door, terrified at who, or what, might be on
the other side.
The trap door was designed to lift on a
hinge, but after years of neglect; the hinges were rusty. The door
was quite difficult to open and close. When she’d arrived earlier
that day, she had to use her shoulder to give it a good shove.
BANG!
Oh god how I wish there was some way to latch
it closed! She thought, panicked. Calm down, Lily, it’s probably
just Daddy. He saw the light from the candle and he’s
investigating. Yah, that’s it, relax. She tried to calm herself.
Then she realized what kind of trouble she’d be in for lying and
hiding away in the tree house.
Nervously, she watched as the door finally
gave way, lifting open slowly.
She quickly blew out the candle; darkness
embraced every corner in the tree house. Using her blanket to
shield herself, only her wide green eyes showing, she watched as a
dark shadow lifted itself up through the trap door.
“Lily?” A soft, deep voice whispered.
Lily’s heart melted like a snow flake landing
on hot skin.
“Gabe?” She whispered back, breathless.
She fumbled for her matches and lit the
candle. As the light painted the walls brighter, she saw his face.
Light blue eyes stared at her intensely. His saturated hair hung in
curly waves, a few tendrils dripped onto his face making his dark
skin glisten. His robe, soaking wet, clung to his body.
“Lily…I’m so sorry.” Gabe’s eyes filled with
tears.
Composing herself, Lily stared at him, her
face still bearing the hurt she’d endured at the church. Her
stomach did flip flops as she looked at his sad, handsome face.
Gabe inched closer to her, crawling on hands
and knees as the ceiling of the tree house was too low for him now.
At fifteen, when he was only 5’5, he could hunch over to
accommodate himself. Now, at 6’1, he could only fit if he was on
his knees.
He made his way across the floor to her. Now
only inches away from her, he reached out and took her tiny hands
in his.
“I’m so sorry.” He looked deep into her
eyes.
Tears of relief swam in Lily’s eyes; they
sparkled from the light of the candle as they glided down her
cheeks.
Gabe gently wiped them, his fingers brushing
lightly against her skin. He shivered slightly as his black robes
cooled in the night air.
“Do you forgive me, my Lily?” Gabe asked, his
eyes searching her face.
Elated, she tried to smother the smile that
wanted to explode across her face.
“Well,” she said haughtily, pretending
to still be angry, “I’ll think about it…”
A momentary look of angst crossed his face.
Lily broke out into a giggle. He breathed a loud sigh of relief,
reached over to grab her and pretended to strangle her.
Both laughing, they suddenly found themselves
face to face. The flicker of the candle danced across their
expressions, both uncertain.
Lily felt the instance in the church was
enough for her to know his true feelings. He was dedicated to the
church, she understood that now. Pulling away from him, she knew
she could never have Gabe the way she wanted. Respecting him was
the best gift she could give him right now.
As she attempted to move away, however, Gabe
suddenly pulled her face to his. He kissed her passionately on the
mouth. Startled, she tried to push away, but the devotion in his
kiss caused her reluctance to subside quickly.
Eagerly, they relinquished their fears and
obligations. Letting their passions guide them, they allowed
themselves to explore the unknown.
Gabe kissed Lily’s neck hungrily, trailing
the tip of his tongue from her collarbone to her ear. His hands ran
through her long caramel hair as his mouth found hers again and
again.
Lily’s skin tingled everywhere he touched
her, his warm hands loving every part of her. The straps of her
white sundress slipped rebelliously off her shoulders as she
pressed herself against him.
As she kissed his neck, she suddenly found
herself face to face with his white collar. The moment halted as
she
the other side.
The trap door was designed to lift on a
hinge, but after years of neglect; the hinges were rusty. The door
was quite difficult to open and close. When she’d arrived earlier
that day, she had to use her shoulder to give it a good shove.
BANG!
Oh god how I wish there was some way to latch
it closed! She thought, panicked. Calm down, Lily, it’s probably
just Daddy. He saw the light from the candle and he’s
investigating. Yah, that’s it, relax. She tried to calm herself.
Then she realized what kind of trouble she’d be in for lying and
hiding away in the tree house.
Nervously, she watched as the door finally
gave way, lifting open slowly.
She quickly blew out the candle; darkness
embraced every corner in the tree house. Using her blanket to
shield herself, only her wide green eyes showing, she watched as a
dark shadow lifted itself up through the trap door.
“Lily?” A soft, deep voice whispered.
Lily’s heart melted like a snow flake landing
on hot skin.
“Gabe?” She whispered back, breathless.
She fumbled for her matches and lit the
candle. As the light painted the walls brighter, she saw his face.
Light blue eyes stared at her intensely. His saturated hair hung in
curly waves, a few tendrils dripped onto his face making his dark
skin glisten. His robe, soaking wet, clung to his body.
“Lily…I’m so sorry.” Gabe’s eyes filled with
tears.
Composing herself, Lily stared at him, her
face still bearing the hurt she’d endured at the church. Her
stomach did flip flops as she looked at his sad, handsome face.
Gabe inched closer to her, crawling on hands
and knees as the ceiling of the tree house was too low for him now.
At fifteen, when he was only 5’5, he could hunch over to
accommodate himself. Now, at 6’1, he could only fit if he was on
his knees.
He made his way across the floor to her. Now
only inches away from her, he reached out and took her tiny hands
in his.
“I’m so sorry.” He looked deep into her
eyes.
Tears of relief swam in Lily’s eyes; they
sparkled from the light of the candle as they glided down her
cheeks.
Gabe gently wiped them, his fingers brushing
lightly against her skin. He shivered slightly as his black robes
cooled in the night air.
“Do you forgive me, my Lily?” Gabe asked, his
eyes searching her face.
Elated, she tried to smother the smile that
wanted to explode across her face.
“Well,” she said haughtily, pretending
to still be angry, “I’ll think about it…”
A momentary look of angst crossed his face.
Lily broke out into a giggle. He breathed a loud sigh of relief,
reached over to grab her and pretended to strangle her.
Both laughing, they suddenly found themselves
face to face. The flicker of the candle danced across their
expressions, both uncertain.
Lily felt the instance in the church was
enough for her to know his true feelings. He was dedicated to the
church, she understood that now. Pulling away from him, she knew
she could never have Gabe the way she wanted. Respecting him was
the best gift she could give him right now.
As she attempted to move away, however, Gabe
suddenly pulled her face to his. He kissed her passionately on the
mouth. Startled, she tried to push away, but the devotion in his
kiss caused her reluctance to subside quickly.
Eagerly, they relinquished their fears and
obligations. Letting their passions guide them, they allowed
themselves to explore the unknown.
Gabe kissed Lily’s neck hungrily, trailing
the tip of his tongue from her collarbone to her ear. His hands ran
through her long caramel hair as his mouth found hers again and
again.
Lily’s skin tingled everywhere he touched
her, his warm hands loving every part of her. The straps of her
white sundress slipped rebelliously off her shoulders as she
pressed herself against him.
As she kissed his neck, she suddenly found
herself face to face with his white collar. The moment halted as
she
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