sports. Careers. Grades. If someone tells you no in scenarios like that, prove their fucking asses wrong. You can be the best quarterback. Work hard until you wipe the field with their no.

It doesn’t, however, apply to people. When someone tells you no, they don’t want your advances, they don’t want your attention—that means no. It ends there.

That doesn’t mean convince them or harass them until they change their mind. That’s what I was doing. I was convinced that Coach would change his mind if I kept trying. Maybe he thought I was teasing. Maybe he didn’t know that I was serious.

Maybe I was a big asshole.

I finally got the message. After feeling like I was an inch tall as Coach reminded me what the fuck no means, I think I finally got the message.

It means no. It means stop. Leave me alone. I don’t like what you’re doing. I’m not interested.

I have texted myself ‘ no means no ’ and keep it unread and pinned to the top of my chats just so I can see it frequently. A reminder to myself that I’m not going to be a toxic male presence in this world. There are enough of them.

I’m happy for that lesson from someone who wanted to teach it, and not someone who wanted to charge me with harassment. I’d have deserved it, but I’m incredibly thankful that it didn’t come to that.

I’m also thankful that, while my crush isn’t entirely gone and my heart still aches like a breakup, I’m able to see those around me now. I can see Dana for the man he is. The sweet man who has flirted, and I was fucking oblivious.

I’m excited to see more of the man he reveals to me.

A streak of lightning lights up the room like the bright morning sun, and a crash of thunder shakes the cabin. Dana bolts upright and looks around, chest heaving. It takes him a second to turn to me, and his eyebrows knit together.

I was right. He’s adorable with those curls forming.

“Peyton,” he says. Not quite a question, but a bit of disbelief in his tone.

I reach up and tug gently at a curl. “I guess the storm isn’t ready to call it quits,” I point out.

He huffs. “Nearly gave me a damn heart attack. I thought a tree was coming through the building.”

“Not quite, though I imagine it’s a possibility.”

Dana gives me a wary look. “Thanks for the comfort,” he deadpans.

I laugh. With my hand in his hair, I tug him down to me and touch my mouth to his. He sighs, letting his body fall back on top of me. I grip his ass cheek and haul him more fully onto the bed, earning myself a smile against my lips.

“It’s weird that you’re here,” he mutters.

“Where did you think I’d go?”

He shakes his head. “I just…” He sighs. “I mean, I guess I’m still partially convinced that I’m going to wake up and this will have been my imagination. You’ve never looked at me twice.”

I bury my hand in his hair and kiss him again. “That’s not a reflection on you, Dana. This is going to sound lame and you’re going to think I’m letting you down easy, but it had nothing at all to do with you and everything to do with me.”

“You’re right. That sounds like an excuse. You blended in with the crowd, Dana. No offense.”

I wince, laughing. “No. Okay, yes, but not just you. Everyone did.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I spent the last two and a half years crushing on a man who was completely unattainable. He never wanted me. He never gave me any indication that he was even the slightest bit interested. Even if it were him here right now, this would not be happening. I’m sure I’d be on the floor because he’s a damn diva queen and would take the bed for himself.

Trust me, it had nothing to do with you and everything to do with my unhealthy obsession with a man I had absolutely no chance with. ”

Dana picks his head up to look at me. “I’m sorry. That must really suck to feel… rejected?”

“Mm,” I agree, nodding. “It does. But you know what? I needed to be told no. For both of us. I’ve wasted a lot of time obsessing, and he’s tired of telling me no nicely. I needed the harder lesson.”

“That’s… good.”

I grin. We both jump when another flash of lightning, immediately followed by a loud boom of thunder, fills the cabin.

“Guess we’re not leaving today,” I say.

“Guess not,” he agrees. “I’m going to use the toilet. My bladder is threatening a revolt otherwise.”

I watch Dana get up. He’s far less self-conscious this morning. Walking around with his semi-hard dick swinging, and his bouncy ass on full display.

