Chapter Thirty-Six

Lena buckled herself into Jaxon's car, still unsure what exactly she had just agreed to. "You know, if you're planning on murdering me in the woods, I'd appreciate a little heads-up."

Jaxon grinned as he pulled out of the school parking lot. "Relax, Carter. I'd at least give you a fighting chance."

She rolled her eyes. "That's comforting."

The drive started out normal—Jaxon blasting music and drumming his fingers against the steering wheel while Lena watched the trees blur past outside. But after a while, she started noticing they weren't exactly heading toward town.

"Okay, seriously, where are we going?"

Jaxon just smirked. "Patience, Carter."

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to a quiet overlook on the edge of town, the kind of spot that gave a perfect view of the sky just as the sun was setting. The sight took Lena by surprise.

Jaxon threw the car in park and grabbed a bag from the backseat. "Come on."

She followed him to the hood of the car, watching as he pulled out fast food bags and two sodas. "So this was your big adventure? Fast food and a view?"

Jaxon shrugged, popping a fry into his mouth. "You're telling me a greasy burger and the best sunset in town isn't top-tier distraction material?"

Lena huffed out a laugh despite herself. "It's... unexpectedly nice."

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, watching as the sky turned shades of orange and pink. Eventually, Jaxon glanced at her. "You still thinking about Ethan?"

Lena sighed, playing with the straw of her drink. "I can't not think about it. He's my best friend. And now he barely looks at me."

Jaxon was quiet for a moment. "He'll come around."

She shot him a doubtful look. "You sure about that? Because it kinda feels like I just set our friendship on fire."

Jaxon leaned back on his hands, staring at the sky. "Ethan holds grudges, yeah. But he also hates being alone. And right now, he's pushing away two people who actually care about him. That won't last forever."

Lena exhaled, absorbing his words. "I hope you're right."

A breeze picked up, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. Without hesitation, Jaxon shrugged off his hoodie and tossed it over her.

"Better?"

Lena hesitated before sliding her arms through the sleeves. It was warm, and it smelled like him—like cedar and something undeniably Jaxon. She cleared her throat. "Yeah. Thanks."

Jaxon grinned. "What can I say? I'm a gentleman."

Lena rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a smile. "That's debatable."

They sat there for a while longer, the silence between them different now—softer, easier. Just as Lena thought this might actually be the calmest moment she'd had all day, Jaxon stretched with an exaggerated groan.

"Alright, Carter. Time for part two of this adventure."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Part two?"

His grin turned mischievous. "You trust me?"

Lena hesitated, then sighed. "Against my better judgment—yeah."

Jaxon's eyes twinkled with excitement. "Good. Because we're about to break some rules."

Fifteen minutes later, Lena was standing outside a very fancy country club pool, arms crossed. "Jaxon. This is trespassing."

Jaxon, already halfway over the fence, shot her a smirk. "Only if we get caught."

She groaned. "I can't believe you brought me here."

He dropped down onto the other side, then held out his hands. "Come on, Carter. Live a little."

She hesitated. Every rational part of her brain was telling her this was a bad idea. But then she saw the way Jaxon was looking at her—like this was some grand adventure, like he wanted her to do this with him.

Before she could overthink it, she grabbed his hands and let him pull her over.

Jaxon grinned. "Last one in buys ice cream?"

Lena barely had time to react before Jaxon peeled off his shirt and dove in, sending a splash her way.

She gasped, stepping back. "You idiot!"

Jaxon popped up, running a hand through his wet hair. "Oh, come on, Carter. Don't be boring."

Lena huffed. "I don't have a swimsuit."

Jaxon smirked. "Neither do I."

Her face heated. "That's not helping your case."

Jaxon floated on his back, arms stretched out. "Guess that means I win by default. You owe me ice cream."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "Oh, you wish."

Before she could talk herself out of it, she kicked off her shoes, peeled off his hoodie, and jumped in.

The water was shockingly cold, but the rush of adrenaline drowned out everything else. She surfaced, hair plastered to her face, and immediately splashed Jaxon.

He let out a dramatic gasp. "Oh, you're so gonna pay for that."

Lena laughed, the sound light and unguarded. "That's for calling me boring!"

Jaxon lunged forward, sending a wave of water toward her.

They chased each other through the water, laughing, wrestling, splashing—until, at some point, they weren't playing anymore.

At some point, Jaxon was just there, close, the teasing fading into something quieter. His gaze flickered from her eyes to her lips and back again, water droplets sliding down his cheek. The playful energy from before shifting into something else—something heavier, charged.

Lena's breath caught as Jaxon reached out, his fingertips brushing a stray strand of wet hair from her cheek. His touch lingered just a second too long, his thumb tracing lightly over her jawline. His lips parted slightly, and for a second—just a second—she thought he might kiss her.

Jaxon's gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. "Carter..." His voice was almost a whisper, a question more than anything else.

Lena's heart pounded. All she wanted to do was close the tiny gap between them. She barely had time to process it before a nearby light flickered on—followed by the sound of footsteps.

Jaxon's eyes widened. "Oh, crap. Time to go!"