I gasp. “No! You really have some? What flavor?”
“They only had honey lemon ginger.” He pulls out the bag and my mouth waters.
Excitement fills me. I bounce and snatch the bag from him. “My mom sends me this exact flavor in her care packages.” And now I remember I need to make a trip to check the mail because she said she sent a package. It might be there now, and she always sends my favorite snacks.
I rip the bag open and pop one into my mouth. My heart bursts with nostalgia and makes me miss my parents—makes me miss home.
“Have you ever had crackseed?”
“I haven’t.” He leans over and opens his mouth. “But I have a feeling I’m going to love it.”
I lean forward too, our noses inches away from one another. I take my time. I place the fruit between his lips, press my index finger against it, and apply pressure until it slips into his mouth.
His eyes flash scarlet, our gazes locked and unspoken want and need build between us. The air becomes hot and heavy to breathe, my chest rising and falling at a different rate.
“Mmm,” he hums in delight, but the low timbre resembles more of a growl. “Delicious. I see why you like them so much. I’ll be sure to keep them stocked at the house. Anything you want. Everything you need. I’ll be sure you always have it.” He wipes a dash of sugar off my lip and sucks his finger into his mouth.
I pour myself a cup of tea from the thermos and take a welcoming sip to help distract me from my mate. “What else is in your endless bag of wonders?” I hide my smile with the rim of the cup.
“Let’s see.” He shoves his hand in the basket and pretends to feel around, then shouts, pretending his arm is getting pulled by something.
Even though I know it’s a joke, I scream, the hot tea splashing onto my jeans.
He lifts his hand free and wiggles his fingers. “Just kidding.”
I shove his shoulder, our laughs carrying through the darkening night.
“Okay, okay. I had to. I’m sorry.” He kisses my hand. “Did the tea burn you? Are you okay?”
Swoon.
“I’m fine. Nothing a little crackseed won’t fix.” I pop another into my mouth.
“So I suppose you don’t want these Japanese rice crackers, then?” He pulls out a bag of them from the basket. “More for me then.”
“You better not!” I squeal, tossing my cup to the side, then tackle him to the roof. There’s no escaping me.
We roll, and Oklahoma stops us before we end up falling to the ground. The bag of crackers is gone. I think they fell below, but I have him on top of me, his body heavy against mine.
I’ve never felt more secure or safe.
His eyes dart all over my face like he can’t tell where to look. “Are you okay?
Am I okay?
I’ve never been better.
“You’re everything I didn’t know I needed,” I say, not ever wanting to move from this spot.
Settled between her legs, her brown eyes lock with mine. Her body beneath me. My child growing inside her. I’m overwhelmed with love I never thought I could have or have the chance to feel. This wasn’t in the cards for me.
When I was turned the night of the storm that killed my brother, I truly believed my life was over, and I was waiting to die. Every year before Nariko has been slow and agonizing. While I felt like I had no more left to give the world, there was a small part of me that knew I had unfinished business before I could die.
I suppose that’s what dying is—unfinished business and things left unsaid.
Now, my reason for holding on is right here.
“You saved my life,” I admit in a choked whisper, all of my emotions getting the best of me. “You saved me.”
