asks, slinging the canteen back around to her front. “Let me see.”
Fuck, no. If she touches me again I don’t think I could stop myself. “Later. Let’s get back to the kids.”
She huffs, but starts toward the camp. I can tell she’s pissed. She doesn’t understand. I want her. This is the first time I’ve felt anything since Amanda died. The dull ache is my chest lifts when I’m around her. It’s fucking scary as hell.
Austin is standing in the middle of the campers, crushing a random beer can using the top of his head. I pray he found it in the damn woods and didn’t bring it. Aubrey giggles.
“Austin …” I say.
He turns around and gives us a salute. “All camper s counted for, sir. You can count them yourselves.”
I snatch the canteen from Aubrey and shove it at Austin’s chest. “Here. You’re welcome.”
***
Aubrey barely looks at me on our way back. She is even walking a few steps ahead of me. She’s still limping on her left side. I want to ask her about it, but she’s still pissed.
Once we get back , the campers go back to get ready before dinner. I grab Aubrey’s elbow and guide her a few steps toward the side.
“Has anybody looked at that side of yours since you fell?”
Her hand automatically goes to curl around her rib. “No, not yet.”
I nod and lick my bottom lip. “I can look at it… if you want.” The hesitance in her eyes scares me. “You can take a look at my back for me. Sound good?”
Biting her thumb nail, she shrugs. “Okay.”
When I open my cabin door I’m so glad Eric’s not here. A few pieces of clothing are scattered around. I pick them up quickly and toss them in the pile of dirty laundry. “Well, this is it,” I say, pulling out our med kit from under my bed.
“Our cabin is bigger than this. They probably knew Cassie’s shoes wouldn’t fit in that closet. Not that she’s going to need them.”
I chuckle. “I take it you didn’t bring a lot of shoes?”
“What in the hell would I need them out here for? Cassie says they make her legs look better.” She laughs.
My eyes travel down her legs. “Well, you don’t need help in the department, darlin’.”
Her cheeks flush, and she hides her face behind her hair. “When Cassie suggested we take these jobs I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get out here.”
Reaching into the freezer, I grapple for our ice pack. “It sounds like you’re not happy you came now.”
“I am,” she nearly shouts. “I just …I didn’t want Jake to come.”
Swallowing, I glance up at her. “I take it you’re not with him now, but w ere you when you got here?”
Sh e gives me a one shoulder shrug and plays with the end of her dirty blonde ponytail. “Not really. He would tell everyone I was his girlfriend, but it hasn’t felt like it in a while. You see how quickly he was to feel up another girl. I only told him I needed a break. Then he does that shit.”
Fuckin’ douchebag . “He doesn’t know how to treat a woman.”
Her gaze lifts to mine. “And you do?”
I try to contain the excitement I’m getting from the fuck me look she’s giving me. “You have no idea,” I whisper. Her eyes widen. I was completely right. This is going to be one hell of a tempting summer . “Come here, let me see your side.”
Her tongue darts out and dampens her lips before she stands in front of me. She looks so small, I could wrap her in my arms and never let go.
“Raise up your shirt,” I say.
Red rushes toward her cheeks, but she lifts her tank. A nice yellowing bruise is running along her ribs. “Christ, does it hurt?”
She nods. “Sometimes. But, I think it’s just bruised.”
It is. I’ve had plenty of injuries, especially working in the lumberyard. “Yeah, I’m going to wrap it, alright? Then you’ll need to ice it twice a day.”
Fuck, no. If she touches me again I don’t think I could stop myself. “Later. Let’s get back to the kids.”
She huffs, but starts toward the camp. I can tell she’s pissed. She doesn’t understand. I want her. This is the first time I’ve felt anything since Amanda died. The dull ache is my chest lifts when I’m around her. It’s fucking scary as hell.
Austin is standing in the middle of the campers, crushing a random beer can using the top of his head. I pray he found it in the damn woods and didn’t bring it. Aubrey giggles.
“Austin …” I say.
He turns around and gives us a salute. “All camper s counted for, sir. You can count them yourselves.”
I snatch the canteen from Aubrey and shove it at Austin’s chest. “Here. You’re welcome.”
***
Aubrey barely looks at me on our way back. She is even walking a few steps ahead of me. She’s still limping on her left side. I want to ask her about it, but she’s still pissed.
Once we get back , the campers go back to get ready before dinner. I grab Aubrey’s elbow and guide her a few steps toward the side.
“Has anybody looked at that side of yours since you fell?”
Her hand automatically goes to curl around her rib. “No, not yet.”
I nod and lick my bottom lip. “I can look at it… if you want.” The hesitance in her eyes scares me. “You can take a look at my back for me. Sound good?”
Biting her thumb nail, she shrugs. “Okay.”
When I open my cabin door I’m so glad Eric’s not here. A few pieces of clothing are scattered around. I pick them up quickly and toss them in the pile of dirty laundry. “Well, this is it,” I say, pulling out our med kit from under my bed.
“Our cabin is bigger than this. They probably knew Cassie’s shoes wouldn’t fit in that closet. Not that she’s going to need them.”
I chuckle. “I take it you didn’t bring a lot of shoes?”
“What in the hell would I need them out here for? Cassie says they make her legs look better.” She laughs.
My eyes travel down her legs. “Well, you don’t need help in the department, darlin’.”
Her cheeks flush, and she hides her face behind her hair. “When Cassie suggested we take these jobs I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to get out here.”
Reaching into the freezer, I grapple for our ice pack. “It sounds like you’re not happy you came now.”
“I am,” she nearly shouts. “I just …I didn’t want Jake to come.”
Swallowing, I glance up at her. “I take it you’re not with him now, but w ere you when you got here?”
Sh e gives me a one shoulder shrug and plays with the end of her dirty blonde ponytail. “Not really. He would tell everyone I was his girlfriend, but it hasn’t felt like it in a while. You see how quickly he was to feel up another girl. I only told him I needed a break. Then he does that shit.”
Fuckin’ douchebag . “He doesn’t know how to treat a woman.”
Her gaze lifts to mine. “And you do?”
I try to contain the excitement I’m getting from the fuck me look she’s giving me. “You have no idea,” I whisper. Her eyes widen. I was completely right. This is going to be one hell of a tempting summer . “Come here, let me see your side.”
Her tongue darts out and dampens her lips before she stands in front of me. She looks so small, I could wrap her in my arms and never let go.
“Raise up your shirt,” I say.
Red rushes toward her cheeks, but she lifts her tank. A nice yellowing bruise is running along her ribs. “Christ, does it hurt?”
She nods. “Sometimes. But, I think it’s just bruised.”
It is. I’ve had plenty of injuries, especially working in the lumberyard. “Yeah, I’m going to wrap it, alright? Then you’ll need to ice it twice a day.”
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