Page 38 of Waiting Forever
“You,chicken out? I don’t believe it. You’re the most fearless girl I know.”
Her smile fades. She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms, her gaze growing distant.
Shit. Is she remembering something bad? Is it what happened to her? Did my comment set her off? I fucking hate that I don’t know. “Everything okay?” I try for a light tone.
Her eyes find mine. “Yeah.” She sits forward and grabs the beer, taking a big swig. When she’s done, her nose scrunches. She makes a sound of disgust and chases the beer with a big gulp of Coke.
“Easy,” I tell her. “Soda burns when you chug it like that.”
She sets the Coke bottle down and grabs her throat, her features twisted with pain.
“Why did you drink the beer if you don’t like it?” I reach for her but pause, wanting to help but not knowing what to do. “Do you want a water?” I stand.
“No,” she croaks and waves for me to sit. “I’m fine, and I do like beer, just not that kind. What is it?”
“Stout. It says it on the bottle.” I show her the label.
“It should say ‘horrible and dry.’ I felt like it sucked the moisture from my mouth.”
I laugh. Ever dramatic, but oh so cute. “Are you sure you don’t want a water?”
“Yes. I’m sure. I’ll just have my Coke, and a bite of this.” She swipes the hot dog from my plate and chomps off the end.
“Hey. There are plenty more hot dogs.” I gesture to them on the table.
She sets mine back on my plate. “I don’t want another. I’m stuffed. I just wanted a bite to remove the last taste of that beer from my mouth.”
I roll my eyes and chuckle. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this at ease. It’s nice.
17
Kensington
I WATCH NATHAN step into the Jacuzzi and jump out so fast he almost trips. “That’s hot as fuck.”
“It’s not—you’re just cold. I told you not to jump in the pool first.” I sink onto the concrete bench seat that encircles the hot tub. The inground spa sits higher than the patio deck and has a waterfall on one side that spills into the pool below.
“I thought it was warm.” Nathan stands on the Jacuzzi ledge. “I didn’t know the pool heater broke.”
“Maybe you forgot to turn it on.”
“It’s on a timer.” He dips his foot into the Jacuzzi water and yanks it out.
The water might be too hot for him still. He’s soaked from doing a cannonball into the pool, his failed attempt to splash me, but now he’s shivering.
“You’re freezing. Get in!” I command, hating seeing him suffer but also amused at how this big, muscular man is afraid of a little hot water. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Give me a minute.” He plants one foot on the first step, then the other, and sits on the ledge, dangling his legs up to his calves in the water.
“Oh my gosh!” I splash him. “Get in, already.”
“Stop.” He cowers away. “I’m giving my body temperature time to adjust.”
“No. You’re giving me a shot of your mangina. Now, man up and get in.”
He stares at me with a shocked grin.
I laugh. “I’m sorry. Do you prefer the termvagina?”
