She smiles, tears in her eyes. “That’s beautiful, you know.”
I sit up with her and kiss her cheek. It feels good to finally share that with someone. I never thought it would matter, but I can see that it does.
“How did you know that you loved running and rock climbing?” she asks me.
I think about this for a second. Take away all of my trophies, all the success, would I still run and climb? My lips rise at the answer. “Because when you find something you love, you can’t quit. Every failure pushes you harder. It’s in your soul and in your fucking heart.”
“And what if I never find what I love?”
“You have to try some things,” I say, not worried about this as much as she probably is. She’s only eighteen. She’ll figure it out. She has time, even though her mom makes it seem like she has none. “I got lucky.” I kiss her temple. “Try to sleep with me, Dais.”
She smiles and opens her mouth to make a very fucking obvious quip.
“Real sleep,” I say, lying back down with her. I hold her to my chest, keeping her safe.
And I wait for her to start dreaming.
< 41 >
RYKE MEADOWS
I unzip the tent, running my hand through my hair while the birds chirp. I can tell it’s early. Probably around six, and Daisy only fell asleep an hour ago. I didn’t close my eyes at all, and honestly, my body isn’t that tired. Fucking her was the best adrenaline rush I could have. I’m still living that high.
I immediately find Connor and Rose around the campfire, both dressed in inappropriate fucking clothes for the morning. A suit and a dress. And they’re drinking coffee from Dunkin Donuts paper cups.
I outstretch my arms. “You’re a bunch of fucking cheaters.”
Rose scoffs as though I punched her in the face. “We did not cheat.”
I slouch in a chair across from them. “You can’t buy coffee while you’re camping.”
“I’ve never heard of these rules,” Connor says. He sips his store-bought coffee with a pompous grin.
“You camp and you make instant coffee with boiled water and powder packets.” I shake my head at them. “Running to the store is like excusing yourself to go to the bathroom during a test, checking answers on your phone.”
Rose’s eyes narrow at me and then she takes a larger sip of her coffee too, not backing down. Connor looks like he could fuck her right there.
Whatever.
“You’re glowing, by the way,” Connor tells me. I don’t like that knowing expression on his face.
“Fuck off, Cobalt.” I kick my boots up on the cooler.
Rose plants her fierce fucking yellow-green eyes on me. “Did you wear a condom?” she asks in a hushed but forceful voice, pretty careful not to wake up my brother.
My face hardens. There’s no way they heard us last night, but Connor puts details together to find facts, so I’m not that surprised he’s figured it out. Or that he’s been keeping Rose updated on my relationship with Daisy. “Did you wear one when you first fucked Connor?” I retort.
Her neck reddens. “That’s not the point.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay then.” I have nothing else to say. I’m not about to explain how I always wear condoms with other women, but I honestly don’t see the fucking need to with Daisy. We’re in a serious relationship. I trust her. And I trust me. The. Fucking. End.
I’m about to stand up, but Rose says something that keeps me here.
“Be careful with her, Ryke. She might be experienced, but she’s still my sister. If you hurt her, I’ll personally snip off your balls and hang them on the Christmas tree this year.”
I internally cringe. “I wouldn’t fucking hurt her, I promise you, Rose.”
She nods. “Okay then,” she repeats what I did, and I almost smile.
“I’m going to get more wood,” I tell them.
Connor follows me with his coffee in hand. “I’ll help.”
“Feel guilty for cheating?” I ask, heading towards the forest.
“No,” he says, his expensive shoes crunching the leaves. “I just thought you needed an extra pair of hands.”
I wait for the punchline. My brows rise when it doesn’t come. “No insult?” It’s weird not hearing a dog joke. Even with the constant badgering, he’s always been my friend, but like most of my relationships, it’s complicated. “You didn’t tell Rose about Daisy’s sleep issues, did you?” I stop about twenty feet from the woods, our camp still behind us.