© Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Bree
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I sat down on the bed, clutching my bag tight against me like it was some kind of shield. My fingers dug into the worn straps, knuckles whitening, as if holding on to it could keep me from unraveling completely. I shouldn’t have taken off my bra earlier. God, I knew I shouldn’t have done that. Because after the way Gage had looked at me-after that grin he’d given me when I’d all but
admitted I wanted to sleep next to him-my body felt like it was on high alert. Every nerve, every
inch of me, was suddenly aware of him in a way that felt dangerous.
The bag was my only protection now, pressed tight against my chest to hide the betraying peaks of my n*****s through my thin shirt. They were ridiculously sensitive, and every brush of fabric only made it worse. The warmth pooling low in my stomach was something I refused to acknowledge.
Across from me, Caleb sat on his bed, his posture stiff, his gaze flicking toward me like he couldn’t quite stop himself. There was no mistaking the shadow of hurt in his eyes-he didn’t need to say anything for me to feel the weight of it. He had wanted me to pick him. And yes, it made me feel
bad, made me want to smooth things over somehow… but I couldn’t bring myself to regret the
choice.
Because deep down, in a place I tried to ignore, I wanted nothing more than to be close to Gage. To breathe the same air, to feel his warmth beside me, to know that if I rolled over in the night, I’d find him there. We’d agreed to be friends, and I’d told myself-more than once-that it had to stay that way. But sitting here now, the thought of curling up beside him felt like the universe was finally handing me something good for once.
“So, Bree,” Miguel’s voice broke through my thoughts. He leaned over the top bunk, his grin lazy, his head appearing upside down above me. “Do you know Sophia?” His brown eyes locked on mine,
mischievous and bright.
I raised a brow. “Which one?” Because there were at least four Sophias here, and depending on
which one he meant, my answer could go a dozen different ways.
“Uh…” He glanced away, clearly scrambling for a description. “The gorgeous one. You know-the one with the…” His hands came up, cupping the air in front of him in the most obvious imitation of
breasts I’d ever seen.
“Jesus,” Caleb muttered, dragging a hand down his face like he couldn’t believe what he was
hearing.
I couldn’t help it-I grinned up at Miguel, amused despite myself. Was that really how guys thought? That we were all just walking around as a collection of body parts? The way he said it was so blunt it bordered on endearing.
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Miguel’s grin widened. “Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I’m trying to hit that.”
A laugh burst out of me before I could stop it-loud, real, and completely unfiltered. The kind of laugh that shook my shoulders and chased away the heavy knot in my chest. It was ridiculous, but also refreshingly honest. Maybe I really should invest in more guy friends, because at least they didn’t hide their intentions behind layers of fake politeness.
“Why is that funny?” Kenneth asked from the far end of the room, one eyebrow arched in curiosity.
“It’s not,” I said, shaking my head, though my lips still twitched. “It’s just… the way he said it.”
There was something so unapologetically straightforward about it. No games, no sugarcoating. He wanted something, and he said it. I could respect that.
Miguel flashed his teeth at me. “So you think I’ve got a shot?”
“With Sophia?” I leaned back slightly, pretending to think it over. “Sure, you do. I mean, I don’t know her super well, but based on her taste in books, you’re practically halfway there.”
Kenneth’s brow furrowed. “What does that mean?”
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, my hands lifting to help explain. “She told us her favorite book was Twilight. Which, okay, isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it tells me she’s got a major hero
complex.”
Miguel tilted his head. “Hero complex?”
“Yeah.” I nodded toward him. “She wants to be saved. Wants to feel protected and seen. If you lean
into that, I’m guessing she’ll fall head over heels.”
Caleb, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke, his gaze narrowing slightly as it landed on me.
So you’re not like that?”
”
I shrugged, letting my eyes drop for a moment. “I guess every girl has a little of that in them. Who doesn’t want to feel protected?” My thumb traced a slow circle against the canvas of my bag before I smiled faintly. “But yeah-it’s kind of funny how much you can tell about someone from the books they read. Rachel and I actually talked about it after our first meeting. I mean, I’ll read
almost anything by Ana Huang, and I know it’s because I’m hopelessly drawn to the kind of men
she writes about.”
“Who the hell is Ana Huang?” Kenneth asked, moving to sit beside Caleb, both of them now watching me like I’d just cracked open some secret vault.
“She’s a romance author,” I said, smiling despite myself. “She knows exactly how to introduce men, how to make her female characters strong and believable. Her books are addictive.”
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Miguel leaned closer, bracing one arm on the bed frame. “I saw something online once-said if you date a woman who reads, you should check out her favorite books… and then just do whatever’s in
them.”
My face went hot instantly, because while I knew there might be some truth to that, I’d also read plenty of things I’d never in a million years want to actually happen.
