Page 75 of Loving You

“There’s only one way to find out.” She winks.

“What’s—”

“Ahhhh!” Quinn screams before I can finish. Then she drops to the ground. “Ahhhh!”

I squat to ask her what’s wrong at the same time the group comes running back.

“What happened?”

“Are you okay?”

“You just scared the shit out of me.”

“Quinn, what happened?”

The moment Quinn’s eyes lock onto mine, I remember what she said.

It’s showtime.

“She stepped wrong. I think she rolled her ankle.”

“It hurts really bad,” she says and reaches for my hand to squeeze it. “Oh, wow, it hurts.”

“Let me look at it,” I say. “Try not to move.”

My intentions are to look like a doting boyfriend, but as myhand glides down her leg, I find myself thinking about a lot more than how to get out of this hiking day.

I slowly unlace her shoe, and a vision of her slowly unbuttoning one of those damn pajama shirts flashes into my mind.

Oh, hell. They aren't even the same thing, but it’s turning me on all the same.

“Aren't boots like that made for this?” Cherry asks. Her tone is dry and deeply annoyed.

“Yeah,” I respond quickly. “If you lace them correctly, and it looks like Quinn didn’t.”

“So it’s her own fault,” Cherry rolls her eyes. “Smart.”

“Hey, I tried my best,” Quinn argues, sending a glare in Cherry’s direction and then in mine.

I hold back my smile.

“Either way, it looks like I'm going to have to cut this adventure short for us. You guys go on. I’ll have Quinn give you an update later.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry Quinny.” Andy laces her fingers with Sully’s. “Good thing we took a picture of the map at the lodge earlier. We’ll be fine.”

“Is it weird if I still tag along?” Cherry asks.

“No,” Danny answers eagerly. “I hope you do.”

Once we all say goodbye, Quinn and I wait once again for them to all be out of earshot.

“I can’t believe faking an injury worked,” I say. “It was kind of a pathetic show, to be honest.”

She smacks my chest and stands.

“Yes, because your acting skills suck.”

“I didn't pass that class while I was learning how to change a flat tire.”

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