“It better not be a biohaz—” He pauses when he sees me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Sitting,” I say innocently.
“You did not just kick me out to take over the couch.”
I shrug. “You said you would think about taking turns. I’m making sure you think correctly.”
A noise erupts out of him that I’ve never heard before. It sounds like a growl.
My skin erupts in gooseflesh as another memory bursts forth.
Back when we were kids, we would chase each other around to get something. He would steal my water bottle or I would take his lunch when he had one, and then chaos would ensue.
It continued until we graduated.
As I stare at Nate’s obvious annoyance, I wonder if I’ve done enough to push him to start it up again. A tiny cabin on a boat isn’t the best place to do it, but those days of us laughing like kids as we messed around with each other were some of the best I’d had.
It hits me that I want him to. Sure, I would laugh and fight back if he tries to drag me off the couch, but it would be something lost to time that we resumed.
Instead, Nate stalks to the bed and I feel disappointment hit hard. “Clever,” he mutters. “You got me.”
I give myself a moment to feel it. Just a single one, because despite the moments we used to have that are no more, he does know me. He’ll know if I’m upset.
I force out a laugh.Smug.I need to be smug about this.
“The couch is much more suited to me,” I say as I snuggle down. I can’t stretch out, but I don’t have to be curled into a ball like he had to be the night before. “It’s like a normal bed.”
“You’re lying,” he says. “And you’ll regret that when we’re walking all day for our first excursion.”
I bristle. Tomorrow, we’re stopping at Cozumel. I’ve not done nearly enough to prepare for that. I’ve barely grown used to the cabin on the boat. Now I have to explore somewhere else.
“We should have a plan,” I manage to say.
“That’s the berry I know and love.” My breath hitches as he says it. The gooseflesh is back, and I’m glad I’m under the blanket. “But there’s nothing to worry about. I got it.”
“You do?”
“Yep. All you need to handle is sleeping on that thing.” His lips curve upward. “Unless you wanna give up.”
I immediately pull my blanket up higher. “Fuck you. I’m not giving up anything.”
“You’ll regret that.”
“You’ll need all the energy you can get tomorrow anyway.”
He hums. “Yeah, for when your back hurts and I have to carry you.”
“You couldn’t if you tried.”
Nate’s gaze cuts to me and it’s heated with challenge. I want to push even harder and make him throw me over his shoulder.
“Get some sleep,” he says instead. “Or try to.”
The moment’s gone and I fight against disappointment.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll sleep like a baby.” My voice comes out quiet and stilted, but I cut the lights before he can say anything else.
Sleep is definitely what I need. And once I get it, I’m sure all of this will be just an awkward memory.
