Page 3 of Stone
“You know how Daddy hates my art. He wants me to become an attorney and follow in his footsteps.”
He placed his index finger on my nose. “This is your life, Dani. You need to follow your heart. Just tell your parents how important this is for you. I’m sure they’ll eventually be happy.”
“I don’t know about that.” What I did know was that even suggesting I follow my heart would create another argument in the household. My father didn’t like taking no for an answer.
“Promise me you’ll do what you want to do.”
“I’ll try.”
We sat back and I slipped the letter into my purse, wondering how the next few years would go. We rarely had any tension but tonight was different. I felt like it was the last night of my life. I’d never felt so sad, so uncertain of the future.
“The star is beautiful,” Stone said quietly.
I leaned against his shoulder, both of us staring out the windshield at the Mill Mountain Star only yards away from where we were parked. A single bulb from the giant artistic piece was blinking, but otherwise, it was the perfect backdrop.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the stars twinkling in the heavens.
‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol was on the radio and we were all alone, not a single other car parked anywhere close.
“Yes, it’s amazing.”
He shifted in his seat, using his index finger to lift my chin.
“You’re really leaving?” I knew the answer to the question, yet I couldn’t believe he was leaving me.
“It’s something I gotta do, Dani. You know how important it is to my dad.”
A single tear slipped past my lashes. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t cry. “But what about us? What about all the years we’ve been together?” My questions were silly since I’d just been accepted to a college far away.
He’d been my boyfriend for two years, an entire lifetime. He’d taken me to the prom, even though my father had thrown a fit. An older man dating his young daughter. Oh, the horror.
Stone’s eyes opened wide. “Don’t cry, baby girl. You know I’ll be back. Or like you said, we’ll meet up in London and you can show me the sights.” He rubbed the single tear away with his thumb. Every breath he took was exasperated.
Stone enlisting in the Navy hadn’t been a shock. He’d talked about being a Navy SEAL since day one when we met in the ice cream store where he worked all through college. That didn’t mean the ache wasn’t horrible.
“How do I know that? How? You’ll end up in some exotic location where the women are beautiful and you’ll forget all about me.”
He chuckled and I pummeled my fist against him out of frustration. “You’re my beautiful girl. I don’t want anyone else, Dani. Just you. You know I love you.”
I wrapped my fingers around his shirt, pulling him close. As he lowered his head, our lips almost touching, another swell of heat pulsed between my legs. “I love you so much, Stone Bellows.”
He took several deep breaths and I leaned in for a kiss. As he brushed his fingers down my cheek, every inch of my skin felt alive from his touch. When I was with him, nothing else mattered. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t see clearly. He was my everything and I was his. The way he’d looked at me all night was intoxicating.
“You’re so special to me,” he whispered, the heat of his breath mingling with my own.
I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip, crowding as close to him as possible. When he finally pressed his lips against mine, I shuddered from the explosive heat deep within my core. He was gentle as always, savoring the quiet moment of intimacy as desire shoved aside every anxious moment.
Everything about him was enthralling. He was so good looking, so tall with shoulders that filled a doorway. His whiskey-colored hair danced across his collar. I loved running my fingers throughthe thick, wavy strands. And his eyes were dreamy, the most incredible spring green pools reflecting his passionate soul.
His touch was almost too much to bear, too perfect and too intimate. I was swept up in a whirlwind of longing that good girls shouldn’t think about. But tonight, I didn’t want to be a good girl. I wanted to feel him, to experience his scalding touch over every inch of my body.
As he slipped his tongue inside, he fisted my hair, holding me in place as if choosing never to let me go. His hold was possessive and comforting, exciting and pushing me closer to the edge of longing.
He rolled his hand down my back, caressing as his hold firmed. I was lost in the beautiful haze, ignoring everything else around me. The taste of him was almost as incredible as his scent. But his aftershave drove me crazy. Musky and woodsy, it was primal in a way that suited him perfectly.
When he pulled his lips away, he let out a deep, throaty moan. “You’re just too beautiful, Dani.”
We were both panting, struggling from the intense rush between us. How many times had it happened before? He sat back, rubbing his hand across his jaw. “Jesus. What are you doing to me, baby?” Groaning, he closed his eyes. His smile held satisfaction while I continued to suffer.
