The River Speaks

Chapter Twelve: Bar Guest

Chapter Twelve: Bar Guest

The birds are chirping happily outside and something warm is against my cheek. The ground is hard, but I know that's because I'm in the woods.

I hear movement outside the tent and I know it's Ruby and Seattle. I shift my head slightly and open my eyes.

Skin. The warm thing my head is on is skin, bare skin.

Startled, I sit up slightly. Aiden is wide awake, playing temple run on his phone.

There's an imprint on his bare chest of my hair, and he doesn't seem fazed to know that I was practically bear hugging him in my sleep.

I open my mouth to question him, but he smirks.

"Sleeping Lily seems to have taken a liking to me." He says. "I woke up and you were all over me." He shrugs. "When I tried to move away, you just held on tighter. Is there something you're not telling me?"

I scoff and rub my face, glancing at his phone screen.

"Temple run? Really? Nobody even plays that anymore."

"What can I say? I miss having cell reception."

I hesitate. "Aiden, where is your shirt?"

"I got hot."

"Okay but we're sleeping this close to each other. When I get hot, I can't take off all my clothes."

"Who says you can't?" He smirks.

I scowl and crawl over his legs, unzipping the tent and pushing out into the open air. I hear him sighing and shuffling behind me. I stand up, listening to the river and the birds and the sun up in the sky.

Beautiful. Nature is beautiful.

"It's quiet." Aiden mutters.

"That's because none of your Taxi's are here. Nobody is getting road rage. Nobody is honking horns and yelling out of windows. It's amazing. I love nature."

"Let's go swimming."

"Aiden, I'm not going swimming."

"Come on, just go swimming with me. This is nature too." He walks over to the river, grabbing my hand to pull me with him.

"Aiden," I begin.

"You big baby." He says. He takes off his pants so he's in his boxers.

"Aiden!" I exclaim.

"It's swimming." He shrugs, and then he walks into the river.

Anxious, I watch him and he seems fine.

"Come on." He says. "Get in the water!"

I am wearing dark panties...and my sports bra is black.

I pull my shirt over my head and he starts cheering, watching as I pull my pants down and walk into the river.

"Oh god, this is deep!" I laugh.

"But it feels good!" He says, splashing me.

"Don't." I say, laughing.

He does it again, so I splash him back. He splashes me and I splash him and we go back and forth, laughing our asses off.

*****

Hours later with damp hair and clothes, we walk the horses through the trees and onto the farm. It's looking a little stormy today.

I walk Ruby into the barn and hop off at her stall. I clean her hooves and remove her saddle, and then I let her run free. I show Aiden how to do the same thing.