Page 61 of When We Burn

He pulls in a deep breath and lets it out.

“Hi,” he says, and just that one syllable has my stomach tightening.

“Hi.” I smile, still looking up when his fingers squeeze around my own. “Your sister’s store is amazing.”

“Yeah. It is. She said you were there.”

“I was there.”

Our words are soft, meant only for each other, before they’re carried away on the crisp early autumn air.

“Bridge?”

“Yeah, kitten?”

I smile at the endearment.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“You can ask me anything. You know that.”

“Okay.” I press my lips together for a long minute, not sure how I should phrase this, and it reminds me of that first night that we were out here, just a few weeks ago.

Bridger and I have always been honest with each other, so I should just say it.

“Is it a hard question?” He’s not mocking me at all. I can hear the curiosity in his voice, and it softens me a bit.

“Kind of, yeah. An uncomfortable one, anyway.”

He pulls his hand out of mine, and I feel him roll onto his side, resting his head in his hand so he can look down at me. His other hand glides up my thigh and under the hoodie, resting on my belly, and it feels warm and soothing.

“Look at me.”

I rub my lips together, but I don’t look his way, and then his fingers are on my chin, turning my head in his direction.

“Talk to me, beautiful. What do you want to ask me?”

“Are we just …fuck buddies?”

Chapter Eleven

BRIDGER

Before I can even process that question, let alone answer it, Dani keeps going, the floodgates open.

“I mean, it’s okay if we are. It’s totally fine. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page because it’s been such a confusing week. God, not that that’syourfault, I just…we had such a good time last weekend, and then all hell broke loose, and I’ve hardly heard a peep from you until earlier today when you stormed over here and railed me in the garage, which was totally fun, and I’m a big fan, but I just need to know if we’re only going to have sex when we have the opportunity and otherwise I won’t hear much from you so I can just prepare my brain and my heart for that because my loins arein.As long as it’s monogamous, though, because otherwise, gross.”

She takes a breath, and I take that opportunity to cover her mouth with my hand, and she frowns at me.

“Stop talking for two seconds, okay?”

She nods, watching me with those expressive eyes that shine like diamonds in the moonlight, and I move my hand back down to her belly, under my hoodie, against warm, soft skin.

“It’snotokay,” I begin, “to just be fuck buddies. Jesus, I can’t believe you said that.”

“I got nervous.”

“So, you swear when I’m inside of you or when you’re nervous?”

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