Page 47 of Unexpected Pickle
Jeannie.
She’s rolled over to me, her head on my arm, her thigh across mine.
Sweet mother, this is a lot. Just her nearness has me rising to the occasion. I’m wearing two pairs of sweatpants, though, so maybe it’s not noticeable.
I think of calming things. Puppies. Sunsets. Hammocks. The beach.
Jeannie makes a small noise and snuggles in closer. The blankets have fallen aside, and she’s looking for warmth.
I try to reach over her to pull up the blankets, but this startles her awake. She looks at me a moment as if trying to work out who I am.
Then she says, “Is the fire okay?”
I nod. “Your blankets slipped off.”
She looks down and realizes she’s curled against my body. “Oh!” She rolls away.
I need to add a log to the fire. It’s still dark out. I stand up and step around her to pick up a hefty piece of wood. When I’ve placed it and turned around, she’s sitting up.
“You okay?” I ask.
“A little scared, I guess. I think I dreamed that we froze into ice sculptures.”
“The fire will keep us plenty warm. People survived for centuries with only wood stoves for heat.”
She nods. “I just need to shake the feeling.”
I sit next to her. “It’s unnerving. A snack might help. Tell your body you are safe and fed.”
“Yeah. That would be good.”
I drag the duffel bag closer and pull out the granola clusters she liked earlier. We munch in companionable silence for a while, watching the fire.
Then she completely surprises me.
“Would you have kissed me earlier?” she asks.
I snap my gaze to her. “Kiss?”
“Okay, I didn’t think so.” She dusts her hands free of the granola crumbs.
“Jeannie—”
“I don’t know what I asked. I think the dream has me out of sorts.”
“Jeannie—”
“No, it’s fine. What a weird question! I shouldn’t have even asked it.” She forces a laugh.
I’m not going to play around with this topic. If she’s asking about kissing, it’s going to happen.
“Jeannie.”
She turns at my tone, her dark hair wild from sleep. “Yes, Hex?”
“I have wanted to kiss you for months.”
She draws in a breath to say something, and I know it’s going to be something harsh or self-deprecating, so I don’t allow it. I cup her chin and silence her with my mouth.
