spread across my skin, I realized he wasn't watching the sky. He was watching me.
“Are you ready to go back?” he finally asked.
I wasn’t. I didn’t ever want to go back. Why would I when I could stay here with him. But the feelings I had for him overwhelmed me, considering I’d only known him for short time. In truth, I barely knew him at all. Before falling head over heels with a guy, didn’t you at least, I don't know, need to know his favorite color or something?
He was staring at me again the way he often did, like he was studying me. He licked his lips when I caught him. “Sorry. I sometimes forget that we don’t really know each other that well.”
“We moved fast last year and now it’s like we’re backtracking, trying to re-get to know one another more slowly this time,” I said. I held up a hand. “I’m not trying to hyper analyze things the way most girls do, I’m just trying to figure out what this is.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what this is Nora, all I know is how it feels.”
I looked up at him from under my lashes, taken back by the rawness in his voice. “How does it feel?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer.
“Like it makes sense. Like I finally found you. Like I never want to let you go”.
My heart thumped a frantic beat, as my lips curved in a smile. “Finally found me? It’s only been a year.”
He looked the most serious he had all evening. His hands cupped my face and he tilted my head back. “It’s been most of my damn life.” His brows furrowed together and he leaned in to kiss me, hard. My hands clenched his hair just as he pulled away breathing heavily.
“So what does this mean? Are we like together together now? Or…” I guess my need to define things stemmed from a place of insecurity, but he didn’t flinch at the questions.
“As together as we can be, while we’re here.” His voice was throaty and but his expression was pained.
I put my hand over his in a lingering touch. “Hey. I understand.”
“You shouldn’t have to. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. But there was some speculation after Celeste disappeared, not long after we broke up. The board felt it best to put these rules in place as a protective measure.”
“Protecting you from what exactly?”
“Scandal. Accusations. And… retribution.”
My eyes narrowed. “Retribution?”
Troy shook his head, dispelling the heaviness. “All theories. Not important, but damn inconvenient, when all I want is to hold on to you and never let you go.”
I mulled over his words, flipping them over and over in my mind. None of it made sense, the powerful connection between us, but maybe I was over thinking things. Kenzie would just dive in and say to hell with the consequences. Maybe that’s what we needed. Less thought, more action.
“You’re quiet,” he said, when I didn’t respond. “At least tell me if you enjoyed yourself. Was it as good for you as it was for me?” He flashed a sexy half grin.
I squeezed my legs together. God he was crazy-beautiful. I had so many conflicting emotions it was difficult to figure out how I really felt. No. I knew how I felt. Disappointment. As though a part of me would miss him, when this was over. Like we were more to one another than a near miss and I didn't like the idea of being separated from him, because of it.
“Oh, very good.” My head nodded vigorously. “Best I ever had. Your talents could drive a girl right out of this world.” I teased.
His smile faded, and his flirty sexy look was replaced by a distant anguish. He stood up and extended his hand. “I should probably get you back to the camp before anyone comes looking for us.”
No one ever came looking for us. I rose, taking his hand, feeling a bit confused. The moment I was on my feet he let go of my hand, as though he couldn’t bear my touch.
What was up with the sudden mood shift? He wanted to keep our, whatever this was, under wraps, I got that, but this was
“Are you ready to go back?” he finally asked.
I wasn’t. I didn’t ever want to go back. Why would I when I could stay here with him. But the feelings I had for him overwhelmed me, considering I’d only known him for short time. In truth, I barely knew him at all. Before falling head over heels with a guy, didn’t you at least, I don't know, need to know his favorite color or something?
He was staring at me again the way he often did, like he was studying me. He licked his lips when I caught him. “Sorry. I sometimes forget that we don’t really know each other that well.”
“We moved fast last year and now it’s like we’re backtracking, trying to re-get to know one another more slowly this time,” I said. I held up a hand. “I’m not trying to hyper analyze things the way most girls do, I’m just trying to figure out what this is.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what this is Nora, all I know is how it feels.”
I looked up at him from under my lashes, taken back by the rawness in his voice. “How does it feel?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer.
“Like it makes sense. Like I finally found you. Like I never want to let you go”.
My heart thumped a frantic beat, as my lips curved in a smile. “Finally found me? It’s only been a year.”
He looked the most serious he had all evening. His hands cupped my face and he tilted my head back. “It’s been most of my damn life.” His brows furrowed together and he leaned in to kiss me, hard. My hands clenched his hair just as he pulled away breathing heavily.
“So what does this mean? Are we like together together now? Or…” I guess my need to define things stemmed from a place of insecurity, but he didn’t flinch at the questions.
“As together as we can be, while we’re here.” His voice was throaty and but his expression was pained.
I put my hand over his in a lingering touch. “Hey. I understand.”
“You shouldn’t have to. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. But there was some speculation after Celeste disappeared, not long after we broke up. The board felt it best to put these rules in place as a protective measure.”
“Protecting you from what exactly?”
“Scandal. Accusations. And… retribution.”
My eyes narrowed. “Retribution?”
Troy shook his head, dispelling the heaviness. “All theories. Not important, but damn inconvenient, when all I want is to hold on to you and never let you go.”
I mulled over his words, flipping them over and over in my mind. None of it made sense, the powerful connection between us, but maybe I was over thinking things. Kenzie would just dive in and say to hell with the consequences. Maybe that’s what we needed. Less thought, more action.
“You’re quiet,” he said, when I didn’t respond. “At least tell me if you enjoyed yourself. Was it as good for you as it was for me?” He flashed a sexy half grin.
I squeezed my legs together. God he was crazy-beautiful. I had so many conflicting emotions it was difficult to figure out how I really felt. No. I knew how I felt. Disappointment. As though a part of me would miss him, when this was over. Like we were more to one another than a near miss and I didn't like the idea of being separated from him, because of it.
“Oh, very good.” My head nodded vigorously. “Best I ever had. Your talents could drive a girl right out of this world.” I teased.
His smile faded, and his flirty sexy look was replaced by a distant anguish. He stood up and extended his hand. “I should probably get you back to the camp before anyone comes looking for us.”
No one ever came looking for us. I rose, taking his hand, feeling a bit confused. The moment I was on my feet he let go of my hand, as though he couldn’t bear my touch.
What was up with the sudden mood shift? He wanted to keep our, whatever this was, under wraps, I got that, but this was
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