Page 23 of What Are the Chances
“I was going to ask if you were cold.”
It was only once he asked the question that I realised I was shaking. So much so that my lips were chattering. But I wasn’t cold. Not really. I think my body was in some state of shock, like even it couldn’t believe who it was lying beside.
“I’m fine.”
“It’s freezing out. It’s okay to admit you’re cold.”
“Says the guy currently topless.”
He was silent for a long moment before his warm hand gently came to rest on my hip. I could feel the heat of it through my sweats and leggings. It only caused me to shiver more.
“Come here. Let me warm you up. No hidden motive, I promise.”
I nervously swallowed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Will sighed. “Neither is getting hypothermia. Don’t be so stubborn, Dover.”
“Don’t be so bossy, Caufield.”
I lost the argument when Will tugged me closer and angled his warm limbs around my shaking ones.
The well-oiled machine automatically kicked back into gear. My traitorous body instinctively moulded into the warm groove of his, burrowing in. One of his strong arms slung over my stomach, keeping me steady, and the other came to rest above my head.
The heaviness of how familiar this felt wasn’t lost on me. The years between nights spent with Will ceased to exist as I relaxed, as though we’d never been apart. With the familiarity replacing the earlier awkwardness, the silence no longer felt so stifling. I began breathing normally again and exhaustion clouded over me, lowering all my defences. I tested the waters and fluttered my eyelids closed.
And a moment later, I fell asleep in Will’s arms.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Last night doesn’t change anything
WILL
I’d been awake for hours. In fact, I don’t think I’d really slept. Riley had though. She hadn’t moved an inch since we finally found comfortable ground.
Despite what I knew was likely to be a near freezing morning outside of my swag, I was burning up, but I didn’t want to move. Because once I so much as blinked, Riley would be out of here and this short moment of, well, whatever the hell this was, would be over.
If someone had told me I’d either win the lottery or sleep with Riley Dover again, I’d have put a down payment on a Ferrari. I’m sure this wasn’t what Levi had in mind when he told me to loosen the reins. If anything, this had tightened them back up. It’s like I was back in the days before Riley and I broke up, holding her knowing full well we were a ticking time bomb.
Deep voices sounded in the distance, slowly getting closer and closer until it felt like they were in my swag too.
“My head is fucking pounding,” came Ryan’s voice.
“My back is,” Tripp returned. “Maxwell drunkenly took a leak on my tent, so I slept in the back of Will’s car.”
That was news to me. Though if he’d slept there, did that mean–
“It was dark last night, so I couldn’t be sure, but I think Will might’ve had a girl with him.”
Ryan chuckled. “No fucking way. Think he re-lost his virginity?”
My friends were unreal. They didn’t realise that tightening my belt had been a conscious choice. If I’d wanted non-committal sex, I could’ve had it.
Footsteps approached until I could feel Tripp and Ryan hovering above my head. I braced, expecting them to forgo all privacy and zip open my swag. Thankfully Levi came to my rescue.
“What are you two idiots doing?” he asked.
Someone shuffled, the dirt crunching beneath their shoes. That caused Riley to stir. She rolled onto her back, her brown hair flailing across the pillow we shared. Her groggy eyes blinked to find mine. I didn’t allow her a moment for the reality of last night to seep in. I pressed one finger to her lips, shaking my head slowly.
