“Only two nights?” he rasps. “I thought we had more time than that.”
Me too.
But we don’t.
“I know,” I breathe. “I swear we just got here yesterday. I also feel bad that you haven’t had a chance to spend time with Tyler and your friends.”
Owen chuckles softly against my hair, like that last sentence was ridiculous.
“Meadow,” he breathes, “besides going to his wedding tomorrow night, the last thing on my mind right now is hanging out with Tyler. I’d rather spend every minute here with you.”
My heart constricts as water stings the backs of my eyes.
I can’t describe how terrified I am for all of this to end. I want to stay in this little corner of the universe where the outside world can’t touch us.
“Owen—”
“Yeah?”
I lower my gaze, picking at tiny grains of sand on my thigh.
“I’m… scared,” I admit, my voice weak.
A beat of silence passes as Owen holds me tighter.
“I know,” he finally replies, his voice barely audible. “I am too. But we don’t have to figure everything out right now. Wedon’t even have to figure it all out next week. We can take our time.”
I can only hope he’s right—that we’ll somehow work this out.
Losing my friendship with Owen is something I can hardly bear to think about… But I don’t see how we could ever go back to friends if he decides we’re not right for each other.
“Yeah,” I mutter, my lower lip wobbling as I try to convince myself that we’ll work it out in time.
The sun slips beneath the horizon, staining the sky in purples and deep blues. The sunset comes to an end, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s some kind of cruel foreshadowing.
“Meadow,” Owen mutters, noticing the sudden change in my mood. His hand slides up to my jaw, gently turning my face back toward his.
“Meadow, look at me.”
I shift in his arms, my knees pressing into the sand as I face him. Our eyes flick back and forth in silent conversation, the air thick with all that’s unspoken. Owen’s thumb brushes my bottom lip as his gaze searches mine.
“Asking you to come here with me was the best decision I’ve ever made,” he murmurs. “I’m so fucking happy that you’re here with me. Thank you for saying yes.”
I lift a hand, pushing his hair back before threading my fingers through his tousled locks.
“Even though I fought it at first,” I chuckle softly, “I don’t think I could have ever said no. The second you asked, deep down, I already knew my answer.”
Owen’s lips curve up in a giddy smile seconds before he closes the gap between us. His hand sinks into the hair at the nape of my neck, pulling me into a kiss that takes my breath away.
He lets out a guttural groan against my lips as he kisses me deep and urgently, as though he’s racing against time.
My fingers tangle in his hair as I kiss him back with the same ferocity.
When we finally break apart for air, I rest my forehead against his, brushing my thumbs against his stubbled jaw.
“We might only have two nights left,” he mutters, breaking the silence. “But I’m not wasting a second of what we have.”
Faster than I can digest his words, Owen’s on his feet, hauling me up into his arms and carrying me like a bride.
