Page 62 of Off Season

She yawns and nuzzles into me. “The fire is nice. It’s soothing. I’ve never lived anywhere with a fireplace before. Thanks for staying up with me.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

We talk for another two hours about nothing and everything. We both must drift off at some point because when I wake a few hours later, Kam is fast asleep on my chest with my arm wrapped around her. I’m happy she’s at peace enough to sleep with me. On me.

Like a psycho stalker, I lay there awake for another hour with her on top of me, stroking her hair. I wonder what haunts her. I’m not sure why, but I have this need to help her. To take care of her.

She eventually blinks her eyes open. Her big brown eyes look up at me. “Sorry.”

“Why are you sorry? I love that you were comfortable enough to sleep on me. It’s the best compliment in the world.”

Her face falls as she whispers, “Don’t fall for me, Cruz.”

Too late.

I answer, “I’ll try my best. Can we hang out? I want to spend more time with you.”

“Can you do casual? I’m not built for anything more.”

I nod. “I don’t see why not. I’ve never done anything else.”

She sighs. “I want you to see other people and I need you to be cool with me doing the same. This is not a relationship. It’s a…flingationship.”

I chuckle. “I’ve never heard that term.”

“I heard Nelly Furtado use it once in an interview. I loved it.”

“Nelly Furtado? I haven’t heard that name in forever.”

“She just released a new album. I love her. She’s funny as hell in her interviews. Just another in a long line of underrated women.”

I squeeze her tight. “I can live with a flingationship, Kam bam.”

She nods. “Okay. I think I’d like that.”

KAMRYN

I’m a little dazed as I walk into our apartment at around noon. I can’t seem to get rid of this big grin on my face. My fingertips move all over my body reliving everything we did. I think last night was one of the best of my life.

It wasn’t just the sex. It was the time spent in the fort too. We talked and laughed for hours. I’ve never spent an intimate night like that with a partner in my entire life.

As I walk through the door, I see Bailey on our sofa with Ripley sobbing in her arms. I suck in a breath. “What’s wrong?”

Ripley turns her face toward me. It looks like she’s been crying for hours. Her eyes are red rimmed and nearly swollen shut. She stutters, “I’m…I’m…I’m pregnant.”

I can’t imagine my face masking my complete and total shock. As far as I know, she hasn’t slept with anyone since we moved here. I know she went on one date with some random guy from the gym, but I haven’t heard of anything else. Then I remember her weird demeanor with Quincy last night, and I realize what’s going on.

“Is it Quincy’s?”

She steels her face. “It’s mine. I’ll be raising the baby alone.” Then she starts sobbing again. Wailing.

Bailey nods toward her open laptop. I glance at the screen long enough to see a headline about Quincy partying at a bar with some woman last night. It looks like he’s doing shots off her body. Asshole.

I internally laugh. For about ten hours my faith in men was restored. Easy come, easy go.

“Let’s go slash his tires. Maybe cut his curls in his sleep. Noone will know it’s us. I have three black masks in a drawer. Don’t ask me why.”

Ripley lets out a giggle through her tears before shaking her head. “Thank you but I’ll pass. I just need to get through the next two weeks. I promised Arizona I would spend Thanksgiving with Layton so he’s not alone. After that, I think I’m going to move home.”

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