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But she apologized, and I know she feels foolish I just hope she never tries anything stupid like this again

Not that it’s any of my business what she does once she leaves my park

The firelight dances on her skin, and her dark hair looks black in the dimness of the room behind her Her throat works as she ss some water, and I want to lean in and kiss her there

Jesus, I’ve thought of little else since I saw her in the bar the other night

And I only know her first name

“So, as the asshole?” I ask to distractline of that neck

“Huh?” Her gaze whips over to mine in confusion

“The jerk who told you that you couldn’t climb this mountain”

She shrugs a shoulder and turns back to the fire “So, biking, rafting You name it If it’s an outdoor activity, I want to do it It’s uy I dated once must have been intimidated by that because he ”

“And you dated him?”

“I was, like…nineteen,” she says with a disgusted eye roll “And he was kind of hot Anyway, swi swi about bucket-list trips And while s like Paris and Tahiti, I said I wanted to hike through all of the national parks Some of the others nodded or said that sounded cool But the asshole that I thought was hot? He scoffed and said, ‘Whatever You won’t do that You won’t even jump off this boat’”

“He sounds like a winner” I shake uys like that “And what did you say?”

“I don’t re so pissed that he said I wouldn’t do what I’d drea to anyone in regards to swi”

“Yeah, you don’t seeive in to peer pressure”

She snorts and sips more water “No I’m not”

“So, you don’t like to swi?”

“As long as we’re doing things right, I don’t have to swim,” she reminds me “But if I have to, I can I just don’t like it”

“Gotcha Are you close with your family?”