the middle ≫ jj maybank

xxix. the killer

The hot and heavy Carolina sun streamed in through John B's bedroom window, luring Slater from the deepest sleep she'd encountered in weeks. JJ was sprawled out next to her, his blond hair strewn across the pillow in every direction.

A grin crossed her face as she thought about the previous night, a warm, bubbly feeling filling her stomach. It was quickly replaced with a feeling of anxiety, a pooled dread of what was to come. She glanced at her phone, which laid on a makeshift nightstand made up of books she'd pulled off of John B's shelves. She hadn't plugged it in, so it was likely dead.

She wondered if there were any messages from her parents anyway. If they hadn't tracked her down at John B's by now, would they ever? Certainly they knew where she was — did they care?

Did she even want them to care?

JJ stirred beside her and she turned, seeing that he was awake and his blue eyes were already focused on her. He pressed a kiss to her lips, and desire rose in her chest as she recalled the night before.

Thoughts of her family problems and the treasure hunt and her other problems quickly disappeared as JJ sat up, pulling her with him. Her hands roamed his bare torso, tanned and taut from days of hard work in the sun. She looped her legs around his waist and he pinned her against the wall, his lips traveling down her neck.

Her eyes caught the clock on the wall and she cursed, pulling away from JJ. It was well after twelve, and Kie and Pope were supposed to come over to help with the gold retrieval equipment while John B went fishing with Sarah's father.

"The others are going to be here any minute," she said, sliding off of JJ's lap as she frantically searched for her bag of clothes.

JJ tugged her back towards the bed, his blue eyes dark with desire. "Come on, Slater. We've got time."

His statement was quickly disproven by a loud knock at the porch door, followed by Kiara yelling, "JJ? Slater? Are you in there?" After a second, she added, "Are you decent?"

"We have to get dressed," Slater hissed, gesturing between their two very naked, very un-decent bodies.

JJ's bottom lip stuck out in a childish pout. "Maybe if we ignore them, they'll go away."

Slater rolled her eyes as she located her duffel bag, plopping it on the bed. "I'll wear a sundress if you promise to get dressed."

He raised an amused eyebrow. "With no underwear?"

She scoffed and shook her head, throwing a rolled-up t-shirt at him. "Don't push it."

Slater quickly dressed in a purple bikini and a white sundress, patterned with tiny eyelet flowers that revealed the bikini beneath it. She watched JJ's toned body as she dressed in a variation of the same outfit he wore every day: a pair of shorts, an old t-shirt, and a hat.

JJ's eyes locked on Slater's dress and he let out a low whistle. "You sure we can't postpone this thing for just like, a few minutes?"

"A few minutes?" Slater echoed. "That's a bold estimate-"

"We're coming in!" Kiara yelled from outside, followed by the sound of the porch door squeaking open and two sets of footsteps entering the chateau. Slater quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail, knowing it was probably a mess, and exited the bedroom, JJ behind her.

Kiara smirked as she locked eyes on her two friends, both of whom looked rather guilty, like two children who'd just gotten caught doing something. Pope stood awkwardly behind her, pressing his fist to his mouth in an attempt to suppress a laugh.