Page 19 of Making Haven
Lawrence stands up, putting his stuff back into his bag. “No worries.”
“Do you by chance have a knife on you?” He looks over his shoulder at me, raising his brow. “Just trust me. I’m not planning on shanking you or anything.”
Lawrence’s lips twitch up into an amused smile. He digs into his bag, pulling out a pocket knife and handing it over. I flip it open, turning to the tree beside me. I carefully carve a few words into the bark. I can hear Lawrence moving around, packing up all our shit but I ignore him, wanting to get this right.
“There,” I breathe out, pushing away all the loose bark and shavings out of the way.
Keep Going.
I look up, watching Lawrence read what I’ve written. A whirlwind of emotions play across his face before his blue eyes move back to me. Our eyes meet and my head swims, unable to focus on anything other than how much Iwant him.
“Devin,” he breathes out, something snapping in both of us at the same time, an unspoken understanding. This might not last, but for now, just maybe we can enjoy the time we have together because life is actually precious and too fucking short.
Lawrence reaches for me and I’m about to get to my feet and throw my arms around him, embracing him instead of pushing him away. Only, the sound of rolling thunder makes us both freeze. A few moments pass before the sound of rain hits our ears.
“Fuck,” Lawrence hisses out, putting his bag onto his back. “Can I carry you back? It’ll be faster.”
“Fine. But no funny business.”
“Scout’s honor,” he says with a smirk. I suck in a sharp breath as I’m lifted into the air. Just like that first night Lawrence found me, I wrap myself around his front before he’s running through the forest towards our house. Towards our home.
Could it? Could it actually be my home? It’s probably best I nip this hope in the bud. It’s better to prepare myself for the inevitable time when I find myself leaving all of this behind to wander once more.
“Shit, that’s cold,” I hiss out as the rain starts to hit us. There’s a flash of lightning before thunder booms around us. Is this mother’s nature way of telling me my little epiphany about living was fucked up and I should stay in my lane?
Before I know it, Lawrence is walking into the house I’ve claimed for myself. He sets me down onto my feet. We’re both completely soaked, dripping onto the floor just inside the door. Our eyes meet and I find myself completely frozen, my breath catching in my chest.
“Well,” Lawrence whispers, his eyes never leaving mine, like he’s trying to find something in them. “I should go.”
Without thinking, I reach out and take his wrist. “Wait.”
“Yeah?”
I take a step forward until we’re practically chest to chest. “You should stay.”
“Why?”
My eyes dart between his. My heart is in my throat. Everything inside of me is screaming that this is fucking stupid. I should push him back through the door. I should send him packing to his house. I should get the fuck out of Dodge and never look back before he can hurt me.
I do none of those things.
I lean down and kiss him.
My eyes close as our lips touch. It’s a barely there kiss, the briefest touch of wet lips against each other. Water drips down our faces and I shiver from the cold, but none of that matters. All that matters is that we’re kissing and it feels so right, so fuckinggood. My mind goes blissfully blank.
This is living.
This is real.
No virus can take this away.
I pull back, watching as Lawrence’s eyes flutter. He reaches up, touching his own lips like he can’t believe this is reallyhappening. I wait until his pretty blue eyes meet mine once more.
“That’s why,” I whisper, just barely loud enough for him to hear.
A moment passes and I’m preparing myself for rejection. Instead, Lawrence wraps his hands around the back of my neck, pulling me into another kiss, this one far fiercer than the first. He kisses me like he’s drowning and I’m the only thing keeping his head above water. He kisses with the same desperation I feel clawing inside my chest.
Chapter Ten
