that Troy was revealing more of himself to her. She wanted to know everything about him.
“My dad was an Eagle Scout and thought it was important, I guess. I learned all those knots, how to make a fire—”
“Obviously, he skipped tent-building.”
Troy shook his head. “Can’t let one by, huh?”
“Not with you.”
Troy stopped and he crossed his arms in front of his broad chest. “Why is that?”
Elle was confused. “What do you mean?”
“You and me. We’re always, I don’t know, giving each other crap. Why is that?”
Elle was more than confused—she was stunned. She thought that was a positive thing in their relationship. He kept her on her toes and she had assumed she did the same for him. Was she wrong?
“That’s just how we are, I guess.” She shrugged, not knowing what else to say.
“I’m not like that with anyone else. Not even my little sister.”
Thank God, Elle thought. The last person she wanted to be compared to was Troy’s sister. But she didn’t like how this conversation was going. During their short stay on the campgrounds, she had felt her denial start to slip away—if Troy was letting her down easy, she would be crushed.
“You didn’t like Amanda, did you?” he asked.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Who you date is your business, not mine.”
Troy stopped. He kicked the rocks beneath his feet. Even beneath the dark night sky, Elle could see the frustration in his knitted brow. “I guess.”
They walked together, following the gravel path away from the campground and into a wooded area. The only sound was the crackling of the gravel beneath their feet. Elle wanted to push him, to discover what on earth he was trying to say, and to understand why he was frustrated.
Frustration and silence were not a healthy combination. Elle’s chest ached as she pondered her next move. She wanted terribly to drag the stagnant conversation back to a place she understood. Normally, she’d give him a hard time to reel him back into their banter, but apparently Troy was conflicted about the state of their relationship. Banter was not the answer.
The sound of crackling twigs could be heard behind the bushes near the gravel path. Troy froze and held his hand out to block Elle from walking forward. “Did you hear that?”
“Yes.” It came out in a choked whisper. She was so wrapped up in her emotions, she’d forgotten they were two teenagers walking alone at night. Normally, Elle would have voiced concern over leaving the safety of the supervised grounds, but the reticence between them stifled the cool air and she didn’t want to increase their already strained conversation.
Troy grasped her forearm and held a finger up to his lips. She nodded, indicating she wouldn’t make a sound. She stood like stone, looking from side to side, hoping a small animal, like a rabbit or chipmunk, would reveal itself and remove the fear surrounding them in the darkness.
Troy moved toward the bush, shining his flashlight and lifting the branches to inspect what could possibly be hiding behind the layers of evergreen. A muffled growl came from the ground beneath the bush and Troy stepped back.
“We should go. C’mon,” he said, placing his hand on the small of Elle’s back and guiding her to walk quickly down the path, back to the safety of the campground.
“What was that?” Her lungs were heaving.
“Just keep moving.” Troy looked behind them several times, his arm wrapped completely around her waist as they increased their pace. The familiar glow of campfires welcomed them and Elle felt at ease. They would be fine. Troy, however, didn’t look so relieved.
“Troy?” Elle asked, turning to place a hand on his shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“I would never let anything hurt you. You know that, right?” His nostrils flared, and his chocolate-brown eyes gleamed in the moonlight. Protective Troy made something stir in Elle. She pressed her hands behind his neck and pulled him to her.
He crushed her lips with his, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her toward his firm chest. Elle could feel his heart pounding. She opened her mouth, inviting him to deepen the kiss. He moaned into her mouth as his tongue met hers. They moved together in unison—it was everything Elle had thought it could be. He pulled the elastic from her ponytail, allowing her hair to tumble past her shoulders. He ran his fingers from the roots to the tips before dragging his fingernails down her back. His hands then roamed underneath her cotton