Chapter Fifteen
S elah brought her hand up to cover the lower half of her face as she watched the pre-taped segment continue on screen, her gut already churning with anxiety as it continued unfolding.
Bria’s voice cut back in. “Little did he know how true that would be when a sudden gust of wind tipped over the basket upon landing, and the pilot of the balloon ride, Selah Moreno, would land on top of him.”
Selah was in the next cut. “You never know when your basket will tip over or something will just fall out of thin air and land in your lap.”
Okay, well, she was going to throw up. While the whole misunderstanding wasn’t Selah’s fault—that would be Hailey’s doing—she would have no choice but to confess to Dex. She’d have to explain how the news crew got this story and why they were treating it like salacious, local gossip. She didn’t want him to be pissed, but would understand if he was.
What followed was a shot of them walking side by side across the field and Bria’s voiceover continued, “Truer words were never said as the couple kept running into each other, going from strangers to becoming something more, even deciding to come together for a good cause.”
When it cut to her saying, “It’s... hard to resist that kind of sincere passion. When he asked, I couldn’t say no,” Selah may have released a small gasp beneath her hand. Oh God. What in the hell was happening here? Was everyone in cahoots with her sister?
Her phone rang, and the caller’s name provoked a groan. She answered, even while regretting it. “What?”
“Selah María Moreno,” her mother said in an excited breath before switching tones. “Don’t you what me. Are you going to finally explain this?”
“Mom, it’s not—”
“You and Dexter?”
“No, that’s not what’s hap—”
“I’m watching it right now. It’s on the news. Naomi! Naomi, you’re recording this, right, mija? I want to send it to your auntie and show her my Selah has a sweetheart, and they’re on the news.”
“I’ve already told you. We’re just friends. Are you going to believe me or the news?”
“The news, of course. I see how you two look at each other. And you brought him dinner. Did he like it? When is he coming over for a proper meal? Even Boone comes over for dinner.”
In the background, Naomi said, “And I keep telling you to stop inviting him because I don’t want to spend any more time with the guy than I have to.”
Her mother ignored this, rambling to both her and Naomi at the same time and making her own plans for trying new recipes. Selah half listened, waiting for the moment her mother took a breath so she could jump in and end the torture. This whole thing was embarrassing. She was putting Dex in the most awkward of positions, and it was all her family’s fault.
“I love you, but I’m hanging up.” Selah promptly ended the call. Her saving grace was choosing to watch this at Dex’s place instead of going with her mother’s proposal of watching it all together. The decision was made because she needed to get away, to have some moments just for her. After spending the day going through finances and discovering her mother had indeed renewed her father’s yearly fishing magazine subscription behind her back, she deserved it.
Selah didn’t know what she had missed, due to her mother’s phone call, but it couldn’t have been a lot, because there wasn’t much to the story. Why would anyone care when both she and Dex were nobodies? Central Oregon must be starved for stories.
With a sigh, she returned her attention to the segment, wanting the whole thing to be over, so she could stop feeling guilty and confess her sister’s deeds and apologize. And then she’d promptly get in her balloon and fly off into space, where she could live with her shame in privacy and peace.
“Dex’s love of wildlife and his pet crow, Harpo, provided the perfect opportunity for them to work together as they put together the biggest event at Smith Rock this year where guests were allowed to take an Instagram-worthy picture like this one,” Bria’s voiceover continued. “Creating their own memorable moment is something Dex and Selah know a lot about.”
It cut to a shot of Dex from his solo interview with Smith Rock behind him and Harper on his shoulder. “I want people to see her like I do. She’s truly magnificent.”
Selah had enough courage to slide a look in his direction because... what in the what? Dex slid his hand over his eyes, his head tilting down and the tips of his ears turning a bright shade of pink. He appeared as if he wished he had access to a space balloon himself. It was doubtful this night was going to get any better for either one of them.
The pre-taped segment ended with them back inside the balloon and Bria saying, “For these two lovebirds, the sky really is the limit.” It cut to a live feed of Bria standing in some empty field, a microphone in hand and her other hand pressing a finger to one of her ears. “Dex Westerly hopes this will bring attention to the Smith Rock NonProfit Org, in hopes of creating a wildlife rehabilitation. If folks are interested in donating or they want information on the park’s conservation efforts or to learn more about the local business, High Desert Tours, they can check the story on the KTVZ website. Samantha, back to you.”
Dex snapped up the remote and turned the TV off. They both sat staring at a black TV screen for a few long silent minutes, the tension becoming unbearable.
“My sister posted a Loop video that made it seem like we were together,” she blurted.
At the same time, he said, “The radio interview might have gotten the impression we were more than friends, and it might be my fault.”
