Page 117 of Make Me Trust Again
A light in the darkness.
But they’re not the only ones.
Here, away from the lights of the town, thousands of little stars shine brightly across the black background, illuminating the night alongside the crescent moon. I thread my arms slowly through the water, keeping my gaze on that immense sky, my mind going through all the possibilities. I can do anything. Beanybody. But am I strong enough to reach for it? Reach for him? But what if he rejects me once again?
Sucking in a breath, I turn around and dive underwater as I swim back to the shore. I cut through the water, pushing myself until my lungs burn with the need to breathe.
As I come to the surface, my body collides with another one. Hands fall on my shoulders to steady me.
I blink my eyes open, my vision blurry as I suck in a sharp breath. My heart does a little flip inside my chest as the person in front of me comes into focus.
“Ch-Chase?”
A shiver runs down my spine as he cups my face, his thumb gently brushing away the strand of hair that’s stuck to my cheek.
He was standing in the water, shirtless, the soft moonlight illuminating his naked chest, the light and shadow casting a glow over the scars crisscrossing over his torso and arms.
He came.
He actually came.
“What—”
“You cut your hair.”
I blink, unsure if I heard him correctly. His gaze is fixed on that strand of shoulder-length hair, rubbing it gently between his fingertips.
“You noticed.”
Chase looks up slowly, his gaze meeting mine with that silent intensity of his that sends a shudder running down my spine. “Was I not supposed to?”
My tongue darts out, sliding over my lower lip. “Nobody ever notices.” The admission slips out, barely a whisper. “Sometimes it feels like you’re the only person who actually sees me.”
Even in the darkness, I can see something flash on Chase’s face. Something I’m not sure how to name. I hold my breath, my words seem to echo in the quiet as that sizzling tensionbetween us grows stronger, buzzing brightly like those fireflies surrounding us. That’s how this thing between us feels—small, just a flicker of light, but enough to cast away the darkness.
Chase’s hold on me tightens. “Rose…”
My name is a low growl, almost like he’s in pain. His eyes drink me in, and I can see the demons fighting in their depths as he watches me. His thumb slides over my cheeks, my jaw, his eyes following every movement as if he’s trying to memorize the lines of my face.
I nibble at my lower lip as his thumb skims over the underside of my mouth. My lip pops out, a soft whimper coming out of me at the barest of touches. He’s standing so close I can see his pupils dilate, and yet, he’s still holding onto that steel control of his.
“I got my divorce papers.”
I hold my breath as my rushed words ring in the air around us. Chase’s body goes completely still. It’s like all the air has been sucked around us as he just stares at me, unmoving. His gaze is locked on mine, observing, waiting.
Nervous, I graze my teeth over my lower lip, waiting for some kind of reaction, but there is nothing—just utter stillness.
Did he not hear? Based on his reaction, it’s highly unlikely. Maybe he changed his mind, and this isn’t what he wants. Me. I’m not what he wants. I can feel the color rise up my neck, and I’m grateful for the darkness so it can hide at least some of my embarrassment.
“It’s over, I?—”
I lower my head.
Or at least I try to, but Chase’s fingers hold me still.
“Fucking finally.”
And then it’s like something inside him snaps. His hand slides to my nape, his other one grabbing my waist and pulling me flush against him as he leans down and captures my mouth.
