He stops and looks over his shoulder at me. “Pardon?” he asks and I raise my voice so he can hear me through the rushing waters. “I like doing this. Enjoying nature with a friend.”
He grins and his blue eyes squint mischievously. “Friend, huh?”
“Yup.” I grin playfully since the long kisses between us these last few days say otherwise.
He shakes his head. “Well, I don’t usually go around licking my friend’s nipples, but maybe things have changed in a small town since I left.”
“Oh, definitely. I think Billy would love it if you licked his nipples.”
Casey barks out a laugh and hunches over. He slowly straightens up, wiping his eyes. “That’s funny. You’re funny.”
He lifts his hand and gently places it on my cheek. “I really like you, Sage.”
His lips are only inches from mine, and I can smell the peppermint on his breath. “I like you, too.”
As he moves his lips closer to mine, I close my eyes and feel their softness on a deeper level. This isn’t just about giving each other pleasure. I feel something building between us. I don’t want to fool myself into thinking it’s more than just a kiss, but the way he looked at me just now… well… no one’s ever looked at me like that.
His tongue explores the inside of my mouth and he’s so gentle with me that it feels like this is my first kiss. When we break apart, his eyes stay closed and his mouth is slack and satiated.
He opens his eyes and blinks a couple of times. As he stares at me, his face grows somber.
“What are you thinking?” I ask.
After a deep breath, he answers. “That I don’t want to go to the homecoming party tomorrow.”
Although that sounds true, I don’t think that’s what went through his mind just now. But I don’t call him on it. “Does it make you uncomfortable?” I ask.
“A little. What am I even supposed to do at my own homecoming?”
“I don’t know. It helps me if I eat a little, smile a lot and make small talk.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
I chuckle. “It doesn’t have to be. People love talking about themselves, just ask lots of questions and they’ll do most of the talking.”
He lowers his body to sit on one of the rocks. I look for a dry spot but can’t seem to find one. Casey notices my dilemma and pulls me down onto his lap.
“Relax,” he says as I try to keep my body from crushing his. “You can put your weight on me. I can take it.”
I frown, unsure if that’s a compliment or an insult, but I let go, figuring if I crush him, it’s his own fault.
I sink into his lap and let him wrap his arms around me. We sit for a while, not speaking, just listening to the water crashing in front of us. A shaky breath escapes my lips as the feeling of someone holding me like this makes me a bit emotional. The last person who cared and held me like this was my father. I miss my parents every day, and in moments like this when I should be enjoying this man, my mind travels to what I lost.
I sniffle and cover it with a cough.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry. The mist is getting to me.”
The weight of his stare is heavy, but I don’t look up at him. Instead, I gaze straight into the water and try to stay present in this moment. Casey, my college crush, is holding me in front of one of my favorite places, nature’s energy force. There’s no one around us and I feel protected and safe. I sigh shakily but my composure slowly returns.
“You know,” I say. “I always wondered how humans managed to harness the power of water.”
“It’s a good thing they did. This waterfall and subsequently the Mill put this town on the map and food on the table for many families.”
Most of the town worked at the Mill at some point in their lives. Everyone has a connection to it. Even me.
“Billy’s dad, Mr. Wentworth, hired me when I first moved to Cedar Brook Falls. I was a runner. Basically, I ran errands forhim and the other executives. I think it was a made-up job, and I’ll forever be grateful to him for it.”
