Page 48 of Bloom

An exuberant squeal cuts her off as Eliza throws her arms around her sister’s neck. “Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Lux grumbles, doing a piss-poor job of hiding her smile. “I have to ask around if anyone’s missing a dog. They might belong to someone.”

“They do.” Eliza grins, wriggling her brows. “Us.”

Icy water is a blessed reprieve against the summer heat.

Submerged in the deepest part of the creek that borders the Jacksons’ property, I relish in the quiet of the underwater, the relief from the sun, a single moment alone. The creek, the heat, this whole day, really, reminds me of trips my family took when I was a kid. We never went far, bouncing around Sequoia camping for a weekend or so, just me and my parents. They’re fond memories, some of the best I have, and after the past few weeks, I’m glad to be reminded that pleasant moments in my childhood actually do exist.

I stay underwater until my lungs beg to surface. When I eventually come up for air, a cacophony of noise greets me, and I can’t help but smile at the chaos.

Lottie, unsurprisingly, opted to stay at home with the dogs, but everyone else is here. Luna, Eliza, Jackson, and Grace are locked in an anything but friendly chicken fight, the former two balancing on the shoulders of the latter as they try to knock each other in the water. Lux hides in the shade cast by the tall trees bordering the creek, quietly introducing her son to the horses everyone but them rode over; much to Jackson’s chagrin, Alex is too young to mount a horse, so Lux drove with everyone’s stuff.

Even though I knew he was coming, I was still surprised when Hunter mounted Gaia and rode here alongside me and Aster. I was even more surprised when, instead of lurking on the shore, he stripped off and waded knee-deep into the water. He said he’s not a people person, and the Jacksons are definitely a whole lot of people, but maybe they’re the exception. I’m glad he came—something about him being alone on the ranch while we all messed around made my chest hurt—even if it does mean it took me a little longer to work up the nerve to strip off my dress.

Usually, I’m fine with my body. Sure, when I was younger, I would endlessly lament my slightly-above-average height of five-eight and yearn for a flat stomach and a thigh gap, but it’s not something I fuss over incessantly anymore.

But I’m not normally wearing a swimsuit borrowed from Lux, who’s about three inches shorter than me and a whole lot better endowed. The neckline dips low while the legs cut high, clinging to my hips and emphasizing their width and where they dip, and don’t even get mestartedon the material riding up my butt.

All that insecurity is part of the reason why I only get out of the water when my fingers start to prune. Carefully skirting around the ongoing emphatic duel, I hustle to the towels strewn across the shoulder and plop down on one, knees drawn up tight to my chest so I can semi-hide. Eyes closed, I tilt my face towards the sun, enjoying a few minutes of relative solitude before someone inevitably joins me.

When that happens, I know who it is without opening my eyes; no one else would momentarily block out the entire sun, nor make the ground quite literallyshakeas they flop down beside me.

Cracking open one eye, I sigh.

It's not fair. It's really not fair. How the hell does someone just look like that?

Propped up on his side, Hunter looks out at the water—half-naked and glistening, just as Lux promised. Water droplets track a path down his torso towards the waistband of black swim trunks that ride low on his hips, high on his thighs.

I sigh again.

“You okay?”

My gaze snaps to his. I allow myself a singe second to acknowledge how pretty his eyes look in the sun, to note how the light really brings out the green in them, before looking away and nodding.

“You hikin’ this weekend?”

“I was thinking about it.” Stretching my legs out in front of me, I twist onto my side, mimicking the way Hunter is laying.It's probably a trick of the light, but I swear his eyes scan the length of me for a moment, lingering on my bare hips, the curve of my hip, the exposed skin of my chest, before flitting away too quickly for me to really know. “Did you wanna join me?”

He takes his time replying—to torture me or because he actually needs to think about it, I’m not sure. “Yeah. I do.”

I force myself to restrain the wide smile that threatens to break free, aiming for something non-demonic instead. “Cool.”

“Hey!” Near the shore, Lux passes her son off to her brother as he gets out of the water. Her gaze ping-pongs between me and Hunter. “Coming in?”

Eyes narrowing at the mischief emanating from my friend, I’m about to call back that we just got out when the sound of rustling interrupts me. Glancing to the source, I find Hunter clambering to his feet. He brushes his hands against his damp shorts before holding them out to me. After a beat of hesitation, I take them and let him haul me up, my grip lingering in his for a beat longer than it should before his hands drop.

One of them rises again, and I watch with wide eyes as it brushes my damp hair back from my face. “You had a leaf in your hair," he murmurs, but that doesn’t much explain why his hand settles on top of my head.

“Thanks,” I manage to squeak out, praying he can't hear the way my heart is thumping erratically in my chest. It barely returns to its normal rhythm when he cracks another smile and pushes me away playfully.

Hoping the cold water will cool down my flushed skin, I follow Hunter into the creek, not making it more than half a dozen steps before I'm splashed by Lux. The minute I turn to her, she splashes me again, a smirk lighting up her face.

I raise my brows.What?

Nothing,she mouths back, but her smirk doesn't fade.

I splash her and she shrieks, launching herself at me and pushing down on my shoulders to dunk me underwater. I come up seconds later, choking out a watery laugh before I lunge, wrapping my arms around her neck and trying to pull her under in retaliation.

---