“What?” she asked.
“Your sister did what?” Dex replied, equally confused.
“I’m so sorry. It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I shouldn’t have asked her to create content for us. It did get the word out, but she took a lot of liberties in creating something, um, sensational, so that’s where all this might have started. I’ve already had a talk with her and tried to get her to take it down but... these things tend to have a life of their own. And now it appears that no one is listening or cares.”
Dex dropped his head against the back of the sofa and rubbed his eyes. Her anxiety in anticipating his reaction, one involving him kicking her out of his house forever, caused her heart to race. “I’m really, really sorry. It’s not fair for your personal life to be on display like this when you’ve been great and trying to do something good here. You definitely don’t deserve to get mixed up in the chaos of the Moreno family, and I understand if you want to drop us.”
To her surprise, he laughed. “Oh, God. I thought I had screwed up.”
“What? How?”
“That interview I did for the Colorado radio station. They kept asking me if there was something between us and what was the real story. I was so caught off guard, I sort of stumbled through it and may have given the impression that, yes, it was true. And then this”—he motioned toward the TV—“and I thought, oh shit, they heard about that interview and I really screwed it up. Now this reporter is twisting my words even more.”
Her panic gave way to mirth. “So, it’s not true? You don’t think I’m magnificent?”
“I was talking about Harper—or I guess ‘Harpo,’ since they screwed that up too.” He shook his head while chuckling exasperatedly. “Not that you’re not magnificent, but... well, you know.”
Selah hid a smile behind one of her hands, barely able to contain her reaction at the whole ridiculous situation. Maybe someday they would find the whole thing funny and laugh but, truth be told, she wanted to laugh now, especially after spending so much time worrying about it. “It’s okay. I hope you feel better, knowing it wasn’t your fault.”
“I don’t think it was your fault, either.”
She scrunched her nose. “But it kinda was.”
“I’ve known you long enough to see you put a lot on your shoulders. You don’t need to do that.”
Selah realized she was doing the same thing she’d accused her mother of. She was covering for Hailey, shifting the blame to herself to protect her sister. This time she did laugh, shaking her head, absentmindedly touching Dex’s forearm. “What my sister did was a really... jerky thing to do.” There were better ways to describe her sister’s actions, but Selah took baby steps at saying it out loud. “Just do me a favor. If you ever come across her video, don’t watch it.”
His eyes glinted with humor. “Why?”
“It’s really embarrassing.”
“For me or for you? It can’t be any worse than everyone knowing I’m a loser that got dumped on a hot-air balloon ride and it being blasted on the local news.”
“Yeah, I—You’re not a loser, Dex. And if that’s what someone takes away from ‘our story’—and she did finger quotes around the phrase in hopes of lightening the mood—“then they’re missing the bigger picture.”
“A story where we’re just friends.” It was weird how his statement also sounded like a question.
She shrugged. “People see what they want to see, I guess.”
He laughed again, but this one was short and tinged with bitterness. Selah wished she could peer into his brain, read his thoughts. Was he thinking about Ava? Or was he worried about people mistakenly thinking he and she were together? Did he really see himself as a loser because of one silly event on a balloon ride? She didn’t want this for him, preferring to gather up all his worries and carry them herself, as though her emotional backpack had plenty of room inside.
“Dex,” she started, unsure how to finish it. Selah wanted to say something about how she appreciated his friendship and everything he’d done for her. Everything could have turned out differently after his initial balloon ride. He could have walked away, not wanting to be reminded of it, and she would have understood. But he hadn’t. Instead, she had received an unexpected miracle of a relationship, one that was a friendship unlike all the other ones she’d had before. It was like being thrown into a new plane, one she’d never trained on before. She could have basic knowledge while being terrified of mucking it up.
She continued sliding her fingers across his forearm and, like a fog being lifted, suddenly saw all the other parts of the picture. Selah wasn’t sure how he did it. How being around him made it so easy to slip into this comfortable space. How she could feel so at home with a person. She’d thought nothing of shucking off her shoes, reclining into him, her bent legs snuggled against his thigh, practically on his lap, and thought nothing when his hand slipped over her knee.
Her hand stilled. His hazel gaze drifted across her face, taking her all in. The strength of her pulse and breath increased.
She’d been kidding herself.
There was something always passing between them, electrified molecules zipping back and forth. Her family had seen it, along with the news, and probably countless others.
Except, the timing wasn’t right. He’d just gotten out of a serious relationship and she had bigger things in her life to worry about. The two of them getting involved would do nothing but make things messy. Only fate didn’t care about her excuses. In fact, fate was having a big laugh at their expense as it flung them together like some chaotic game of chess while including pieces from other board games. None of this was fair.
