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“Yeah. I, um … I was just frustrated with my homework again. I need to get out and go for a ride to clear my head.”
She smiles sweetly, making me feel bad for lying to her. “That’s not like you. What class is giving you so much trouble?”
I open my arms and hug her, silently apologizing for having lied so much lately—something I’ve never done before. “I’ll figure it out,” I say.
“Okay. Let me know if you need help when you get back.”
I turn and close my eyes, taking a deep breath.I’m a terrible daughter.
I don’t say anything else because I can’t bring myself to actually speak.
What am I doing?
My entire life, I’ve been told how horrible TimeLand is, and the extensive damage Mike Wick, Dalton’s dad, caused to our ranch. Yet here I am, lying to my mom to go see Dalton.
With every step I take, I keep telling myself to turn around, but as I throw my leg over Brandy, I learnfirsthand just how much stronger my heart is than my brain. As I kick my legs against her to get her to go faster, I feel like I’m crossing a line that I know I’ll never come back from.
Yet I go anyway.
When I arrive, Dalton is already there, standing like an armed guard with his legs wide, arms folded across his chest, and a stern expression I can see from hundreds of yards away.
I ride Brandy to him and dismount her, holding on to her reins. He doesn’t move an inch, and neither of us says a word as I step closer to him.
When I’m two feet away, he nods his head ever so slightly, breaking his statue-like stance. “You came.”
I nod, inhaling a shaky breath.
“You know what this means?” he asks, his face not changing one bit.
I nod again, but don’t dare speak it into existence, still afraid if I say the words out loud, I might crumble.
He unfolds his arms and steps toward me with a small grin. “Good,” is all he says right before he wraps his hand around the back of my head and brings me to him, crashing his lips into mine.
Electricity shoots down my spine and through all my limbs. I fall limp in his arms, allowing him to take full control of me, of us, and the situation we’ve found ourselves in.
I have no idea how this is going to work, but I’ll be damned now if I do anything to stop it. I’m helpless in his arms, yet there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Natalie
I stayed with Dalton until it got dark last night. I don’t know why, but I felt like once I left there, everything would be different. I’m not going to lie; the thought still terrifies me.
Now that I’m walking into school, I have no clue what to expect.
Yes, we want to be together, but that doesn’t change anything about my dad not approving. Because he will not.
Last night, I wanted to live in our little bubble and ignore that fact. I’m glad neither one of us ruined the vibe we had going by bringing it up, but today, we have to face it head-on.
I walk into first period, seeing he’s not there yet. Sitting at my desk, I gather my things from my bag and am startled when I feel someone brush their handdown my arm. Instantly, I sit up and see that Dalton just walked by. Though he’s acting like he did nothing, my body knows it was him by the chills still rushing through me.
Once he sits down, I turn to ask the person behind me if they have a pen I can borrow, just so I can see him. As they search for a pen, my eyes meet his, and my heart sings when his lips tilt into a small smile.
After class, I head to the hallway, where Susie is standing.
“Morning,” I say.
Susie eyes me suspiciously. “Morning. Aren’t you chipper today?”
