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Noah

Echo shifts, and the cold rush of air against my skin causes er for the Great Sand Dunes wasn’t kidding when he said teht I stretch the muscles in ain My palm melts into the curve of her waist

She’s curled in with her back to ht to her neck Her tank top no longer provides protection against the eleht was hot, in more ways than I can count, and the cover wasn’t required for any of our activities—neither for the sleeping nor the kissing Without a doubt, this has been the best damned summer of my life

Outside the tent, birds chirp, and off in the distance an engine sputters to life Gravel cracks as a car leaves the caeous in her sleep Her red curls flow over her shoulder, and a few strands cover her face

We’ve got one week before we have to return to Kentucky College orientation is starting, and er, will reopen after being closed for renovations I’ll no longer be a burger-flipper Instead, I’ve enteredother assholes how to flip burgers Who’d have thought I’d be the responsible type?

My hand wades through theout

Good and damn

Good—Echo slept through the night again without a nightot a promise to keep to a nine-year-old

I lean down and press er teases the strap of her tank A disgruntled groan slips from her throat, and I chuckle as she halfheartedly swats at ”

My nose brushes the hair away from her ear Her sweet scent overwhelms my senses, andher awake and replace it with plain seducing, but there’s one lesson I learned quickly at the start of our road trip: Echo’s not aperson

I gently nip her earlobe While irl “I promised Jacob I’d video chat with him today You wanted to shop for a new dress, and we have one more stop before we hit Denver”

Jacob—er brother

I spent the past three years of ain custody of hi, after experiencing one of those life-altering moments you see in the ave my brothers the life I could never provide I shattered the fucked-up reical siren, gathered the pieces and has slowly sewn theether

“I take it back,” Echothe cover over her head when I pinch the blanket with ers to keep it in place “I don’t want a new dress for Denver You take the keys and go chat with Jacob”

Echo’s been invited to an art showing, and this one has her on edge If I had to guess why, I’d say she’s tired of the sa I’ve been over this nonsense since our second week, but Echo’s into it, and I’m into Echo “We need to et shifts I need cash if you want to stay in a hotel again”

I worked at the Malt and Burger for two years in Louisville, and thanks to their e shifts at sister stores throughout the nation Gas and food on this trip hasn’t been cheap, and then I sent a chunk of money to my best friend, Isaiah, for a deposit on an apartment

“I’ve gotinstead of seven, and da it