Page 77 of Class Clown

I listened, but had no idea where Nico had gotten off to. Huddled and silent, I waited until the kids went zipping past my hiding place. With a smile, I released my legs and stretched my back the tinies bit to alleviate the soreness that was settling in.

A rose from beside me and I sucked in a scream as I pushed myself backwards in the dirt before a hand grabbed my ankle.

“It’s me,” Nico said quietly.

“I was about two breaths away from screaming bloody murder,” I hissed. He moved into the tiny space where I’d been hiding and I slid back to my protected place under the tree. “This is a hiding place for one, Nico. You should find somewhere else. Maybe somewhere with more eager young ladies who can huddle up for warmth.” I leaned back against the trunk and hugged my legs again.

I sounded like a shrew. Hmm. I hadn’t known I had it in me.

“Eager young ladies?” he asked, amused.

“Yeah. Are you sad I decided not to matchmake you with either of them? Because I still can.”

“Ruby.” His voice was low and mellow and I sagged in defeat. “I was trying to say no to partnering with them, but you threw me at them.”

I scoffed. “I did not. I used self-preservation by telling them I wanted to be alone. Besides, you said yourself you’d made other plans, but then you agreed to go with them. Talk about whiplash.”

His leg stretched out alongside mine and I leaned into the warmth as I pressed harder back against the tree trunk.

“Youwere the other plan. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to you about it before Gina showed up.”

I let that wash over me, a lovely combination of elation and embarrassment. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He turned his head toward me. “It’s kind of cold back in here.”

“That’s what happens when you’re a party of one and can’t snuggle up for heat.”

He scooted closer, until his shoulder was touching mine, and reached into the fanny pack looking thing he’d been wearing to pull out a thin blanket. How on earth that had fit in there was a mystery.

“Here.”

He laid it over me and I nearly moaned from the pleasure of the heat coming off it as he too leaned against the tree.

“This feels like the biggest hug ever.”

“Are you going to be sour over this for long?”

“Maybe I’m grumpy because I didn’t get black stripes painted under my eyes like Gina and Kristy did. They were cool.”

“They also got caught.”

“Because she was talking too loudly about my nasty purple legs. Rookie move meets karma.”

He made a sound of amusement. Part of the blanket was over his torso too, and his warmth radiated into my half. I liked it, but was doing my best to avoid thinking it was romantic. Nope.

“I like the color purple,” he said.

“I’m partial to it myself. A lot of good things are purple. Flowers, popsicles, possibly some octopus species.” He hummed an agreement. “I wasn’t jealous or something, in case you were worried,” I stated. “I’m grumpy because I’m cold.”

“Obviously. Clearly you didn’t need my help hiding, either. You’re a pro.”

“I have to concur.”

“If it makes you feel better, I think Kristy’s nails drew blood in my biceps. I can let you bandage me up,” he offered.

“I do love bandaging wounds.”

“I also tripped and hit my head on a tree branch. That’s possible stitches.”

---