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Feeling brave or ood cheed on his shorts I tried to shove my hand between the elastic of his waistband and his hard stoood too”

He sucked in a breath as id flesh

I tried to lower round like he had earlier

“No” He grabbed my elbow “Absolutely not”

I blinked “What?”

“Not here Anyone could find us and…I don’t want that for you”

I raised an eyebrow “And your hand down my pants was better?”

He frowned “Than you on your knees? Yeah Much better No one would be able to tell what I was doing”

Protecting me Always I reached up and kissed him

“Give me a minute” He squeezed his eyes shut

I withdrewhim take several deep breaths

“Let’s go explore the park,” he finally suggested

The noises froht have overheard us, I was eager to leave

“We can go to the overlook”

“Guys!” Ro to the overlook”

“Okay,” Chloe answered “We’ll catch up later”

Roedwater and the rocks to the right—opposite of where we’d come into the cave This path looked easier Ro the rocks When he touched dry ground, he held out his hand

“Watch yourself It’s slippery in the middle,” he warned

I gripped hiainst the wall Maybe my steps were too cautious

On the second rock, I slipped

Terror burned through ed rocks below flashed through my mind I yelped and flailed my arms in the air

Rorabbed my elbows and yanked ot you,” he breathed out “I got you,” he repeated several more times

He hugged ainst the side of the mountain

Below us, shrill threads of screahter pierced the air We carefully walked to the edge of the trail and peered over the railing Looking like a line ofants, our classmates traveled the trail below us