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“Yeah, so I can see,” said Luca, conspicuously not looking in Artair’s direction.
The reason for averting his eyes was that Artair had taken off his jeans before wading into the stream. To avoid getting them wet, of course.
And he’d switched them for a jockstrap of his own.
Forest green.
Mesh.
And with elastic so thick that is made his perfect bear ass pop like nothing Luca had seen in real life. It was all Luca could do not to bite on the fishing pole, just to stop himself screaming.
“How is that a fifty percent reduction in flirting?”
“What do you mean?” said Artair, innocently. “You saw me naked before. This is way more covered.”
Luca grumbled. “Why do jockstraps make guys look even more naked than when they’re actually naked?”
“I know, right?” said Artair, with a wicked little laugh. “But seriously, I can put the jeans back on if it’s too much for you?”
Luca tugged his line, tempting a rainbow trout. The pink and green scales glinted in the afternoon light. “It’s fine. I know you’re being a tease and I’m not giving you the satisfaction.”
“I know. You mentioned. Because it’s complicated.”
“Ba-dum tish,” said Luca, shaking his head at the terrible joke. “Here all week.”
“Here all summer, hopefully.”
Luca’s shoulders unexpectedly relaxed at that. “Really? The whole summer?”
“Yeah, why not? Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“No!” he said a little too quickly, which only made Artair grin wider. “It’s just... you don’t look like you’ve got many supplies?”
The forest stretched out under Artair’s gaze. “That won’t be a problem. It’s not like these woods are short of food. As long as you know which berries to pick and which to flick. Herbs, fruit, probably even a tomato or two from a discarded sandwich.”
“And that’s enough?”
It was a genuine question. Luca had never tried wilderness survival, although he’d always been impressed by those who had. On those occasions he’d done a full camping hike with friends or family, it had only been for a few days, when everyone had packed so much food that it was impossible to go hungry. But looking at Artair’s camp, he couldn’t imagine spending months out here with no other supplies—with the only way back to civilisation a fifteen-hour slog to a highway.
Artair gave a carefree shrug. “Trust me. This isn’t my first time.”
“Lucky. Virgins are the worst. Am I right?”
“Okay, I’m going to need you to be about fifty percent less cute?”
“You first,” said Luca, feeling the blush spread across his cheeks. Talking to Artair was dangerous. He had a laid-back vibe that was incredibly relaxing to be around. There were times in the conversation that Luca had to remind himself that this was only their second time meeting. “So is this your normal life? Just wandering into the wilderness on your own.”
Again, a shrug. But this time it was a little less carefree. “I guess.”
“No job in the city?”
“I do this and that. You know how it is.”
“And the guitar. Are you in a band or something?”
“Something like that.”
“Is that what you’ll go back to when the summer’s over?”
