Page 28 of Riverside Reverie

Jasmine didn’t really need my assistance, but I held the rope anyway until she was settled. Then I tossed the rope into the canoe with them. Jasmine used her paddle to push away from the rock.

9

CAMPFIRE SONGS

Lux

After we got back to the campsite, the group had a quick swim to cool off before it was time to start making dinner. Jasmine had brought all the fixings for tacos, and I helped set up a taco station on the bench with Zoey and Rhiannon. Jasmine had pre-cooked the seasoned ground beef but was heating it up over the fire in a cast iron pan.

When the ground beef was warm, we made our tacos and sat around the campfire eating. I hadn’t realized how ravenous I was until I was consuming my second taco and still hungering for more. Luckily, Jasmine had made a lot of ground beef. Everyone was able to put away three tacos before we ran out of ingredients.

Once we’d cleaned up and all the dishes were washed, the temperature started to drop. Jasmine and I went to our tent to change.

“I think Theo’s into you,” Jasmine commented as I pulled on a pair of comfortable sweatpants. The mosquitoes were bad, and I didn’t want to deal with the bites.

I glanced at her and lifted a brow. “Oh?”

“What do you think of him?” she pressed, pulling her sweater over her head, and obscuring the coy smile on her lips.

“He’s nice,” I shrugged, grabbing my sweater. I tugged it on, pulling my hair out from under the collar and arranging it in a messy braid.

“And? Do you think he’s attractive?”

“Sure,” I tucked my phone in my sweater pocket and sent her a look. “But I don’t know why we’re talking about this when you promised you’d tell me about what’s going on between you and—” before I could finish my sentence, Jasmine had taken a step toward me and put her finger over my lips, silencing me.

Casting a glance at our closed tent as if she was worried someone would overhear us, she shook her head. “It’s complicated, and I’ll explain later,” she promised, assuring me with her eyes.

“What’s complicated about it?”

“He’s my friend, and technically my landlord,” Jasmine whispered. “We have a great friendship. I don’t want to ruin it with feelings.”

“But if you already have feelings for each other, how can you ruin it?” I replied in a hushed tone.

“Like I said, it’s complicated. You and Theo—there’s no complications there. Besides, I’m not the one that needs a rebound.”

“I don’t need a rebound,” I frowned, crossing my arms.

“No, but you could use a good distraction, or should I say, dick-straction!” Jasmine grinned.

I opened and closed my mouth, finding no lie in her statement. I could use a good distraction from all the drama and betrayal in my life.

“What if he’s not up for being a distraction?”

“Trust me, he is.” Jasmine’s smile turned knowing, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“How do you know? Did he say something?”

“I’ve known Theo for years. I can tell he’s attracted to you, plus I may have given him permission to ravage you last night when we were talking, and the smile he tried to contain said it all. He’d be game for that.”

“Jasmine!” I said her name louder than I intended, mortified. The butterflies in the pit of my stomach took flight at the idea, and I tried to suppress them in vain. The idea was already brewing on its own within me, and each time I caught Theo looking at me, that desire grew. I didn’t need Jasmine encouraging that madness.

“I think you should go for it,” she told me. “Seriously, Lux. When was the last time you did something for yourself just because you wanted to?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but you didn’t really want to come on this trip. I sort of pushed you,” Jasmine said with a cheeky grin. “Aren’t you glad I did?”

“Actually, yeah.” I glanced out the mesh tent window, trying to fight the smile. “Theo aside, it’s been the perfect escape.”

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