“There’s some crazy s**t out there,” Kenneth cut in, glancing between Miguel and me. “Is that true?
Before I could answer, the bathroom door opened, and Gage stepped out. His hair was still damp from his shower, his blonde strands slightly darker than before, curling slightly at the edges. He wore just a pair of athletic shorts and a loose t-shirt, the fabric hanging comfortably on his frame.
“What’s true?” he asked, his voice casual, though his eyes flicked to me almost immediately.
“That girls want what they read about,” Miguel said, still looking straight at me like he was trying to catch me in something.
I reached up, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear, feeling exposed but not entirely hating it.” I mean… sometimes, I guess that’s true,” I admitted. “But other times? Maybe talk to her about it first before you just start doing things you… probably shouldn’t.”
Kenneth smirked knowingly, leaning back with his arms crossed. “You read all kinds of stuff, don’t you, Bree?”
If my face hadn’t already been burning, it was now. I could feel the flush climbing down my neck, hot enough that I was sure they could all see it. The boys burst into laughter-everyone except Gage. His eyes stayed locked on me, intense and searching, like he was trying to decode
something I wasn’t ready to say out loud.
“I guess it’s the same with a lot of things,” I tried to explain, desperate to defend myself. “ Sometimes you’re just curious. And while it might sound good on paper, in real life? It’d be… not so good.”
Caleb nodded like he got it. “Like that melted marshmallow spread,” he said, snapping his fingers in my direction. “Sounds amazing at first-who wouldn’t want gooey marshmallow on toast?-but after one bite, you realize it’s actually disgusting.”
That set Kenneth and Miguel off again, their laughter echoing through the cabin.
Then Miguel wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his side like we’d been friends forever. “I love her, Gage. Can we keep her?”
“Shut up and move,” Gage said flatly, though there was the tiniest tug of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
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Miguel gave me a squeeze before letting go, climbing back up to his bunk. Gage dropped into the space he left behind, stretching his legs out beside mine. He looked too good this close-too relaxed, too comfortable in his own skin-and I had to remind myself on repeat: friend, friend, friend
Still, my thoughts wouldn’t quiet. It didn’t feel like just friendship, not with him sitting this close, not when every shift in the mattress made my body aware of his. But I couldn’t let myself go there.
“Hero complex,” Miguel muttered from above. “So I gotta save her or some s**t?”
I giggled, shaking my head. “You could just be nice to her,” I said, but then paused. “Or… you could
just be honest.”
Kenneth’s brow lifted. “Honest?”
“Yeah. Everyone loves honesty. And I’m guessing you find her attractive-otherwise, why even
bother-so just tell her that.”
From the corner of my eye, I could feel Gage watching me again, quiet, like he was filing away every word. I tried to ignore it. Tried to ignore the sinking feeling that maybe I was giving advice he
could use on someone else.
“I’m gonna need more than that,” Miguel pressed, leaning over again, eyes sparkling. “What exactly should I say?”
I thought for a second, then shrugged. “Tell her she’s ridiculously gorgeous. And if you only want her for a night, be upfront about it. Shoot your shot. Worst case, she says no-or slaps you-but at least you’ll know.”
Miguel repeated the phrase like he was testing it on his tongue. “Ridiculously gorgeous. Damn, that’s smooth, chica.” He grinned before flopping back into his bunk.
“Alright,” Gage said, shifting beside me, “we should get to bed before it gets too late.”
Caleb sighed and stood, heading for the bathroom. Gage grabbed his phone, switching on the flashlight as Kenneth reached over to flick the main lights off.
“Wanna scooch in?” Gage asked, standing to give me space.
“Sure,” I said, handing him my bag so I could climb under the duvet. I curled up close to the wall, the thin mattress dipping slightly beneath my weight. “Is there enough room?”
“Plenty,” he murmured.
The mattress dipped again as he lay down, the warmth of his body spilling over to me instantly. He shut off the light, letting the cabin fall into darkness. Then he turned toward me, close enough that I could feel his breath against the back of my neck. Goosebumps prickled over my skin.
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“Is this okay?” he whispered-and then his arm slid around me, firm and sure, drawing me back into
him.
My throat tightened. “Yeah,” I squeaked, my voice embarrassingly high even though I was whispering.
“Good night, Bree,” he said, his voice low and warm against my ear.
“Good night,” I whispered back.
The exhaustion that had been dragging me down for days washed over me in full force. In his
arms, I was warm. Safe. Protected in a way I hadn’t felt in longer than I could remember. No nightmares could touch me here-not when his hold was the last thing I felt before sleep took me.
But somewhere deep down, under the calm and the safety, I knew-sleeping next to Gage was going to be the start of a whole new kind of trouble.
