If so, I was falling for it hook, line and sinker.
I let my foot off the gas, letting the cart roll until it finally stopped near the drop-off station. The ambulance was just pulling in from the main road right when I parked the cart, the lights flashing but the siren off. The second it cleared theentrance, it parked along the roundabout, two EMTs popping their doors open.
I killed the ignition and quickly scrambled out of the cart. “Come on, let’s go get you checked.”
So I can get as far away from you as I can.
CHAPTER 9
Marlow
Blake was so damnadorable when he was flustered.
As hard as it was to keep myself from crossing more boundaries than I already had, toeing the line and seeing where exactly what it was that made him crack was infinitely more fun. As reserved as he tried to make himself seem, he was damn expressive to a fault. To the point where I doubted he even knew how many faces he was capable of pulling.
The game was fun to play. And much more satisfying now that I knew he wasdefinitelyattracted to me. If his flustered demeanor didn’t clue me in, the boner in his shorts certainly did.
He was lucky we’d made it back to camp by the time I spotted that thing, or else I would’ve grabbed a hold of the wheel and driven us off the path to somewhere secluded so I could see just how turned on he was pretending he wasn’t.
Who knew Blake was a man of simple tastes?
But hey, I could handle that. I loved a partner who got off on anything. Even if that meant blowing in his ear and watching him bust in his shorts.
Now the challenge was getting him to lean into the desire he was clearly feeling, and convincing him to come back to my cabin to explore it.
I had a feeling he was new to all of this, given how out of sorts he was the past two times I’d made it quite obvious about my attraction toward him. I usually wasn’t too keen on taking a virgin to bed—or rather in Blake’s case, agayvirgin—as they tended to get too clingy afterward, however, this was a special case.
Because by the end of it, we’d both be forced to move on. Blake was a busy man, and far too responsible to let himself get tangled up with me for the rest of these six weeks. One night together wouldn’t kill either of us, and once he was done and out of my system, I’d be able to breathe again.
Tonight was going to be the night—that’s what I’d decided on.
As long as Blake showed up at the bonfire, it was go-time.
To no one’s surprise, I was quickly cleared and sent on my way by the EMTs, just in time for the rest of the rafting group to arrive back for an early lunch. Catching up with Luke and Aimee in order to pass the time for the rest of the day until sunset felt like a no-brainer, since keeping myself occupied until I could sneak off with Blake was going to be the ultimate test in patience.
He’d quickly run off the second the EMT had given me the thumbs up that I was good to go, spouting off something about checking in with the rest of the group and leaving me to fend for myself.
I had half a mind to follow him to see if he was telling the truth or bluffing in order to go hide away in his office, stopping myself at the last minute. Overwhelming Blake was the worst thing I could do if I wanted him to trust me. Coming off as overbearing and pushy, especially with a man with noexperience in gay relationships, was setting myself up for a harsh rejection I wasn’t ready to receive.
Not until I actually had the chance to shoot my shot properly.
He seemed open to the idea, or at least attracted to it. That I could work with. It was all a matter of perspective and seeing things from his point of view, and how confusing all of this newness must be.
And who was I to deny helping him work through it?
Especially, since it seemed like he trusted me a good amount.
The day pushed forward at a sluggish pace, nearly making me tear my hair out the seventh time I looked at the clock and realized it was only three. There was a part of me that kind of wished Blake took me up on my offer to help him plan his youth group event, even if it was to file papers while he figured out whatever logistics still needed to be worked on.
I missed the bump and grind of a laborious day.
Vacationing in the mountains near this incredible lake was amazing, there was no doubt about it. And yet, on some level, that sick and twisted part of my brainmissedwork. Missed the drudgery that came with toiling away at files and portfolios until I felt like I was going cross-eyed.
Avery would be appalled to know how much I missed being in my office only three and a half days into my vacation, while Silas would no doubt agree with me. We were both workaholics by nature and with no boyfriends to occupy us outside of our 9-5’s like Avery had the luxury of—or in Silas’s case, 11-11’s—, there wasn’t much else we had going for us.
Sad?
Sure, but a reality nonetheless.
