Briar scowled, but took the bait, grabbing the bow and quiver. She lined up her shot, and Alice admired the determination in her eyes as she sized up the target. Alice’s eyes caught on the sliver of tongue that brushed over Briar’s lower lip as she drew back the string, way too hard.
‘Woah,’ Alice said, reaching out and stopping just before she grazed Briar’s elbow. Instead, she shifted closer, stepping in behind Briar and kicking her front foot forward a little. ‘Good, now relax your elbow.’
Alice wasn’t touching her, but she was acutely aware of how little clothing Briar was wearing, how close they’d become. Briar sucked in a breath, and Alice felt like she was about to vibrate out of her skin as she placed a hand on Briar’s hip, shifting her weight to her back foot. ‘Look at the target.’
Alice watched Briar squeeze her eyes shut then blink them open again, her gaze focused across the field at the target. She didn’t move her hand from Briar, even though the heat of her skin was burning her. It should have been too much in the sweltering summer, but Alice’s mind was playing the sorts of tricks that made the radiating warmth between them pleasant. She couldn’t help herself, moving impossibly closer, her mouth just below Briar’s ear.
‘Now let go.’
Briar’s arrow hit the third ring of the target. Not a bullseye, but it was the best shot Alice had ever seen her make. Alice stepped away, lightheaded, and brought a hand up to cover her eyes and shield her reddening cheeks. She didn’t know what she had been thinking, getting so close to Briar. Nothing good could come of that.
‘Not bad.’
Briar looked down. ‘Shut up.’ She held out the bow to Alice. ‘Come on, I know you want to show off.’
Alice grabbed the bow. Even though she hadn’t done this in years, her muscles remembered the basics. Her fingers notched back the arrow, shoulders and hips squaring, and she looked straight at the target, bringing the butt of the arrow to the corner of her lips. She breathed deeply, and released.
The arrow sunk into the yellow of the bullseye. Alice felt a thrill at the sight.
She turned back to see Briar grinning. ‘You always were good at that.’
Alice shrugged, resting the bow on the ground. ‘That’s what happens when you develop a thing for Legolas at an impressionable age.’
Briar laughed. ‘That should’ve been my first clue you were a lesbian.’
Alice smiled, hoping that Briar joking with her meant that she was at least a little forgiven.
‘I think there were a lot of clues, actually,’ Alice tried to joke back.
Briar’s face shuttered, and Alice realized she must be thinking of that night again. There was an awkward pause where she didn’t know what to say. The easy air between them had suddenly turned cold. Alice opened her mouth to say something, but Briar beat her to it.
‘Well, I think we’re good here. I’m gonna go check on Cook.’ She turned on the spot and disappeared down the path leading back to camp, leaving Alice standing in the middle of the field, holding the bow and wondering how she could possibly fix this mess.
Chapter 6
Briar
‘Alice?’ Briar whispered, leaning over to peer at her. It was pitch black in the cabin, but she could just make out the soft lines of Alice’s face, still slack with sleep. ‘Psst. Alice!’
No response. Briar gritted her teeth as she reached out to touch Alice’s shoulder. She shook her firmly, snatching her hand back when Alice groaned and shifted positions.
‘It’s time to wake up,’ Briar said, as she heard the beginnings of murmurs from counselors outside.
‘Still dark,’ Alice muttered, turning away from Briar and pulling the sheets up over her head.
With possibly too much relish, Briar grabbed the duvet and yanked it off the bed. Alice whipped around, sitting straight up. Even without being able to see her face, Briar knew Alice was sporting one of her seething glares, and she grinned in response.
‘What’s going on?’ Alice said, sounding much more awake.
‘Night hike,’ Briar said in an almost sing-song tone. ‘Get dressed.’
She walked out of the room, flicking the lights on behind her.
Briar hadn’t reminded her about the hike. After all, she figured that Alice, being so organized, would remember something like that. She found a twisted satisfaction in watching her scramble through getting ready and then nearly miss the caravan of cars headed to a nearby trail.
Alice hated the annual sunrise hike, and had usually found a reason to avoid going, anything from faking sick to letting the air out of her tires one year. There was nothing more terrifying to Alice than having to climb a mountain in the dark, which was perfect for Briar’s ongoing campaign of psychological warfare.
It only took fifteen minutes on the trail before a quiet string of curses rose from behind her.
