“I’d like you to kiss me for a while. And then later, when we’re going to bed, don’t even pretend to sleep on the air mattress we know is going to deflate.”
My heart expands in my chest. “As you wish.”
I do exactly as she’s asked.
How could I not?
CHAPTER 29
Paisley
“How badly does it hurt?”
My arms encircle Klein’s waist, allowing him to lean on me as he limps off the golf cart in front of the house.
Klein winces as he puts weight on his right foot. “More than a bee.”
I’ve been stung by bees three times in my life, so I understand at least a fraction of what he’s feeling.
“I still can’t believe you were stung by a jellyfish. I’ve been swimming in the same waters my whole life and never been close to one.”
Following our kiteboarding, Klein and I decided to spend some time on the beach. I stayed on the shore, while he ventured out into the water. At a depth barely deep enough for wading, Klein’s eyes suddenly flared and his head reared back. With a hand tented over my eyes to block the sun, I watched Klein head for me with a grimace twisting his face.
“Lucky me,” he manages, twisting to look at his rightcalf. An angry looking long line shines red and swollen on his skin, lashed by a tentacle. “Fucker,” he manages.
“Yeah,” I chant, getting in on the name-calling. “Asshole jellyfish.” We arrive at the bottom of the stairs. “How do you feel about making it up those?”
Klein blows out a breath. “I don’t have much of a choice unless I plan on sleeping outside.”
“I’d sleep outside with you. It might be chilly, but we can grab a couple extra blankets and be alright.”
“You’re sweet.” Klein leans over and kisses my forehead, and my insides melt a tiny bit. “You were really worried about me when it happened.”
“Well, yeah. At first I thought maybe it was a shark.”
Klein pales. “A shark? Are those common around here?”
“Uh. No?”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“I sure hope you’re not right about that or we’re facing an uphill battle for the remainder of the week.”
Klein attempts a smile, but only manages a grimace.
“Come on,” I urge him gently. “The sooner we get you up to our room, the faster I can give you pain medicine and get hot water running in the bathtub.”
I’d looked up how to treat a jellyfish sting as soon as I could get my phone from my beach bag.
It’s slow going, but we make it into the house. First, we encounter my mother, who tells us to apply vinegar to the sting. Then my grandmother tells us she’ll leave hydrocortisone cream outside of the bedroom door if he’d like to use that. Shane asks if Klein would like a shot of tequila, and Klein glares at him. Shane backs off, and Imake a mental note to inquire about that exchange later. We find Spencer sprawled out on an armchair, staring at his phone as we pass through the living room. Phone still positioned in front of his face, Spencer looks at Klein’s calf, and says in a voice devoid of emotion, “Sucks, bro.”
It actually makes Klein laugh, which makes me laugh. I shake my head as we walk down the hall. “Later he’ll probably tell you that the jellyfish that got you must’ve been a banger.”
“Sorry, I don’t speak cool kid. What does ‘banger’ mean?”
“It means something that’s exceptional. I had to look it up the last time I heard him say it. I’m only twenty-six and I’m already having to look up what the young-uns say.”
“We get old fast these days.” Klein winces when his leg brushes the bedroom doorframe on our way through. “Fuck, that hurt.”
