Sun Kissed (Camp Boyfriend) Read Free Page B

mentioned it,” I added to Alex’s white lie, looking around to see where the counselors were standing. Dusk had fallen and it was dark enough they might not notice us leave.
    Could I really do this?
    “I’ll walk down with you.” Seth didn’t even hesitate. He moved to block me from adult view and helped me to my feet.
    I nodded fast, bobble-head doll style.
    “Sure.” My heart pummeled me from the inside, my senses on overload at Seth’s touch.
    His hands were warm and strong. “Ready?” He glanced at the counselors who were suddenly distracted by Alex. She’d leaped on Jackie’s back and hollered for a chicken fight. I smiled. Leave it to Alex to figure out our exit plan.
    “Yes,” I said, while my mind screamed NOOOOOOO . Maybe I just wanted to get out of here and get the dare over with.
    Then again, maybe I just really, really wanted that kiss.

 
    Chapter Two
    “What time’s the meteor shower?” Seth’s husky voice vibrated through me in the gloom. He pushed aside a low branch and I ducked beneath it, continuing down the path to the beach.
    “Ummmmm. Soon,” I stalled. “Thanks for coming, by the way. Alex kind of pushed you into it. But if you’d rather go back to the fire—”
    Seth grabbed my hand, silencing my nervous blather. His calloused palm rubbed against my skin and warmth flushed through me despite the cooling dark. My pulse drummed in my ear, drowning out the sound of whining mosquitoes. “I’ve missed you, Lauren. I don’t care about the bonfire.”
    “Oh,” I breathed then looked down at my flip-flops. A flock of butterflies took flight in my stomach. Did he mean he missed me like a friend, or more …? God I hoped he meant more. So much more.
    “Let’s go check out the stars.” He tugged me the rest of the way down the worn path, through the tree line, and onto the gravelly beach. Since Seth’s grandparents owned the camp, he could navigate these woods blindfolded.
    When I stumbled over an exposed root, he steadied me with an arm around my waist that sent a shiver of awareness along my spine. “Cold?” he asked as we strolled down to the weathered dock that jutted into Lake Juniper. “You’re trembling.”
    I clenched my chattering teeth. The warm feel of Seth’s palm against mine made it hard for me to think. Breathe. God. This was confusing. Why couldn’t I see him the way I used to—as the guy who challenged me on Star Wars trivia, who could identify as many plant and animal species as I could constellations, who did science experiments during his free activity periods too? We were friends. Good friends. Should I risk losing our relationship because of a dare?
    We sat on the dock’s end and his sandaled foot hooked around my ankle. Our joined feet swung out into the crisp summer-night air, the sound of moth wings beating against a dull lamp above us. I gazed at the lightshow overhead. The sky was an overturned bowl, rimmed with lavender fading up to periwinkle, then indigo into velvet studded with twinkling diamonds.
    Normally I had eyes only for those stars, wondering which distant suns sent those lights to us, which galaxies embedded them. But instead, my eyes kept returning to Seth, loving the way the moonlight outlined his straight nose and square jaw in silver, shadows and light playing along the handsome angles of his face. I sighed when his hand found mine again. I couldn’t deny wanting to take things further. If the game sped up my timing, then so be it. I had to take this leap of faith sometime. Better to do it quick before I lost my nerve.
    I turned then pulled back when our noses collided.
    “Ouch.” I laughed to cover my embarrassment and straightened my crooked frames. Smooth, Lauren. Real smooth. No wonder I was a KV. But hopefully not after tonight….
    “Sorry.” The left side of Seth’s mouth lifted before the right, the crooked pirate smile I dreamed about on cold winter nights. “I was going to ask you how your year was—besides