Page 181 of Scarred

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were worried. When I realized my phone had died, I headed home, afraid the storm might get worse, and I would be stranded without a way to call for help.”

“I thought…when you didn’t answer…and then the storm. I thought I had lost you.” I swallow, my throat thick just thinking about it.

Her eyes search mine before she puts the pieces together.

“Oh, my God. I never meant to scare you like that. I wasn’t thinking. And to do it so close to the anniversary,” she says frantically. “You weren’t talking to me, so I never thought you would be looking for me.”

She stops and stares up at me. The storm has calmed a bit, but it’s still steadily coming down. I should get us out of the rain, but I’m rooted to the ground as her eyes search mine. “Why are you looking for me? Why are you here, Cayden?”

My knuckles brush her cheek as I step closer and smile.

“Because I wasn’t going to waste one more second to tell the girl I’m in love with how much she means to me.”

Her eyes widen in surprise before something else takes hold in those greens. Something that has my heart swelling in my chest.

“What did you say?”

“I’m saying, I love you, little moon. I have for a while now, but was too afraid to admit it. I’m sorry about yesterday,” I say quietly. “I know I fucking hurt you, and it kills me to think you would ever hurt because of me. I promise to never hurt you again if you just give me the chance to prove it.”

She stares at me, and for a second, I’m afraid it’s too late, but a beautiful smile appears on her gorgeous face, melting all the tension out of my body as if it never existed in the first place.

“Say it again,” she breathes.

The corner of my mouth twitches as I fist her t-shirt and bring her against my body.

“I love you, Luna,” I murmur, watching her eyes fill with tears. “I love you so fucking much, it hurts to breathe without you.”

“I love you, too,” she smiles. “You and Scarlett have had my heart from the very beginning.”

I close my eyes briefly as her words settle deep in my heart where they belong.

“We should probably get out of the rain,” she whispers, winding her arms around my neck and doing anything but moving.

“We probably should,” I nod. “But someone once told me that some of the best moments are the ones you don’t see coming.”

“I like that,” she smiles as she tilts her head to the rain and laughs as it touches her skin, causing me to grin from her infectious joy.

When our eyes meet again, she weaves her fingers into my hair at the back of my neck.

My lips touch hers as her body melts into mine.

We stand there kissing in the rain.

And it’s true…

The best moments are the ones you don’t see coming.

FIFTY-THREE

LUNA

“Let’s get you inside,” he whispers, finally breaking away with a beautiful smile on his face.

All the worry and fear from the last twenty-four hours vanished the moment I saw him.

He came back to me.

Grinning, I run to get my bag out of my Jeep before following him to his vehicle, where he grabs his phone off the front seat.