Has she had a hug before?
I don’t see the Lightlys in public together often, and even when I’ve been in the school, I haven’t noticed blatant displays of affection.
Between Phoebe and Teague, yes.
Among the Lightlys?
Not so much.
And it makes me want to show her what she’s missing. Give her the most basic, simple human affection that everyone deserves.
This isn’t because she’s pretty. Or because I’m becoming fascinated by who she is under all the layers of social media influencer fluff. Or because I love a good puzzle, and Tavi Lightly is definitely a puzzle.
A puzzle with a good heart, with at least one friend willing to hide a body for her.
Speaks volumes about a person when they have a friend willing to hide a body for them.
I tell myself that my body’s reaction is because she’snew. Because she sees me differently than everyone here does.
Not because I’m taking her out of the friend zone.
“I’m only hugging you because I’m too tired to let go,” she says.
“Okay.”
She arches her body against mine, andyep, she definitely feels that pipe in my pants.
She has to.
How could she not?
Think about Teague having sex. Think about Teague having sex.
“I’m regenerating my energy so that I can pick up that mess on the floor,” Tavi says.
“You need some mint? I have lots in my garden.”
She sighs. “I—is it as good as your tomatoes?”
“Better.”
“Then yes, actually. It would be better if it was frommygarden, but I can’t really be picky, and my garden is really,reallyfar away.”
“You want spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, or sweet mint?”
She lifts her face to stare at me, and she’s so close I can count the light freckles on her cheeks.
Hadn’t noticed those before.
Maybe they’re actually chocolate.
Also hadn’t noticed the way her eyes are flecked with a deeper blue right around her pupils.
Or that her eyelashes are much shorter and lighter than they are in pictures.
It’s like seeing her without her armor.
She’s not this untouchable enigma known around the world for having exquisite taste in clothes and food and luxury brands and for living a fancy, amazing life full of travel and exercise and vegetables and all the best of everything.
