We’ve reached a clearing. I step forward and my breath catches in my throat. Around us, the mountains stand like a fortress. Below us, in the valley of those guards, is the little town of Holly Oaks. Wind rustles my hair and I take a deep breath.
“I feel small up here,” I say softly. And I do. The green mountains of the Appalachians tower above us. There’s a small waterfall trickling to our left that leads into a stream. The only sound is the gurgle of the water.
Tornado stands with his hands on his hips. “I know, princess. I always do when I stand here too. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something much bigger.”
I step forward and reach for his hand. He quickly clasps my hand in his and I feel the instant connection.
I look down at our joined hands.This seems right.
“I came here a lot when I first found this place, not long after I left. I was tired of running and this felt like a good place to stop. I sat up here, on that boulder over there,” he points to a large rock nearby, “and thought about you. Wondered what you were doing, where you were, if you missed me at all.”
I try to let go of his hand, a sudden anger rushing through me. He holds on tighter. “Nope, I’m not letting you go, princess. Not this time.”
“Then why did you leave me, Tor? Why did you leave that night? I thought we were going to…well, I assumed we would…” I stumble for the right words to sayI thought you were going to fuck me, you dummy, and we would live happily-ever-after,but that doesn’t sound right.
“You thought we were going to make love?” he asks in a gentle voice.
I nod meekly.
“So did I.” He bites down on his lower lip. “But your dad saw me that night. He saw how I watched you. He found me before I could go to you that night.”
Dread fills me. I know exactly how my father would act if he found out about Tor and I. He would be an absolute monster.
“What did he threaten?” I ask in a cold voice.
He glances over at me and then back at the view again. “He told me he would fire my father. And…well, that he would….”
“That he would what?” I question quietly. “There’s nothing you could tell me that would surprise me about him, I promise.”
“He told me he would hide you away, make sure you never went to college, never got to see the world. He would take everything from you that you loved. Your art, your dreams, all of it.”
I clear my throat, feeling a sudden lump in my throat. Tears threaten to rush forward. “Well, jokes on you because he never let me go anywhere anyway.”
His face is tortured as he gazes at me. “I’m so sorry, princess. I thought you would go to art school. I thought you would have had a better life without me…”
I squeeze his hand. “Oh, Tor, how could I have better than you? I wish you had told me. We could have worked it out. We could have…”
His grey eyes turn to steel. “We could have what? I had no money. I had no future. You deserved better.”
I lean into him and touch the scruff on his face. “I deserved you. I still do. You’re all I’ve ever wanted or needed.”
His eyes flicker with heat. “Do you mean that, princess? Do you still want me? Do you still feel the same way?”
“Always, Trent “Tornado” Middleton.” I grin when he flinches.
He groans. “Please don’t call me Trent. Anything but that.”
I take another step towards him and put a hand on his chest. “Only if you kiss me. Otherwise, you’ll always be Trent to me.”
“Fuck,” he mutters and pulls me in against him. Our bodies fit together perfectly.
When he does kiss me, it’s just as magical as it was that last night we were together. We take our time with each other, tongues tangling and exploring each other. Heat flows through my body like lava as he kissesme again and again. My hands tangle in his hair and I try to bring him even closer. I want all of him. I want him now.
I finally pull away, breathing hard.
“I want you to be my first, Tor. I always did,” I say breathlessly.
His eyes widen. “You’re still untouched, Cat?”
