“No problem,” Clementine says.“He just wanted more telescope time.”
The man gets on one knee and looks Aidan in the face.
“Youcannotjust disappear like that,” he says.
“I’m sorry,” says Aidan, looking at the ground.“I just wanted...”
The man pulls Aidan in for a long, tight hug, practically squeezing the air out of the kid.
“You’re still grounded,” he says.“God, are you grounded.”
Clem glances at me, obviously trying not to laugh.
“Thank you,” the guy says to us again, then stands.“I nearly had a heart attack when I woke up and he was gone.”
“I’m just glad he didn’t get eaten by bears,” Clementine says, half smiling.
Aidan’s eyes go wide.
“Don’t worry, we only lose a couple kids a year that way,” she says.
Aidan’s dad mouthsthank youover Aidan’s head
Then the two of them turn and walk away, the dad still lecturing Aidan on all the reasons not to wander off in the middle of the night.Clementine and I turn back and start walking to the telescopes.
“We should put those away,” she says, her hands jammed into her pockets.“It’s not good to leave them out for very long.”
“Sure,” I say.
She makes sure they’re turned off, lens caps on, legs folded up, and in their cases.It’s my job to carry them to the Forest Service SUV, because each case is about four feet long andheavy.When we finish, we drive them to the visitor center, and Clementine locks them away in the store room.
I watch her lock the door, leaning against the wall.I want to push her up against it and kiss her again, her mouth under mine.I want to lift her up so she can wrap her legs around me and feel the way her hips move when she rubs herself against me.
I don’t.If I’d just made out withanyother girl I’d have already done it.We’d probably be naked in the back of the truck right now, and then tomorrow morning I’d have forgotten her name already.
Not Clementine.Itriedto forget her name and couldn’t, and I know I won’t tomorrow, either.So instead of pushing her against the wall I slide a hand around her hip and pull her in toward me.
I know it could end badly.I knowhowbadly, but I want what I want, and I want Clementine more than enough to throw caution to the wind.I’ve never been good at denying myself, at least where women are concerned.
“It’s been a while since we made out in a car,” I say, pushing my thumb beneath her shirt, stroking the soft, warm skin on her side.
She leans against the building too, the faint light from the moon and stars glowing dully on her dark hair.
“You want to go park it behind the old middle school?”she teases.
There weren’t a whole lot of places in Ashlake dark and quiet enough to park and fool around.
“Hey, we’re adults now,” I say, moving my hand to the small of her back, still against her skin.“What’s wrong with right here?”
“Do we have to get in the car?”she asks, a smile crinkling the corners of her eyes.
I kiss her again, her lips warm and inviting and yielding, her hand on the back of my neck, pulling me in toward her.I lick her lower lip again and she opens her mouth, her tongue against mine, and I hear someone growl quietly.
Me.It’s me.
This time I’m already rock-hard and Iknowshe knows, just from the way she’s pressing her hips against mine, just barely shifting back and forth, the pressure driving me crazy.I pull away, gasping for breath, our foreheads together and she puts her hand on my face, her eyes closed.
“Is this stupid?”she whispers.
