Page 10 of The Bleeding Hearts Club

His brows furrow, as he tilts his head.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. It’s just funny that you have the exact same sunscreen I have in my room. This stuff is a miracle worker. I wouldn’t think someone as tan as you would need the extra strength variety,” I joke. It’s a terrible joke.

God, I’m so lame.

Theo snorts, trying to hide his smile.

“That’s funny cause I definitely pegged you as the type to need the—how did you put it—‘extra strength variety’, little miss pasty. You’re like two shades lighter than the sand.”

“And? What’s that got to do with anything?” I snap, crossing my arms.

“Oh, nothing. Just, ya know, the sand is literally white sand.” He purses his lips, eyes shining with mirth.

“You think you’re hilarious, don’t you?”

“I don’t think, babe, I know.” Theo winks at me, throwing a pretzel and catching it in his mouth, munching with a shit-eating grin.

“Dickhead,” I mumble, walking away from him.

“What was that, sweetheart?” he asks, lifting a brow. It’s a challenge, I can see it written across his smug ass, adorable as hell face.

Asshole. Using your cuteness to disarm me. Rude as hell.

“Nothing!” I yell back with a fake smile plastered right across my face.

“You’re welcome!”

I pull my sunglasses over my eyes, flipping him off behind his back, as he laughs, crunching the pretzels between chuckles.

* * *

Moonlight shines through the bare branches, casting ominous shadows across the forest floor. The silence in this place is deafening. There are no signs of life anywhere. No owls hooting, no bugs, no rustling of leaves.

The small hairs on the back of my neck rise, the feeling sending a chill down my spine. Something is watching. Somewhere. I just need to get back on the trail and everything will be okay. It’s that moment when I begin to hear it. The huffs of breathing deep in the underbrush on my left. It rumbles through the air. When you’ve been so alone in this darkness for so long, you feel joy to know there’s something else—something living—but now…I’m not so sure.

My pace quickens.

Just need to get to the trail. Once I’m on the trail I’ll be okay.

I walk as fast as possible, as quietly as I can, at least to keep whatever is lurking in the shadows from finding me so quickly.

An errant branch hidden beneath a blanket of fallen leaves breaks the quiet stillness. I stop. My heart is pounding so heavily in my chest, I can no longer hear the breathing of the thing surrounding me.

From behind the tree next to me, I hear a low, dark chuckle.

“What do we have here?”

He steps out. My breath hitches.

“I don’t mean to intrude. I’m lost.”

“Poor, little, helpless, lamb. Don’t you know there are wol—“

“So, I figure since the universe keeps throwing you at my feet, we should get to know each other?”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.