Page 37 of Love Hazard

And the next day, when we both woke up to text messages fromour families, it was an actual disaster.

Are you alive? Dad texted. You left the tile from your keys at the campsite, huge storm.

Hazel jolted awake and looked over at me. “Is your phonegoing off like crazy?”

“Shit.” I scrambled naked out of bed, but my legs gottangled in the sheets. “I mean, it’s not like we aren’t consenting adults.Everything is fine, totally fine.”

“Yeah.” Her eyes roamed down my body. “So fine.”

The sheet fell from her chest.

I gulped and tossed my phone. “They can wait, right?”

“Oh, please let them wait.”

“I needed you,” I admitted. “Mom’s dying, and that’s theworst lean-in as far as a conversation starter for more sex, but I’ve just beenso—“

“August,”—she pressed a finger to my mouth—“I’lltake this to my deathbed. But I know you. You can’t just take it all on andhope that because you’re strong it makes her body less weak.”

Tears welled in my eyes. “I feel so damn selfish for wantingsomething for myself.”

“What is it you want?” She pulled me under the sheet andwrapped her body around me. “Maybe I can give it to you.”

Another tear slid down my cheek. “I think you already did,Hazel.”

“My virginity?” she deadpanned.

I froze. “What!?”

She burst out laughing. “Oh my gosh, you should see yourface.”

“One.” I started counting. “Two.”

She scrambled out of bed and ran naked toward the shower. Ijoined her immediately and pushed her against the tile, kissing her senseless before pulling away.

Her hands gripped my biceps, pieces of blond hair stickingto her wet cheeks. “I really like you, August, you know, despite howargumentative you are. And weird. And how everything is just a big deal. Imean, who cares if it was a hole?”

I grinned. “Keep going.”

“I know.” She looked down. “I know you’re going through alot. Your mom’s sick, and I know you’ve been taking on so much. I’m sorry Inever said anything. I just didn’t want it to be weird, so I figured adistraction was the best way. Immature?”

“Hazardous, but no.” I laughed. “I needed a distraction. Idon’t think I’ve ever been so thankful to see my enemy graduate and throw aparty.”

Hazel took a deep breath. “I had a crush on you and thoughtyou hated me.”

“I had a crush on you and thought the only way toget your attention was to be annoying.”

“Stupid, immature boys.”

“Stupid, beautiful girls who climb trees.”

I kissed her again when a knock sounded at the door.

We ignored it.

The knocking got louder, and voices were heard.

Finally, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my hips,then went to the door and jerked it open. “What the hell is so importantthat—oh shit. Hi, Mr. Titus.I was just, um…”

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