AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The music stopped, but she didn’t release her hold.
“Princess, song’s over.” His voice was husky, like it had been the night before when he climbed into bed at the cabin.
Right.
She started to step away, but he caught her and pulled her back to his chest so they both faced the stage. He settled his hand at her hip in what appeared to be a gesture of possession—a gesture that sent a stampede of butterflies straight through her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have a very special couple with us celebrating their honeymoon at Twin Lakes,” Dolly boomed over the speakers.
William’s fingers tightened. Lucy’s heart dropped. She glanced around, her gaze landing on Sarah near the bar. She gave Lucy two thumbs-up and a wink.
Oh no.
The room plunged into darkness. Lucy squinted as a spotlight focused where she stood with William. Dolly clanged a spoon against an empty wine glass. “What d’ya say? A kiss from the newlyweds?”
“Crap,” Lucy said to no one in particular.
Everyone watched. Lucy’s stomach felt like someone had danced right over it.
Okay. Not a big deal. It wasn’t like it was her first kiss or anything. And she’d only fantasized about this moment with William for, like, her entire teenage existence, so doing it in front of a room of strangers wasn’t a big thing.
Nope, it was a huge thing. Massive.
“Luce, breathe,” William whispered in her ear as the crowd began to clap.
He turned her so she fit in his arms face-to-face. His sharp, golden eyes softened. She curved her hand around the edge of his collar as he moved to erase the final millimeters separating them.
The applause on the dance floor increased, and with the added boot stomps, the whole barn moved. Or maybe it was just Lucy’s world tilting on its axis. She sucked in a shallow breath. And then, because she was clearly in an alternate reality, he tilted his head and the rest of the space separating them disappeared.
Holy. Crap.
On that note, her eyes drifted closed.
He tasted like spearmint gum as his lips moved gently against hers before settling deeper, demanding more, the bristle of his stubble a tempting contrast to smooth lips.
He could kiss. Not just kiss, but kiss.
He had to be the one to break the bond since she wasn’t remotely coherent enough to do it herself. If it were up to her, they would have stayed lip-locked for hours, days even. No need for food, water, shelter, or air or anything, because the only thing she needed for survival was him.
The glow filling her slipped abruptly away when he dropped her hands. She slid her eyelids open, and the spotlight clicked off. Cheers died off, and the crowd pressed around them as the music kicked up.
William’s face was an unreadable mask as the mass of people forced him farther from her, deserting her on the rough wooden planks of the dance floor. She should’ve expected that he’d desert her again. But stupid, she’d dropped her guard.
A large male body bumped hers along, transporting her through the swirling crowd of people.
The pungent scent of heavy tobacco smoke, whiskey, and cloying-sweet cologne scorched her nostrils. Familiar in the worst way. It was the invasive scent of Robbie—of the man who had attacked her.
No.
Desperate to find the source, she jerked her head around, shoving frantically as she was pushed through the barn. Her heart thumped erratically. Her vision tunneled, and her mouth went dry as anxiety chewed at her. She scanned for an exit route. What had the psychiatrist said about breathing? Something about it being important. But she couldn’t remember his words. Couldn’t remember anything but fear.
She scanned for an exit route and shoved through the door to the parking lot.
Frigid mountain air filled her lungs. Her body began shaking, and her teeth chattered. She was sixteen again. Unwanted. Not good enough.
In a failed attempt to control the tremors, she wrapped her arms around herself.
Alone again.
