He laughed, bright and unrepentant, the sound settling somewhere warm and dangerous in my chest.
“I thought you didn't have a car.”
He shook his head, eyes darting to the jeep behind me.“I don't.This is Ari’s.”
I nodded, then for a minute, neither of us spoke.The moment stretched, thick with everything unsaid.I bit my lip, suddenly unsure what to do with my hands, my words, my thoughts.
“Well…” I started, then faltered.“Thanks for—”
“For allowing you to kiss me senseless?”he supplied smoothly, a smirk tugging at his mouth.
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head even as I fought a smile.“There you go being insufferable again.Don't you have an off switch?”
“I would say you should inspect me to find out, but somehow I don't think that's the answer you're looking for.”
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?Some birthday trip you’re supposed to be leaving for?”
“Yeah,” he said, glancing down at his watch.“I should get going.”He paused, studying my face, then added more quietly, “You can still come.”
My heart stumbled.“I don't know… I didn't pack anything, and I don't want you to have to wait on me.”
“I don't mind.”
I hesitated, my instinctive pros-and-cons list already forming in my head.It was impractical.Risky.A distraction I didn’t need, especially after what just happened with us.An entire weekend with him, with his friends, out of my carefully-controlled routine.No outlines.No rules.No distance.Just…him.Them.Whatever this was.
“It’d be fun,” he said, softer now, as if he sensed the battle playing out behind my eyes.
“The others went down yesterday.We’d only be there till tomorrow night.Booze and board games, thanks to Nerissa.Kind of like a de-stressing trip, if you want to call it that.”
My initial plans involved studying this weekend, given I wasn't going to get much done next week.It did not involve beaches and board games and…him.Then there was the fact that we'd have to keep up the charade around his friends.All of it sounded like more headaches than it was worth.
I opened my mouth, fully intent on turning him down, but I thought about the trouble he went through in getting those fake gifts for Lori.I'd have to find a way to pay him back for those.It really wasn't necessary, but the look on her face was so worth it.
I exhaled slowly and saw the faint flicker of hope in his eyes.
“Fine,” I dragged.“I’ll come.”
His face lit up instantly, like he’d just won something he hadn’t quite believed was possible.“Yeah?”
“Yes,” I repeated, surprising even myself.“I'll come.”
He grinned, wide and unmistakably pleased, and
I shook my head, already regretting it.
14 | I Prefer My Battery Operated Friends
Savannah
“Hey,”Jaxonmurmured,nudgingme awake.“We’re here.”
I groaned, my eyes fluttering open and then widening with how close he was to me.He stood in the opening of the passenger door, the length of his arm hanging over the car door.My ethics book was sprawled open across my lap, pages bent, my pen somewhere near my feet.I must’ve fallen asleep at some point, I thought, wincing at the ache in my neck.
“You snore in your sleep, by the way.”He grinned when my mouth flew open, but no words came out.Chuckling, he stepped back then moved to the back door, grabbing our bags.
“I do not!”
