Page 50 of Unhurried Hearts

I dart my eyes around the perimeter of the campsite as though said bear will amble by at the mention of his species.

“I’ll berightback.”

The darkness is even more oppressive inside the tent. I’m surprised I even find the zipper on my sleeping bag. My teeth chatter as I slip between the layers of cool, smooth material. Chris’s shoes crunch around our site and the fire hisses as he pours some water on it. We’re about to crawl into bed together tonight and I can’t be bothered getting nervous because I’m so damn eager to not be alone in the tent anymore. I let out a long breath when the zipper finally whines and he makes his way in. I hear him swear before the whole tent rustles and the next thing I know I’ve got a couple hundred pounds on top of me.

“Shit,are you okay?”

I groan. “Yes, yes. Are you?”

“I think I tripped over your shoes.”

“I don’t think I’m cut out for this.”

He adjusts his weight so I can breathe but our hips are still connected.

“What are you talking about? You’ve barely complained once.”

“I was slow, you tripped over my shoes, and I forgot my tent.”

“Don’t be a little liar, Annie. You forgot that nice-ass tent I bought you on purpose.”

I barely stifle my laugh. “Can you blame me? Even if I’d hauled the tent all the way into the bush with you, I would have ended up in yours anyway.”

“Only if I didn’t crawl into yours first.”

With very little light to go by, my other senses are heightened, and I gasp when an owl hoots somewhere above us.

“It’s okay, we’re safe out here.”

I know he’ll make that true, but there’s not a stitch of bravado in my voice when I say, “Yeah, Iknow.”

“I was worried about this,” he says as he rolls off me. “I think I have something that might help.”

My source of warmth crawls away and I hear a crackling plastic noise. Then cool blue light spreads through the tent, revealing Chris’s smile and a glow stick in his hand. Icould kiss him. Iwillkiss him. I’m already breathing easier being able to see the door of the tent and my own hand in front of my face.

“Did you bring that because you knew I’d be a baby who was scared of the dark?”

“I brought it because it’s useful, and because I saw you had about seven night lights in your 400-hundred-square-foot apartment.” He chuckles warmly.

“You really thought of everything.”

“I’ve done this a few times.”

Of course.

“This?” I hate the way my voice sounds insecure.

Does he take a lot of girls out for sexy camping adventures? I mean, it worked on me.

“The camping. Not bringing glow sticks and making love to incredibly sexy women.”

For a moment I wish for the darkness back because my face splits into a very large grin and there’s nowhere to hide.

“I read that it’s actually warmest to be naked in the sleeping bag,” I say.

“You’re just trying to get me to take my clothes off.”

“Why don’t you come over here?” I unzip my bag a bit so he cancuddle closer.

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