After I refuse to give him more than a blink, he eases onto his sleeping bag and shuts off the flashlight.

“Avery?”

I contemplate giving him any sort of response, but after a few seconds, I hum a questioning response. “Ahhh!” I gasp then yelp as he grips my sleeping bag and pulls the whole thing, with me trapped in it, onto his body so we’re nose to nose, and the head of his still-erect cock nudges the apex of my legs. I swear cocks are natural pussy homing devices. “I’m claustrophobic,” I say on a panicked whisper. My arms are trapped. I can’t move.

Still, I’m desperate to widen my legs an inch for very shameful, once-a-hussy-always-a-hussy reasons.

Jake’s nose brushes mine as his minty breath invades my personal space, or maybe it’s his personal space. Things are a bit weird at the moment. I’m not sure whose space we’re occupying. “When you least expect it, I’m going to pull down your pants and sniff your panties … probably in public. You’ve been warned. Understood?”

Oh my god …

With as much ease and at the same lightning speed that he snatched me from my spot, he returns me to the ground next to Swarley.

Chapter Ten

Day Four

Ozark National Forest

Jake buys a new T-shirt.

I used to be a people person, but you ruined that for me.

Day Five

Ozark National Forest with hard water, deteriorating hair, and seven out of ten fingernails chipped, ripped, and cringe-worthy.

Jake buys a new T-shirt.

Scratch N Sniff

Dumbass.

Day Six

Ozark National Park. Shitty cell phone signal. We don’t leave the campsite. I contemplate slitting his throat or my wrists.

Day Seven

STILL in the freaking Ozarks! I have never been so disheveled from my witchy head to my calloused toes. We make a food run—thank god. I had to swing another fasting session because I ran out of Addy’s snacks. In all fairness, Jake offered me some of his food, but with the looming threat of losing my pants in public, I couldn’t risk getting anywhere near him or his food.

Jake winds us through the mountains to a small grocery store.

“Get your shit and I’ll meet you at the checkout. I’ll roll down the windows, but I have a feeling Swarley could go into a barking frenzy no matter what.”

“Maybe.” I shrug, patting a gentle hand over my hair.

“Fucking lice.” Jake rolls his eyes.

“It’s not lice, asshat. I told you that.” I chase him into the store. He grabs a basket and sets off toward the produce. I grab a basket and make my way to end caps with sale items.

With fifteen dollars’ worth of snacks in my basket, I make my way to the checkout.