Page 112 of Enthrall Shadows
I still felt an unquenchable yearning.
We lay close together, both of us staring up at the breaking dawn, feeling the pulsing rush of lovers.
“You need to sleep,” I whispered.
“You feel safe enough?”
“Yes.”
He slid his watch off his wrist and then slid it onto mine, giving me access to his perimeter tracking app.
I felt glad for the responsibility, for the trust he had in me.
Henry rested his head on my chest, his breathing growing quieter.
Finally, he fell asleep in my arms.
Our passion had burned brightly, and what had just happened between us was as rare as one of those shooting stars.
Pressing my lips to his forehead, I braced my heart for when he awoke, fearing he’d regret what we’d done.
Or worse, seeing he had conflicting emotions.
Because that would mean hope for anus.
And that scared me more than anything.
Iawoke to see Lotte hovering over me, offering me a cup of coffee that she’d just brewed. She had apparently found what she needed in my rucksack.
A delicious aroma of beans wafted in the air around us.
Her bright face and enduring kindness were something new to crave.
I felt different about everything—that underlying dread was gone.
Wrapping my hands around the warm cup, I sipped the invigorating drink that reminded me I had a purpose back home.
The familiar taste of quality beans quickly buzzed me awake.
Together, we packed up the tent and the rest of the equipment, neatly placing it all in the rucksack—including the infrared tracking system.
We set off along the trail with that familiar comfort level between us, words not being necessary. She wasn’t afraid of the quiet—didn’t need to fill the spaces between our conversations.
Watching this mystifying raven-haired woman walk ahead pleasantly distracted me from the threat of a downpour.
Dark storm clouds were gathering.
Lotte had no idea how easily she’d broken down my defenses and reached me—reached that part of my heart that had once lain dormant.
Ironically, just before seeing my old love I had found a new one—but Charlotte was so much more.
Fate had conspired to keep me and Reese apart. For the first time, I saw the wisdom in it. This brief encounter was a buffer to potential pain.
The goddess walking ahead had bewitched me.
Going back to what Reese and I had once was simply impossible. Moving forward with this fresh relationship, however, filled me with hope.
She’d metaphorically de-fibbed my heart back to life, causing my pulse to quicken and enabling me to relish my existence once more.
