“We’d have to sleep in a tent.”
“I realize that.”
“Carry enough food and water for two days.”
I sigh and give him a blank stare. “Do you want me to change my mind?”
“I want you to be sure. I don’t want it to be a bad experience for you.”
“I’ve been camping before, you know. I’m not so sure you have, city boy.”
“I haven’t.”
“Then you are the one who will suffer. A camping mattress is nothing like the memory foam ones you’re used to. And given your age, your back is just going to be—”
“Doyouwantmeto change my mind?”
“I’d simply hate for this to be a bad experience for you,” I retort with feigned nonchalance.
“Alright, how about the first one to complain gets a penalty?”
My competitiveness immediately has me perking up. “Go on,” I encourage.
“Oral. For an hour.”
“Giving or receiving?”
He frowns at me, confused. “Doesn’t one of those feel like more of a penalty to you?”
“With you? I’m not sure. Last time you went down on me for an hour, I felt like my clit might fall off. But then again, I’ll definitely get lockjaw if I have to suck on your dick for that long.”
“Then we’re allowed to spread it out. An hour in total, over several times.”
With any of my exes, this would have been a sweet deal. Getting them to eat me out was a whole thing, but with Lex… It’s not much of a penalty since we go down on each other all the time. But I like the challenge of it, and I’m fairly sure I can do this hike without complaining a single time.
“Two hours and you have a deal,” I suggest, extending my hand.
“It’s on,” he agrees, shaking it.
To prepare for our hike, we drive to the nearest town to get some gear. Neither of us really knows what we’re doing, but thankfully, the store clerk is very helpful and knows exactly what we need. By the time we return to the house, we have a tent, an inflatable mattress, a tiny gas stove, and two sleeping bags. We also bought a bunch of trail snacks, as well as two cans of beans and a Moka pot for the morning coffee.
Three days later, the weather offers us the perfect window. It’s sunny, warm, and perfect for our hike. I’m not so sure I want to do it anymore, but there’s no way I’m backing down from this. This would count as me losing the bet, and I’m not getting my jaw stuck open wide for weeks.
I’m truly loving all those hikes, sensing my body grow stronger with each one. My butt is firm, as well as my thighs, and I’m feelingmuy bonita—probably because Lex can’t keep his hands to himself. But we always space out our hikes with at least a day in between, so I’m slightly concerned I might suffer on the way back. At the very worst, I’ll lie down like a child and wait for Lex to carry me down the mountain like a sack of potatoes. Or he has the means to call a rescue helicopter, which I’m also open to.
So, on D-Day, we both have our backpacks ready to go. And if Lex, like me, isn’t feeling it as much as before, he doesn’t let me know. Which means that, like two stubborn idiots too proud to back out, we load the car and get in, willing to drive an hour and a half to do the damn hike.
The ride there is beautiful, and with theLord of the Ringssoundtrack, it looks out of this world. We easily find the track’s starting point, park the car next to a few others, and take out our stuff. My bag is lighter than Lex’s, but it’ll still prove a little challenging. I can do it, though. And then, I’ll rest for an entire week.
We’re out of spring, and the summer is blooming and gorgeous around us, a sight to behold. We walk at a steady pace, take a few breaks here and there to rest our feet and stay hydrated, and I often stop to take pictures. I can’t show them to anyone yet, but I might get to when all this mess is over.
My phone dies on me before we’re even at the campsite by the gorgeous emerald-colored lake, so I use Lex’s. “Can you give me the power bank?” I ask once I’m done taking a bunch of pictures.
“You have it.”
“No, you do. It’s heavy, so you were the one taking it.”
“Well, I didn’t,” he sayswith a slight wince.