She drew away from him, bringing her feet to the floor and gathering the dirty Tupperware pieces together. If she had any chance at all of escaping temptation, she needed to leave and do it without making eye contact with him. Her willpower was held together by a delicate thread at this point.
As she went to stand, he grabbed her elbow. His voice was a little rough, full of some unspoken emotion. “Ma’am, I’m gonna need you to get off the path you’re currently on.” His voice gentled with, “Stay here in the brush with me, Selah.”
She froze, taking a few slow breaths, every atom screaming for her to give them what they’d wanted this whole time. Him. The way she justified it—she’d already kissed him, so she was already his emotional rebound. Selah might as well take all the perks that went with it. Besides, she wasn’t hanging around long, anyway. A rebound was probably the best thing in this period of her life. It might make things easier for both of them.
Selah turned, seeing the same hungry want in him. Before debating it any further, she launched herself and he caught her easily, his arms wrapping fully around her as she straddled his lap, finding his lips with her own, cradling his face between her palms. His hands did a long slide along her spine, before gripping and clasping her shoulders, pulling her to him, as though trying to ease her into his soul. The kiss was a little feral, a little messy, a little out of control, but that happened when something was denied for this length of time. The longing and emotion couldn’t help but burst from them.
“You are magnificent,” Dex said between kisses.
“Not too short, then? No danger of spinal misalignment.”
“No. I guess we just had to figure it out.” He smiled against her lips, and she returned the expression as she kissed him again, loving how his tongue slid rhythmically against hers.
Every part of him touching her felt so good and, after everything, Selah needed to feel good right now. She wanted it all. Messy or not, she didn’t care. She needed to feel him. When one of his hands slipped across the side of her rib cage, a thumb sweeping over one of her breasts, she didn’t stop the small moan she made against his mouth. She was about to melt off his lap and let him do whatever he wanted with her.
“I can’t resist your stern park ranger voice,” she said.
He released a small, “Hmm,” the sound vibrating deliciously against her skin. Dex’s teeth scraped against her neck, before he sucked a spot and said, “Ma’am, are you going to come to my bed or am I going to have to throw you over my shoulder?”
She gave him a coy look, pushing one finger into his chest. “You call me ‘ma’am’ one more time and I’m going to do some bad things to you.”
The tips of his mouth kicked up mischievously. “Ma’am.”
“Take me to your goddamn bedroom right now.”
He tried to stand with her clinging to the front of his body like a horny koala, but they nearly tumbled to the ground, her giggles filling the air. It was safer if they both walked there on their own two feet, but there were many pit stops on the way, such as when he peeled off her shirt, then his own, before pressing her into a hallway wall to kiss the breath from her lungs. His park uniforms didn’t do him any favors, as they hid much of what was underneath, making this moment feel like a mirage. Dex was lean and, yes, on the lanky side, but the leanness was firm, and he clearly had muscles. Having them pressed into her body, she could feel his strength, and it excited her as she dragged her fingernails along each ridge.
She was never more grateful when the destination of his bedroom was reached. This room was less dated than the rest of the house, with white walls instead of wood paneling. There was a simple modern bed butted under a window with basic gray bedding, the rest of the room was uncluttered. Not that any of this mattered. At this moment, he could have sex with her on a beanbag for all she cared.
When her legs hit the bed, she fell onto it, dragging herself backwards across the comforter’s surface in order to secure a more optimal spot. He crawled after her, his mouth finding hers easily, as if tonight a homing beacon had been established between them. His hand slid across her thigh, reaching the top of her pants as he undid them.
“Dex,” she said his name between light breaths.
“You want me to stop?” He was panting as well, his eyes dark and wild. She liked being the one to evoke this kind of reaction from him.
“No. It seems a little silly to be bringing this up now, but I just want to make sure you have a condom.”
He gave her a funny look. “Why would that be silly? My whole job is trying to make sure people stay safe. You’re allowed to feel safe.” Dex reached to his nightstand, rummaging through the contents of a drawer before removing several squared packets.
Well, okay then. Apparently, she was about to get the perks of being a rebound several times over. She wasn’t about to complain, biting into her lower lip to prevent even the chance.
He pressed his finger against her mouth, running along the entirety of it as though to test the plushness of it. “God. These lips of yours are going to be the death of me.” His words made her melt a little more as she pressed a slow kiss on the end of his finger.
