Before by Nicola Marsh

how Jack responded. But I’d never had that kind of chutzpah and it would be beyond humiliating if he still rejected me.
    No way did I want my last memory of my time with Jack to be of him seeing me stark naked and still saying no.
    “I better get this tent set up,” he said, squatting to unzip the backpack.
    “Chicken,” I muttered under my breath, not sure if I was referring to him or me.
    As I busied myself ensuring the firewood was in a neat pile to start the fire, Jack said in a low voice, “For what it’s worth, I have seen you naked. In my fantasies all day and night.”
    I spun around so fast I stumbled and landed on my butt, sending the kindling scattering. “If you laugh, you’re a dead man.”
    Jack’s guffaws could’ve been heard back at the homestead, they were that loud, and I soon joined in. Every time one of us tried to stop, the other would start, until I held my side because of a massive stitch.
    When he reached out his hand to me, I took it. He helped me to my feet. “You okay?”
    “Yeah,” I said, holding my breath the longer he held my hand. “Did you mean it? You’ve been fantasizing about me?”
    He hesitated, then squeezed my hand before releasing it. I knew the exact moment our closeness vanished because he blinked, erasing the tenderness, replacing it with a harder edge. “Don’t take it personally. It’s a guy thing. We all do it. Pays to stock up the wank tank.”
    “The what?”
    “It’s like watching porn.” He tapped his temple. “We stock up on naughty stuff up here for when we…you know.” He mimicked masturbating and damn, if I wasn’t turned on.
    “Wank tank…” I let the words roll of my tongue, enjoying his tortured expression. “Must remember that for when I get down to business.”
    He spun on his heel and stalked away. “Fuck, Jess, I can’t talk about this with you.”
    I had him rattled. Good. I wanted to see how far I could push him. “Why not? We all get horny. We all need to get off. It’s natural.”
    “Stop. Please.” When he turned around, I saw the bulge in the front of his jeans, and grinned.
    “Glad to see I’m not the only one who’s turned on,” I said, deliberately turning my back and walking toward the edge of the clearing.
    I wanted him to come after me.
    I willed him to come after me.
    Instead, I heard him cursing as he resumed tent-erecting duties.
    Not to worry.
    The night was young.

 
     
     

Chapter Twenty
     
    JACK
     
     
    I was in hell.
    Squashed into a two-man tent, lying next to Jess, our sleeping bags touching but not being able to touch her.
    Frigging blue ball hell.
    I stared at the stars visible through our tent flap. Knowing it was futile making a wish on one but doing it anyway.
    Whoever’s up there, please give me the strength to get through this night without giving in to my instincts and fucking Jess senseless .
    I adjusted my hard cock for the hundredth time since we’d crawled into our bags, wishing we’d packed up and headed home when we had the chance.
    “It’s beautiful,” she murmured and I rolled onto my side to find her staring at me. “The sky.”
    I didn’t need the clarification but I was grateful for it. Because if Jess kept staring at me like I’d hung every damn one of those stars, I’d lose it for sure.
    “Go to sleep. We’ve got an early start if you want to see the sunrise.”
    “I’m too edgy to sleep.” Her lips curved into a wicked smile that had me biting back a groan. “Do you know what helps me fall asleep back home?”
    “You better say hot chocolate or chamomile tea or a handful of Valerian,” I said, not liking where she was going with this.
    She’d taunted me enough earlier, casually talking about getting off. I’d been hard ever since.
    She smirked. “Orgasm is much more effective.”
    Fuck.
    “I’m not doing this, Jess—”
    “We’re just making pillow talk,” she said, her shadowed expression positively impish.
    “Not any more.” I turned away, unable