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Cindy melted into my touch. She didn’t reply right away, but I could already feel her nodding against my palm. “Okay. That sounds good.”

Before she could change her mind, I yelled out to the room, “Everyone hit the showers!”

I was met with a few grumbles but most of the kids were happy to rush off without having to mop up the messes they’d made.

When I felt movement behind me, I grabbed on to Alvin’s collar and tugged him back to my side. “Not you. You’re staying right fucking here.”

He lifted a shoulder, that same stupid grin on his face. I wanted to smack it off him almost as much as I didn’t. Because it was better than the watery eyes I’d put there during orientation.

“I don’t know what you’re so mad about, DeeDee,” Alvin hummed. “You said it yourself… Food fights are a camp tradition.”

CHAPTER 5

Food fights were also one of those things adults pretended to hate because we were supposed to be responsible.

Personally? I thought they were funny as hell.

Cleaning them up? Now, that was a crime.

I stood in the middle of Camp Dix’s dining hall with what they called creamed corn in my hair, and god knows what hanging off my shoulder in a somewhat positive mood. I didn’t like exfoliating with condiments but the genuine smile on Dee’s face?

Worth it. Absolutely worth it.

“You instigated this,” Darius said from across the room, not even bothering to hide the accusation in his voice—or the smile.

“I inspired creativity,” I corrected, flicking a corn kernel off the surface of the table while Darius actually scrubbed the stuff.

“You taught a group of juvenile delinquents how to build catapults out of dinner rolls.”

“I don’t see how them being natural engineers is my fault.”

“They launched corn at that stupid painting of your dad’s face, Alvin.”

I stared thoughtfully at my stuffy old man pictured with a large group of donors. “Aw, they do love me.”

“They launched corn at my face.”

I grinned so wide my cheeks hurt as I walked over to Darius, who was standing by the painting in question. “You do appear a little dirty, baby.”

Darius stiffened and backed up until he was pressed into the corner, a kernel of creamed corn falling onto his cheek from the force of his ass hitting the wall. “I’m not playing games, Alvin,” he warned as I looked up at him and that speck on his cheek.

“I’m simply doing my duty as a sexy maid right now, Darius. Don’t be so fussy. We already have enough kids around here.”

I never called Dee his actual name, not directly, and that caught us both off guard. I didn’t waste the opportunity. My hand immediately went to his cheek, swiping up the corn and plopping it into my mouth.

Darius went dead still, watching my tongue as I swirled my treat thoughtfully. Fuuuck, he made me hard.

“You’re… We should…” He was so adorable when he got flustered like this.

It didn’t make any sense how his suave playboy nature with girls was a flawless beat that never skipped, but when he talked to me? Guy was a babbling mess.

“My mess,” I said aloud, and Darius’s breath caught. I felt myself being pulled closer as if by a damn force field.

“Alvin...”

I could hear his voice, but the heat of his lips was too close, and my eyes drifted shut without my permission.

“Alvy… don’t…”