Page 3 of Waiting For Fate

I tighten my grip around her, lifting her feet just barely off the ground, hurrying past the loud noises and masked men. When we’re finally at a clearing with no one else around, I place her feet back on the ground and our eyes lock, making it hard to catch my breath. Her nails are still digging into the skin around my ribs and her bright green eyes are locked on mine with panic and adrenaline still dancing behind them wildly. The scent of warm vanilla wafts around me as she turns her head to take in our surroundings. I close my eyes and breathe her in, feeling time slow down around us.

Why is this happening? Why now?

Time catches back up to me when she turns around and I do my best to ignore the tension in the air.

“Don’t worry, Dove. You know I’ve got you.” I squeeze her arms gently and she nods vehemently, backing out of my embrace.

“Let’s get out of here.” I can’t help but laugh when she swats her angel wings out of the way to hide behind my left arm, keeping a death grip on me until we’re safely out of the maze and I hate it when she finally lets go.

The only thing on my mind the whole ride to the McCallum’s land was Leah. The way she felt against me, her nails in my skin, the way she smells, the way I loved hearing her scream my name. I never thought someone’s world could change in one night, but in one simple moment, mine has. The girls file out of my truck and run straight over to the drink table, filling their cups before yelling “Cheers!” and tipping them back.

They all ease into the night—talking with their classmates, playing corn hole and beer pong—while I give myself some distance and time to think. In an effort to talk myself out of seeing Leah as anything more than a friend, I find myself doing just the opposite, and when they start dancing around the fire, I can’t take my eyes off of her. The light from the flames illuminate around her like the angel that she is, making everyone else fade away.

So pure, sweet, and innocent. My Dove.

Only she isn’t mine. Not in the ways I want her to be.

So why can’t I think of anything other than having her in my arms again, or having my name fall from her perfect lips.

“What the actual fuck are you doing?” Taylor’s voice tears me from my thoughts, making my heart beat even more erratically than it was before.

“Shit, Taylor. You can’t just sneak up on someone like that.” I warn, checking my surroundings and trying to slow my heart rate.

“If I’m following your gaze correctly, you’re staring really intensely at the wrong person.” She leans in trying to follow my line of sight.

“And who might that be?” I level her with a glare.

There’s no way she could tell who I was staring at.

“Um, Leah. Duh.”

Shit. Maybe she could.

My jaw flexes and my gaze settles on her once again when Taylor says her name. The smile on her face as she laughs with Shane, and the way she swings her hips back and forth to the music has me lost in thought all over again.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Sawyer? You can’t.” Her voice is pitchy and aggravated, but she doesn’t specify what exactly it is I can’t do. Though I’m assuming she means literally anything.

“Why not?”

Not the question I meant to ask, but okay.

“She’s one of my best friends, Sawyer. And she’s one of yours too. If you do something or start something with her that doesn’t work out, you’ll lose her. And since you’re my brother, I’ll lose her too. And I will ne-ver forgive you if you cause me to lose one of my best friends just because you’re thinking with your boy dick.” She wags her index finger at me and pins me with a stare that travels straight to my soul.

“We’re just friends, Tot. So just…chill out. Okay?” My jaw ticks as I try to convince her and myself that it’s the truth.

“Really, Moose? Cause friends don’t look at friends the way you were just looking at Leah.” When she walks away, I look back in an effort to find Leah, but she’s no longer dancing in the same spot. Instead, she’s standing awfully close to Justin McCallum and every bone in my body is telling me to go snatch her up and keep her by my side the rest of the night.

Holy shit, am I actually jealous right now?

When she looks my way and smiles, I fear Taylor might have been right. Because I’m definitely not looking at her as a friend right now.

“Fuck,” I mutter to myself. Closing my eyes I try to contemplate what the hell I’m going to do about this newfound fascination I have with my sister’s best friend.

My best friend.

“Hey, Moose!” I know it’s her before I even open my eyes, but when I do I feel my heart skip a beat. Her long brown hair swooshes back and forth as she spins to stand next to me, sending her vanilla scent soaring through the air again. “We’re all going to Flapjack’s tomorrow morning to cure the inevitable hangovers that are to be had, you’re coming too.” It’s a statement more than it is a question, and I feel an odd sense of pride knowing she wants me there.

“Yes ma’am.” I chuckle, saluting her. She rolls her eyes and laughs before grabbing my hand.

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