{Wattys Shortlist 2022}
A one night stand is turned inside out when two strangers discover their shared past.
After a skydiving excursion that ends in a whirlwind one night stand, Camilla writes off ever seeing her handsome instructor again. That...
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Over the next week, South and I were inseparable. From dinner with my parents—which went better than expected—to evenings walking my smiley foster pup through downtown Newport, South was at my side.
Some nights we'd sit on the couch with West, watching movies until two in the morning and flinging popcorn at each other until South freaked out about the mess.
We were in a fit of giggles when South finally pulled out his handheld vacuum cleaner. "You two got popcorn inside the couch cushions!"
West and I locked eyes, and more giggles came. "I didn't know you were such a neat freak," I told South over the sound of the vacuum.
"Neat freak is a serious understatement." West tossed a piece of popcorn in the air and caught it in his teeth. "Just wait until he starts making you squeegee the shower doors every time you use it."
"If you don't, the glass gets fucking gross!" South shot back over his shoulder.
West and I held back our laughs, shoulder to shoulder, watching as South's disassembled the couch.
West was like the brother I never had. Funny and kind. And we both had the same taste in old musicals—which South tolerated for reasons I could only guess. Being around West wasn't the same as having Lydie around, but he made me feel like a sister again.
That night, as we'd laid together, South looked into my eyes and said, "I never thought spending a night at home could be so... fun."
"I thought you were mad we defiled your precious couch with movie theatre butter."
South let out a laugh. "No, I'm not mad. It's just... I've never had this. Spending time with my girlfriend and my brother. Having other people in my space. But, I like it." Then he added, grabbing my hips and pulling me on top of him, "Even if I have to clean up after you two."
This man was definitely not human. His fingers painting lines over my body.
I leaned in and took his perfectly kissable lips with mine. Warm arms circled around me, and so did the feeling that things could never get any better than this.
In the days that followed, South would come to visit me at work for lunch, and we'd sit in my office together, laughing and talking about the stupidest things.
It all felt... normal.
But at the same time, it wasn't. Because the intensity of my feelings for this man was anything but normal.
Being the center of South Tenney's attention was like spending every moment sitting on his broad shoulders. Arms stretched out over my head, and laughing as he spun me in a circle. His confidence and bravado buoying my own.
South still had two weeks before he had to go back to Virginia, and I was holding out hope that these two weeks would stretch on forever.
One quiet Thursday afternoon after Lianna had left for the day, Sandra convinced South to go sailing with her out on the bay.
