Page 43 of Just Act Natural

A pause. “Do you get a lot of nightmares?”

“Mostly about birds.” I chew the inside of my cheek. “If you hear any snoring, just assume it’s all Scott, okay?”

The tiny little laugh I force out edges close to hysterical.

He props himself up on one elbow. “Would you feel better if I slept in your tent?”

“What?” I snake an arm out of my sleeping bag and pull him back down onto his mat. “No, I don’t want you to go.”

He settles back down again. “Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” I snuggle myself deeper into my sleeping bag, grateful for the darkness. “You’re just really unbothered about all of this.”

“Princess.” The nickname comes out in a low rumble. “I am anything but unbothered about sleeping next to you.”

A glowing spark of adrenaline pinballs through my body.Wow.

“Oh. Okay, then.” I duck my face into my sleeping bag, hiding the huge grin he can’t see anyway. “As long as we’re on the same page.”

He exhales a soft laugh. “Goodnight, princess.”

“Goodnight, mountain man.”

THIRTEEN

GRANT

I’m hot.Hot and surprisingly sweaty. And…deeply content?

It takes my morning brain about ten seconds to fully wake up and realize that the extra warmth surrounding me is from Lila’s body tucked up against mine. My arm is wrapped around her, my hand dipped into the top of her sleeping bag to rest against her upper back. Her face is almost pressed against mine, her fingers twisted in my shirt.

I shift so I can see her better. She’s still wearing my green knit hat, a fact that makes all of my nerve endings stop and pay attention. She’s stunning like this, completely peaceful. I move my hand from her back to capture one of her braids, running my thumb over the plait.

This is just temporary. It can’t last. Even if I weren’t going home in a few weeks, this bubble Lila and I are in would burst one way or another. Still…I’m growing fond of the bubble.

If I were smart, I would extract myself from her death grip on my shirt and escape the tent. Make some coffee and let us start the day free of awkwardness. I guess I’m not that smart. Nothing’s going to get me out of this position but her.

I breathe her in. Despite her fears the other day, there’s nothing unpleasant in her scent. If I knew it wouldn’t wake her, I would lean even closer and fill my lungs with her.

Way to keep things firmly on the awkward side of the line.

Eventually, she stirs, and instead of pulling away from me, she burrows deeper. Her hand in my shirt pulls me closer, her cheek grazes mine. I make a sound. It might be a groan, I can’t say for sure. But that’s what finally shakes her from sleep.

Where I woke up piece by piece, she wakes all at once. Her eyes fly open wide just a few inches from mine. She releases my shirt like it’s on fire. Then, she covers her face with her hands and rolls until she’s facing away from me.

“Grant!” Her hands muffle her miserable moan. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that!”

Not going to lie—an apology is the last thing I want right now. All I want is her, back in my arms. Immediately. It’s this, even more than her embarrassment, that pulls me from the spell her snuggles had me under.

“It’s okay, Lila.” I sit up and run my fingers through my hair. Sleeping in my clothes had seemed the most convenient option last night, but it isn’t the best look this morning. “I was about to go get breakfast.”

“Right, just as soon as I finished pawing you.” She drags her hands down her face, then rubs at her mouth. “Ugh, I’ve beendrooling,too.”

“I didn’t see any drool.”

She rolls enough to cut her eyes to mine. “We’re going to pretend this morning never happened, right?”

I pause a beat. “Sure. You want some tea?”

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