Sexy.

I sit up and close my eyes, enjoying the twinge in my ass. Has anyone ever fucked me so good? I’m not sure I’ve ever gotten off quite like that. That’s the magic of being with someone who knows what they’re doing.

Or maybe it’s just the chemistry between us.

After a quick stretch, I get to my feet and head for the stove to restock the wood.

We’d been so focused on getting inside that I hadn’t noticed if there was wood outside to replace what we’re using.

As I’m filling the belly of the stove, I wonder if they chop trees here or bring in chopped wood.

It feels like a lot of energy to bring it in.

I’m just getting to my feet when Dana comes out of the bathroom. He crosses to the counter and ‘ washes ’ his hands with hand sanitizer. “I miss running water,” he says. “Were there any wet wipes in the cabinet?”

I laugh. “You were supposed to take inventory while I made the fire,” I point out.

He joins me a second later, and I pull him against me, my arm around his waist as we enjoy the heat on our skin. “I was distracted from being soaked. I may need another look.” But he makes no move to do so. He leans his weight against me, and for several minutes, we don’t move.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were crushing on me,” I say. “You deserve better than that.”

“I deserve what I say I deserve,” he disagrees. I smile when he turns his face into my shoulder, kissing me. “Besides, we all go through our own shit. I’m happy to be here with you now.”

“Me too,” I say. I’m surprised by just how much I mean that. “I can’t think of someone better to spend this weird date with.”

Dana huffs. “It’s been a great date, Peyton.”

“We’ll see how long you sing that tune while we wait for the storm to break.”

He grins.

“Go investigate again, and I’m going to choose some breakfast after I use the toilet.”

“I suppose I should be grateful that we have a toilet,” he says.

“Unless you want to shit behind a tree in a thunderstorm, I say you count your blessings, hot stuff.”

He laughs as he grabs one of the lanterns from the table and heads back to the cabinet. I use the toilet and he’s right. I miss running water. Even though I don’t piss on my hand and don’t take a shit, using an outhouse always makes me feel like I need to wash.

Especially my feet since they’re bare. Ew.

I cross the room to join Dana in hopes that he found some wet wipes. Which he did, thank fuck. I’m amused when I find him wiping his feet.

“I’m glad I’m not alone in how gross it feels to be walking around barefoot,” I say, and join him in this exciting activity.

Dana snorts. “I’m about to make a confession. I never walk around barefoot. Ever. I always have something hard-soled on my feet because people are gross and unsanitary.”

“Finally. Someone who understands the struggles of being slightly terrified of germs.”

He nods. “Trust me. I get it.” He pulls out a couple pairs of socks. “This is as close as I can find to foot protection, which is better than nothing.”

“That’s a start. See what else you can find in there. I’m checking our shoes for dryness as a pit stop before I check out food. Priorities.”

Dana grins, nods, and turns back to the pantry. I’m laughing inside because we look absolutely ridiculous walking around naked with socks on. Wow. What people would think.

I adjust our shoes under the stove. It doesn’t sit low to the ground, for which I’m thankful, so I shove them fully under it, and they don’t touch. I check on our clothes, arranging them to move the dry items behind the damp ones. With as warm as it is in here, I’m surprised they’re not bone dry.

Finally, I head for the tote of food and dig around inside. I take half of what’s remaining in there for brunch and set up our towels and blankets on the floor again. Dana joins me on the floor and we dig into our meal.

“This food is delicious,” he says.

“If we’re not feeling too gross when we get back to town, we’ll stop for something to eat at the restaurant. It’s my absolute favorite. Just wait until you taste their warm food if you think the cold is good.”

He smiles. “I pulled out a couple MREs that I would be willing to try if it comes down to it. There are also some card games I found. In case we need some entertainment.”

I love the heat in his eyes when I look into them. Somehow, I’m not sure we’re going to need entertainment.