Page 80 of Ash Fall

"I'm staying here," I say again, because the first one came out too weak to count. "There's no sense in me riding along to stand in a parking lot. A few of us need to start getting to work on organizing this space anyway so when loads of supplies start coming in there’s somewhere for them to go."

Gage's eyes narrow, running over me the way he does when he's checking for damage. "Luna?"

"I'm fine." I press my palms flat against my thighs so nobody can see them shake. "I'm not fine but I’m being fine anyway. Those are two different things, and I want credit for the second one."

Nobody laughs at that. Torrin gives me a look of understanding.

"That's my girl," he says quietly.

Then they're all moving, jackets and keys and somebody hollering about a missing pair of work gloves. Gigi catches my eye from across the room and gives me the smallest nod with an expression of pride in it for me.

I walk with them down through the bay because I to stay with them as long as possible.

The big doors are rolled halfway up and the light coming under them is orange and going fast, throwing long shadows across the grey floor. Trucks idle out on the apron. Mars and Torrin are arguing about which way to come back in. Anders is counting cash out of his wallet that I doubt he’ll be needing to spend in this new economy.

"Cin."

Reid has my elbow with Jules is a step behind him.

"Come here a minute?" Reid asks me.

He steers me around the back corner of the motorhome, out of everybody's sightline. Jules comes with us and stops just behind his shoulder. There's barely room for the three of us between the bumper and the rock wall.

My pulse takes off at a fast beat at the seriousness on their faces. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No." Reid's throat moves. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides and his breathing has gone short and fast. "Nothing's wrong except I've been telling myself I'd do this for years and I can’t wait another minute."

"Reid, I don't know what you're..."

He kisses me.

He steps in, takes my face in both hands, and kisses me. This is not the boy who kissed me in the dark during a game of capture the flag. His mouth is soft and completely certain this time. One thumb strokes along my jaw, and I hear the small sound I make against his lips from somewhere outside my own body.

For a moment, my world becomes the feel of his lips against me and deep inside of me, my light wakes up and starts to hum.

It isn't the flare it does when I'm frightened or upset. This one is gentle. A soft buzzing spreads through my ribs and down my arms before it settles into a gentle warmth under the skin of my palms where they're pressed to the front of his jacket. I've never felt it do this. I don't have one second to wonder about it, because Reid tilts his head and kisses me deeper and I stop being able to think at all.

When he pulls back it's only far enough to rest his forehead against mine. Both of us are breathing hard enough to hear.

"Cherry," he whispers, shaky and delighted. "You still taste like cherry."

I have nothing. There isn't one word in my whole head.

Reid smooths his thumb over my cheekbone, presses another soft kiss to the corner of my lips, and steps back.

Then there's a hand at my waist, turning me.

Jules doesn't hurry. That's always been the thing about him. He walks me back into the cold metal of the motorhome and takes his time. One hand slides up to curve around the side of my neck, his thumb resting under my jaw to tip it up. He looks at my mouth long enough that I feel it in my knees.

"Do you remember what I asked you on the deck when you gave us our birthday presents?" His voice has dropped into something low and rough. "I asked you to come with us...to BE with us. You said not yet."

The scene comes back to me all at once. I see his hand on my cheek, Reid sitting up to take my fingers with his whole heart showing in his face, and me stepping back with my eyes burning.

"I remember," I whisper.

"I've been waiting a long time on your answer."

Then his mouth comes down on mine, and the floor drops out of the world.