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Tristan approached right as she was stor curses at an ironically contrite looking Coffeecup

"Well…" he said, running a hand over his one better"

"You broke your promise, you know," I told him as soon as crazy chicken lady was out of earshot

He raised a brow in question, trying ineffectually to dry himself off with his hands

"You proot out while you were around, you’d catch him before he murdered any chickens"

"Uht him back in that ain"

He had a point there

"We broke half of the rules on our list back in that ditch," he told me as we made our way back to the house

"I’m well aware"

"I think I knohat the problened, and troubled I didn’t particularly want to hear what had hi so serious

"We’re stupid and a little nuts?" I guessed

"I’ve been celibate for too long, and now I’ it out on you I need to blow off so It shouldn’t have, but it hurt bad I was on board with the friend thing, but the idea that this attraction between us hadto do with how he ht feel about me, well, it made me want to cry, which irl, and I hated that feeling I liked to think thataround Tristan played havoc with that idea

"I think I’ll go out tonight…by ht "That makes sense," I said "I need to catch up on sleep, anyway This crazy clubbing schedule is not "

"I’ll still ," he offered

I gri "Don’t worry about it I’ll ress to look at ht into our faces This was no place to have a chat

"Are you upset?"

I shook my head "Of course not," I said instantly, my tone disht to it, so I refused to acknowledge it out loud I had tooto go into the house like this?" I asked, changing the subject "We’re covered in mud Maybe we should just stay in the rain, until it washes off"

"The backyard hose," he suggested

That turned out to be a bad idea, even if it was our only option Someone who you badly want to sleep with, but have decided that you won’t, is not the person you want to hose doater in a hot, hot rainstorm

I was in a black mood after that, but tried hard not to show it As I went through my daily chores, played with the boys, and put them to bed, I just felt…down and…sad And as I realized how depressed I was feeling, that’s when it occurred to overs and all I’d been…giddy lately, the days flying by, as though in a drea down onout constantly and playing house? What did itI was a stupid girl, and I had feelings for a guy as basically a walking hormone where women were concerned

Tristan seemed to senseblatant No come-ons Just a shoulder rub, a random kiss on the forehead, or a careless hand stroked overokay? Are we cool?"

I gave answers like, "I’m just tired," and, "I need to catch up on sleep"

I never slipped up once, never told hi out withoutit I keptelse

Tristan was beyond sweet, helpingon tuckingany place with a dress code, I noted, by his black T-shirt and jeans Still, he looked too gorgeous to be real, and I hated how easy I kneould be for hiirl to fuck

"Don’t wait up for me," he told me with a wink

I made sure he saw me roll my eyes "I’ll be asleep before Kenny even picks you up"

I didn’t cry after he’d gone, but it was just as troubling to me that I had to make an effort not to Eventually, I fell into a fitful sleep

The sound of the bathroo on, woke me

My tired eyes found the clock It was four a home I was suddenly wide awake

I waited in silence when he finally finished his shoalking quietly to his side of the bed

"Did you get lucky?" I whispered as he settled in