Colton clears his throat, and I feel my cheeks heat. I squeeze my thighs together and look into the bonfire, wishing for the attention to be taken off of me.
My wish is granted when Amy offers to kiss Phil, and he complies.
* * *
Eventually, enthusiasm for truth or dare fades away, everyone falls asleep around the waning bonfire. Everyone except for Colton and me.
He walks over and sits down next to me. Iris and Amy are sleeping underneath a blanket over by Phil and his brother, so Colton and I have the log to ourselves.
“Thanks for standing up for me earlier,” I say to him. “I appreciate that more than you know.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Sky. You deserve to be stood up for. And you should never have to do something you don’t want.”
I shift so I can straddle the log. Facing him directly, I say, “Do you really believe that? That a no is a no?”
“Yes, I absolutely believe that.” He narrows his gaze. “Did some guy abuse you?”
Every day. But when that guy is your own father…
“Not like that,” I assure him. “What just happened with the dare, I’ve never been in a situation like that before.”
He exhales. “Good.” Taking a look around, he says, “Looks like everyone has either left or is sleeping. I’m going to take care of this fire.”
He gets up and puts out the bonfire until there are no flames left. Even though the fire is inside a stone pit, I appreciate how careful he is at making sure it’s snuffed out.
When he’s finished, he returns to my side.
“I always worry about fire,” I say into the silence.
“Why do you worry about fire?” he asks, sliding close enough that our thighs are touching.
I swallow at the contact of his jean-clad leg brushing my bare one.
“I don’t know,” I say. “It scares me.”
“Because of the heat?”
“Fire just isn’t something to mess with. It’s like a bad temper.”
That last part slips out by accident.
“Or fire could be like passion,” he says casually. “Something that’s scary, but it makes you feel alive at the same time. Something you can’t stay away from.”
I whip my head to face him.
His eyes are so damn blue. I could get lost in those eyes. Right now, I feel like I want to.
“I like your version of fire better than mine,” I whisper.
He puts his hand on my cheek. I close my eyes for a second and lean into his touch.
“Are you and your brothers here with your parents?” he asks softly.
I snap my eyes open. “Um…just our mom.”
“She’s a single parent?”
That sounds like a good answer. And at this point, it’s true. “Yes. My dad…he left.”
