Page 43 of Riverside Reverie

“Yeah, the Perseid meteor shower. It’s caused by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, last seen in 1992. It takes one-hundred and thirty-three years for the comet to orbit the sun, so it won’t be seen again until 2125, but this meteor show is pretty reliable each year. It’s a good, clear night for it.” I replied, looking up at the sky for a beat.

We paddled to the point we could see only from the top furthest point of the cliffy rocks of our campsite, then continued paddling around the bend until our campsite was out of view and we’d reached another rocky point.

“We won’t go too far tonight, but this is one of my favourite spots on the river. We’ll have the best view,” I said, grabbing the rope and tying the boat off to a branch of a tree that grew out from the rocky point. I climbed out and held the canoe steady with one hand, offering my other to help Lux climb out.

Once she was out, I grabbed the blanket, water bottles, and the flashlight, taking her hand in mind and leading her up the pathway to the top of the cliff. This cliff was at a higher altitude than the cliff at our campground, and it felt like we were closer to the sky.

We reached the top and Lux exhaled, taking in the view over the cliff. She peered into the distance, squinting to see better. “I think I can see the cliff at our site,” she pointed with her free hand.

“Yup, you can.” I spread out the blanket and put the water bottles beside it, before laying down on my back. “Gonna join me?” I asked, shooting a daring grin as I looked up at her.

Lux smiled back, settling on the blanket. She cozied up beside me and let out a sigh of contentment, her eyes on the sky above us.

“It’s so beautiful,” she murmured, still in awe. “I can’t believe I’ve never done this before.”

“Done what? Stargaze?”

She nodded, her head moving against my arm.

“Well, you’ve done it two nights in a row now.”

“Yeah, thanks to you,” she giggled. “I’ve been spending more time outside than I have in the last six years combined.”

“So, what kept you from it?” I asked, curious.

Lux lifted her shoulder in a delicate shrug. “I don’t know. Like I said, my family was never really big on nature, and I guess that wore off on me. I never really took the time to appreciate the stars before. I knew they were there, obviously, but I never really stopped to look at them. I was so focused on school…” she frowned.

“It’s okay to be focused on something, Lux. Look at what you have to show for it,” I told her. “According to Jas, you graduated top of your class with some killer references. That’s going to land you a great job in your field.”

“I know, I wish I’d…I don’t know, let myself experience things a little more. I let my focus keep me from appreciating the moment, you know?” she said, lost in thought, her eyes still on the expansive sky above us. “I look at Jasmine, and I can’t help but feel a little disappointed in myself. She has this zest for life, and all these amazing memories of college that go far beyond getting good grades. She’s had all these incredible adventures and made a bunch of awesome friends.”

“Yeah, we are pretty awesome,” I grinned.

She laughed, turning her head to look at me.

“It’s not too late for you to make new friends or have your own adventures, you know.”

“You’re right,” she said softly, her gaze dropping down to my lips. Something about the pull in her eyes had me moving closer, desperate for another taste of her.

I kissed her the way I’d wanted to kiss her all day long, my lips moving over hers. Soft and searching at first, then we both gave into our hunger. She tugged on my bottom lip gently with her teeth, rolling her tongue over it to soothe it.

A low growl rumbled deep in my throat, my hand coming up to frame the side of her face as I matched her passion with mine. She tasted like the crisp air after a rainstorm; like apples and cider and everything I didn’t know I hungered for.

Lux’s hand went to my abdomen, resting against the waistband of my sweatpants. She slipped her fingers under my sweater, resting them against my abdomen, her fingertips pressing against my skin. She kept toying with the skin and trail of hair above my waistband, never quite crossing that boundary, but teasing the shit out of me.

I was as hard as the rock beneath us in a matter of seconds, my erection straining against my pants, searching for relief—searching for her. I shifted my body, moving so that I was half on top of her. “This okay?” I asked, pausing long enough for her to nod her assent before my lips found hers again.

We made out, our lips and tongues moving together in erotic harmony. Lux’s hands tugged at my sweater, pulling me more on her. I laughed against her mouth, breaking the kiss again to speak. I lifted my head. “I don’t want to crush you,” I warned her.

“What if I want you to crush me?” she grinned. I took a moment to really look at her. At her pinkish cheeks, at the desire flickering in her irises. The moonlight made her glow with an ethereal quality.

I went to kiss her again, but she let out a gasp, her eyes widening as she looked beyond me at the sky. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed with astonishment, her hands fisting in my sweater.

I turned my head, following her gaze, catching the beautiful meteor shower that had captured her attention.

“It’s starting,” I said as I rolled off her, bringing her closer to me so we could both watch the incandescent show.

“I’ve never seen anything so miraculous,” Lux exclaimed, taking it all in.

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