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"Starving"

I step back and pull e boulder

It’s flat and sh to hold several people

"Want to sit up there and eat? Seems like a nice spot"

Brooke looks at the path between us and the rock I’ether and herinto a frown

Her anxiety slips on like a veil

I follow her gaze It’s not a far distance, but the overgrown grass is thick eeds and wildflowers, soh as her knees We’ve stayed on clear paths up until this point, nothing unke of Brooke Bull-headed detero fuck off for even suggesting this I don’t really care where we eat I’ll sit on the dirt right here, but I’o to prove her persistence today

Another first, little devil? Will you give me this?

I step closer and squeeze her hand "It’ll be a nice view up there We ht be able to see the lake"

She slowly turns her head Her eyes, reen than brown today, narrow in on mine "Yeah? You knohat else has a nice view of the lake? Our cao check?"

"I can carry you," I offer, atte not to smile at her quick-witted apprehension "I wouldn’tout ofthereon her toes to get closer, her hands curling around her hips, her face so near tounderneath herto do, Mason, because contrary to what you think, I fucking love it out here"

Brooke lets out a tiny squeak, spins around, and sprints through the tall grass like sorin

Fuck, baby Look at you Always surprising me

She makes it to the boulder and, with frantic hands, tries to claw her way on top of it, but her footing slips on the s, I follow behind and reach the boulder just as she slips again Even with a running start, she’s too short to get up here alone I tosson top of the rock to free up ainst her hair, grabbing her waist and hoisting her up onto the rock

She thanks h a breathy pant and shifts over to make roo for e and look out over the tree-line