Page 106 of Meet Me in the Vines
“Mhmm. Every night. I stopped looking at them the day you came home with me. You know why?” he murmurs, gently lifting my chin. I have an idea, but I shake my head and stifle a grin, selfishly wanting to hear his answer.
“Because you’re no longer a dream. You’re as real as it gets, Mouse.”
He tugs my chin toward him and seals his lips over mine. “You’re no longer a dream.”I imagine Donovan clutching the photos to his chest before drifting off to sleep. All I had during the years apart was my imagination, painting Donovan behind my eyelids as I lay in bed at night. But we’re as real as it gets, and right now, his taste makes me dizzy as he tenderly kisses me, dotting a feather-like kiss into the corner of my mouth.
“Get your boots on. We gotta go,” he whispers. I nod and tuck the pictures neatly back in their box, closing the lid and sliding it under the clothes that hang above. He helps me to my feet and takes my hand.
“Are you gonna tell me where we’re going?” He turns his head, smirking playfully. I roll my eyes because I know the answer. “It’s a surprise,” I grumble.
“You’re finally catching on, Mouse,” he says, waggling his brows.
Outside, the sun has already set, lending a crisp chill to the night air. Dusk blankets the sky, granting us just enough light to see across the valley from where we stand on the porch, grapevines in full bloom.
“Wait here,” he says, hustling down the steps to round the side of the cabin. Moments later, I hear a sputter and a roar as Donovan swings the ATV around the front.
My eyes light in delight as I scurry down the steps, Donovan greeting me with his signature grin. “Ready to go for a ride?” I nod eagerly as he flicks his chin behind him, beckoning me to hop on. I swing my leg over, scooting all the way up on the seat, firmly pressing my chest into his back. I crane my neck over to his profile and plant a deep kiss on his lips. I trail kisses along his shoulder and back, wrapping my arms around his waist.
The quad takes off on the path as we head into the horizon. He takes an easy pace, slow enough to look out and enjoy the beauty that is this vineyard. The story of us is within these vines, deeply rooted and going through seasonal changes. Once bare and empty. Then growing and sprouting new leaves, needing to be tended to and nurtured. Some vines make it, some don’t. But when they do, they bear beautiful tendrils and fruit, ready to be made into something greater. That’s us. Donovan and Audrey.
Donovan reaches down and strokes his fingers against the back of my calf, sending shivers throughout my body. My hands creep under his shirt, splaying my palms across his chest. I trace over the raised skin that houses his scar, pressing a kiss into his back.
“This scar will forever be a reminder that no matter what, I’ll always protect you.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, letting Donovan’s words echo in my mind. At first, it was hard to look at the scar. A constant reminder of the worst night of my life. Until Donovan came out of this alive and gave me a new lens.
This scar is a symbol of his love for me. The great lengths he will go to protect me. Heaven and back. It represents the pain I endured, a testament to the fierce battle I overcame to be with him. We were once growing on two separate vines, but nowwe’re intertwined, crafting a story that’s both stronger and more beautiful than we could have ever imagined. That’s what we are: forever intertwined, a perfect blend of our individual strengths and shared love.Soulmates.
He moves his hand from my calf and snakes his hand up his shirt to clasp my fingers around his. The gesture is simple, but it’s like he hears my thoughts and reassures me with his touch.
I see a familiar white structure in the distance. My heart floods with warmth the closer we approach it. The ATV slows, coming to a full stop on the path. Donovan swings his leg over and reaches his hand out to me. “Come on. I wanna show you something.”
“Okay,” I whisper, letting him guide me through the vines. I had almost forgotten the simple beauty of this gazebo. The moon makes an appearance, just as it did all those years ago. Its light cascades over the dome, like it was plucked from heaven above and placed on earth, just for us. I haven’t seen the gazebo since graduation night. Not like this, at least. We’ve passed it on our quad rides here and there, but it sat in the distance, waiting for us.
Right as I’m about to take the first step on the stair, I halt. “What is it?” Donovan asks, his face glowing from the moonbeams. I look at him and smile, reaching down to take off my boots. I toss them to the side, letting my bare feet sink into the springy ground beneath me, needing to sense this place like I did on that first night. He grins and does the same.
He motions me to go first, and as soon as I take that first step, we’re eighteen again. It’s like my footprints are imprinted on the wooden planks below, remembering me and welcoming me back. I’m wearing the ivory dress Donovan bought me, the hem rippling softly in the breeze. I trace my fingers along the rails like I did once before, the ridges and divots in the wood molding beneath my fingers as if I’m the one who put them there.
Donovan’s quiet gait steps close behind me as I feel the warmth of his body tantalizing me. I search along the railing for the inscription, smiling when it comes alive under my fingertips.
Meet Me in the Vines
Donovan’s chest presses against my back as he wraps his arms around my middle, resting his chin in the crook of my shoulder. His lips barely graze my ear as his light breath skates along my skin. “You know, that night when we kissed right here in this very spot? I knew right then and there that I’d found her,” he murmurs, squeezing me tighter.
“Found who?” I whisper, twisting around to face him. Those ocean blue eyes wait for me like they always do. Like they always have. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, gently outlining my jaw with the pads of his fingers.
“My wife.”
He leans in and kisses me, swallowing the hitch in my breath as he devours my mouth. His tongue glides over my bottom lip, and I eagerly let him in. I rake my fingers through his hair like I’ve done a thousand times, letting them swim through his thick chocolate locks. Our kiss deepens, laced with hunger and need. A moan escapes me as his tongue works its magic, dizzying me into his enchanting kiss.
When we pull apart, our lips are swollen and wet. My fingers link behind his nape, our breathing tattered with wanting. A playful smirk tugs on his lips as he stares deep into my gaze. “Want to play a game?” he breathes, his eyes glint with challenge.
I quirk a brow and chuckle under my breath. “What game?”
“Cat and mouse,” he whispers, untangling his arms from my middle while slowly walking backward. A small whimper slipsfrom my lips at the loss of his touch. I flash him a grin as I push myself off the railing, taking a step in his direction.
“Yeah, we can play. I want revenge for last time,” I tease, crossing my arms. I see the memory of Donovan crashing into my back and lifting me off the ground in capture, our laughter filling the atmosphere like our favorite song. Even though I hadlethim win that night.
“But this time, you’re cat and I’m mouse,” he says with a hearty chuckle. I raise my eyebrow in intrigue, satisfied with the change up. “Deal. And what do I get if I win?” I croon, taking another step toward him. He closes in on the distance and cups his hands around my face.
