Chapter 36
Chapter 36 — The Pine Knot
Alex texts Eleanor to reschedule their creek meeting for the evening since he'll be at Linda Carr's shed all day. He arrives at the Carr property by 7am and works until the shadows get too long, making progress on the siding while fielding Linda's questions. He returns to the commune after seven to find a plate of food left by JJ in the kitchen, along with a note asking him to come see her. Alex goes to JJ's cabin and they have an extended, intensely explicit sexual encounter — multiple positions and orgasms, culminating in JJ requesting Alex throat fuck her. Afterward, they lie together and talk quietly about the summer and what it has meant.
Alex woke at four-thirty. The pine knot was on the ceiling. This time he looked at it. He'd been avoiding it for weeks. It was just a knot. Darker than the surrounding wood. Shaped like nothing. He looked at it and it didn't mean anything and that was fine.
He picked up his phone. He read Eleanor's text again. Noon at the creek. Five days. He typed a reply with his thumbs. He kept it short.
"Can't do noon. Shed job. Tomorrow night? Creek after dark. I'll be there."
Keep reading "Chapter 36 — The Pine Knot"
Open the same story in AIBookCraft. Later chapters may require an active subscription.
Free on iOS & Android · No signup to read