AllFreeNovel
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“Can I take you to one more place before you turn into a pumpkin?” I ask, hoping to put my girl at ease. If she’s going to trust me with another part of her story, I don’t want it to be in the dirt lot of a temporary carnival.
Jordan looks up at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. I’ll take it. “Yeah, but only for about another forty-five minutes. Is that okay?” She bites her bottom lip nervously as if I’d ever say no to spending more time with her.
“I’ll take every second I can get,” I inform her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Now, I have somewhere close by in mind. It’ll be on the way to Walnut Street Cafe, where your car is.”
Thankfully, Jordan agrees. A few minutes later, we pull off the main road and I navigate us through a well-hidden gravel road leading to a clearing. As I park the truck in the middle of a field, Jordan looks at me, her eyes brimming with questions.
“Have you ever gone star-gazing?” I ask, loving how her gaze lights up. She shakes her head no as her features turn from doubtful to delighted. I always want her to look that way. “Well then, let me show you how it’s done.”
I hop out of my seat and then Jordan’s door. She steps down and follows me to the back of the truck, where I open the tailgate and lay out a blanket for us. Climbing into the truck bed, I turn and hold my hand out for my girl, thankful for every time she chooses to take it.
I get us settled with Jordan sitting between my legs, her back leaning against my chest. She fits perfectly, right here in my arms.
“See that big bright star up there?” I whisper, pointing up at the sky. She nods. “That’s the North Star, also known as Polaris. See the shape it makes when connected to the stars around it?” I trace the constellation pattern for her, my heart melting at how adorable she is when she’s concentrating on something.
“Oh, I know this one. The Big Dipper, right?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it,” I say, hugging her close and nuzzling into the side of her neck.
Once again, Jordan tenses and pulls away from me. I keep a loose hold on her, letting her know she can easily leave but that I want her close.
“Can you tell me why you don’t want me to touch your neck?” I ask softly.
“It would be easier to show you,” she says quietly.
With trembling hands, Jordan gathers her hair from where it’s resting over her right shoulder. She tilts her head to the side, showing me deep scars that start above the base of her neck and spread across her shoulder before disappearing down her back.
Even in the low light of the moon and stars, I can tell whatever gave her those scars nearly took her life. Jordan is shaking as she sits in my lap, bearing her greatest vulnerability. I’ll ensure she never regrets showing me this side of her.
“Baby,” I whisper, reaching out, my hand hovering over her skin. When she doesn’t flinch, I graze my fingertips over the knotted flesh on her neck and shoulder. Leaning forward, I trail my nose and lips over her scars, placing light kisses over her marred skin.
“You can’t…” she protests softly, though she leans into my touch. “You can’t possibly still… want me.”
My chest aches for this sweet woman, for everything she’s been through, and for what she still has to deal with.
I gently cup the back of her neck, guiding her to look at me. When those green eyes latch onto mine, I’m more sure than ever; this woman is mine to love. Mine to protect. Mine to claim.
“I want all of you,” I breathe, kissing her forehead. “Every heartache, every tear,” I continue, pressing kisses to her nose and cheeks. “I want every story, every memory. Every scar.”
Stroking my thumb over the bumpy skin of her neck, I never lose eye contact. I need her to know that every word is the truth. Her cute little nose is red, and her eyes water, barely holding back tears.
“Remember when I told you my mom died when I was young?”
I nod, sliding my hand down her back and adjusting our position so she’s sitting sideways on my lap. Jordan curls up against my chest, one hand resting over my heart as if it grounds her in some way.
“Well, there’s a bit more to the story,” she goes on. “Our house caught on fire due to an electrical wiring issue. I was five at the time. I remember waking up in the dead of night to blaring alarms and smoke so thick I could barely breathe.” She shudders at the memory, and I hold her close, rocking her gently to help soothe her anxiety. “I… honestly, I don’t remember much from that night. Screams, creaking wood, explosions, and then a loud crack. I was pinned to the ground, trapped under a beam that was about to burst into flames. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t cry. Couldn’t do anything…”
“I’ve got you,” I remind her, burying my nose in the soft hair on top of her head. I breathe in her scent, thanking every god I can think of that she survived. “You’re safe.”
“I woke up in the hospital after multiple surgeries and skin grafts. Everything hurt. I was in constant pain for months until everything healed. Even then, the skin grafts only did so much to help my appearance.”
“You’re beautiful, Jordan. Scars and all.”
She shakes her head no, then looks away from me. She doesn’t believe me right now, but she will.
“Anyway. I found out later that not only did my mother die, but my father was the one who chose to save me first. By the time I was out of the house, the firefighters were there, and they banned my father from going back in. My mom didn’t make it, but I did. Sometimes, I wonder if my dad regrets his decision.”
“Jordan,” I soothe, cradling my precious woman in my arms. She relaxes, giving me her full weight. It feels so damn good having her here, being this close, connecting on a level I never knew existed.
