Page 26 of The Hitchhiker in Panama
“What’s up onEiktoday?”
Eivind stroked my anklebone with his thumb. “We are joining the morning group for a walk in the jungle. Come with us?”
“Sounds great. I’ve been meaning to do that, but Edith likes her mornings slow and she’s been a bad influence.” I checked my watch. We had fifteen minutes to get to the meeting point.
I put my e-reader aside and nudged Eivind’s feet. He pulled his legs up so I could climb out of my bunk and sort through my clothing options. I wore gym shorts and a loose tank top with no bra, but I had a clean sports bra and a T-shirt to change into. I dug for a little while, looking for a clean pair of socks. Living on the boat meant I was constantly running around barefoot or in thongs; my socks had migrated down to the bottom of my bag.
When I turned around, Eivind had slid down, lying on his back in my bed with his legs up against the wall.
“I have to change.”
Eivind turned his head to face the corner. “I will not look.”
I peeked around and his eyes were closed too. Just to be sure, I grabbed one of the pillows and put it on his head. He chuckled and pressed the pillow into his face.
Swiftly, I stripped my top off and changed. When I was done, I patted Eivind’s stomach and he jolted, the muscles flexing under my hand. He let out what sounded like a swear word in Norwegian and then raised the pillow to look at me.
I grinned. “Did I startle you?” I started to pull my hand away, but Eivind grabbed it, pressing my palm to his shirt. He gripped my arm with his other hand and pulled me, flipping me over his body to lie on his other side.
“What are you doing? I’m ready—let’s go find your crew.” I poked his side.
He twitched but closed his eyes for a moment, trying to relax on my bed. “This bed is rock hard. How are you sleeping here? Is this mattress concrete?” Then he opened his eyes and started pulling at the sheets, trying to investigate.
I reached over and swatted his hands away from the bedding. “Hush. It’s free. And I like Edith and Peter. I think they usually use this room for storage, and they were nice enough to clean it out for me. I doubt they know how bad the bed is.”
“You could always come to sleep in my bed,” he teased.
“Nice try,” I said.
He reached over and wrapped his arms around me. “My bed is much more comfortable. And I have been told I am excellent at cuddling.”
“Mmm. I believe that.” I snuggled into his side.
We were quiet for a few moments.
“So, you will come to sleep on our boat?”
I raised my head to look up at him. His heart beat strong under my palm, his warmth radiating through the fabric of his T-shirt. Eivind’s eyes traveled down my face, coming to a stop on my lips. His eyelids grew heavy, his thumb coming up to trace my bottom lip.
Reaching over, I smooshed his cheeks together with my hand. “This is why I won’t sleep in the same bed as you. No kissing.”
“Whoops,” Eivind said. The muscles in his cheeks pulled under my hand. “I pwomise. No kwissing.”
He opened and closed his lips, puckering them up to make fish faces at me. I shook his head for him.
“Repeat after me. ‘I, Eivind, solemnly swear.’”
He repeated after me, hisl’s disappearing into a jumbled mess.Sowomwy.I laughed.
“‘To not kiss Lila.’”
“Nowpe,” Eivind said. He shook my hands off his face. “I think you should promise to me.”
“I should promise to not kiss you?”
“No,” he said, eyes mischievous. “I know you are tempted right now, but repeat after me.” He grabbed my face with his hand and made me a fish face this time. I giggled. “‘I, Lila, solemnly swear.’”
I rolled my eyes and repeated after him as best I could.
