Page 24 of Love Hazard

“Rain. The rain.” She sniffled. There was no thunder, nolightning, only a light drizzle that wasn’t at all loud. “It threw me off.”

I nodded slowly. “Yes, I can see how the storm could do thatto a person.”

“Right?” She moved around the campsite, organizing the restof our belongings while I stoked the fire and went into the Jeep to grab someextra blankets.

Damn. It was going to be tight inthat little tent, and it was starting to rain harder. Maybe staying in thevehicle would be smarter, but it would be so uncomfortable and not warm at all.Besides, I could stoke the fire a bit longer and we could feed off that heat.

“All right.” I cleared my throat and awkwardly pointed atthe tent with both hands as if to say, “Your honeymoon suite awaits.”

All I needed was a tux and a rose dangling out of my mouthlike an idiot. And why the hell was I still pointing with both hands? Where didI even put my hands? In my pockets? I imagined if you were watching me on TV,you’d be like…that poor, pathetic bastard.

“Yeah.” She bit her lower lip again. Stop it, damn it. Stop it. Stop it right now. “I’ll just follow yourlead.”

Why did she use those words? Why, God? Why?

“Sure,” I agreed. “I’m just going to kick off my shoes andhop in. The fire should be good for the next hour or so, but I’ll check on itif it really starts to get cold. Though the rain might end up putting out.” Hereyes widened. “Putting it out. I meant putting it out.”

“Oh, I know,” she said quickly. “Because it’s wet.”

Has there ever been a more awkward campfire moment? Tough tosay, honestly, tough to say. There was that one time I ran around in myunderwear when I was ten and hit a tree.

Pretty sure I would claim that over this moment any day.

Becoming one with bark.

“So…” I gulped. Why was I suddenly so awkward? “I’ll justget in there.”

God, please, someone tell me to stop talking. Why dideverything feel like a sexual innuendo?

“I’m ready,” she answered brightly.

Maybe next time, we’d just use hand signals and saveourselves from the awkward misery of our own inability to speak.

“Yup.” Just going in. I crept inside the small tent andkicked off my boots, putting them right outside in case I needed to tend to thefire or go to my hole, which sounded off even in my brain.

She sat down just inside and took off her tennis shoes,setting them next to my boots, then scooted in, socks still on. I had the extrablankets on her side, the one pillow in the middle, and the sleeping bag open.It would be impossible to zip it, so we’d just have to pile on the blankets andlie down.

Together.

We had maybe three feet across at best and around eight feetto stretch out in.

I used the flashlight and quickly zipped up the tent rightwhen the rain started to pour onto us so loudly that it made Hazel jump closerto me and grab on. “Downpour?”

“It’s not going to hit us super hard since we’re under thetree.”

“Okay.” She looked down and pulled her hands free from mysweatshirt. “Sorry. I didn’t realize, and it’s hard to see.”

“It’s okay,” I rasped. “Just try to get some sleep. Can youtoss me one of the blankets or two? I’ll pull them over us.”

“Yeah.” She grabbed both down blankets and abruptly turnedtoward me, nailing me in the head with her chin. “Ouch!”

“Wow.” I stretched my face. “Strong chin.”

“It’s dark.”

“It’s the mountains.” I rubbed the side of my head andpulled the blankets over us, then reclined on the pillow. She slowly stretchedout next to me.

I put the flashlight between us, casting a glow on her face.“You know something?”

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