Page 93 of Wild Like Us

Hairs stand up on my neck, and I remember, “I lost my rosary.”

“When?”

“This morning. I was looking for it before we hiked over here.”

Akara lets out a laugh. “Fuck, Banks, you loseeverything.”

He’s not wrong. “At least I haven’t lost my fucking mind yet.” I shut another eye.

“You’re in pain?” he finally asks.

“Small headache,” I mumble, breathing through my nose. “It’s nothing.”Don’t puke.

He grimaces. “Doesn’t look small, Banks.”

“I’m fine.” To switch the subject, I land on something I’ve thought about. “Do we know if Sulli has done more with the Rooster than just kiss?”

Akara turns back to watch her. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything to me. But that doesn’t mean much since she shut me out after their break-up. I don’t think she’d tell me, if she did.”

I cinch my eyes closed, more from the migraine, and rake a hand roughly through my hair. “So he could have put his fingers in her.” I open one eye.

Akara’s jaw sets, and he passes me the water bottle. “I’m trying not to think of murder today, Banks, could you please shut up.”

I pop the cap. “I’m just throwing out possibilities.”

“And I’m holding onto the one we know: he didn’t sleep with her.”

“Right on.” I put the water bottle to my lips. Taking a hearty swig, then wiping my mouth with my arm. “I don’t think she gave him a blowie either. He seems like the kind of guy that’d never shut up about it.”

Akara smiles. “Small thanks to that.”

On the rock face, Sulli takes another leap and this time, she grabs the second handhold.

“Get some,” I say under my breath, my chest swelling for her.

Akara is grinning.

Time ticks by, and as the sun starts to lower in the early evening, Sulli finishes climbing. Back on the ground, sweat drips off her forehead and she guzzles water from a CamelBak nozzle, the bladder filled with a couple liters of water.

“I think I can do it in a couple days,” she tells us. “One more practice and I’ll nail it.”

Akara high-fives her, then tickles beneath her armpits.

She squeals, “Kits!” and squirts him with water.

A tinge of jealousy rises.Hate that.But I won’t ever havethatkind of relationship with her. It’s not how we started. It’s not really what I want with her either. Not that I’ve dated that much. That’s Akara’s wheelhouse. But I’m not Akara Kitsuwon.

I’m Banks fuckin’ Moretti.

I pick up my backpack and swing the strap over my shoulder. When I go to carry Sulli’s, she says, “Oh hey, I got that.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” She slings her Patagonia backpack on. “Not too heavy.” She slugs my waist. “I could probably beat you in a footrace with a hundred pounds.”

“Probably.” I slide an arm across her shoulders while she’s next to me.

She intakes an audible breath, then smiles at my arm on her. Sulli even takes my hand that hangs near her bicep and places a kiss on my knuckles.