2. Violet
VIOLET
Gavin Leonard is the worst.
There are a lot of reasons why, but right now, it’s because he’s standing half-naked in front of me inside my tent, holding the T-shirt he just took off in one hand. His brow furrows as he scans my body from head to toe.
I drop the book and cross my arms over my chest, acutely aware that I’m not wearing a bra under this flimsy tank top. And why did I have to pack my Powerpuff Girls sleep shorts? Groan.
“What are you doing in here?” As if it isn’t bad enough that I got stuck on a couples’ camping trip, where we’re the only two not coupled up, but now he has the gall to waltz into my tent after dark.
He nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought he was a bear.
Truthfully, I might have preferred a bear over him.
“This is my tent. Why are you in it?” His deep, husky voice skates over my skin.
I take absolutely no offense to the disdain dripping from his every word. It would be shocking for him to find me in his tent. If it were his tent.
“I think maybe you had a little too much Jager tonight. Jenkins told me I could use it this weekend.”
When Daisy threw out the last-minute invite to come this weekend, I almost said no.
The outdoors isn’t really my thing, but I wanted to show Daisy how much I love and support her.
When she started dating Jordan, hockey player and party connoisseur, I was skeptical.
She’s my cousin and my absolute favorite person, and I didn’t want to see her get hurt like I had in the past.
Anyway, I judged Jordan and assumed the worst, but thankfully he keeps proving me wrong. And it’s really good to see Daisy so happy.
Now I think I should have just told her how glad I was to see her happy and maybe baked her a cake instead of traipsing up a mountain and camping for two nights with a bunch of couples. And him.
Gavin brings a hand up to his forehead and pushes back the dark locks. His tone is laced with annoyance and indifference—a combination that irks me like none other—as he says, “I’m not nearly drunk enough for this.”
He points, and I follow the line of sight to a rolled up sleeping bag, blanket, and pillow in the corner. “See. My stuff is right there.”
“I thought Jenkins dropped those off for me.” My face heats. Oh crap. This can’t be happening. “I was promised my own tent this weekend.”
And there’s no way I’m sharing it with this guy of all people. I’d rather sleep outside.
“Be my guest,” he says, making me realize I said that last part out loud.
“No. You should sleep outside. Maybe a bear will eat you.”
“You wound me,” he says dryly. Then instead of turning around, he bulldozes farther in.
“Hey.” I place a hand on his chest and regret it immediately.
I’ve successfully avoided shirtless Gavin for a year.
And now I remember why. His body is insane.
He’s lean and muscular. He’s almost too pretty to believe he can do such savage things on a basketball court.
His hair is thick and disheveled. Not messy.
It has more of the I’m hot and don’t need to waste my time with things like brushes or hair gel vibe.
Our friends poke their heads out of their tents to see what the commotion is about. Oh great, we’ve attracted a crowd. I march out with Gavin on my heels. Since it’s Jenkins’ tent, I look to him to back me up.
The humorous glint in his eye makes a pit form in my stomach. He’s trying hard to fight a smile. “Yeah, sorry, I forgot.”
“You forgot?!” I glare at him. “Forgot what exactly?”
“I promised you the tent before I knew that Gavin was coming, but it’s actually his tent. I forgot to tell you that you guys would have to share.”
In what world would Jenkins think that I’d be okay with sharing a tent with Gavin? My dislike for him isn’t a secret.
“See?” Gavin says and heads back inside the tent.
“Oh no, get out of there.” Blood roars in my ears as I follow him. “This changes nothing.”
“You’d kick me out of my own tent?” He unrolls his sleeping bag and lies down on top of it. “This tent is big enough for both of us. You won’t even know I’m here.”
“Doubtful.” I run through different scenarios. I’m thirty minutes from my house with my own bedroom that is guaranteed to be Gavin-free, but I have no car, and it’s doubtful any of my friends are down for a late-night trip up the mountain to rescue me.
“Three hundred and sixty-five days since our last incident,” I mutter.
His lips curl in amusement. “Keeping track?”
“I was being flippant. You know like, ‘it’s been five days since a safety incident in the warehouse.’”
He snorts. “Funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny, and I definitely don’t keep track of anything related to you. And there is absolutely no way you and I are sharing a tent.” My voice rises in panic with every word.
He turns over on his side. He has a tattoo on the inside of his forearm. It’s new, and I can’t make out the words in the near darkness of the tent. “Well, I’m sure Daisy and Jordan will let you crash with them.”
I love my cousin, and I’m really happy that things between them are going so well, but I don’t need a front-row view of just how well it’s going. I can hear it just fine from two tents down.
“Can’t you stay with Jenkins?”
“Definitely not. It’s his first sleepover with Taylor. They’re not going to be doing a lot of sleeping, and I am beat.”
He looks up to where I’m still standing in the doorway of the tent.
Over a year ago, Gavin and I hung out, talked, or whatever you want to call it.
I was a bright-eyed freshman and so taken with the handsome, college basketball star.
Our “whatever” only lasted for three weeks, which I know in the grand scheme of things seems insignificant, but it was enough time for me to fall for him and to offer up my v-card.
All that to say, I might be a little extra salty when it comes to all things Gavin.
“No. This can’t be happening.”
A beat passes before he gets to his feet, far more gracefully than one would expect of someone so tall.
“Fine. I will sleep outside.” He rolls up the sleeping bag and grabs his blanket and pillow.
I bite my lip to keep myself from stopping him. I feel the tiniest bit bad, but I can’t bring myself to tell him not to go.
After he disappears outside, I walk over to zip up the tent for the night and catch sight of him, rolling out the sleeping bag next to the fire.
I feel another twinge of guilt but I easily dismiss it.
He’ll be fine. He’s bigger than just about anything out in these mountains.
And really, it isn’t even that cold, I think as I shiver.
“Vi?” Daisy calls, stepping out of her and Jordan’s tent. She glances from me to where Gavin is settling into his sleeping bag and then pulls a sweatshirt over her head as she jogs over to me.
“I am so sorry.” Following me into the tent, Daisy gives me a sympathetic smile. “I feel awful about this entire trip. I swear I had no idea he was going to be here or that the extra tent was his.”
“Just my luck, right?” I blow out a long breath and sit on the hard floor. Gavin took my sleeping bag, blanket, and pillow. Or, technically, I guess they are his, but I thought they were mine for tonight and now I have nothing.
“Does Jordan still have extra blankets and pillows in his SUV?”
“I think so. If not, you can take one from our tent. Want me to go check?”
“No, I can do it. Go have fun. One of us should be enjoying this.”
She sticks out her bottom lip in a pout and reaches over to squeeze my arm. “I’m sorry.”
“Ignore me. I’m being dramatic. I’ll be fine.”
She hugs me and then stands. “If you need anything, anything at all, just yell. Night, Vi. See you in the morning.”