Page 94 of Make Me Dream of You

“Oh, hey, guys! I didn’t know you were in here. Sweet.” He hangs his towel and climbs in with a smile and a sigh as he sinks into the hot water.

He takes a sip of beer then looks around. At me then her. And back. His eyes shifting. It’s quiet.

I keep my expression cool, but I shoot him a look when his lopsided smile starts to appear, a look that says don’t fucking say it.

“Well…” Livvy’s smile is unnaturally cheery. “I’m pretty warm. And tired. I think I’m going to head in now. Night.”

“Night,” Wood says, waving as she grabs her towel and dashes away. He turns back to me, tilting his chin, biting back a grin.

“Don’t say it.”

He holds his hand up and shrugs. “I’m not saying anything.”

“You look like you want to say something.”

“Nope. Not me.”

“Right.”

Wood starts to tell me how they saw a bear in the woods on their hike today and how I should have been there. He already told the story around the fire when we were eating dinner.

“Anyway, you should have been there, bro.”

I grunt.

“I know, I know. You’re not into hiking. And the bear definitely wasn’t as pretty as Livvy.”

“Careful.”

“Hey, I’m the one always telling you to go meet people, make connections, find your person. I’m happy for you.”

“But you’re not saying anything.”

“Nope.”

I was going to wait longer to follow Livvy up, but fuck that. “I’m heading in.”

“Have fun,” Wood says with a wink.

“It’s not like that.”

“Mmhmm.” He smiles as he brings the beer bottle to his lips. I check him with my shoulder on my way out.

I go up to my room and change, then pad down the hall to Livvy’s. There’s no answer when I knock softly on her door.

I turn the knob slowly then crack the door open. “Liv?”

Silence.

I peek in. She’s curled on her side under the covers, the moonlight caressing her figure.

After closing the door and locking it behind me, I go to her. Quietly, I lift back the blanket and slide in behind her. I tuck my legs into the crook of hers and wrap my arm around her middle.

She wiggles back against me and entwines her arm with mine, clasping it to her chest with a contented sigh.

I press my lips to her shoulder, inhaling her scent. “Go back to sleep.”

It’s weird, waking up when the sun’s already out and realizing I slept more than a few hours uninterrupted. I reach over to Liv, my hand skimming over the soft sheets. She’s not there but her spot is still warm.

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