Page 57 of Home Is Where You Are

Hopefully she’d end up back in my bed tonight and would fall asleep in my arms where she belonged.

twenty

AINSLEIGH

The bonfire was just what I needed. Everything about this night made me remember why I’d missed home so much. The ambiance of the fire, the laughter with people I loved and cared for, the jokes between my brothers and me. Even seeing Gentry fitting in with my family caused feelings to arise that I'd wanted to ignore.

I was supposed to be mad at him. I should stay mad. It would be much easier, but seeing that smile on his face that I’d loved for so long on and the way he fit in almost too easily was so hard to not notice.

As much as I didn’t want the night to end, a yawn escaped and I couldn’t fight the tiredness.

I stood and stretched, then wrapped the blanket around my shoulders.

“You callin’ it a night, sis?” Leo asked.

“Yeah. I’m beat. Aspen, are you and Dylan coming up? You don’t have to if you’re having fun. I just can’t keep my eyes open.”

“I think we’ll stay a little longer. Maybe I can convince Leo to show me how to make another s’more. That first one was delicious.”

“Y’all have a good night. It was nice meeting you, Callie,” I said, covering my mouth to hide another yawn.

I’d just made my way up the stairs when I felt fingers curl around my wrist.

Gentry’s calloused hands sent shivers through my entire body, but I tried to hide my reaction to his touch as I turned to face him.

I gave him a questioning look with my eyebrows raised. I couldn’t seem to get the words out, but I also couldn’t pull away.

His touch was comforting.

His touch was familiar.

His touch was everything, and I didn’t know what I was going to do.

My heart broke for everything we’d lost.

It broke for everything that we could be right now.

It broke for just how much I still loved him but shouldn’t.

Last night shouldn’t have happened. But it did, and I couldn’t make myself regret it.

I needed to get settled back in, and get my father to agree to my plans.

Gentry couldn’t distract me from paving my own path.

“Can we talk for a minute?” he asked softly, a pleading look in his eyes.

That pleading look caused me to cave.

I used to always give in to him when he gave me that same look.

“Sure,” was all I could manage to say.

“Are you still mad at me for holding your hand and you havin’ to wear my clothes to breakfast?”

I looked away because I couldn’t think straight while he looked at me with hope and concern.

His concern along with his touch caused my heart to pound and reach for the person who owned it.