Lunch went by rather uneventfully, and they were able to get to the camp by about 1:45. They drove through the crowded parking lot, finally finding a space way at the end.
“How many kids are coming to this thing?” Liz asked as they made their way to the main building. “This place is packed already, and it’s not even two yet!”
They rounded the corner and both groaned as they saw the huge line extending out into the parking lot. “What the...?” Lucky gasped.
“I don’t believe this. We’re never going to get out of here!” Liz exclaimed, shaking her head in frustration.
“Since when does everyone show up on time for this sort of thing?” he asked, looking around at the hoards of people.
Liz chuckled as they took a place in line. “They must just be anxious to get rid of their kids.”
“Hey!” Lulu shouted from behind them.
“Sorry, sweetie,” she said, mussing the little girl’s hair playfully. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long couple of days.”
“That’s the understatement of the year!” Lucky muttered, glancing at his watch. “At this rate, we may not be able to get home tonight.”
“Oh no, I don’t care if we have to drive straight through till morning, we’re going home! I’m not staying in another hotel with you!”
~*~
Two hours later, they finally made it to the front of the line. “Lesley Lu Spencer,” Lucky said, waiting for the woman to look through her list of campers. She checked off the name, then looked at them strangely.
“I don’t mean to sound rude, but you two look awfully young to have a daughter her age.”
Liz covered her mouth to keep from laughing while Lucky stammered through an explanation. “No, we’re not...I mean, I’m her brother...I mean, I’m Lulu’s brother, not,” he motioned at Liz, “not hers. She’s just.....a friend.”
Liz raised an eyebrow at that, surprised to hear him refer to her as his friend. It was probably the first time he’d ever done that before, and although she would never admit it out loud, she kind of liked it.
“Okay, well, just take her over to where it says ‘Cabin 10’ and they’ll finish the registration. Have a good day.”
“Thanks,” he mumbled, grabbing Lulu’s hand and leading her over to the sign the woman had pointed out. After waiting in another line for about twenty minutes, they finished checking her in. They said a few quick good-byes to her, then hurried out of the building, dying to get away from all of the people and finally go home, but dreading the trip itself.
“Can I drive?” Liz asked as they approached the car, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.
Lucky frowned. “Why? So I get stuck with all the night driving? I don’t think so!”
“No, I just want to drive, that’s all,” she lied. “You got to drive first on the way here, it’s only fair!”
He pulled his keys out of his pocket to unlock the door, but she lunged for them. He had quick reflexes, though, and was able to raise them above his head in time, causing her to miss.
“Okay, I’m not going to play your stupid keep-away games, just give me the keys!” she complained, placing her hands on her hips and pouting.
“Nope, you’ll have to get them from me if you want to drive first.” He raised them higher, smirking at her.
After debating it for a minute, she gave in and jumped for them, missing once more. Lucky laughed and moved them behind his back, switching them from one hand to the other. She reached behind him and tried to grab them, but he was always just a little bit quicker than her.
“Come on, Lucky, this is getting old. Just give them to me!”
“Nope, not going to make it that easy,” he teased, holding them above his head again.
She jumped again and reached the keys this time, but instead of grabbing them, knocked them out of his hand and onto the pavement and they both dropped to the ground to retrieve them. They reached for them at the same time, their hands tangling together as they tried to pick up the keyring.
Startled by the sudden contact, Liz pulled her hand back. Lucky scooped up the keys, and after taking a second to recover, grinned at her. “Ha! I still have them!”
“Not for long!” she shouted, jumping to her feet to grab them back, her need to win replacing the feelings that touching his hand had aroused just then. Once more, he held the keys above his head, forcing her to jump for them.
“Oh, so close!” he laughed as she almost reached them. “You might as well give up, Elizabeth, you’re never getting these from me.”
She stopped jumping and looked at him, searching for an idea. Suddenly, she smiled and stepped forward. “That’s what you think,” she said menacingly, then reached out and grabbed him by the sides, tickling him.
He yelped in surprise, quickly lowering his arms and clamping them on top of her hands to keep her from tickling him any longer. She tried to pull her hands away, but he had them pinned to his sides. Somehow, they had ended up standing extremely close to one another, and he could feel her breath on his face as she spoke.
“Can I have my hands back?”
“Can I trust you not to tickle me again?” he asked, his voice low and raspy as he tried to catch his breath.
“If you give me the keys,” she answered, flexing her fingers slightly. He flinched and pressed his arms against them even harder, then quickly placed his own hands on her sides, so that he could tickle her back if necessary.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got a one-track mind?” he asked with a small smile.
“Only when I don’t get what I want,” she said flirtatiously, not sure why she was acting this way. She didn’t really want to drive that badly, she just hated the idea of losing to him.
“Oh, so you’re tickling me because I have something you want?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers as his pulse began to race.
“Mm hm,” she mumbled, licking her lips. Somewhere along the line, she seemed to have lost all control over herself, and her body was going on automatic. She had no idea what was controlling her right then, but whatever it was, it was making her lean even closer to him.
Lucky could feel himself being drawn closer to her, and seemed unable to stop it. He cleared his throat nervously. “Um, are we still talking about the keys?”
“I have no idea,” she muttered, still staring into his eyes. She watched as he leaned closer, her mind racing. Part of her was telling her to pull back, that kissing him would only complicate things, but the rest of her was screaming at that part to shut up and let him do it.
Lucky released the pressure he was placing on her hands, but instead of pulling them away like she wanted to, they suddenly developed a mind of their own and slid around to his back. He was startled at first by the action, but quickly recovered and slid his own hands around her back, pulling her body up against his. She gasped as the contact sent a shock through her body and tightened her grip around him.
“We should go,” he mumbled, his lips only inches from hers.
“Right, home,” she responded softly, too distracted to form a coherent thought.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” he said, pulling back slightly, but still not breaking their eye contact.
“No, we shouldn’t,” she answered, her eyes traveling to his lips.
He moved his own eyes to her lips, leaning down again. “I mean, we hate each other, so this is...”
“...wrong,” she finished as his mouth came crashing hungrily down on hers.