Page 48 of Tourist Trap

I let out a laugh, something I do often when Claire is around, before I clarify.

“I’ve never really had someone in my life I’ve been that close with.”

Her face transforms again, eyes going wide with shock. “Oh my god, Miles, are you a virgin?”

“Definitely not,” I correct quickly, then feel an embarrassed blush burning at my cheeks. I don’t know why it is I always seem to fumble my words around Claire. “I mean. No. I’m not a virgin. At all. I, uh. No.”

Real smooth, Miller.

“So you’ve only had fuck buddies?”

I choke on the water I was trying to sip to cool myself down.

“No. God, I just mean I’ve never had a serious girlfriend, one who would be living with me to have to take care of me.” Then I pause, repeating what I said and explaining. “Not that you’re my girlfriend. You’re my tenant. You’re just living with me. Fuck?—”

“You’re so easy to fluster,” she laughs, letting me out of my misery. I glare at her as she eats another nugget before asking, “Why haven’t you? Had a serious girlfriend, I mean.”

I shrug. “Never really had the time. Between updating this place and building up the shop, I haven’t had time for one. Women aren’t really into a man who works all the time and, as you like to point out, never likes to have fun.”

She gives me a soft smile.

“I don’t know, I think I’m doing a pretty good job at rehabbing you. You’re getting pretty fun.”

I can’t help but smile back. “All thanks to you, I suppose.”

She quirks a shoulder and puts a hand under her chin, and I let out a laugh at her antics.

“I bet by the time summer is over, you’ll be a whole new person.”

I smile and nod, though it reminds me that she’s only here until the end of the season. The thought of her leaving is unsettling.

“What’s next?” I ask. “After the summer, I mean.”

She shrugs, and fuck, I wish I had her carefree energy. That not-knowing alone would eat me alive.

“Not sure. I’ll probably head back to Evergreen Park, maybe work at my brother’s girlfriend’s dance studio again.”

“You don’t sound too happy about that.”

She tips her head to the side like she’s trying to decide how much to reveal before she explains.

“I love my hometown, and I love my family, but it can be a lot. They all expect me to have everything figured out, to find a job and stick to it, and get on with my life. They mean well, but it can be suffocating, having that in your face every day.” I nod with understanding. “Being here has been nice. No one asks me what I’m going to do with my life or what my ten-year plan is. I get to live day by day and figure things out as I go.”

Silence fills the space, and we both sit there for a beat, lost in our own thoughts before I blurt out without thinking, “You could always stay here, you know.” I don’t knowwhyI say it, but I do all the same.

“What?”

“You could stay in Seaside Point.” She’s staring at me, and I focus my attention back to my dinner. “You fit here. Everyone would be happy to have you here more.”

I jolt when her hand reaches out, hand covering mine.

“Even you?” she asks softly. I look up then, seeing a vulnerability that is so opposite of how Claire is, it looks strange on her. Without thinking, I twine my fingers with hers and give her a soft smile.

“Especially me,” I whisper.

We sit in silence, and for a split moment, I almost lean in and press my lips to hers, throwing all common sense to the wind, but then there’s a loud knock at the front door before it opens.

“Hello?” the familiar voice of June comes calling in. “Claire, I hear you got hurt! Where are you?”

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