The Charming Storm Chaser - Page 2

I shake my head. “Nope.”

Once we’re past the trailers, I lead her to the side of a hill and wait for her to notice the door. When she does, she steps forward and runs her hands over the plexiglass. She pushes it and it folds inward.

“It’s like the door to a bus!” she exclaims.

I grin at her. “It’s not like that. It is that.”

She looks at me with wide eyes. “Why?”

Chuckling, I step inside and reach for the flashlight that hangs near the door. I shine the light in the enclosed space so she can see the rows of seats.

“The owner of the park buried a school bus into the side of a hill,” I explain. When she stares at me blankly, I add, “It’s our tornado shelter.”

Her forehead crinkles in confusion. “You don’t have a basement?”

I almost burst out laughing but manage to cover it with a cough. She clearly knows nothing about mobile homes. “No one here has a basement.”

I flick off the flashlight and the bus goes dark except for the tiny window of light visible through the door.

“Ohhhh,” Miranda gasps. “It’s like a dark cave.”

“You said you wanted me to take you somewhere no one would see us,” I point out.

She turns toward me and reaches up to loop her arms around my neck. “That’s right… I did.”

And then her lips brush against my jaw. Hungrily, I tilt my head until our lips meet. She doesn’t resist as I explore her mouth with my tongue, and I say a silent prayer of thanks to all the gods in all the universes. I can’t believe I’m kissing Miranda Mills!

My good fortune continues all summer long. Unable to get enough of each other, Miranda and I have spent countless hours in the storm shelter. The first week, we kept our clothes on—mostly. By the second week, we were naked more often than not. And it’s been glorious.

I hung a sheet across the back of the bus to give us privacy—and time to scramble to put our clothes back on—if anyone happens to intrude on our love nest. No one ever has.

Now, on our final night before school starts, we’ve just finished an epic round of love making. I lick the sweat off her body as we pant for breath. I feel a bubble of emotion welling in my chest and can’t keep the words inside any longer.

“I love you, Miranda.”

“Stop,” she says, swatting me playfully.

“I’m serious. You’re the best.” I pull her into my arms and plant a row of kisses along her collar bone. “I can’t wait to show off my sexy girlfriend at school tomorrow.”

“I’m not your girlfriend.”

I laugh, stroking her naked skin with my fingertips. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Miranda pushes away from me, laughing. It’s not the warm, throaty laugh that I’ve grown to love. This laughter is cold, sending a chill down my spine. “Come on, Kane. This has been fun, but you don’t really think we’re a couple, do you?”

The words are like a punch to the solar plexus. “But—” I struggle to choke out the words. “We’ve spent every day together this summer!”

“Oh, sweet Kane.” Her voice drips with condescension. “We’ve never even been on a real date. We hook up in secret, in a place no one that matters could ever find us. Why would you think I’m your girlfriend?”

“No one that matters?” I repeat. My voice sounds weird to my ears. Hollow.

“My parents, my friends, my parents’ friends, my friends’ parents…” She sighs, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you’re acting like this. We had a fun summer fling, but surely, you knew it’d have to end. Once school starts, things will go back to the way they were. You’re not my boyfriend. You’re not even my friend. We’re too different.”

I don’t matter to her at all…

Lil was right about Miranda. I should have listened to her. She’s always been the smartest person I know.

Miranda releases an exasperated puff of air. “Look, if it makes you feel better, we can still hook up on occasion in secret, okay?”