hasn’t been diluted under present circumstances.
For me, it’s been two weeks of reliving that night in the tent. I change our position, the clothes we are or aren’t wearing, and how far we let things go, but it’s always Sam and me and a cold night in a tent. I’ve come up with various titles for my erotic short films. Some of my personal favorites are Battlestar Orgasmica, Fast & Curious, and Position Impossible.
Still, there’s this girlfriend. “Seriously, you’re crazy,” I say again.
“I’m crazy?” She snorts. “Let’s not dissect that one. You’ll forever take gold in crazy. I’ll just say this. I’m pretty sure there’s more to Sam than meets the eye.” She kicks off the wall and heads for the door. “Speaking of Man-candy, he’s waiting outside. Said something about wanting to speak to you alone. I’ll head out with you. Paige and I are gonna check out that Thai place in town.” She glances back then. “Give him a chance, Nina. Let him explain.” A blush warms her cheeks as she adds, “And you’re on your own tomorrow. I’m kayaking with Paige.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Paige, huh?”
She makes her throaty sound. “Yes, Nina, Paige. Say one more thing, and it’ll make my conversations with Sam sound like nursery rhymes.” But she can’t keep from grinning.
Still unsure what her cryptic “let him explain” means, I follow her outside.
Sam is leaning against the driver’s side of his beat-up station wagon, thumbs hooked into his pockets. He’s in his gray T-shirt, dark jeans, and his scuffed, heavy boots. I watch him for a moment, remembering the feel of his weight on me. The way my whole body clenched when he was between my legs. I wanted to rip off his pants and feel the length of him. I wasn’t scared, wasn’t awkward. I was the sex goddess I’ve imagined, and it’s because I was with Sam. Because I trusted him. Knowing he wouldn’t laugh at me for doing something wrong gave me the confidence to let loose.
Things got out of hand in the tent, and as much as I’ve wanted to give in to the fantasies that night inspired, I don’t want to be the other woman. I just wish I knew why it was taking so long for him to leave Lacey. He can’t go on protecting her forever, and he can’t keep stringing me along, either. I’ll have to put an end to his flirting soon or take off and travel with Leigh. My belly falls. Sometime soon.
Unsure how long I’ve been staring at Sam, I look down sharply, taking my lip between my teeth. His boots are in front of my sandals in seconds. “Can we walk for a minute?” he asks.
Leigh pipes up beside me. “Nina can walk. You, however, will likely hobble.”
He shakes his head and pins her with a dark look. “Bite me.”
She doesn’t bat an eye. “I would if I could find your junk. Unfortunately, I left my magnifying glass in the hostel.”
Sam doesn’t miss a beat. “Is it the same one you use to make sure your dick’s tucked between your legs when you pull on your pants?”
Holy crap. I step back as I wait for Leigh to go grenade on Sam. Twice, I’ve witnessed her at her worst. The explosion of curses and comebacks that followed had me ducking in the car to avoid being hit by insults. When she gets started, no one’s safe.
Thankfully, her fury is focused on Sam. “No, needle dick. It’s the one I use to channel the sun and burn fuckers who piss me off. And as much as I’ve enjoyed participating in this stimulating battle of wits, I don’t like taking advantage of the handicapped.”
The staring contest on the heels of Leigh’s words is enough to have Sylvester Stallone begging for mercy. This won’t be good. It won’t end well. As I struggle to breathe, the unthinkable happens. The two of them grin. At each other. This is…different. Maybe they bonded earlier when talking by the car. Maybe they laughed while recounting my many tales of humiliation.
I think I prefer Grenade Leigh.
“Catch you later,” she calls as Paige comes out of the hostel.
I turn to Sam and drag my eyes up his muscled chest, wishing he’d taken off his top in that tent. Blinking, I say, “Walk sounds good.”
He places his hand on the small of my back to guide me forward. Every time he touches me, I become hyperaware of my body: the bend in