Page 43 of Hate Me (Badger Creek Duet)

I’m already half hard but I don’t make any attempt to move things along, wanting to savor this moment and these admissions we’ve both made toward each other. It’s hard to believe just twenty-four hours ago, Delaney and I were nothing more than two people who had hooked up a few times and couldn’t quite figure out what we were supposed to be to each other.

And even though I know the whole being trapped in a cabin and just trying to survive thing has added a whole new element to what’s happening between us now, it doesn’t make it any less real. If anything, everything feels a million times more real.

Eventually she pulls back, resting her forehead against mine as we both breathe a little harder because of that kiss. I brush the hair back from her face, my eyes blinking open to find her already watching me.

“What?” I say with a low chuckle.

She smiles. “Nothing.”

I raise a brow, hitting her with a look that says I don’t believe her. “Tell me.”

She licks her lips, swallowing hard as she asks, “Have you ever tried talking to your dad about how you feel?”

I shake my head, not wanting to admit out loud that I haven’t. It feels lame and shitty that I never did and even though he didn’t either, it still feels like a cop out.

“So maybe,” she says, running her fingers along my collarbone. “When we get out of here, you should?”

“I don’t know,” I say, exhaling. “I’m sure he’ll just find some way to blame this whole getting stuck out here thing on me,” I say, knowing that these days it doesn’t matter what I do, my dad never seems to think it’s good enough. And just because he chose to throw himself into his work when Mom died, doesn’t mean I have to do the same.

“I doubt that, Alex,” Delaney says, her words firm. “How the hell can an avalanche be your fault? If anything, you’re the reason we’re both alive.”

“Pfft,” I scoff. “I think that’s an exaggeration.”

“Nope,” she says, shaking her head. “I mean if you weren’t here, I’d probably still be buried in the snow. And if by some miracle I’d managed to dig myself out, how the hell would I have known what stuff we can eat out here, or how to make pine needle tea, or even have that backpack of random things like you did.”

Chuckling, I lean in and give her a quick kiss. “Yeah, but if you hadn’t been here, I’d be eating soggy, stuck together pasta and going fucking crazy because the girl of my dreams was worried if I was alive or not.” Delaney’s mouth drops into an O shape and I let out a loud laugh. “All true by the way,” I whisper, kissing the corner of her mouth.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should talk to him when this is all over,” she eventually says. “I think you might be surprised at all the things he’s been feeling and hiding from you.”

I raise a brow in question, my eyes searching her face as I wonder if it’s really possible that Delaney knows more about me than I do. Because despite my protestations, I actually do want to talk to my dad. About what happened with Mom, about what came after, about everything.

“Is that so?”

“Yep,” she says with a nod.

Chuckling, I slip my hand down to her ass, squeezing it once. “You drive a pretty hard bargain there, Laney.”

“Yeah,” she says with a smirk. “But you also know I’m right.”

“Ugh,” I groan, playfully rolling my eyes at her. “Fine, if we make it—”

“Whenwe make it,” she says, correcting me.

Smiling, I squeeze her ass again. “When we make it out of here,” I say, pausing to give her another kiss. “I’ll think about talking to my dad.”

“Ahh, no, not think, do!”

Chuckling, I roll onto my back, taking her with me. “And what’s in it for me?” I tease.

She grins, wriggling her hips against mine in a way that feels seriously fucking awesome. “I think we might be able to come up with something.”

I slide my hand up her back and into her hair, urging her closer. “Is that so,” I whisper against her lips. “Care to elaborate?” I ask as she pokes out her tongue, quickly flicking it at my mouth. “Fuck, Laney,” I groan.

“Well, yeah, that’s one idea,” she whispers. “But first, I have one more question for you.”

“Ugh,” I moan, kissing her hard. “Seriously?”

“Yep.”

---