Chapter 87
Tilda
My fingers clutch at the bowl.
Sorry, Ranger. But there is definitely a fire. In my pants.
Without looking, I put a spoonful of the oatmeal into my mouth, needing to wet my suddenly dry throat.
Fresh fruity sweetness bursts across my taste buds, and I jerk my attention away from Ethan’s jean-clad ass down to my bowl.
“What is this?” My question is garbled as I talk with my mouth still full.
“Wild strawberries.” Ethan sits and picks up his bowl.
“From where?” It’s a dumb question, but I can’t stop myself.
Ethan tips his head to his right. “Found a patch over that way.”
I look in that direction, pausing my spoon midway between my face and the bowl. “Oh.”
“I kept the cabin in sight. And I left the door closed.”
I blow out a breath. Ethan once again says exactly the thing I need to hear. “Sorry. I know I’m being a scaredy-cat. This whole nature thing is still new to me.”
“You’re not a scaredy-cat, Firecracker. It’s good to have a healthy respect for this nature thing.”
I give him a half smile. “Thanks.” Then I use my spoon to scoop out a tiny strawberry and eat it. “This is really freaking amazing.”
When I look back up, Ethan’s looking at me like he wants to ask something.
“Yes, Berry Ranger?”
He smirks. “Is there a reason you don’t swear?”
I open my mouth, then shrug. “I swear.”
He purses his lips, like he’s trying to remember a time.
I poke at a strawberry with my spoon and sigh. “My family swore a lot. Swears a lot. And I’m not like offended by it. But when I was younger, I just… didn’t pick up the habit. And I guess it stuck. I don’t even really think about it anymore.”
Ethan’s expression is so serious that I know he’s thinking the worst.
And I’d like to tell him they didn’t swear at me. That they didn’t call me a fucking waste of space. Or a stupid ass when I didn’t do well on a test.
I’d love to tell him that.
But I won’t lie to Ethan.
“Do you want me to stop swearing?” he asks with complete sincerity. And that’s what does it.
Pressure builds in my eyes.
Ethan swears all the time. It’s part of his vocabulary. But he still asks.
I shake my head, biting down on my lip.
“I can try.” He insists, melting my heart even more.
But I need him to believe me. So, I make sure he hears how much I mean it. “I appreciate the offer. But I don’t want to fucking change you, Ethan.”