Page 15 of Survival

“I’m not sure. Perhaps just a few weeks. Maybe a little longer. I’m not too rushed to get back.” Nic’s tone was dry, void of emotion, except for everything I could hear hidden underneath, and my brow furrowed slightly, something in his tone calling out to something within me. There was more to his story.

“Well, if you’re staying a while, it would be cool if you made it through Jet’s birthday,” Tucker cut in.

Nic glanced at Jet. “May, right?”

Jet nodded. “Just a couple days before yours.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” Emma beamed.

“My anniversary with Annie is first, though,” Jet added. “Just a few weeks away.”

“Sweet. We outta pull off another camp out like last year. Give you and Annie another night to celebrate.”Mateo rolled his hips as he grinned. “At least one of us should be getting some.”

“Not this crap again.” Emma rolled her eyes and swatted him in the stomach, and Mateo flushed, immediately looking chagrined.

“I was just giving Jet his props, baby.”

“Shhh…we’re in public, and likehellyou were.”

Sensing the quickly mounting tension, I broke in between them, my body brushing temptingly close to Tucker’s in the process. My hands lingered on his abs for just a moment before I cleared my throat. “Aren’t we supposed to be keeping suspicion off y’all tonight?”

“Good point.” Emma suddenly looked worried. “Tucker?” She held out a hand.

He ran a hand through his hair before answering, his body brushing against my back. His throat sounded tight when he replied, “I think I’m gonna go grab a drink first. Raincheck?”

“O-kay…” Her eyes followed him as he took off in the crowd.

I immediately felt bereft with him gone.

“I’ll dance with you, Ems.” Jet offered her a hand.

“Thanks. Do you mind, Annie?”

“No. Go ahead. Maybe you won’t slow him up.”

“Mateo?” I asked.

“Sure,” he replied, letting me whisk him out into the crowd, leaving Annie off to the side with Nic.

Chapter 5

TUCKER

I took a drink of my ice cold water, busy imagining my future date with a cold shower later tonight. Feeling Izzy’s curves against me, the way I knew her hips could move, on andoffthe dance floor, had my mind in overdrive.

Stop thinking about it. It’s not going to happen. It can’t happen here, anyway, even if wewerestill having sex.

That helped a little, knowing it couldn’t happen now either way. Izzy wasn’t one for public escapades. We didn’tneedto do it in public. We could heat up the bedroom just fine on our own…

Argh! No!I downed the last of my water in one big gulp, hoping for a waterfall effect of the shower ploy. It seemed to help a little, so I ordered another, downing that one just as fast as I watched Izzy twirl by with Mateo. Her smile had been plastered to her face since we got here, and I was relieved to see brightness touch her eyes, even if it was just for the night. I was not going to ruin it.

I’d just ordered another water, for good measure’s sake, when Nic walked over and ordered a beer.

“Damn, that sounds good.”

“It’s not liquor, but it’ll do.” Nic took a long pull. He lowered it with a slight face but then tipped it back for another drink.

“Hey, Tucker. Where’s your girlfriend?”

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