Returning to his task, Dex pulled off her pants, tossing them on the floor behind him. His movements and touches were sure, like he’d spent a long time planning his seduction of her and could execute it blindfolded. He faltered, though, when she unzipped his pants, slipping her hand past the elastic band of his boxer briefs to stroke him. His breath came sharply before morphing into a groan, and he sunk his face into the nook in her neck. “Fuck,” came his muffled response. “I want to be gentle, but I don’t know if I can.”
She laughed because she didn’t think rebound relationships were supposed to be soft and gentle. “It’s okay. I know you think I’m this short little thing, but I’m tougher than I look. I can handle it.” Besides, gentle sounded slow and she’d been waiting long enough.
He rose on his forearms, pinning her with a serious expression. “I definitely do not think that you’re a short little thing, and I know you’re tough. But also, you don’t have to be that way with me if you don’t want to.”
“Okay.” She could have said a lot more, but Selah didn’t trust herself. The sentiment of his words struck her, and if she thought about it too long, she’d probably cry again and she didn’t want tears at this moment. She preferred instead to keep things simple so he’d keep touching, kissing, and showing her all the physical affection she craved from him.
As much as he stated he didn’t know if he could be gentle, Dex seemed to find inner strength as he encouraged her to lift so he could reach behind her and undo the clasp of her bra, slowly sliding it away. He shifted downward, pressing his face into her chest as he trailed hot open-mouth kisses across her breasts, and slipping his hand into her underwear as he slowly stroked her there. Selah arched into his touches, her skin tingling hot as she moaned with pleasure, weaving her fingers through the soft strands of his hair.
“I know you’re going to feel good,” he said. “You already feel good.”
“Yes,” she sighed.
“Do you want me?”
She nodded her head, having a difficult time attempting to find words.
“I need more than that, honey.”
“Yes, Dex. I want you.”
She was somewhat frustrated when he stopped touching her, but watched with interest as he slid his pants and boxer briefs off and grabbed one of the packaged foils from the nightstand. Her gaze drifted across his body with appreciation, her soul feeling an extra glow of happy gratefulness because he was going to give her what she needed, and she wanted to do the same for him.
After rolling the condom on, he removed her underwear before sinking back over her, kissing her soft and gentle, his tongue caressing her own. His strong fingers wrapped themselves around each of her legs, positioning them around his hips—the anticipation of it all vibrated throughout her body, and she pulled him toward her.
When he did finally push into her, there was a brief moment of mutual relief, their foreheads touching as they took a shared breath. Her arms wrapped around his neck. His pulse was so strong, she could feel it through her fingertips and was sure it was pulsating into her own bloodstream. Groaning, he pulled out before pushing back in, his rhythm growing in strength and determination, as if he would take everything he could from her. He pushed her closer and closer to the edge of a cliff, her whole body tightening and her moans becoming rougher. Selah begged him not to stop as she dug her heels in until she cried out, leaning into him, wringing out every single sensation she could as he grunted toward his own finish line before collapsing.
Clinging to him, she struggled to catch her breath, not sure if she ever wanted to let go, scraping her fingers along his scalp and enjoying the weight of him pressing onto her.
The aftermath didn’t last as long as she would have liked because he soon rolled off of her, muttering some apology for who knows what, and went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Left behind in the messy remnants of his bed, she lay there exposed, tossing an arm across her eyes, wondering how the hell they’d gotten here. One moment, she was bringing a friend her mother’s homemade enchilada verde, and the next, she felt like she was going to wilt up and die if he didn’t touch her and take her to bed. If this was some weird mood or phase, it wasn’t out of her system yet, because she was already hoping for a next time—
And how long was he going to spend in that goddamn bathroom and leave her alone to ponder all these thoughts? The bathroom faucet ran for an awfully long time. Was he figuring out a reason to get her to leave? Her previous rebound relationship never tiptoed around the matter. The man was always quick to tell her it was getting late, and he’d see her around. Was Dex stalling in that bathroom now, regretting things? Did this ruin what they had?
Selah sprang into a seated position, pulling the gray comforter around her body as she tried to locate her clothes among his.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” Dex asked as soon as he emerged, beautifully naked and rubbing a small hand towel over his face, a frown settling on his lips.
She froze. “You want me to stay?”
“Well, yeah, I want you to stay. Sorry. I should have offered you the bathroom first.”
Slowly unwrapping the comforter from her body, Selah became awkwardly shy, even after having sex with the guy not five minutes ago. He studied her and she blushed while slipping past him to get to the bathroom.
When she reemerged, he scooped her into his arms, literally sweeping her off her feet. Selah gasped and then giggled. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not taking any chances with you.” He deposited her on the bed, pulling the covers over both their heads, plunging them into a more private oasis beneath his bedding.
Tonight they’d forget about the rest of the world for a little while longer.