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I sit on the rocks, patting the spot beside me. She drops beside me, her eyes still wide. “Holy shit, Max. This is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in… well, years.”
“I agree.” I’m not looking at the view though. I’m staring at her profile.
She turns to me, a soft smile forming on her glossy lips. “You aren’t talking about the view, are you?”
My hand goes to her face, caressing her cheek gently. I shake my head, lost in her chocolate irises. “No, I’m not. I’m talking about you, gorgeous.”
Her eyes soften as she leans into me, her long lashes fluttering closed as my lips cover hers, kissing her slowly, reverently. Her soft, pillowy lips taste so sweet as I lose myself in her, forgetting about the view and our food.
Finally, I gently pull away from her soft mouth. “We should eat our dinner.”
Her dazed eyes are on mine, a wry smile on her face. “Yeah, we probably should.”
Standing, I pull her to her feet, leading the way to my Jeep for our food. I let her carry some of the food, to her surprise, as I steer her toward my favorite picnic table. It’s one I used to sit at a lot when I first returned to Pennsylvania, and my head was so fucked up from the shit that had happened in my past. Being up here made my problems seem smaller, and less overwhelming.
Irelynn tries to see what I’m holding behind my back, but I refuse until she sits down at the table. Once I’m sure her eyes are closed and that she isn’t peeking, I pull an arrangement of sunflowers and red roses, a large bow tied around the vase.
Pouring a small bottle of water into it, I tell her to open her eyes. She gazes at it, admiration in her shining eyes.
“We’ll have to dump the water out before we leave. But I couldn’t resist getting these for you.”
She leans forward, closing her eyes and inhaling the scent of the flowers. “Max, they are beautiful. And my favorite flowers.”
“I remember. You told me yesterday.”
Her eyes open. “Was it only yesterday? In many ways, I feel like I’ve known you much longer.”
“Me, too, gorgeous. I’ve never felt so comfortable with anyone as quickly as I do you.” I lean forward, giving her a brief kiss, then grab the containers of food. The air temperature is dropping and it’s starting to look cloudy in the distance. “We better eat before it rains.”
She turns around, looking at the clouds. We dig into our food, talking and laughing. When we’ve finished and put our trash back in the bag, Irelynn looks up at the gray skies, then turns to me. “I’ve always wanted to dance in the rain.”
Glancing at the sky, then at her, I grin. “I can arrange that.” Hoping inside my Jeep, I turn the key in the ignition, then connect my phone to the speakers. Extending my hand to her, she takes it, a soft smile on her lips. As the opening notes ofHanging by a Momentby Lifehouse circulate around us, I spin her away from me, then pull her back, holding her against me. She laughs as the first raindrops fall from the sky, landing on our heads. But we don’t stop, dancing and twirling, the rain slowly building in intensity, just like my feelings for her.
She fists my wet shirt, raising her face to mine. Her eyes twinkle with happiness as I slowly spin her around in the rain. She’s lost with me, suspended in this perfect moment. It’s kismet when my lips meet hers, the rain falling around us.
Slowly pulling back, her melted chocolate eyes look up at me, an ethereal glow to her skin from the dewy moisture dampening it. “Max? Can we go back to your apartment?”
My fingers slide to her face, cupping it. “Absolutely.” My heart pounds in my chest, her palpable desire matching mine.
Everything I’m feeling is reflected in her chocolate eyes.
Holding her hand, I drive much faster than I should, breaking all the posted speed limit signs. The rain slows to a drizzle, then stops completely by the time we turn onto the road leading to my apartment. Irelynn sits in the passenger seat, squeezing water from her hair with the towel I gave her from my gym bag. Her hair hangs in cascading damp ringlets. She’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now, sitting beside me in her wet clothing, happiness beaming from her like a flashlight lighting up the night.
Moving my gaze back to the road, happiness swirls through my chest. In the short time I’ve known her, Irelynn has given more and caused me to feel more than I have for anyone in my life.
I cling to every single moment of contentment and bliss that I feel in her presence.
It’s risky, falling for her. Especially since she doesn’t know my past. But for once, I decide to be selfish, taking everything she’s willing to give.
If only I could give her all of me. But I can’t, not yet. Not without revealing the horror of my past.
Though Irelynn is nothing like Brianna, I’m afraid that once my past is disclosed, her opinion of me will be lowered and she’ll leave me.
I’m unwilling to take that risk.
I can’t lose Irelynn.
Chapter twenty-eight
