Page 70 of Goode Vibrations

“Holding me,” she whispered. “For making me feel…understood.”

“I should thank you for the same,” I said.

She gazed at me. Her hand rubbed over my chest. Her grin went crooked, and I knew what she was thinking.

I caught at her hand. “Poppy?”

She frowned. “Yeah?”

“This can just be…this. It doesn’t have to be anything else.”

She blinked at me. Fearful, worried. Conflicted. “I want you more than ever, Errol.”

“I know. Me too.” I pressed my palm to hers. Threaded my fingers into hers. “That will be there, later. For now? Let’s just…enjoy this for what it is.”

Her eyes slid closed, and a sigh escaped. Relief. Gratitude. “I was worried you wouldn’t understand.”

“Poppy. Maybe you’re not understandingme.” I held her hand and palmed her cheek with the other. “I’m sayingIwant it this way, for now. For me. Not just for you.”

Her forehead pressed against my breastbone. “I feel like you actually…see me. Seeme.”

“Because I do.”

A peaceful silence, full of warmth and understanding. “Errol, I…I really don’t want to move, but I’ve got to peesobad.”

I groaned as I let her go. “Oh thank fuck. I’ve had to pee for at least an hour.”

She laughed as I slid out of the bed and out of the van, stretching in the afternoon light. This wasn’t really a campsite, more of a picnic spot on the backside of a day park, which meant there wasn’t anything like a loo, so I just went behind a tree and cut loose. When I came back Poppy was looking around, dancing.

“Um?”

“Not really anywhere to go but behind a tree, unfortunately,” I said. “But, I do have...this.” I dug in a cabinet in the caravan, came back with a roll of TP and a small folding camp shovel. “You ever pee in the woods?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Well, um. You have to dig a hole and squat over it.”

“Why dig a hole? Won’t the pee just soak into the ground?”

I couldn’t help a snicker. “Sure, but um, the hole is so you don’t splatter pee on yourself.”

She bit her lip and blushed. “Oh. Right.” A louder laugh. “Good thing you know this stuff.” She trotted toward a nearby large tree.

“Poppy?” I called after her. “From what I’ve been told, you might have the best luck just taking everything off from the waist down.”

She didn’t stop moving, just gave me a thumbs-up as she vanished behind the tree. I saw the spade moving, a pause, and then a long groan of relief. A few minutes later she returned with the spade and the toilet paper and a disgusted expression.

“Not my favorite thing ever,” she muttered. “I appreciate toilets a lot more, now.”

I laughed. “Wait till the first time you have to do the other. Be glad I keep toilet paper on hand.”

She shuddered. “Can we talk about something else?”

I just laughed harder. “It’s just nature, baby.”

She shook her head. “A little too much nature for this city girl.”

“It wasn’t that bad, was it?”