Keep it physical. Playful.
“I like your boobs,” I said, loving how she cupped them and gave them a jiggle. “Big fan.”
“Always thought they were too small.” She let go and clicked her tongue at the ridiculous Santa top in her hands. She slipped it on, and too soon, her perfect tits were gone.
“Nope. Perfect. I might need to see more of them later. I’ve heard about those piercings for years, and now that I’ve had them in my mouth…” I wiggled my brows. “I want it again.”
“Deal.”
We got dressed, went to the bathroom in the little houses down the road, and we were ready for a hike. It’d be interesting to see how we acted all day, knowing what waited for us in the tent. But even with the inevitable heartbreak at the end of the week, I’d enjoy every second I could with her. Girls like Maddie were one of a kind, and I knew my time with her was limited.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Maddie
We hiked. We laughed. We alternated between beer and water and eggnog. Alex and Becky had planned a mix of games, all of which morphed into drinking games, and so we were all tipsy at four in the afternoon. I proudly won the fastest gift wrapper round and wore my big red bow as a prize on my chest. Matt smirked at it a few times, but I knew he was jealous.
Smiles came easily, and laughter rang out around the campground. I even belted out Mariah Carey every time the song came on. It was in the top five best holiday songs, and I’d fight to the death on it.
I caught Matt’s eye as he helped Alex and his groomsmen start the fire for dinner, and he winked at me. Shit.How playful.Matt never flirtedwithme, no matter how much I’d teased him our whole lives. It became a game to me, to flirt and try to get a reaction out of him but now? Whoa baby. My chest swelled, and my mouth felt too dry. The wind picked up, but I still sweated everywhere.
“Finally,” Becky said, standing way too close to me. She made me jump.
“What?” I put a hand on my heart to calm it.
“You two. Heard noises from your tent that were not just you two snoring.” She elbowed my side and made her eyes go wide. My face flushed, but I couldn’t stop my grin from sneaking out.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not.”
“About time.” Becky put her arm around my neck and hugged me. “That guy has been in love with you for years.”
“Wait.Wait. Hm now? Repeat slowly.” A firework of adrenaline burst through my body, terrifying and wonderful and shocking.
“Don’t be naive. It doesn’t suit you, Mads.” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know. We all did. We have eyes.” She frowned, the reindeer ears falling slightly to the side. They matched her chestnut hair, but I digressed.
It was easier to stare at her weird headband than to analyze her comment.
I dug my fingers into my palm, my toes curling in my boots. “I don’t… what do you mean? Spell it out. I clearly don’t know what you’re hinting at…”
She clicked her tongue. “Doubtful but sure. I’ll play along.” She glanced over her shoulder and took a long swig of the eggnog from a mug in the shape of a boot. “Yeah, he’s been in love with you. Never dates someone more than a few months. Always watches you, does what you want. Warned every boyfriend you ever had. Does your silly traditions even though they’re weird. He looks at you like you hung the stars, so I’m glad you’re giving him a chance.”
Was I? Was that what we were doing…? What were we doing? I chewed my lips, my stomach a mess. It was half from the day’s adventures and drinking but the other… definitely from him. What did all this mean? He’d never answered me as to why he pulled away, and we hadn’t talked about what this was. There was one thing for sure though.
I couldn’t lose him. No matter what.
Panic clawed up my throat, and I put a hand on Becky’s arm. “Everyone knows this?”
“Yes. That man is hopelessly in love with you.”
She excused herself to go help Alex with something, leaving me in a thought spiral. I knew Matt loved me in the way I loved him. Easily. Forever. The way one loved their family dog or favorite sibling. The thing I knew wouldn’t change because we’d been friends since we were ten. Butlovelove.Had I ever actually experienced that? I wasn’t sure. I was attracted to Matt but love? Love meant risking my heart. Risking me. Risking our friendship.
I needed to think. To clear my head.
I walked toward the lake with my arms crossed and my mind reeling. Hearing him say I was a fantasy wasn’t crazy because I thought it too, but that was what it was: a fantasy. But we’d done it, and I wanted more of him. His possessive touches and soft kisses. They felt so different than any fling I enjoyed. Those were to pass time because I loved sex. Another intrusive thought hit me:Matt doesn’t do flings.
The wind hit my face, and the smell of woods surrounded me. This was the perfect place to have a mini crisis. I bundled my scarf around my neck, wishing I’d worn more than a Santa shirt as the sun went behind the clouds.
Did that mean we were trying this thing between us? Or was Matt doing a weekend hook-up? Those were more my style, but once they ran their course, I never talked to the person again. That couldn’t happen with Matt. Groaning, I walked along the path near the lake, desperate for an answer to come to me.
