4
Upon returning from our drive,we were given thirty minutes to freshen up before dinner was served. The meal was amazing, the tables lit with candlelight and platters served family-style. Two roaring fireplaces on either side of the main lodge meant we didn’t even notice the drop in temperature outside until we were trailing one of the guides back to our tent.
I followed Misola’s footsteps and the bob of a lantern along the path.
“We sometimes get some wild animals here on the paths, but usually, if they hear you, they move away quickly.”
I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to keep warm, knowing we’d be back at the tent soon. Not that it would be any better there.
Alex trudged behind me. I was tired—exhausted—after a long day, and while I knew the cold was coming, it was sharper than I realized it would be. I was ready to curl up under the covers and sleep.
Despite his nap that afternoon, I doubted Alex was doing much better.
“Here you go.” Misola raised the lamp ahead of us, and the tent glowed softly from the lanterns through the canvas. The gauzy, light fabric, which had let in a breeze during the day, had been covered in roll-away canvas.
We thanked Misola and ducked through the flap of the tent. The room was warmly lit, with four lanterns spread throughout the space. It was even…romantic.
“Holy shit,” Alex said behind me. “It’s fucking freezing cold!”
I straightened up, never mind that I was cold and slightly miserable too. Tomorrow I’d bring a fleece to dinner for the walk back. “Itiswinter, Alex.”
“Yes, well, Idoknow that. I just thought…well, it’s Africa.”
“Did you bring anything warm?”
“Not really, no.”
We quickly took turns under the hot stream of water, and as soon as I slipped out of the bathroom, I leapt up onto the bed. I had on leggings and a long-sleeve cotton shirt, prepared for the cold. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a hot water bottle tucked inside the bed. I stretched a toe out, and found one on Alex’s side too.
The water shut off, and within moments Alex was hurriedly brushing his teeth, spitting into the sink, and leaping out of the bathroom too. I screeched when he launched himself over my side of the bed as he scrambled to get under the covers.
“Cold, cold, cold.”
I blinked. Good lord. “Whatareyou wearing?”
“Um. Boxers.”
“You didn’t pack pajamas?”
“One, I usually sleep naked, so I’m doing you a favor right now. Two, I didn’t realize we’d be sharing a bed, as previously mentioned. Three, I was expecting it to be much warmer, and four, I also expected some kind of central air.”
“Well,” I said stiffly, “I’m sorry this vacation isn’t living up to your standards. I don’t know what you were prepared for, but these luxury safaris are—”
I was cut off by a sultry moan coming from Alex’s side of the bed and some wobbling of the mattress that felt...scandalous. “What are you doing?” I raised up on my arm and glared at him. Pervert.
He cracked open an eye. “Did you know there are hot water bottles in the bed?”
I huffed and slouched back against the pillow. “Yes, I discovered that.”
We were silent for a moment, the bed slightly shaking.
“Are you shivering?”
“I’ll be fine.”
I rolled my eyes and stared up at the ceiling. A ceiling I could see perfectly well, lit from all the lanterns. “Oh, for Pete’s sake.” I flipped the duvet open and darted around the room in my socks, turning each lantern off as quickly as possible and slipping back into bed.
We lay in the dark, the sounds of the bush surrounding us. It was odd to be this close to Alex—and a nearly naked Alex at that. I thought back to pool parties and teenaged Alex, shirtless and uncomfortable with his hormonal body, just like the rest of us.
