Page 73 of The Non-Hook Up

Me:Guys! Riley and I are here. I didn’t get the texts until now!

“What are they saying?”Riley comes over, but I hold the phone closer to my chest to stop him from reading the texts as the three bubbles come up to signal someone replying.

Ava’s namepops up with a text.

Ava:Have fun ;)

I narrowmy eyes at the phone and widen my eyes when I see Logan’s response.

Logan:Don’t forget to clean the sheets HAHAHA

My jaw tensesand I shake my head at them laughing at me, because that makes the situation better. I huff, tucking my phone back into my pocket to spin and face Riley, with a look of irritation at his concerned face as I explain, “They’re not coming.”

He raises his brows, surprised. “None of them?”

I shrug. “Charlie is sick, and Logan is worried about Hunter. Neither feel right leaving.” Looking around at the beauty of the lake, I run both hands through my hair, feeling the stress and tension of being in such a beautiful location with Riley alone. This cannot be good and may change things for the good or the bad.

On top of that, I have the added stress of knowing Hunter is only getting worse and Logan is being there for him. I should be happy, but I just wish that Hunter would allow me to be there for him like he is allowing everyone else.

My heart aches at the knowledge as Riley crosses his arms over his chest, regarding me with a thoughtful expression. “So what do you wanna do? Stay or go?”

I think about going, but we have worked for the time off and Riley has already driven all the way here. On the other hand, Hunter is not doing much better. But a part of me knows that if I were to go back, Hunter will not want to talk to me or anything.

So even though it may be challenging to be around Riley in such a beautiful place, I have done it for this long, and I’m sure I can do it a little longer. It’s like our apartment after all. A nicer, more expensive version on the water, but still.

And that is why I sigh, turning to face him waiting, and shrug. “Might as well stay.”

He nods simply. “I’ll get the stuff.” I continue to look out at the expanse of water before backing away to help Riley with the bags.

CHAPTER 39

RILEY

Two days.

I can do it.

It’s only two days.

Saying it over and over again in my mind only makes me too aware of how long those two days will be with Mia and I here alone in this romantic location. Any guy would find it tough to keep his distance and give a girl some space in this type of setting, and I am no saint.

I drop my bags in the room at the end of a long hallway. The room is large, with two walls made of glass and the others of wood, lined with bookshelves and antique style books. A large bed with a tall wooden frame stands firm against the far glass wall, the mountain landscape and the lake becoming its backdrop as I release a calming breath, remembering that this vacation can be great, and it doesn’t need to be hell.

I clench and unclench my fists as I hear Mia rustling about on the other side of the house, where I put her things in a room similar to mine, but on the other side, not wanting to make things harder on me than it needs to be.

But the question remains… will she sleep there, and do I want her to? We’ve been sleeping together every night, and even though it will be easier for me if she is away, I know that having her sleeping away from me is not what I want, but what needs to happen.

It is only a matter of time before I snap and give in to this pull we have, and once I do, there will be no going back. Once I have her, she ain’t going anywhere.

“The house is fully stocked.” I jump in surprise at the sound of Mia’s voice, spinning around to see her standing in the doorway of my bedroom.

“What?”

“Food,” she clarifies. “The house is fully stocked, so I’ll pull something out to defrost for dinner. How do you feel about chicken?”

I nod, all too aware of the presence of the bed in the room with us. “Great.”

She stands there, as if waiting for more, until she finally sighs and steps back. “Alright, well, I’m gonna unpack a few things. What are gonna do?”

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