She waved me off. “I’d rather be in love than rich.”
It was becoming clear Tiffany didn’t expect much of me when it came to earning potential. And that she didn’t know herself as well as she thought. A girl like her would always need money. “You’re saying you’re okay with spaghetti and meatballs in a small room with a shitty candle instead of a fancy restaurant?”
“I’ve been to lots of fancy restaurants. You can’t do the slurp-y thing with your noodles.”
She might believe she’d choose love over money, but I didn’t. Not when it came down to it. “I get the feeling you aren’t really enjoying all this. Roughing it.”
She shrugged, her silliness dimming. “It’s fine.”
“That wasn’t convincing.” I sat back in my chair. “Is it the girls?”
“They hate me. I hate them. I can’t even . . . I don’t know how to handle them.”
If I didn’t think it’d hurt her feelings, I would’ve laughed. Surely Tiffany could see why she was having so much trouble. The girls were mini-versions of her. I leaned my elbows on the table. “Know what I think?”
“What?”
“There isn’t a person here who could handle them better than you.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s because you haven’t spent any time with my cabin.”
“Those kids, they’re just starting to learn about makeup and boys and clothing. Who knows more about that girly shit than you?”
“Nobody,” she stated.
“Exactly. People have different skills, Tiff. Use yours. It can’t be easy to put that black shit on your eyelids.”
She giggled. “Eyeliner? It’s not. It’s hard, actually.”
Did I think twelve-year-olds away from home should be learning to apply makeup? Not really. But in the scheme of things, I guessed it wasn’t so bad if it meant it’d change their experience here for the positive, and Tiffany’s, too. “Give them a lesson.”
“All right,” she said. “I guess I could try that. Then I’ll teach them how to be stylish, even in hiking boots.”
“There you go.” I finished off both desserts and stood. “I’ll walk you back.”
She also got up. “It’s still early.”
“Not in camp time. It’s like I need twice the amount of sleep here.”
As we walked outside, she grabbed my hand, but when I squeezed hers, she relaxed. My palm was probably clammy. The site was quiet, even more so as we headed into the woods. I could’ve used a cigarette, but I didn’t want to stop. Best I got her to her cabin quickly.
She took it upon herself, though, not that it surprised me. She stopped, getting me to look back with a light tug on my hand. “I want to thank you for dinner.”
“How?” I asked, but I knew.
She rose onto the balls of her feet and pressed her lips to mine. I stood still as a statue, as did she. This was the point where I was supposed to take over. I put my arm around her waist. For all her bravado, she melted against me quicker than I would’ve guessed, dissolving into our kiss. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t sure if I wanted it. It was happening. Any guy at this camp would’ve killed to be in my position.
I tried not to think of the horse earlier, of the defiant pout I’d left behind when I’d picked up Tiffany for our date tonight.
I didn’t realize my hand was on the back of Tiffany’s head until I pulled her hair, and she moaned, bringing me back to the moment. She pushed her tongue against my lips, and I opened my mouth. I owed her my attention, but she also demanded it. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me harder. I followed her lead, going through the motions, trying not to give in to the wet, willing mouth attached to mine. She took my bottom lip between her teeth and nipped it. My dick woke up. Fuck, this girl knew what she was doing.
An owl hooted so loud, I jumped back as if we’d been caught. I held her at a distance by her waist.
“What?” she whispered.
“I . . . should get you back.”
“Seriously?” She stepped into me and trailed soft fingers along the back of my neck, playing with the ends of my hair.
It’d been months since I’d kissed someone. Two seconds in, we’d stripped down to jump in bed. She’d told me her name, but I couldn’t remember it now.
“I’m just getting started,” Tiffany said.
“I know.” Between being turned on and needing to keep our bodies apart, I was a little out of breath. “That’s why I have to stop. You’re getting me excited, and there’s not really anything I can do about it until we get home. Know what I mean?”
“Who says we have to wait?” She removed an arm from around my neck, lowering it to my pants.
I caught her wrist. “I promised Gary we’d keep it PG.”