Page 40 of Rootbound

“I am picking my words carefully. It takes me a minute sometimes, okay?” I say, and it’s the truth, but I repeat my apology. “I am sorry. I didn’t think before I did it, I just registered that you were half naked and probably needed to hide.”

At this, I see a blush creep up her neck and her hand ball up in a fist. It’s an odd combination of adorable and terrifying.

“My tank top was around my waist. Wouldn’t have been hard to pull up really quickly and it’s a pond, people swim in it when it’s hot. It wasyouwho didn’t want to be seen, Henry,” she says, and holds up a hand when I start to interject, to remind her that I was naked and that it would’ve been hard to explain away that.

“I meant what I said. It is probably for the best. I am only here for a few weeks, and that was… well… too intense for a few weeks.” She looks down her leg and watches her foot as she traces circles on the floor. I let her words sink in and realize that she’s right, it was intense.Her honesty leaves me feeling hollow, though. Too intense, but not worth it?

Of course not. Not to her.

“You’re probably right,” I manage, trying to mask the sour feeling in my stomach.

She looks up at me, something passing over her face—something like regret—before she smiles a half smile.

“Would’ve been fun though,” she offers, and we both let out a quiet laugh. Sex would ultimately complicate things and bring our messes to the forefront, which neither of us wants.

Still. “Oh, I have no doubt about that.”

I also have no doubt that mixing family and my love life will risk disaster again, and the last thing that Tait or I need is drama. That kind of intensity blows the door wide open to drama.

“Friends?” she asks, holding out her hand for another shake, and fuck me if she doesn’t take my breath away in that moment again. One of her eyes has more flecks of brown than the other, but they’re such an interesting shade of green, the irises lined with gray. At first, I thought they reminded me of Charlie’s, but up close I realize they’re all her own.

“Friends,” I confirm, switching the hand that I’m holding the towel with so I can shake hers.

“Sorry you have to escort me around some more, but the quicker we start, the quicker I can get out of your hair, so, how about tomorrow?” she asks, all business.

“Tomorrow I have a meeting that had to get rescheduled, and I think your uncle will kill me if I bail again. How aboutthe next day?”

“Sure.” She grins and leans off the doorway, signaling the end of the conversation.

“Okay. Uhhh, goodnight, then?”

“Goodnight, Henry.”

I turn to leave and start walking down the steps when she says, “Oh, Henry?”

I turn back to see her expression pulled into a smirk. “Since we both know you owe me. You know, since I had to sneak through a dark pond with my tits out, army crawl up a bank and slip in through my own back door… drop the towel. It’s the condition of my friendship.”

I laugh, but when she doesn’t, I realize she’s not kidding. Fine, I owe her a bit of embarrassment on my part. But I’ll be damned if I act fazed. I unwrap the towel and fold it carefully over my arm, not rushing. I then walk it over and hand it to her. She doesn’t take her eyes off of mine; the only indication that she’s affected at all is the blush that’s spread to her cheeks.

“Sweet dreams, honey,” I say, and take all the care I can to turn and march slowly away, down the porch steps and toward my place, her laugh following me.

“Sweet dreams, sweet cheeks!” she calls when I finally make it to the dark part of the road.

Twenty

Tait

It started as a night of tossing and turning, nothing seeming to cool me down or let me get comfortable. A cold shower and a sleep aid I keep for emergencies eventually did the trick. Despite waking up drenched in sweat the next morning, I wake up in the best, or at least the most determined, mood I can recall being in in days.

I guess I am fired up. This is what fired up feels like. It feels good to feel determined and fired up about something.

I am happy to have parameters now, in regards to Henry. This feels like the best case scenario for that anyways. I’m here temporarily, and last night, quite frankly, was too intense for temporary. Neither of us seems to be in a place where we are willing to concede much of ourselves, so at least we did the adult thing and nipped it quick. Go me. Go Henry.

Good.

Great.

Grand.