Page 37 of Riverside Reverie

“I can always make more,” he grinned, topping my tin mug up before moving to Jasmine’s. Once everyone had a top up, he set the percolator down on the stove and joined us.

Jasmine and I sipped our coffee while the rest of the group focused on eating. Everyone seemed as tired as I was, but there was a sense of peace over the camp.

I tried not to stare at Theo, opting to glance over my shoulder toward the beach, watching the raindrops hit the water steadily. The sound of the droplets hitting the leaves around me mixed with the smell of rain and forest was oddly calming.

I had to admit, I was loving this trip. Being outdoors like this felt healing. I wasn’t stressing about my future, I wasn’t thinking about my sister, or holding the ache of what she’d done so closely to me. Yeah, it still stung when I thought about it, but that sting was distant.

When my gaze moved forward again, I caught Theo watching me with a reverent smile.

“It’s nice, huh? Even when it’s raining.”

“It really is,” I nodded, feeling that same hope blooming in my chest. Jasmine’s words from up at the tent echoed in my mind, but my earlier fears about falling for him and ending up hurt seemed to evaporate with his green eyes on me.

11

FLOATING

Theo

It continued to rain for the rest of the morning. We hung out under the makeshift shelter, and Zoey brought out a deck of cards. We played a few rounds of friendly poker before lunch.

Time seemed to be passing slowly, but I didn’t mind in the slightest. It gave me the opportunity to keep sneaking glances at Lux, taking in her shy smile and the subtle blush that coloured her cheeks each time I caught her gaze.

We had lunch—cold sandwiches and pasta salad, prepped by Jasmine and handed out by Lux. Once we’d eaten and cleaned up from that, the temperature had warmed up enough to go swimming, even though the rain was still coming down.

Everyone changed into their swimsuits. Zoey and Jasmine collected everyone’s life jackets so we could float carefree in the river, dropping them in a pile near the pathway while Kai carried a cooler with beer.

One by one, we picked up our life jackets and carefully walked the lower pathway on the side of the cliff. We wouldn’t risk trying to cliff jump today, not with the rocks as slick as they were, so we made our way to the lower ledge.

Talia was the first to jump in. She wore her life jacket like a diaper and bobbed up the second she went under. “Toss me a cold one!” she called out, and Kai threw her a beer.

I tossed my life jacket in and dove in after it, the shock of the temperature zapping my senses awake. I broke the surface, pushing my soaked hair back and wiping the water from my eyes.

It was cold but refreshing. I felt more awake than I had all morning. I’d been in a bit of a fog after not getting much sleep the night before. My inability to shut my brain off had been a factor, but then I got a taste of Lux’s lips, awakening the hunger I felt for her. Sleep was futile after that, though I’d tried.

I think I might have gotten about two hours of scattered sleep total before giving up and getting up for the day. I was going to crash eventually, but I didn’t want to miss a second of time with this woman.

Talia was already busting my chops about it. She hadn’t said anything yet, but I could tell from how she was watching me and Lux at breakfast that she knew something had transpired between us.

Zoey and Kai jumped in. Zoey adjusted her life jacket so that she was sitting on it, and Kai rested his upper body over his like I was doing. He reached out, putting his hands on her thighs, and smiled at her. Zoey let out a giggle, trying to stop Kai’s fingers creeping up her thigh.

Another splash of someone jumping in sounded behind me, water droplets hitting the back of my head and I turned, giving them privacy, and glanced back towards the ledge to see who’d jumped.

Lux and Jasmine were the only ones still standing on the ledge. Desmond had jumped in while my back was turned, and he was still beneath the water. He popped up a moment later, shaking the water from his hair and beard before swimming back to the ledge and reaching into the cooler that he’d left there to help himself to a beer. He grabbed one for me too, making eye contact with me and nodding before he tossed it.

I caught it one handed and grinned my thanks at him before opening it and taking a deep sip, my eyes once again going back to the woman that had captivated my attention with her kind heart and her newly awakened sense of adventure. She was wearing her black bikini again. It was just as tantalizing as her white one. I’d never wanted to be a scrap of material before, and yet I found myself envious of the way the bikini bottoms hugged her hips.

Lux hesitantly dipped her toe in and pulled her foot back as if the water had electrocuted her. “It’s freezing!” she said to Jasmine.

“It’ll feel warmer once you’re in it, promise,” Jasmine assured her, jumping in. Lux deliberated for another moment, holding her life jacket closer to her body like it could keep her warm. The rain was coming down a little harder now, so either way she was getting wet. Her hair was down and damp, curling around the ends.

Lux looked so exquisite, the epitome of a natural beauty. She took my breath away more effectively than the shock of cold water had. Her grey eyes met mine, her cheeks pinkening beneath my gaze. I wonder if she felt the desire rolling off me in waves. I couldn’t help but smile wider, lifting my chin, daring her to jump.

She drew in a lungful of air, preparing herself before tossing her life jacket in. Then she jumped. She disappeared beneath the dark surface before coming up, teeth already chattering.

“Nope, it’s still freezing!” she exclaimed, grabbing for her life jacket, and Jasmine laughed.

Jasmine floated over to the ledge, grabbing beers for herself and Lux. “Want one Zoey? Kai? Theo?”

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