“That said, I’m still scared.” Rosa sighed, sick with indecision. “For her, and for me.”
“Welcome to life.” Bree clapped her on the back. “Sometimes it’s terrifying. Other times, transcendent. The trick is not to let the fear keep you from the joy.”
Rosa blinked silently at Bree, then slowly extended her middle finger to shoot her the bird. “Fuck you for being so smart. Did you seriously just come up with that?”
Bree shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Whatever.”
“Shit.” Rosa exhaled and wound her hair around her fists, pulling until her vision blurred. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Maybe?” Bree poked her in the side. “Go fix this. Now.”
“What if I can’t?”
Bree snorted, muttering, “Trust me, you can.”
Bree hadn’t seen the pain Rosa had inflicted earlier. She hadn’t watched the light be extinguished from Alice’s eyes. “I mean, I really fucked up.”
“Then you’d better really apologize.” Bree’s sober facade cracked as she wiggled her tongue suggestively. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
The memory of Alice’s mouthwatering flavor fractured the last of Rosa’s stubborn will. Bree was right. To never know for sure might very well be every bit as devastating as the possible discovery that their relationship wasn’t strong enough to survive the transition into the real world. Because what if it could? What if she was able to taste Alice whenever she wanted, to share every milestone along the way? Rosa’s hands trembled as she clasped her knees. “I never expected to meet someone this weekend.”
“But you did.”
“Yeah.” Rosa blew out a noisy breath. “I’m so not ready for this.”
“Like I said, welcome to life. In case you haven’t noticed, the universe rarely gives a shit how you feel.”
“I have noticed that, actually.” Rosa offered Bree a grateful nod. “What do I owe you, doc?”
“Bring back Alice’s smile, at least for tonight, and we’ll call it even.”
Rosa stuck out her hand so they could shake on it. “I’ll do my best.”
“Tell her you’re a goddamn fool. Always works for me.” After a beat, Bree dissolved into laughter. “In your case, it also happens to be true.”
“Maybe.” Despite having just chosen to put her faith in Alice and their growing bond, Rosa wondered whether she was even capable of making intelligent decisions anymore. How was it possible to feel this mixed-up about a woman who made her so unambiguously happy? “Call me in a year and we’ll decide how foolish I am.”
“Give me your number and I will. Fifty bucks says Alice answers the phone.”
Rosa scoffed, though the idea that Alice might someday be that comfortably ensconced in her life made her heart flutter. “You’re on.”
“Great. Maybe I’ll buy a new video game with my winnings.”
Narrowing her gaze, Rosa searched Bree’s face for any sign that she’d misunderstood the meaning of her comment. When Bree simply smiled, Rosa said, flatly, “You do know who I am.”
“Not until you told me your first name and that people hate you on the Internet…I swear.” Bree held up her fingers to indicate scout’s honor. “Otherwise I never would’ve guessed in a million years.”
“Fantastic.” Rosa sagged in dismay that her infamy was even more widespread than she’d dared to imagine. “I’m starting to feel like I shouldn’t have cut my hair.”
“Your hair is adorable.” Bree clucked her tongue. “Now go, find Alice. She was headed for the arts-and-crafts building, last I saw.”
“All right.” Rosa briefly considered asking Bree whether she’d ever clicked the link to watch her video but decided she didn’t want to know. “Thanks, Bree. This helped.”
“And I didn’t even have to smack you.” When Rosa laughed, Bree simply stared, stone-faced. “I offered. Alice said no.”
Maybe it wasn’t too late to fix things after all. “I’ll be sure to let her know how much I appreciate her lack of vengeance.”
Bree cracked a grin. “She’s a keeper, all right.” Insistent, she nudged Rosa off the bench. “Don’t let those guys win. What you said about that game was valid, and you’re a beautiful girl with absolutely no reason to feel ashamed—about anything. Go, get your woman. Make this weekend count.”
Sufficiently pumped up, Rosa stood and shook out her arms as though preparing for battle. “Right.”
Bree stared at her with gruff affection. “Just know that if you hurt her again, I’ll kick your ass.” In response, Rosa held out her fist. Bree accompanied her answering bump with a dramatic rolling of her eyes and a muttered, “Dork.”
