Page 42 of Waiting Game

“Because I know you, bunny,” I reached out to cup her face.

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped, swatting my hand away.

“You can’t lie to me. I know that goody little two shoes, do anything to prove that she’s a good person Valerie, would never cheat on a man that shereallyloves.”

She looked away and I stepped closer.

“If you really loved this doctor, you would be able to easily ignore my advances. You wouldn’t think twice. You know how I know?”

“Hmm?” she put her hands on her hips.

“Because I’ve been that man in love. So obsessed with someone, that anyone else just seemed plain in comparison. No one else would do, no one else could come close. I know how easy it is to ignore others when you’re truly in love. And you,bunny, are not in love with him.”

I brought my face close to hers, and she didn’t pull away.

“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do,” she said against my lips.

“I know plenty,” I smirked, tangling my hands in her hair, “I know what you sound like when you cry, when you laugh, when you come. I know that youractualfavourite colour is green. I know how fucking stubborn you are. I know everything that’s going on up here,” I said, poking a finger against her temple.

She smirked against me, our foreheads grazing against one another.

“Do you remember the night that we put that heart there?” I whispered.

She shook her head, stubbornly, but something in her eyes gave her away.

Valerie knew exactly what I was talking about.

“Well,” I said, my hand trailing down her stomach lightly, “let me remind you.”

She tilted her head to the side, watching me carefully with an amused expression.

“It was the only time that we managed to ditch Antoni,” I undid the button of her jeans, “you wore that tiny little blue dress with white flowers,” I pulled her zipper down.

“I loved that dress.”

“So did I,” I chuckled.

“What else happened?” she breathed.

“We had just sprayed our initials onto the rock, but then we realised that Antoni would eventually see, so we put the heart over it. Your idea. Then,” I smiled, trailing my hand lower, into her jeans and under her panties, “we kissed on that rock for hours. You were fucking begging me to touch you here,” I began circling my fingers and she bit her lip.

“I don’t remember begging,” she smirked.

“I do, because I remember how goddamn hard it was to say no. How much fighting it took to be a gentleman and not take advantage of my best friend’s little sister.”

“Well I got my way in the end,” she sassed.

“So youdoremember?”

She chuckled quietly, and looked up at me, her breathing getting ragged as my fingers continued to lightly circle.

We heard the rustling of footsteps through long grass and separated instantly, Valerie turned to face the other way and did up the button of her jeans. There was so much space between us, and Antoni’s eyes darted between us both. Rome had a knowing smirk on her face.

Rome and Antoni sat at the fire once again, so did Valerie and I - as far away from one another as possible. We shared the occasional glance at each other, but she would blush and look away. Rome and Antoni retired to their tent, and Valerie disappeared into hers.

I sat by the fire by myself for some time, thinking and daydreaming before I finally got up into the back of my ute, laying down on the tray. I rummaged through my bag, lighting a cigarette for old time’s sake, and stared up at the black sky.

After a while I heard more rustling, and a few minutes later, Val climbed up and joined me. She leaned over me, taking the cigarette from my fingers and watching me as she took a deep inhale.

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