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I don’t answer him because thinking about now would feel like a dream.
“Can I ask you something?” Oliver works his throat. “You won’t like it, but I need to get it off my chest.”
I swallow, trying to hide my unease that matches his expression, but there's a slight shake in my voice. “Ask away.”
“Why are you so eager to…to put your life at risk? Every time I look away, you are suddenly on a cliff or a rooftop, like you don’t care what happens to you.” His thumb brushes against my thigh in a calm rhythm, like he is trying to reassure me it’s okay, but the deep scowl on his face and the white knuckles around the steering wheel tell a different tale. “Then there’s the fact that you always went to those sketchy motels. I just don’t get why you don’t care about yourself.”
My lips purse because I don’t have an answer. Ella asks me about it every weekend, and I usually brush it off, but that doesn’t seem possible right now—not with the way he’s touching me.
“Please, just give me something, anything.” Oliver pulls over onto the side of the road.
“It’s hard to explain,” I start and then stop, looking out onto the meadow outside. “I haven’t really felt alive since everything happened. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next shoe to drop. The thrill pushes away all those thoughts, and all I can think about at that moment is what’s in front of me rather than behind.” I can’t help the soft chuckle that comes out next. “It doesn’t help that I’ve never thought of myself as someone worth saving.”
In a swift movement, Oliver’s hand leaves my thigh and grabs hold of my chin. He makes my head face him as our eyes meet. His sea-green eyes fill with emotion that sparks mine to life.
“Princess, you don’t need to be saved because you aren’t broken.” If only that were true. “Please don’t do that anymore. I can’t bear the idea of you getting hurt. When you jumped off that cliff, I felt my heart rip out of my chest. I thought I was about to go hysterical.”
“Okay, I won’t.” I absently nod. The sun shines over the road, and my eyes fill with an array of wildflowers glistening with dew from the cool night.
The meadow looks like the kind you’d find in a fairy tale. I pull away and get out of the Jeep.
“Princess, what are you doing?” Oliver calls from inside as I walk through the tall grass and wildflowers.
A foreign, euphoric feeling comes over me as I start to frolic around the meadow. I don’t know if I look like a crazy lady, but the place looks so pretty, with the sunrise giving life to the sleeping flowers.
A pair of arms wrap around me as they hoist me up, and I squeal with laughter.
With a few more spins, we fall into the wet grass. I should be cold right now, but with Oliver here, I feel nothing but his warmth.
I reach out, taking one of the white dandelions to our side. With a little huff, I blow away the flower’s seeds as they dance in the air in front of us.
“What did you wish for?”
For this to never end.
For you to forgive me.
For me to still be Sally in your eyes and not him.
“You had a good night tonight,” I say before thinking. “You got a lot of tips…and other things.”
Oliver narrows his eyes. “Yeah, tonight was pretty great.”
My head snaps to look at him, a little bit of unreasonable hurt clawing at my chest.
“It was great because I got to look at the sexy-as-hell girl sipping on sweet tea. With her pink hair and lace choker. I constantly wanted to touch her.”
The hurt fades instantly as a warmth floods my every pore.
Oliver leans in closer, whispering in my ear, “She’s also constantly teasing me with her skirts. I have to resist the urge to take my hand and reach under there.”
I shiver at his hot breath hitting my skin. The hair on my neck stands up. “You won’t like what you find.”
Oliver’s hand reaches around to take hold of my chin. He forces me to face him. My whole body shudders under the intensity of his sea-green eyes glistening with the surrounding dew.
“I want all of you.”
“Oliver—”