“I’m still scared,” Rosa said, forcing a smile.
“So is she.” Bree tapped her shoe against Rosa’s calf, urging her along. “Be scared together.”
*
Rosa went to the arts-and-crafts building first but didn’t see Alice anywhere. She spotted Jamal tinkering with a table full of shiny odds and ends, and managed to get his attention long enough to learn that Alice had already come and gone. In fact, Rosa had missed her by minutes. As it was now well past lunchtime, her stomach let out a predictable growl. Maybe Alice had gotten hungry, too? Rosa followed her stomach, and her intuition, to the dining hall, but apart from the peanut-butter sandwich she hastily made herself, she found nothing there. Finally, she went to check the most obvious remaining location: their cabin. Afraid to discover Alice curled up on her top bunk, awash in tears, Rosa walked slowly, taking the time to thoroughly chew and swallow her food.
Coward. Her inner voice suddenly sounded an awful lot like Bree’s and made her feel just as bad. You don’t want Alice to suffer because of you? Then end her suffering. She quickened her steps as she approached the cabin. If you can.
But Alice wasn’t inside. Rosa walked to their shared bunk bed and stood on her tiptoes to peek into the top, in disbelief that she’d once again come up empty. She’d really expected to find Alice here. Where else was there to look? She pictured Alice hiding out alone in the woods somewhere, too timid to participate in the festivities building up to their last night at camp and the big dance. Right back to where she’d started, except worse—because now her heart was freshly savaged. The pathetic image took Rosa’s legs out from under her, forcing her to seek out the edge of her mattress with her hand so she could sit down.
Fuck. She had to find Alice. She had to make this right.
Resolved yet no less afraid, Rosa took a moment to collect her thoughts and then went to push herself to her feet. She froze when her pinkie finger brushed against a cold, metallic object. Startled, she jerked her hand away and turned to see what had been left on her bunk.
At first she wasn’t sure what she was staring at. Wires and circuitry and batteries and plastic housing…along with a note. For an instant, her heart stuttered at the thought that someone had planted a homemade bomb for her to find. But then she noticed the vaguely humanoid shape of the object, complete with LED lights carefully arranged to form eyes and a smiling mouth. She picked up the note, reading the fuzzy words through watery eyes.
I would fight for you.—Alice
“I apologize for the less-than-impressive design. I didn’t have much to work with…only the components Jamal thought to buy, which didn’t include a micro-controller. So all that robot can really do is avoid obstacles. Not fight, to be honest.” Alice stepped out from behind Bree’s bunk, cautiously. “It would actually take a fair amount of effort to make him combat-ready.”
Initially surprised by the sound of Alice’s low, determined voice, by the end of the slightly awkward speech, Rosa had to wipe away the tears rolling down her face. “I love him.”
“I’m glad.” Alice’s anxiety seemed to ease, yet her eyes still swam with turbulent emotion. “Listen, you don’t need to make me any promises. You don’t have to say anything at all. Just…can we spend one last night together? No strings attached?”
Rosa wanted many
more nights—and days—with Alice than that, but she was happy to seize the chance to reconcile without having to commit to anything aloud. She was still working up to that. Rather than reply, she stood, closed the distance between them, and gathered Alice into a tight hug.
Alice’s arms flew around her. “Oh,” she breathed, then shuddered.
Her obvious relief brought fresh tears to Rosa’s eyes. “I know we said no more apologies, but I owe you a big one. So…I’m sorry I was a goddamn fool.”
Alice returned the desperate embrace, clinging to her so tightly Rosa squeaked at the sudden lack of air. “You were scared. I understand being scared, very well.” She placed her lips against Rosa’s ear and whispered, “I forgive you.”
Choked with emotion, Rosa said, “Thank you.” She kissed Alice’s cheek, unsurprised when her lips found salty tears. “You may understand being scared, but you’re also really amazing at being brave.” She stopped, took a breath, then plunged ahead. “Maybe you can teach me?”
It was vague, and not nearly the bold declaration of her intention to commit to…something…that she’d hoped to summon enough courage to offer, but it was a start. And boy, did Alice seem to approve.
