Page 128 of The Scientist
Only a few of the guys were still at the campfire when I got back. Sarah and Jace were gone and so was Lex. I walked back to the tent to find Lex checking to make sure the poles on the tent were secured, even though he’d done that a million times already.
He looked up at me as I approached. “Everything okay?” His tone was edgy like he was ready to unleash at any moment.
“Yes, everything’s fine,” I assured him. “But she wants to talk to you.”
He scoffed. “I have nothing to say to her.”
“I know. But she has some things to say to you, and I think you should hear her out.”
“Why?” he asked with a puzzled expression.
“I think it might be good for both of you.”
He looked into my eyes for a few moments before he said, “You really want me to go talk to her?”
I nodded. “She knows she fucked up. She just wants the chance to tell you that herself. It might make things better for you at work if you hear her out.”
He sighed before taking my face in his hands and pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Fine,” he said. “Let me go get this over with then.”
Just as he started to walk away, I cried out, “Wait one sec!”
I took two giant steps and jumped onto his back, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He took a stumbling step forward before he recovered. I started tomake the sound of the letter “h,” like when you’re trying to make condensation with your breath. I blew the steam coming from my warm breath on the wintry night air all over his head and neck as he stood there with me clinging to his back.
“Um, Hadley?” he said, sounding bewildered
“Yes, Lex?” I asked, still holding on.
“What exactly are you doing?”
“I’m putting my pheromones all over you,” I said as if it were obvious. “Just in case she gets any funny ideas with you guys all alone out there. Maybe my scent will throw her off, and she’ll think twice.” She might be on a redemption tour but that didn’t mean I trusted her.
He started to shake with quiet laughter. “You know there’s no scientific basis for what you’re doing, right?”
“Better safe than sorry.” I gave him a final huff and jumped down off his back.
He turned to look at me. “Good?” he asked with amusement in his voice.
I scrutinized him. “I think so.”
“You’re the one who wants me to do this. I’m more than happy to stay here with you.”
I waved him off. “No, no. You should go.”
He gave me one last fleeting look before turning to leave. But I just couldn’t help myself. I grabbed his arm to pull him back to me before jumping up and wrapping myself around his front side this time.
“I think I missed a spot,” I said, huffing down the side of his neck and planting kisses in its wake.
He shook his head, chuckling. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?” I asked innocently, still kissing along his cheek and neck.
“I promise I’m not going to bite her head off. I told you I’d hear her out.”
“That’s good,” I said, pressing my lips to his before he set me down.
I thought he did seem more even-tempered, so I relented. He kissed me one more time and patted my hip before walking off to meet with Nicky.This time, I let him go.