Page 35 of Meet Me in the Vines
Heavy sobs assault my throat. I couldn’t stop it if I tried. I sit on the pavement with my head between my knees, grieving for so many things. My gran, Donovan, my whole fucking life. I think about Kellan and how terrified I am of going back to New York. But I have to go back. I can’t stay here. The hole I’ve dug myself is too deep.
Oakwood Valley is a fantasy that is too far out of my reach. I don’t belong here anymore.
I hear muted clapping and cheers, when suddenly the back door swings open and Donovan is there. He hesitates by the door, observing my mascara-streaked face with sad eyes. I gaze down between my legs, letting silent tears fall. I hear his footsteps softly as he slowly walks towards me, stopping whenthe front of his boots touch mine. He bends down in front of me and reaches for my face, gently lifting my chin with his finger.
“Mouse,” he whispers.
I silently nod and cry harder. His hands tuck under my arms and he lifts me to my feet, pulling me into an embrace.Heaven.I let my sobs soak his shirt, and we hold on to each other like if we let go, we’d fall through the earth and never come back. He kisses my hair and squeezes me tighter, his hands rubbing along my spine. He cups my face between his large hands, wiping my tears with the pads of his thumbs.
“Was I really that shitty of a singer?”
And for the first time in years, I let out the loudest belly laugh. I mean, really loud and not at all cute. There’s nothing I can do to control the fit of laughter taking over my body. This laugh is coming straight from my soul, and damn, it feels so fucking good.
Donovan holds me up as we both lose ourselves in a frenzy of uncontrollable hysterics. I throw my head back, but no sound leaves me. When I look through teary eyes, Donovan doubles over as he clutches his stomach, silently crying. We collapse to the ground, holding onto each other as if it’s second nature.
When we finally catch our breath, he pulls me into his lap as he leans back against the wall. I turn to straddle him, taking him by surprise. His hands rest on the small of my back while his thumbs stroke up and down. I love being touched by him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that hard in my life,” I breathe, smiling at him as my fingers lace around his neck.
He softens his gaze with the most knee-buckling smirk on his lips. “I think I remember a time where you did.” I bite my lip in response, a crimson blush appearing on my cheeks.
“If I died this second, and that was the last thing I heard before I go, I’d die a happy man.” He presses his forehead to mine. We sit as if in meditation, breathing each other in, holdingon to this version of reality. It feels so natural with Donovan. The fire between us clearly has never gone out, and right now, I don’t care that what I’m doing is wrong.
“I’m a little drunk,” I hiccup and let out a giggle. He laughs and strokes my hair. “And you made me cry,” I whisper. His face turns sad, and he searches my eyes for answers. “Your song…our song. You did that on purpose,” I say quietly, lightly scratching his nape with my fingernails.
“Audrey, I was trying to express to you how sorry I am. How fucking sorry I am for everything. I…I just—” I put my finger to his lips.
“No, not now. I’m too drunk for this. And you are too sexy right now for me to have this conversation.” My head spins as I stare at his delicious lips.
“You still find me sexy, Mouse?” His voice is low. His hands lightly scratch the outside of my arms, giving me goosebumps. I lean my head back and moan before I can stop myself.
“Donovan…” I whimper. I feel his hard cock through his jeans as I straddle him. My hips grind slowly along his length, and his hands go down to my ass, helping me along. “More,” I growl, not giving a fuck about anything else but him. Us. Right now.
He lifts me up in one swift movement, his strong arms whisking me into position, legs wrapped around his torso. He’s running through the parking lot, and I throw my head back, laughing into the night. This feels familiar.
He unlocks the tailgate with one swipe of his hand and sets me down on the edge. His arms clamp down on either side of me, caging me in. My hands snake up the back of his shirt, needing to feel his skin beneath my touch.
“Audrey, you’re playing a very dangerous game,” he growls. I smirk and wrap my legs tight around him, using my heels to drag his bulge straight into my heat.
“Last I remember, you liked games. Don’t you?” I buck my hips into him, feeling how hard he is for me.
“God damn,” he groans. My hands find their way along his chiseled abs, feeling the V-cut that leads down past the waist of his jeans.
“I knew you were in there somewhere, Mouse. Tell me, what do you want?”
His voice is raspy and full of desire. His lips are inches away and I can smell his masculine cologne mixed with red wine and musk. I’ve never wanted him more than I do right now. “Kiss me. Now,” I demand, my hands coming out from under his shirt and grabbing his collar.
“Fuck it,” he growls out. His lips crash into mine and the years of heartache, loss, and anger quickly melt away. His tongue swipes my bottom lip, and I open my mouth to invite him in. He tastes so good. I dreamed of kissing him every night, what it would be like to drink him in again.
His hands cup my face and he grinds his cock into me. I let out a moan while he groans into my mouth, devouring me and kissing away the pain between us.
I rake my fingers through his thick locks, something I’ve done over and over in my dreams. His hands move down to my breasts, squeezing them with need as our bodies move against one another. We fall into a rhythm, as if we memorized each other’s bodies after all this time.
After what feels like hours, he breaks the kiss and I whimper, not wanting him to stop. His forehead presses against mine as he works to catch his breath.
“Audrey, I’ve been dreaming about this kiss every day for the last ten years. I dreamed of the day when I could taste you again, feel your body against mine.”
I bring him closer to me and nip his bottom lip, my hand dragging down to his zipper. He grabs my wrist and stops me. Hurt flashes across my eyes.