Soft yet demanding lips landed on Rosa’s, drawing her into a kiss that sent them both stumbling for her bunk. Right before their bodies crashed onto the mattress, Rosa held Alice back with a protective arm. “Wait!” She took a moment to carefully place Alice’s robotic creation in her duffel bag, then pulled Alice down on top of her so they could entangle their limbs and reconnect with their whole bodies. “I really do love that little guy.”
Alice blushed, visibly trying—and adorably failing—to suppress a goofy smile. “I hoped you would.”
“And…” Rosa swallowed, tracing Alice’s rosy cheek with the backs of her fingers. “I really like you. A lot.”
“I know.” Despite the profession of certainty, Rosa’s words were making Alice positively glow. “Rosa, I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone. I know that must be terrifying for you to hear, but it’s true.” Grinning, she bent to brush their lips together. “First lesson in courage: face your fears. Don’t run away from them.”
Having somehow lucked her way back into Alice’s arms, Rosa was in no hurry to go anywhere. “Yes, ma’am.”
Alice’s hips pressed into her, urgently, as she plundered Rosa’s mouth in a passionate kiss. When they broke apart, some time later, Alice whispered, “Let’s talk about tomorrow, tomorrow. Tonight, the real world doesn’t exist. Tonight, all we have is our magically fleeting summer-camp romance. Deal?”
Rosa slid a hand down the length of her back, then curled her fingers around a firm ass cheek, letting her fingertips graze Alice’s warm pussy. “Deal.” She squeezed the pliant flesh that filled her palm and rubbed at the damp heat emanating from the crotch of Alice’s linen shorts. “We should find somewhere to go.”
Alice groaned and rocked against her touch. “Right here feels good.”
That’s when the universe, apparently feeling the need to intervene, sent what sounded like five thousand loud, giggly, chatty women into the cabin with them to get dressed for the farewell dance. Alice swore under her breath, rolled off to the side, and buried her face in Rosa’s chest. But what she didn’t do was get out of bed. She didn’t pull away. She didn’t leave.
Rosa held Alice close, mentally shifting gears from lust to rapidly growing love.
“We’ll find somewhere,” Alice muttered against Rosa’s breast, making the nipple harden. “We have to.”
Chapter Sixteen
Three hours later, Alice and Rosa stood behind a redwood tree far enough away from the dance raging inside the dining hall that Alice could barely make out the lyrics of whatever mid-90s hit was playing. They were passing the joint they hadn’t ended up lighting the night before, trading kisses between hits, while, from Alice’s perspective, thoroughly frittering away their remaining time together on idle conversation about nothing that mattered. Although grateful the pungent smoke mellowed the edges of her rampant horniness, she knew it would take more than medical-grade cannabis to ease the throbbing ache between her legs.
Earlier, she’d decided not to push Rosa to define the terms of their relationship beyond Camp Rewind—lest she risk their chance to spend one last night together in relative happiness—so while Alice was pretty sure that Rosa’s return indicated a willingness to pursue whatever they were building at least until camp ended, part of her couldn’t help but wonder whether tonight might still be their last opportunity to be together, together. Unfortunately, that line of speculation made it difficult to focus on Rosa’s admittedly amusing anecdote about the time she’d taken two dates to her eighth-grade dance.
Even if tonight wasn’t the end for them, Alice yearned for Rosa’s touch. Not only so she could prove what a quick study she tended to be, but also to show Rosa how very good she could make her feel if only she were allowed to try. They’d lain in Rosa’s bunk for over an hour before the dance began as their camp mates changed and primped and made themselves up around them, and while she would have been embarrassed to let anyone see her snuggled up in another woman’s arms at the beginning of the weekend, tonight Alice had found herself, incredibly, not concerned at all. On the contrary, she was proud of her connection with Rosa, proud to have captured the attention of someone so beautiful, so funny, so kind. She was so proud, and so enraptured, that she almost felt ready to suggest they go back to Rosa’s bed, lingering cabin mates be damned, to celebrate their reunion.
Rosa pulled Alice out of her daydream when she curled a hand around the back of her neck, pressed their mouths together, and breathed out, sending the generous hit she’d just taken from her lungs to Alice’s. Without missing a beat, Alice inhaled deeply and wrapped her arm around Rosa’s waist to grind their pelvises together. She turned her head to blow out the cloud of smoke, grinned at the blissful, euphoric head rush, and went back to Rosa’s mouth for another lazy kiss.
