“I just need you to beWill,” I whispered, stepping forward and reaching for his hand. “I want us to be like we were. I miss the old us. I miss the old you.”
He looked down at my hand holding his. “I’m scaredI’llhurt you,” he said. “I know what you’ve been through. Iknow, Kera. And I’m scared that I’ll do something wrong. That I’ll make it worse.”
“You won’t,” I said, stepping closer until there was barely space between us. “I’m more than what happened to me.”
He gently stroked his thumb along my hand. “I don’t want to mess things up.”
“I’m scared too,” I whispered. “But it doesn’t matter. Because when I’m with you, nothing else does.” My voice broke. “That’s what I need, Will. I need you to make me forget everything else.”
“What if I ruin everything?” he whispered. “What if I ruinyou?”
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. I grabbed his face in both hands and pulled him down to me, close enough to steal his breath.
His eyes flicked to my mouth, then back up, and gods, the look in them. Fear. Hunger. Like he wanted me and didn’t know if he was allowed to.
I was already falling. Already his. Drowning in the ocean of him and not even fighting it, and I needed him to feel it.
Everything.
The ache. The want. The storm inside me that had nowhere else to go.
“Then ruin me,” I breathed.
And he kissed me.
Hekissed me.
Hard.
Like he’d been holding back forever and finally broke. Like it physically hurt to wait even one second longer.
My hand slid into his hair, tangled there, pulled just enough to make him gasp against my mouth. He pressed into me, all fire and need, and I didn’t hold back.
I kissed him like I was starving, and time unraveled around us. There was no past. No present. No future.
Just him.
His mouth was fevered against mine, all sharp edges and aching need. He tasted like whiskey and salt and everything I thought I’d lost. The kiss wasn’t soft, it wasn’t careful. I kissed him back hard, my fingers gripping his shirt, trying to pull him closer, closer, closer.
I needed to feel him, needed to know that it was real. I reached for the door handle, fumbling with it, but Will caught my hand.
His fingers curled around mine. He didn’t say anything, just tugged me toward him again, and we stumbled inside.
The door slammed shut behind us. In the low light of the room, we were already on each other, tangled up and breathless. His arms wrapped around my waist, my hands pulling at his shirt, sliding up the warm skin underneath.
I couldn’t think, could barely stand. I just wanted more. I wanted all of him.
The last pink light of the sunset spilled into the room, washing everything in a warm, hazy glow. And just outside, the waves crashed against the shore. I slipped my hands up his chest, finding the buttons of his shirt. My fingers shook, but I didn’t stop.
He caught my wrists gently.
“Wait… are you sure?“ he asked, looking at me with those perfect baby blues of his.
I loved him for asking.
I slid the straps of my dress off my shoulders, and let the dress fall, and pool at my feet.
I wanted him to see me.Reallysee me. I cupped his face in both hands and kissed him. Even if everything fell apart tomorrow, even if I never made it back, I would have that.
