Her heart skipped. “Why, of all people, would he be on your side?” She gave a nervous laugh and paused. “Stop looking at me like that.”
Tyler sat up. “Are you going to relax?”
Glancing around, she realized the moment would have been perfect, if he’d only wanted her.
“You’re getting my bed all wet. Maybe, I was wrong. Maybe, God’s punishing me for something. Then again, you are here, in my tent, wet, and that t-shirt is doing wonders for my imagination.”
Rebecca’s eyebrows flew upward. She peered down at herself.
The girls were practically waving hello from under the thin drenched material.
Dang it!
“I, uh. Well. Stop looking.”
Tyler chuckled. “I will not.” His eye’s bore into hers and she suddenly couldn’t remember to breath.
The wind howled outside. The tent willowed in the onslaught, but she could care less.
“Why did you run from me the other night, Bee?”
“I uh. I…” Her mouth refused to work.
His eyes were darkened by lantern light, giving them a deeper hue, his face shadowed, only adding to his charm. “Well, that explains it all doesn’t it,” he quipped.
“You big idiot.” She raised her hand to slap his shoulder, but before she made contact, he captured it. His fingers entwined with hers.
“That I might be. But, I still want to know why you ran.” His face was inches from her own.
She sneezed and a shiver rocked her shoulders.
Tyler pulled her closer. “So, why Bee? Why did you run?”
Rebecca sighed. “I wanted you to be there because you wanted to be, not because our friends were bribing you, or pushing you into it.”
There. I’ve said it.
A small weight lifted from her shoulders.
His brow furrowed. “Why in the heck would you think I didn’t want to be there?”
She nibbled at the corner of her lip. “You said they pushed you to take me out. Or, well, something like that.”
His mouth spread into a wide grin. “I’m a big wimp. I’ve been dense and stupid, but right now, you are making me seem like Einstein.”
She went to protest, but his lips stopped hers. A surprised squeak was all she managed before her shoulders relaxed and the shivering stopped.
Slowly, he released her mouth and pinned her with his warm gaze. “Bee. I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember. I just needed a push. Something to make me risk our friendship.”
She cocked her head. “What? Wait?”
He rolled his eyes. “I would rather be your friend than nothing at all. I didn’t want to lose that. Lose you. So, Rebecca, what do you say? Was it worth it?”
She couldn’t contain the urge any longer. Rebecca threw herself at him and laughed. “I’ve been waiting for you forever. Waiting for you to make a move. Of course.” Her breath caught.
His eyes locked with hers. “I love you.”
Her lips crashed into his and for a moment the storm didn’t exist.
“Rebecca?”
“Yes, Tyler?” Her lips still touched his.
“I think we’re going to need to move.”
She pulled back an inch. “Why?” That’s when a fresh chill slid down her back.
“Because it’s raining in the tent.”
They smiled, shifting position so the tent regained its composure and deflected the early fall monsoon.
“Since you’re already wet, we could have a wet t-shirt contest. Make use of all this rain.” He smirked.
This time Rebecca’s hand connected with his bicep. “You’re kind of a pig. You know that?”
“Maybe. But, you wouldn’t have me any other way.”
Any Other Way Page 2