Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Author:Carley Fortune [Fortune, Carley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-05-10T00:00:00+00:00
* * *
I BRUSHED MY teeth in the main floor bathroom and changed into the cotton shorts and tank top I usually slept in, arranged my hair in a thick braid, and then waited for Sam in his bedroom, which was neat and orderly even though he hadnât planned on having a guest over. The photo of us sat on his desk, and Operation stood upright on the top of his bookshelf next to a photo of him with his dad. I had knelt down to get a better look at his set of Tolkiens when he came in, softly closing the door.
âIâve never read these,â I said without looking up. He crouched down beside me and took out The Hobbit. His hair was damp and neatly combed off his face. He smelled soapy.
âIâm pretty sure youâd hate it, but youâre welcome to borrow it.â He handed me the book. âThereâs a lot of singing.â
âHuh . . . Iâll give it a try, thanks.â We stood at the same time, and Sam loomed over me. When I looked up at him, he was turning a very pink shade of pink.
âThatâs the shirt you wear to bed?â he asked. I looked down, confused. âItâs a little low from up here,â he croaked. The tank top was white with thin straps and, come to think of it, was kind of on the revealing side. A prickly heat climbed up my chest and neck.
âYou could solve that problem by not looking down it,â I muttered, though a part of meâa big, hungry partâwas thrilled. He ran his hand through his hair, messing it up.
âYeah, sorry. They were just . . . there.â
I eyed his cozy pants and T-shirt. It seemed like a lot of clothes for such a warm night. âIs that what you usually wear to bed?â
âYeah . . . in the winter it is.â
âYou do know itâs the middle of summer, right?â He shifted on his feet. It hit me then that Sam was nervous. Sam was almost never nervous.
âIâm aware. When itâs hot, I, uhââhe rubbed his neckââI usually, you know, sleep in my boxers.â
âOkaaaay,â I murmured. âSweats it is.â
We both looked over at the single bed. âThis isnât going to be weird, right?â I asked.
âNope,â he said without confidence.
Sam folded back the navy-blue top sheet, and I climbed in. I wasnât sure what the protocol was here. Should I face the wall? Or was that rude? Maybe I should lie on my back? I hadnât made a decision when Sam sat down beside me, our bodies touching from shoulder to hip. I could smell his peppermint toothpaste.
âDo you want the light on to read?â He eyed the book I was still holding.
âIâm still pretty tired from the swim today, actually.â I passed him the paperback, and he placed it on the nightstand and shut off the lamp.
I decided lying on my back was best, and shuffled down the bed so my head was on the pillow. Sam followed suit. We were squished up against each other.
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