Page 64 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

Flicking through the pages, I caught the word kiss and my thoughts paused. Of course, I had watched Josh kiss a girl in all three movies the girls had made me watch, but knowing he was planning on leaving here—leaving me—to go make this movie and kiss another girl, caused a spark of jealousy to flare inside me. I took a moment to wonder why that was. Was it because I wanted him to be mine forever, or was it purely because I was sad things had to end and some other girl was going to get to kiss him when I wasn’t?

Pushing it all away before I got too depressed, I gave him a happy smile. “So, who else is in this movie?”

“Faron West and Hannah Bryant.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know why I asked. It’s not like one night of watching a bunch of movies is going to make me suddenly know who you’re talking about.”

Slowly, he took the script from me and placed it back on the table. Shifting on the sofa, he turned his full, intense attention on me before gently tucking my hair behind my ears. “It’s not important anyway. They’re just people. Like me. What do you want to do today?”

I pursed my lips as though I was thinking hard before nodding. “I could teach you some ninja moves?” I said, a grin pulling at the corner of my mouth. “Or I could help you improve your Mario Kart game?”

“Ohhh,” he said, his smile turning into a warning. “I can’t believe you just went there. Now you’re just asking for trouble.”

Pulling out my cell phone, I flipped the camera open. “Hold on, just let me document the moment you beg me for help.” Holding the phone up in selfie mode, I aimed, teasing. Then I remembered he was a celebrity and our time together was a secret and I probably shouldn’t be trying to document it in any way.

Lowering the phone, I went to apologize, but Josh snatched it out of my hands with a roll of his eyes. “You’re the worst documenter ever. Let me.”

Then he held it up and started taking a burst of pictures, pulling me closer, pressing his cheek to mine, making me laugh, then finally, kissing me smack on the lips. It started playful and fun for the camera, but as the kiss grew deeper, the sound of picture taking stopped, and I heard my phone being placed on the table. Before I could think of what was happening next, both his arms wound around me, and I found myself being pulled forward, until Josh was lying flat across the sofa and I was on top of him.

By the time he broke the kiss, I was breathless and wanting more, as usual, but he just smiled and looked up at me through his thick, dark lashes. “Mmm, you taste like strawberries.”

It was the last thing I’d expected him to say in that moment, so all I could do was throw my head back and laugh.

Digging his fingers back into my hair, he inhaled. “Let me taste you again. I’m addicted. I need my fix.”

But before he could bring me down to him and claim my mouth for his own, a beautiful butterfly with vibrant blue wings fluttered between us, dancing in the air around our heads, circling and sailing.

“Huh, would you look at that,” Josh said, his eyes dancing with the butterfly’s movements.

I smiled, my own gaze following her majestic movements. “You know, the people of Gulu believe butterflies are a symbol of good luck. They think if you see one, they bring transformation and joy into your life and a message to let you know you’re on the right path. They think its dance reflects our need for movement from where we are, to our next phase of being.”

Josh watched the butterfly with a peaceful glaze to his eyes. “Like a metamorphosis. I like that. Does that mean you’re going to grow your wings soon?” he asked, his gaze finding mine. “Where are you going to fly to, my little butterfly?”

The look in his eyes told me it could be as high as I could possibly dream. And in this moment, I believed it.

Chapter 38

Josh

As much as I’d been trying to avoid thinking about the day my summer vacation would end, it didn’t stop the time from flying by at an alarming pace. Now, as I sat curled up on the couch in the living room, Liv tucked perfectly into my arms, I had to face the fact that, first thing in the morning, I would be leaving. I didn’t like it.

I knew Liv wasn’t paying attention to the movie. No one was, really. Everyone knew what was coming, and the whole house felt like it was holding its breath.

During the week, Liv and I had talked a lot about what was to come. I’d been trying to let her know I’d like to keep in touch with her if she’d allow it. It probably would’ve been kinder for me to just let her go, but I’d established what kind of a person I was a number of weeks ago now, and it wasn’t selfless. Not that it mattered, anyway. Whenever I brought up the prospect of staying in touch, she seemed to avoid answering me in one way or another. I wasn’t sure what that meant. I hoped it wasn’t that she didn’t want to. I wasn’t sure what I would do with that.

Leaning forward, I whispered in her ear. “Stay with me tonight.”

It was silly of me to ask. We were leaving before the sun came up, but I needed to have her with me as long as I could.

Her gaze met mine, emotions swirling in their depths, making my heart feel heavy. She’d been like this all day, and it was hard for me to see, mostly because I knew it was my fault. She didn’t say anything in response. She just gave me a little nod, her gaze staying on mine instead of returning to the movie.

Sighing, I shifted, pushing her up to sit before standing and drawing her up with me. Taking her han

d, I met Corey’s gaze over her shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

Sympathy oozed from his every pore. “Night, Liv.”

“Bye, Liv,” Cain said, voicing what we’d all been avoiding.

---