I ran my free hand through my hair, and my movement caused her to stir. She started running her hand down my abs but stopped quickly like she had just realized what she was doing. Her hand left a trail of fire against my skin.
She turned her head slowly and looked up at me. I hated how much hesitation was in her eyes. It was hesitation that I put there.
I smiled at her to help ease some of the tension, and she hesitantly smiled back. I was opening my mouth to say something to her. What I don't know, but something, when Kat's voice rang out around the campground. "Where the hell is Erica?"
Erica shot up into a sitting position and looked at me with wide eyes. She looked panicked, but there was a small smile on her face. I sat up beside her and shrugged my shoulders. She giggled quietly before unzipping the tent and leaving this odd little bubble we had developed around us last night.
I didn't want her to leave my tent. I didn't want to face the world around us or anything that was outside of that bubble. I knew nothing had actually changed between us last night. She was just being Erica. The girl with a huge fucking heart. She wouldn't let her worst enemy be hurt. I was example A. I had become her worst enemy.
I heard Kat's shocked gasp as soon as Erica disappeared out of my tent. I reached for my t-shirt and slid it over my head as Kat's head peeked into my tent. I think she was looking to see if I was in there. The look on her face was almost comical. That was until her confused face morphed into one of anger.
I braced myself for whatever she was about to say, but fortunately for me, Blake walked up behind her right before she was about to rip into me. "Come on, Kat. Leave them alone."
I smiled at her, and it was a mistake. Her eyes squinted further, and she pointed two fingers at her eyes then at me. I couldn't help but laugh.
I knew that she assumed I was an asshole and brought Erica in here under false pretenses. Hell, if I was her I would have thought the same thing.
I climbed out of the tent and into the bright morning sun. It smelled so good out here. The smell of the nearby river and woods combined with Erica's scent across my skin was refreshing.
The tension around the campground was palpable, but this time it wasn't from me and Erica. Everyone else was watching the two of us with eagle eyes. I knew the nosey bastards wanted to know what happened between us last night, but they didn't dare ask while the both of us were present.
No one spoke for a few seconds so I decided to break the tension.
"What time are we heading hiking," I asked while looking at Kat.
"As soon as we eat breakfast." She had her hand on the curve of her hip and was still looking at me through slit eyes.
Erica hadn't said much of anything since she had left my tent this morning. She was probably in the same state of mind as me. Stuck in the limbo of what are we doing.
Last night changed something between us. We had been avoiding each other for so long, and last night we crossed a line that we hadn't dared come close to before. I knew that I wasn't good enough for her, and every logical thought in my head told me to stay away from her. When I woke up from that nightmare and saw her gorgeous face staring down at me with tears in her eyes, I wanted to throw away every damn bit of logic that I possessed. I wanted to run my hands through her curls and hold on to her for dear life.
I was too selfish to stay away from her. I needed her in my life in one capacity or another. One thing I knew for sure was that I was through watching Johnny flirt with her right in front of my face.
She giggled at something he said as he leaned his head close to hers, and I was seconds away from tackling him to the ground. I don't know what was coming over me. I had never been this protective over anyone besides my sister. That thought made me pause.
I walked up to the happy little duo and smiled at Erica. It took her by surprise, and I was happy by that. I liked throwing her off her game.
"You ready to go find this waterfall?"
She stared at me as if I had lost my damn mind, and maybe I had. Just yesterday we were avoiding each other like the plague.
"Yes?" She said it as if it was a question. She wasn't sure of her answer or why I was asking.
I just smiled reassuringly at her. "Well let's hit the trail. We're burning daylight."
I glanced over at Johnny, and he had his eyes narrowed at me as if he was suspicious of my behavior. I didn't give a damn what he was suspicious about. I raised an eyebrow at him before walking off and following Erica toward Kat and Blake.
The trail was a rough one. I don't know who picked it. Probably Blake, no doubt. I was in shape so it wasn't an issue for me, but the girls were struggling. We stopped for a fourth water break.
"I can't feel my legs." Kat leaned against a rock as she squirted water into her mouth.
"I wish. I think I can feel every single muscle in my legs, and they are begging me to sit here for at least an hour." Erica massaged her hands against her thighs.
"Get up. We're almost there. You two can make it," Blake rolled his eyes.
"Go on without us." Erica raised her hand dramatically toward Blake. "Save yourselves."
Blake groaned while I laughed. Erica looked up at me with an embarrassed smile on her face. It was almost as if she didn't want to act like herself in front of me.
When we finally made it to the top of the trail, it was completely worth it. The waterfall was surrounded by the changing leaves in the trees. Oranges, yellows, and reds surrounded us as the water cascaded down the side of the mountain. It would have been beautiful all on its own, but watching Erica stand in front of the waterfall with her arms open wide, a giant smile on her face that was covered in sunlight was beyond anything else. Nothing compared to the view in front of me. Her curls were blowing around her face by the force of the waterfall. She looked like an angel.
My staring was interrupted by Kat's squealing. I looked over to see Blake holding her in the air and threatening to throw her into the water. We both knew he wouldn't, but Kat was laughing and screaming as if she was in a life or death situation. I couldn't help but laugh with them. I wanted what they had. I ached for it. I would never be able to have it.
Erica began walking toward the waterfall and I couldn't help gravitating toward her. I could see her trying to figure out how to get behind it, but she didn't dare ask for help. She was too damn stubborn for that. She finally found a small opening that allowed her to walk behind the cascade of the waterfall and stand in the alcove behind it.
I followed her into the dark, damp area and watched her as she looked around. She pulled her arms around herself and rubbed her hands against her upper arms.
"You want my jacket?" As soon as the words left my mouth, she jumped and squealed. Her right foot slipped on the water, and I barely caught her before she hit the ground.
She slapped me in the chest. "You scared the living crap out of me!"
I smiled down at her theatrics, and she narrowed her eyes at me. "What the heck are you smiling at?"
I didn't dare tell her that I was happy as hell to be holding her close to me again. Instead, I said, "You're cute."
"Cute?" She sounded outraged. "It is not cute to give someone a heart attack." She pushed against my chest and out of my arms.
As soon as her feet hit the ground, she winced in pain.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I scanned over her entire body.
"I think I turned my ankle." She began hobbling around.
I leaned down and swooped her up with my arms beneath her legs and behind her shoulders.
"Put me down."
"Not happening. Your ankle's hurt, and we need to get back out into the light so I can check it out."
She didn't argue after that, but she didn't hold on to me either. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted as I carried her back out to where Kat and Blake were still horsing around.
Kat stopped as soon as she saw us and walked straight to us. I sat Erica on a large rock and took her injured ankle in my hands.
"What happened?" Kat grabbed Erica's hand and sat down beside her.
"This asshole right here scared me so bad that I think I broke my ankle."
I looked up at her disbelievingly and saw a large sneaky smile on her face.
Kat looked at me in outrage and put her hands on her hips. "Really, Gabe. Don't you think you've hurt her enough?"
I saw Erica wince out of the corner of my eye so I decided to steer the conversation away from where Kat was taking it. We didn't need to have that conversation with Kat and Blake present.