Page 65 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

Liv tensed, but she smiled just the same. It was a watered-down version of her normal smile, but it was more than I’d been expecting. “Bye, guys. See you in the morning.”

Amy stood and came over to draw Liv into a hug. “In case I miss you in the morning,” she said. “It was nice meeting you. Hopefully we’ll see you again one day.”

Giving Liv’s hand a quick squeeze, I pulled her away and led her up the stairs to my room, needing to have her to myself. Closing the door and turning the lights down low, I stopped in front of her and placed my fingers under her chin, tilting her face so I could see her clearer. “Are you okay?”

Her brow twitched with passing emotions before she inhaled. “I hate goodbyes.”

“I know.” And I did. She’d spoken of her dislike for them before, talking about the ones she’d had to make when she moved to Africa, and then again when she’d had to move back. This was why I’d decided to ask her to stay. We could say our goodbyes while we lay in the dark, holding each other. And then I could save her the pain and slip out before she woke. I just hoped she didn’t hate me for it.

Sliding the straps of her dress off her shoulders, I let it fall down her body until it pooled around her feet on the floor. Then, with gentle, slow movements, I moved my hands over her hips, drawing them around her waist and up her back, until I reached the clasp on her bra and flicked it open.

Liv’s breath deepened, her gaze watching me through hooded eyes. With careful hands, I slipped the straps of her bra down her arms, my fingers skimming over her soft skin with the most gentlest of touches. When her bra hit the floor, I slid one hand over her hip, and the other over the side of her neck, my fingers lacing through her hair at the back of her head, catching the weight as she tilted it back, exposing her neck to me, tempting.

I needed to be careful. This wasn’t the time to let myself lose control. Lowering my mouth to her neck, I breathed over her skin, inhaling her scent until it filled my senses, then I softly brushed my lips over the little spot I knew she loved, just below her ear. I gauged the level of intimacy by her body’s reactions, trying to find the right balance to not let things get too heavy.

Brushing kisses along her jaw, I hovered over her mouth, taking the time to remind myself to keep things sweet. “Come to bed,” I murmured. “I need to hold you.”

“Josh,” she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

I pulled back to ask her why, just as the first tear ran down her cheek. Drawing my thumb over her cheekbone, I kissed the path her tear had left. “Don’t be, beautiful. Come on.”

Moving her to the bed, I pulled back the covers and waited for her to climb in, then I stripped down to my boxers and climbed in after her. My bags had already been packed, and were out of sight in the garage, so I didn’t have anything to worry about other than this. I just wanted to be in this moment. Right here. Right now.

Dragging the covers back over us, I rolled onto my side and pulled her into me, tangling our legs together.

“Josh?” she said against my neck. Her voice was only the slightest bit unsteady.

“Yes, beautiful?”

“Thank you for spending this time with me,” she said softly. “I know you didn’t have to, and I know it must’ve taken a lot of trust for you to do it, so I wanted to let you know how happy I am that you took the time to get to know me.”

I squeezed her to me. She had no fucking idea at all. It may have taken a little trust on my part, but what she gave me was so much greater. She had given me my life back. Even if it was only for a little while. That was something I could never repay, and it was something I would never forget.

“Liv? Baby?” I said, running my fingers through her hair. “You’ve got it so wrong. So very wrong. Getting to know you—spending time with you? That was no sacrifice, beautiful. Meeting you here, on this beach, is something I’ll be forever grateful for. You’re my dream, Liv. You’re everything I didn’t know I wanted.”

I’d never spoken truer words. She really did make my dreams come to life, and I knew without a doubt that that’s where she would live the second I left. She would always be my dream.

Her breath hitched, causing my chest to tighten. It was the worst sound to me. I never wanted to hear it again. Kissing her forehead, I pulled her closer still. “Don’t cry, beautiful. Please don’t cry.”

She breathed deep, the sound shaky, but she pressed her lips to my chest and kissed me slowly. “Goodbye, Josh,” she whispered.

I was sure if I listened hard enough, I would’ve heard my heart crack.

Dream or no dream, I was officially broken.

Chapter 39

Olivia

The second I woke, my eyes flashed open with a dread that was borderline panic. It took less than a couple of seconds more for me to search the room in the soft light of the dawn and discover my distress was warranted. He was gone, and I was alone.

Emptiness spread through me as I sat, clutching the sheet to my chest. The silence cut me like a knife. With a heaviness in my heart, I looked around, searching for any signs that told me Josh had ever been here. Other than the slight lingering scent of his cologne, there was nothing. Just places that incited bittersweet memories from my soul.

Even though I knew there was a possibility he wouldn’t wake me when he left, I still wasn’t prepared for the emptiness I felt inside from his absence. I honestly didn’t think there was anything I could’ve done to prepare myself for that. It was a feeling I hadn’t experienced before, and it was so much more consuming than I ever thought it could be.

So, this was it. The end had finally come. It was an odd feeling, to spend so much time with someone, and then have it end so suddenly. I could see why some people equated break-ups with mourning. In a way, it was like a death. The death of a time when things were seemingly perfect.

I could also see how people reached out to those who’d left them behind, seeking the connection that had once been there as a comfort. Josh had hinted at me more than once that he would’ve liked to keep in touch when our summer was over, but something always told me to wait. That maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. Now, if I was to be honest with myself, I wasn’t sure my heart could handle it.

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