Chapter 22

Ruby

My heart races as Wyatt and I catch each other staring at one another. He’s such a fucking hot, cut, and hung guy. I can’t stop imagining working that cock.

The heat from the fire is pouring out to the surrounding air, and it matches the burning between my legs.

I love the sound fire makes as it sparks and crackles. The way the little shards of orange light fly up into the night. The bright shapes the flames make. I love the way you can see figures moving about in there.

I’m itching to paint it. And I love the feeling of the heat and pressure on my skin, too. Although, I know what I like better on my skin.

I steady my gaze over at Wyatt sitting next to Jake, fighting. His blonde hair is falling in his eyes, his hands resting on the log. Those hands that were on me…it seems like seconds ago.

Those hands that will be on me again soon, I hope. I’m crazy with happiness here.

Kissing Wyatt is as good as I imagined all those years—even better. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. He’s a hot guy.

I’ve seen the way girls look at him. Maybe he kisses everyone now. Maybe it was a one-time thing.

I tell myself to just enjoy it. To cool off a little. Oh, and to stop staring.

I pull my eyes away, looking down at my phone instead. I haven’t checked social media all day—my best friend had some great mimosas today; that’s cool.

A friend from college really likes posting photos of her pug. And my friend with the twins? They walked today.

God, I’m jealous. I want kids more than anything.

I risk another sneaky glance at Wyatt—more than almost anything. I look back down before he catches me staring like some bimbo.

My boss just keeps messaging. It’s crazy. And getting pretty creepy as well.

What are you wearing?

I’m camping. What do you think I’m wearing?

Ruby, haven’t heard from you in nearly 48 hours. This is bad employee conduct. And, I’m starting to worry! Where are you?

I’m camping, you douche. I told you. I got leave and everything. I have to do something about this when I get back.

I ignore his texts and keep scrolling through social media. Instagram is just a bunch of great-looking summer brunches. I’m way too hungry to look at those.

And more and more messages from my boss keep pouring in. I can’t stand it.

I take Wyatt’s advice and put the phone away. I begin to watch him and Jake fight like they used to.

This whole thing is just like when we were teenagers, except, when we were teenagers, I was just fantasizing that Wyatt would push me up against a tree or sneak off to the billiards room in the house.

I unconsciously touch my lip, and I can feel my body fill with warmth and longing. I force myself to concentrate.

Act cool, Ruby.

“You’ve always been all talk, though, aren’t you?” Jake says.

“Oh, I’m all talk?! How many of those girls you hooked up with in high school actually existed?”

“Ha! More than yours. Who were you holding out for, anyway? You never would say! Wyatt, the tough guy Navy SEAL by day, and secret romantic by night!”

I can feel Wyatt tensing on the log beside me. Wyatt had a crush in high school? This is something I don’t know about, and I’m all fucking ears.

But he changes the topic.

“Nothing of the sort, Jake, my man. Nothing of the sort. I wasn’t saving myself for anyone. Unlike you, I’ve just always gone for quality over quantity.”

“Ah, I think I understand what happened tonight—now. You didn’t just want to go and get any meat for us, you wanted the best meat. Best quality. A really nice tumor-free trout.”

“Exactly, exactly. And I didn’t want your beloved sister to drown, so we got the fuck back to shore.”

“Oh, come off it! You’re a fucking Navy SEAL, and you couldn’t keep the boat steady long enough for a few fish to bite?”

“You have to respect nature, Jakey. That’s something you learn when you fight with the big boys.”

“What? How to respect nature and go hungry? Sounds very practical.”

“A bit of hunger would be good for you. Too busy to make it to the gym these days?” Wyatt says, poking fun.

“Yeah, too busy earning some money. Not just sitting around, lifting weights and hitting cars with hammers so that all the neighborhood chicks will dig me,” Jake hisses back.

“Yeah, that’s exactly why I lift weights,” Wyatt says, entertaining the nonsense. “In the Navy, they don’t actually care how strong you are. That’s not useful to them at all. What’s useful to them is how many neighborhood chicks dig you.”

“Whatever. I call bullshit anyway. Did the SEALs make your brain soft or something?”

“Definitely. It one hundred percent killed my critical thinking skills. Excuse the fuck out of me for trying to help,” Wyatt growls.

“Yeah, I know. You were thinking of me, not just acting like a moron. Always like you. To do a friend a favor. Pity you failed,” Jake continues to prod.

“That I did.”

“Alright, bro, I’m serious. I’m fucking famished. I’m going to catch me a fish. Where’s the fishing pole? I know you have more,” Jake says.

“Jake, it’s like, eleven PM.,” Wyatt argues.

“I’m so hungry, man. I don’t care,” Jake says, blowing off Wyatt’s concern.

He is hungry, I can tell. Jake can be annoying, but he’s never actually bad-tempered unless he’s hungry or tired. And he’s both.

“Fuck, dude. Okay,” Wyatt says. “There’s still one in the back of your car. Don’t lose it.”

He gets up to get the gear, and I hurriedly look down at my phone. Of course, they know I’ve been eavesdropping, but I don’t want to be sucked into their sparring.

Jake sucks me in anyway. Walking past me, he cuffs me gently over the back of the head.

“And, what the fuck did you do, Ruby? I bet you own some of the blame for this lack of food. Stand around, look cute and confused, until big brave Wyatt drags you out of the scary lake? What are you, fifteen again?”

“No, Jake,” I reply coolly. “That’s the sort of thing you would do. Stop getting us confused.”

He just raises an eyebrow, smirking slightly. “We’ll see who’s on their high horse when you guys are chowing into the huge fish I’m about to catch.”

“Get on that horse!” Wyatt encourages him, laughing.

I can see this is all just fun to Wyatt. He’s seen worse.

Jake stalks off to get the gear. Then, a few minutes later, I hear him walking away, down the path.

Now, it’s just Wyatt and me, sitting close on this log—close enough to touch again. And I want to, but I don’t know how to initiate it. Best to play it cool, chill out, see how events unfold…so, I try to just sit back and think.

I look out, seeing that Jake is almost completely out of our view. My heart thrashes in my chest as I turn to Wyatt. He’s giving me a sincere wide smile as he stares into my eyes.

And just like that, I feel fifteen again.