Page 51 of False Catch

All I know is she smells like she's been wrapped in our clothes. Like summer rain on hot pavement. Like trouble I'm desperate to get into.

"No talking during the movie," Cameron announces. "No spoilers. No complaining about the gore."

"There's gore?" Tyler asks, already looking queasy.

"It's a horror movie about cave monsters eating people," Cameron says flatly. "Yes, there's gore."

"Fantastic," Tyler mutters, pulling out his phone. "I'll just review our split times instead."

"No phones," Cameron adds. "Full attention or get out."

"Jesus, Cameron," Zane says. "It's a movie, not a religious experience."

"Horror is art," Cameron responds seriously. "Respect the art."

Gray snorts. "It's about women crawling through caves."

"Claustrophobia, isolation, and primitive fear," Cameron corrects. "Classic psychological horror elements."

"Nerd," Jackson mutters.

"Says the guy who reads poetry," Cameron shoots back.

Everyone turns to stare at Jackson, who goes rigid.

"You read poetry?" Reese asks, genuine curiosity in her voice.

Jackson shrugs, not meeting her eyes. "Sometimes."

"What kind?" she presses.

"Various."

Eli smirks. "He likes the Romantics. Byron, Shelley, Keats."

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone that," Jackson growls.

"You left a book of Keats on the coffee table yesterday," Eli points out. "Not exactly a secret."

"I think it's sweet," Reese says, and Jackson's ears turn red.

"Can we watch the fucking movie?" Cameron asks, exasperated.

The lights go off, plunging us into darkness except for the TV screen. Immediately, everything becomes more intense. I can hear Reese's breathing, slightly faster than normal. Smell the way her scent spikes when the first jump scare hits. Feel the heat radiating from her body just inches away.

Fifteen minutes in, she shifts positions, tucking her legs under her. Her knee brushes my thigh, and I nearly groan out loud.

"Sorry," she whispers.

"Don't be," I whisper back, and even in the dark, I can see her bite her lip.

On screen, the women are descending into the cave. The claustrophobia is palpable, walls closing in, darkness pressing down. Reese tenses, and without thinking, Zane puts his arm around her shoulders.

She doesn't pull away. Instead, she leans into him slightly.

Gray's jaw clenches so hard I can hear it from across the room.

Another jump scare. Reese gasps, grabbing the nearest thing - which happens to be my hand hanging off the arm of the couch. Her fingers thread through mine, squeezing tight.