Page 104 of The Hometown Legend

CHAPTER NINETEEN

THENEXTMORNING, he was feeling a mix of emotions over last night’s admissions. He felt wrung out. Lighter in some ways. Angry in others. He scrambled up some eggs in a frying pan over the fire, in preparation for the trek back down, and when she emerged, she looked like she hadn’t slept.

“Good morning,” he said. He was feeling short and grumpy, and he knew it might not even actually be real. Just his stupid brain.

“Good morning.”

She moved over to him, and reached out and took his hand. Then she put her hand on his cheek. Her eyes were searching as she looked at his face. And then she did something completely unexpected. She stretched up on her toes, her fingertips still pressed against his cheekbone, and kissed him.

It was hesitant. Soft. Almost featherlight, and he should’ve let her leave it at that. Should’ve let her pull away, but without even thinking, he wrapped his arm tight around her waist and pulled her body up against his. With his free hand, he gripped her chin and pressed his mouth hard to hers.

He’d said all that to her and she wanted to kiss him. The roar that went through his veins was like a triumph. Like a battle cry. He parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her. She gasped, her hands going to his shoulders as she held on to him tightly.

She wasn’t pulling away.

He kept hold of her face, his other arm tight like a vice.

And he kissed her.

It had been years since he’d kissed anyone.

Years since he’d been touched.

He hadn’t realized how much he missed it. How much he was starving for it.

And it felt right that it was Rory.

Even though he never would’ve said that if he’d been asked weeks ago.

But she wasn’t a kid now.

Not even close.

She made a small noise, and it was like that sound penetrated the fog of arousal rattling around his skull.

He released his hold on her and took a step back, breathing like he had just run a marathon or climbed the damn mountain.

“Oh,” she said.

“Sorry,” he said. “That was probably more than you bargained for. I... I lost control.” He just looked at her beautiful face. How could he not lose control? He couldn’t be himself around her.

Or maybe this was himself now. More of a beast than a man.

Driven by elemental need.

“I’m good,” she said. “I promise. I’m not upset. I...” She took a step toward him and touched his face again. Like he was a spooked horse and she was trying to still him. “I wanted to do that last night. But... I did feel that maybe there was another conversation that had to go with that.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’ve never been kissed before.”

Everything in him went still. “What?”

“I’ve never been kissed before. I had a huge crush on you, and then I was shamed for it. Then my dad left and devastated my mother, confirming for me that men were maybe trash. Then I tried to get a kiss in college, and I was just humiliated. So I have a very bad track record, and I kind of gave up. But that was why it was on my list. It wasn’t just about getting a kiss in front of people. It was about actually getting a kiss finally. And not being traumatized by my past. Not carrying that forward with me into my new life.”

“Rory...”

“I’m a virgin, obviously. I would like to not be. Before I leave. I...”

---