Something Wilder(59)

“Want this?” she asked, meaning the sleeping bag.

“No, I’m good.” He met her eyes, adding, “Really.”

It was still probably in the high sixties, and without a breeze the air wasn’t bad at all. But although her body had stopped the violent shivering, she still felt mildly feverish. Lily pulled the sleeping bag tighter around her shoulders.

“Would you like a protein bar or a protein bar for dinner?” he asked, laughing.

She bent down to dig into his bag. “Luckily we have seven hundred of these.” She pulled out a couple of bars for each of them, tossing his one at a time over the top of the quickly growing fire.

He caught them and gave her a playful wide-eyed look of disbelief. “Living on the edge.”

“You know me. Almost died, nothing can shake me now. What about you? You got pretty banged up yourself today.”

Leo ripped open a wrapper and took half of a bar down with a single bite. He looked at the cuts and scrapes. “I’ll heal.”

“I’m sorry I dropped my pack in the river.”

He shook his head, finishing the protein bar. “You’re alive. That’s just stuff, and it’ll dry.”

“Not by bedtime.”

Leo leaned forward, poking at the little fire. “We can share my sleeping bag.”

As he stared at the flames, Lily stared at him. Can we? she wondered. He was always so calm, always adaptable. She realized, watching him, that he met challenges as if they were an expected part of his path. By contrast, she resented every tiny roadblock.

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt her to try to enjoy the adventure rather than quietly burning up over the possibility that her father hid treasure from her. She couldn’t change the past, after all.

“Are you really okay?” she asked. “Not too sore?”

Now that he was practically naked, Lily could see some scrapes on his left arm and a bruise blooming on his ribs.

He nodded, smiling at the fire. “That was one crazy fucking day.”

This made her laugh, and he looked up at her, pleased at the sound. Her heart tugged. Lily could simply look at him and know how he felt. How wild that, in this way at least, they hadn’t changed at all.

Don’t fall in love with him again, she thought.

“I’m really trying to imagine how we’re both going to fit in the bag, though,” he said, lifting his chin. “You’ll have to keep your hands to yourself.”

Tearing off a piece of her protein bar, she lobbed it at him.

But instead of it hitting him in the forehead like she’d planned, Leo ducked, catching it in his mouth.

Lily screamed, pointing. “Shut up!”

He was so proud, it was hilarious. “Did you see that!”

“Okay,” she said, “but can you do it twice?” She lobbed another piece, but the arc was flat. That one hit him in the chin.

He shook his head, slapping his hands on his thighs. “That was a bad throw. Doesn’t count.”

“Okay, okay.”

She tried again. It was high, and he had to lean to the right, but he caught it, chomping proudly.

“Who knew you were gifted in the art of catching flying food?” she asked, bending to take a bite for herself. “This must be a new skill.”

He nodded, opening his second bar. “I am full of surprises.”

Isn’t that the truth. Lily stared at him, long and lean. Her nerves hummed. She wondered how good it would feel to have that smooth honeyed skin pressed all along her front. She wanted him for a blanket.

Lily had to be careful, though: keep her focus, not make this about being alone with Leo in the middle of the wilderness. They weren’t just there for themselves, after all. Their friends were relying on them. Her future was riding on this.

But when he looked up at her, smiling shyly, every coherent thought flew out of her head and she found herself blurting, “I like how you’re just sitting over there mostly naked like it’s totally normal.”

He smirked at her, completely at ease in his body. “Well, someone is wearing my clothes and my sleeping bag.”

“Are you cold yet?”

He shook his head. “I’m good.”

Honestly. Lily stared at him, wondering if he was really so dumb as to pass up that opening.

He did a double take when he caught her expression. “What?”

She shook her head, smiling. “Nothing. Good.” Turning her attention back down to her food, she said, “I’m glad you’re not cold.”

“Wait.” He paused. “Were you inviting me into that bag with you?”

“Too late.”

He laughed incredulously. “Just last night you kissed me like I was returning from war and you haven’t acknowledged it once.”

“I know,” she said quickly. “You’re right. Ignore me. I just got wrapped up in the moment.”

She looked down, picking at her bar, but could feel the press of his focus on her. Finally, he said her name: “Lily.”

“Hmm?”

“Ask me again.”

She laughed. “No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

He stood and walked over, bending to get her attention. “Lily, I’m freezing.” His eyes were dancing, sparkling playfully in the sunset. “I’m so cold. Please help me.”