Rosa braced her hands on the tree next to Alice’s head, rotating her hips until she hit an angle that made Alice gasp. “I want to be inside you,” Rosa rumbled into her ear. “Should we go to your car?”
Alice shook her head, disappointed that Rosa hadn’t hit upon a better idea. “I’m not sure that’ll work. Earlier, Jamal told me that Marcia busted a couple having sex in the parking lot last night. Knocked on the guy’s car window, shone a flashlight in their eyes…then sent them back to their cabins after an undoubtedly embarrassing lecture. I have a feeling she’ll be on patrol again tonight.”
“Let me guess…liability issue?” Rosa backed away slightly to take a final draw from their dwindling roach.
“I’m sure. I don’t know about you, but I’m really not up for having that woman catch us in flagrante.” Alice moved forward when Rosa flipped the joint around to offer her the end, holding it close to the burning tip with her pinched fingers so that Alice could inhale one last hit. Alice nodded in gratitude as she exhaled and watched as Rosa thoroughly extinguished the meager remnants against the tree. Once Rosa’s hands were free, she wrapped both arms around Alice and cradled her close. Since making up, Rosa hadn’t seemed to want to stop touching. That had to be a good sign. Right? Reminded of her craven need, Alice murmured, “And stealing another boat is out…”
Rosa trailed her fingers along Alice’s ribs, stroking her stomach, grazing the underside of her breast. “Even if I wasn’t afraid of Marcia’s wrath, I’m sure as hell terrified of snakes, which means that boathouse is dead to me.” Her hands suddenly froze in place, and she eased back to scan the area around their feet with a mildly panicked look. “Also, maybe, the great outdoors in the dark.”
Alice exhaled, trying to remain calm. She was embarrassed to admit how upset the thought of not having sex tonight made her feel. If she didn’t think it would cause unnecessary drama, she’d be tempted to suggest they simply choose one of their apartments and go there together immediately. Sadly, such a proposal har
dly seemed prudent when she still wasn’t certain how Rosa felt about the idea of moving their relationship outside camp boundaries in general, let alone right then. Racking her brain, Alice worried her lip with her teeth and reclined against the tree as she reviewed the possibilities, frustrated by how often the specter of Marcia appeared to shoot each one down.
“Fuck, you’re sexy.” Hot lips and sharp teeth sought out Alice’s throat as Rosa abandoned her paranoia for desire, once again pressing their bodies together for another feverish round of dry humping. “Maybe I can deal with the snakes. We could walk a mile or so into the woods…I’ll press you up against a tree and slip my hand into your shorts…” Rosa kissed along her jaw, pushed her hand between their stomachs, and ran her fingernails along Alice’s waistband. She paused to toy with the button and scratched the zipper playfully. “Want to do that?”
Yes, but no. Alice wanted more than a quick hand job in the middle of the dark, scary woods. She wanted to lie in a real bed with Rosa, to feel her naked skin, to explore her body without worrying about errant reptiles or Hollywood-style serial killers lurking nearby. She wanted to make tonight count. Alice surprised herself by abandoning her shyness altogether. “What if we just went back to the cabin? We could be quiet…”
Rosa hesitated before lowering her hand to cup Alice between the legs and gently massage the sensitive mound with her palm. “Could we?”
Alice gasped, grabbing onto Rosa’s shoulders so she wouldn’t fall down. It still felt oddly foreign to be caressed so blatantly, and with such deliberate care, in a way that was clearly intended to make her feel good. The indescribable pleasure of Rosa’s fingers emboldened Alice in a way she’d never dreamed possible. “To be honest, I’m not sure I care anymore.”
“Really?” Rosa snuck her hand beneath the leg of Alice’s shorts to fondle her through her panties. Alice moaned, pushing herself against the searching fingers. When Rosa rubbed her clit through the sodden material, causing Alice to grip more tightly to her shoulders, she could feel whatever argument Rosa might have offered vanish in a surge of arousal. Rosa pressed their foreheads together and gave Alice’s pussy a firm squeeze. “You know…maybe I don’t care, either.”
Camp Rewind Page 24