“I’m sorry.”
“It’s cool,” she said. He relaxed, feeling it really was, not like earlier today.
They brushed their teeth over a garbage can with a bottle of water, then took turns changing into their regular clothes before settling down in the tent. It was somehow less romantic than he’d expected.
Valerie whispered his name. “Is it me or does it smell in here?”
That’s what was bothering him. It was old socks and vinyl and sweat, and the whole thing was overlaid with an odor he recognized from the time Kimmy only wore clothes thrifted from vintage markets. Once he noticed it, it was impossible to ignore.
Valerie sat up straight. “I don’t think I can stop smelling it.” Shecrawled to the front and zipped open the flap, breathing in dramatically. “Sweet, sweet air.”
Nico wanted to tease her, but he had to admit she was right. Compared to the thick atmosphere inside the tent, the breeze coming in was fresh and cool.
Valerie knelt with her head outside and waved her arm back at him. “Come look at the sky.”
The awe in her voice gave Nico an inspiration. He gathered up the sleeping bags and set them out with the tops outside. “Want to sleep looking at the stars?”
“With no coyotes to eat me?” She was already climbing in. “You’re a genius. Do I say that enough?”
“I could hear it more.” He slid in beside her and they stared up. “Do you know any of the constellations?”
“Orion, because of his belt. My dad showed me that. The Big Dipper with the North Star. How about you?”
“Same.” He pointed to the left and took a chance. “Those five stars look like a cat face.”
“I see it! Over to the right is a fish.”
They traded a few more, but Nico’s mind wasn’t on finding the celestial shrimp or the interstellar pizza. Valerie was so close, and while the hurdy-gurdy playing mournfully in the distance wasn’t the most romantic soundtrack in the world, he didn’t care. It could be bagpipes doing a funereal version of “Amazing Grace” and his mind would be filled with her.
“That one looks like a mouth,” she said. It could have been him, but her voice sounded husky. “Ready for a kiss.”
As hints went, this one was pretty obvious, which is why Nico was finally able to let go of all the second-guessing. He was about to do what he’d been dreaming of for weeks when Valerie leaned over and kissed him. It was soft and tentative, like she was giving him a chance to sayno. “Is this—”
“Yes.” He slid a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close. “Absolutely, yes.”
Her lips felt exactly the way he thought they would, firm and perfect. He pulled her on top to protect her from the ground and she bent her head to press lingering kisses on his mouth. Tiny ones that fluttered teasingly on his skin until he couldn’t help holding her still to kiss her the way he’d been dreaming about every night. The differences between his fantasy and the reality made it more exciting. Her rose scent had faded apart from a small spot on her throat, and the sound she made when he ran his lips along it, then bit down gently, was enough to make his hands shake. He pulled Valerie back into the tent, away from any curious eyes, and zipped it shut behind them.
“Hey,” she said, slightly breathless. She straddled him, with a hand sliding up his shirt. He didn’t know what sensation to focus on and closed his eyes for a moment to let himself feel. “Just FYI here, I wasn’t expecting to get it on in a tent at a Ren faire, so I don’t have anything.”
He opened his eyes. “I do.”
She burst out laughing and the way it made her wriggle on him made him shudder. “I should have known you’d be prepared.” She kissed him again, by the side of his mouth. “Is this a thing you do regularly, or did you have high hopes for tonight?”
“I was a Boy Scout when I was young. To be prepared is part of the motto.” He put his hands on her lower back to steady the slow rocking that was making it hard to think. Her heat made his mind spin as he traced his fingers down her curves. “Or maybe it was a rule. I can’t remember. That being said, the condom has been in my wallet for a while, and I don’t trust it.”
“I want a bed.” She paused. “With a firm pillow.”
That she was telling him exactly what she wanted was more of a turn-on than he thought it would be, given that it was being set in thefuture and not the next few minutes. “Anything you want.”
“Good. You can put that fine organizational mind behind our first time, which will be in comfort.” The hurdy-gurdy made a plaintive noise. “With better music,” she added.
“Okay.” He’d promise anything, although that was a reasonable request.
“Right now, though, I’m willing to make do.”
Then, to the rousing sound of people singing “Greensleeves,” he kissed her again.
Twenty-Three
