“We’ll meet up with you guys later,” he tells team Morgan. Leah’s eyes snap to mine, and I give her a small shrug. She smirks at me, a knowing twinkle in her eye. She’s more invested in our dynamic than we are. Kash and Austin exchange nods, and we pay for our food before heading out.
Austin wraps his arm around my shoulder, and we walk to his car in comfortable silence. His touch, his warmth, his scent, like rich leather, firewood, and a spice I can’t quite put my finger on that makes my body tingle. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but I know one thing for certain—I’d willingly follow him anywhere.
EIGHT
AUSTIN -PRESENT
I open the passenger door,waiting for Vix to step in. She looks at me like she’s unsure of how to act around me. We’ve been apart for so long, I guess that’s a normal way to be around someone you don’t know anymore. When she looks into my eyes, does she see a stranger? Or the guy who would move mountains just to see her smile. She does know me better than anyone; she just doesn’t see it.
I get in the car and start driving us to our destination. I need her to know how I feel about her, how I’ve always felt. When I had her in my arms last night, dancing together like we were, I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to do a whole lot more than that, but I couldn’t. I’ve always lived in fear of ruining our friendship, of being rejected by the one person who has held a piece of my soul for too long. I’m done living in fear. She’s here, I’m here, and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass me by.
I can’t waste any more of this lifetime without her knowing that she’s every dream I dream when I rest my head at night, that her face is the first thing that crosses my mind when I wake each morning. I need her to know that when I’mtossing and turning, plagued by my own thoughts and regrets, I look to the stars and wonder if she’s seeing them too, and if she’s thinking of me.
We pull up to the forest’s edge just on the outskirts of Halgrove Hill, and I cut the engine. She looks over to me, unsure of why we’ve stopped.
“Come with me.” I flash her a smile and hurry out of the car so I can get to her side. I open her door and hold out my hand. She takes it and stands, confusion written across her beautiful face. I can’t help but laugh. We start walking towards the wooded area, her hand still in mine, so soft and comfortable to hold, letting me guide her without question.
We walk for about ten minutes before stepping into a small clearing at the other end of the forest and come to a stop. I look at her, not expecting to see the expression that I do. A smile spreads across the entirety of her face, and tears begin to fill her eyes.
She lets go of my hand and walks towards the bare wooden picnic table.
“What is this place?” she asks, a choked sob in her throat. She’s looking around, taking in the view of the water stream a few feet away. The giant trees cast shade over the area where we stand, hiding the picnic table from the rest of the world, just like our little private paradise in Draveport.
“It’s the place I’ve been coming to for the past year whenever I wanted to shut myself away from the world. A place I found that reminded me of home. A place that reminded me of you,” I tell her.
She looks at me, really looks at me like she’s seeing me with new eyes. A tear slips free, and she quickly wipes it away before embracing me in a hug. She rests her head against my chest and lets out a sigh. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight against me, one hand onthe small of her back, the other threaded through her long raven hair.
“I thought I was never going to see you again.” She cries. “You left, and I didn’t hear from you. I had no idea what to do with myself. I was in love with you, you know. I didn’t know how to say it or if I ever would. But then you were gone, and I was alone with my grief, mourning my best friend and all that we could have had.” I tilt her chin up to look at me and wipe away another tear trailing down her delicate skin.
“I never meant to hurt you. I wanted to call, to write, to hear your voice and tell you why we left. I wanted to tell you that you meant more to me than anyone else in the entire world. You have no idea how I felt about you. How Ifeel.” I hold her tighter.
“When we left Draveport, I knew very little about the reasons we had to uproot our entire lives. It broke my heart not to be able to tell you we were leaving, but it was for your own safety. We couldn’t contact anyone from back home. It wasn’t until I turned eighteen that I heard my dad on the phone with one of his shady business partners and learned the extent of how serious it was. My father had embezzled millions of dollars through his company and was evading some extremely dangerous people. The year I turned twenty, he was arrested and charged for his crimes, and I was set free from the life he had trapped our family into,” I explain, looking down at her and wiping a tear from her cheek.
“I was sure you would have heard about my father on the news. At that point, I thought you would hate me, that you would never want to speak to me again for just disappearing. I knew how much you loved Halgrove Hill. It was your dream to come here and leave that town, and I’m so glad you did, Vix. You got out, and I prayed you’d be here. That’s why I came. I came for you,” I tell her, rubbing her cheek with mythumb. She closes her eyes and leans into my touch. I want to capture this sight of her and burn it into my memory.
“I never stopped thinking about you, I never stopped caring. I swore if I got the chance, I would tell you everything, and I would make sure you knew exactly what you mean to me.”
“Tell me,” she replies, so quietly, her eyes set on mine.
I move a loose strand of her hair from her cheek and tuck it behind her ear. The world around us stills, and I do what I should have done years ago.
I lean forward and catch her lips between mine. If there was any hesitation that she would push me away, it vanishes the moment she pulls me closer. I’m more certain than ever that she feels the same as I do as she kisses me back, hard and desperate, throwing her arms around my neck. I pick her up, wrapping her legs around my waist, my hard length pressing against her warmth through the fabric of my jeans. She grinds her body against my own, and I’m fucking done for.
I walk us over to the picnic table and lean her body on top of it, deepening our kiss. She pulls at my shirt, and we break away, only long enough to remove it. Her hands return to my chest, and my mouth is on her neck, licking and tasting every inch of her skin.
“Austin.” My name slips from her mouth on a breathy moan, and my cock strains against my zipper. My dream girl is pressed beneath me, and I can only hope I have enough restraint left in my body not to blow my load and ruin this moment. My fingers roam over her breasts, teasing her pebbled nipples beneath the fabric. I can feel her piercings through her thin bra, and my cock goes into overdrive. Never did I think we’d get here. And that realization has me breaking the heat of the moment.
“We need to stop,” I pant, wanting to punch myself for ruining this.
“Oh?” A look of hurt flashes across her face.
“No, baby.” I cup her cheek. “I just mean we need to slow down. As much as I would love to take you right here on this table, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go for us. I want all of you. Everyday. I want to get to know who you’ve become and explore every part of your soul. I want you, Vixen.”
Her eyes are wide, shocked at my confession. I keep going, panic seeping into my brain.
“I know, I sound insane, five years without speaking, two days into college, and I’m throwing all of this at you. I just needed you to know, Vix. You’re my best friend, you always have been, and I’m batshit crazy about you.”
She takes my hand, pulling me back to her, and buries her face in my chest. “Then let’s take a step back.” She sighs. “Just to be clear, I want you too, Aussy. I always have.” My arms wrap around her, and she looks up, placing a soft kiss on my lips.
