Page 122 of Wild Like Us
I want to ask him something. I glance at him, then scan the campsite.
He glances at me like he wants to ask something too, then looks away. “Are you going to say it or am I?”
“You are my leader.” I bite on the toothpick.
Akara goes ahead and asks, “Did we have a threesome?”
I lean back too. “Is it a threesome if you and I didn’t do anything?”
“Fuck if I know, man.” Akara snaps a finger to his palm. “I’ve never hooked up with a girlwithanother guy before.”
“Me either.”
Akara asks, “What about two other girls?”
I shake my head. “No, have you?”
“Once.” Akara frowns, thinking. “This felt so different than that. It wasn’t casual or…” He has trouble finding the exact words.
“Yeah, I know,” I nod, already understanding.
It was the most emotional, intimate moment I’ve ever had with a girl. And we didn’t even have sex.Andanother guy was there.
The worst part islikingwhat we did. Because one of us isn’t going to be with her. The silent fact lingers, and we share a more distraught look before our gazes return to the campsites.
“Incoming,” I say.
Two campers have left the orange tent.
A dirty-blonde, curly-haired woman and a wiry, white guy with a North Face headband venture our way.
Tilting my head, I whisper to Akara. “What do you know about them?”
“They’re a climbing team namedTeam Apex. They live in Bozeman, but they hop from campsite to campsite around the Yellowstone region for climbs.”
Do they have ulterior motives?
Some fans are masquerading as hecklers. They go in for a simple autograph or selfie but actually wish a famous one would do something awkward or say something stupid—just so they can post a human slipup for clout with their friends.
I mean, one snapshot of a glare, and they’ll just deem themasshole celebrities.
Truth: I prefer the clients who want me to shove strangers away from them. Like Xander and Sulli. Ilovewhen I can be short and threatening and not give a damn if a heckler throws a tantrum at my feet. I’ve had to haul asses away from Xander so that he could just simply cross the fucking street.
And while Sulli’s not nearly as famous or draws as many crowds, I’ll do the same for her.
Even now.
I gear up to lightly brush them off.
But I don’t expect what comes out of the guy’s mouth.
28
AKARA KITSUWON
“RykeMeadows isn’t welcome on this mountain, and neither is his daughter,” the scrawny Team Apex guy states like this is a casual opener to a conversation. I recognize him from Instagram. His name is Lincoln and the girl beside him is Jordyn.
While he stuffs his hands in his pockets, he leans back on his heels like he nonchalantly said,hey, how’s it going?
