Page 29 of Unravel Me

Reid hesitates but then leans in to give Sawyer a half man-hug thing. The two are obviously close. Fucking figures, huh? Here I was thinking the universe had given me a friend in AR who didn’t know me previously. Of course he’s best friends with the one man I wanted to hide from. Thank you, Universe, you evil bitch.

I follow Sawyer into his house, too tired to even pay attention to the space or how he lives. The adrenaline has worn off and numbness settles in its place.

“You’re in here.” Sawyer opens up a set of French doors into a huge bedroom on the main floor. I take a hesitant step into the room and am consumed by the smell of cedar and what I’m now sure is maple. The same smell I inhaled while he held me at my parents’ house. It’s all him. I turn to face where he’s leaning against the door frame, running his hand back and forth across his short beard.

“This is your room,” I deadpan.

“Smart girl.”

“Funny. I can’t take your room, Sawyer.”

“You can and you will. There isn’t anywhere else you belong. At least for tonight.”

My shoulders sag in defeat. Not having any more energy to fight him on it, resigned, I turn back to the room and take it all in. A king-size sleigh bed in rich cherry wood sits in the center with a dark gray blanket and crisp white sheets covering it. Matching bedside tables sit on either side and a large window gives a beautiful view of the night sky.

I hear the click as Sawyer shuts the door behind him, leaving me to myself.

Noting that I didn’t actually pack a bag like he told me to, I help myself to a shirt from his dresser. I strip down to my panties and decide to lose the bra as well. I put on Sawyer’s shirt, climb into his enormous bed, and curl up on my side. Fuck nighttime routine, I just need to sleep this day away. I lay my head against his pillow and pull the blankets up past my shoulders. The smell of him engulfs my senses. He smells more like a man now, but he’s still all him. I close my eyes and am flooded with memories.

Sitting on a log at Grace Beach watching the flames in the bonfire, Sawyer grabs my hand and pulls me to stand. “C’mon. Follow me.”

I tighten my fingers around his and let him lead me from our senior class to the other end of the beach where his truck is parked. He pulls open the tailgate and I smile at the sight. He’s filled the bed of his truck with blankets and pillows. He lifts me around the waist and sets me inside before climbing up and joining me, pulling the tailgate closed behind him. We lay down next to each other and stare up at the dark sky filled with stars, our hands clasped tightly between us.

“Oh my god, Sawyer! Did you see it? I just saw a shooting star!”

“Better make a wish.”

I close my eyes and wish for the first thing that comes to mind.

That this boy will love me forever.

I roll to my side to gaze at his gorgeous face.

“What’d you wish for?”

“I can’t tell you or it won’t come true! You know the rules of wishing.”

“I keep all your secrets. Tell me.”

He brushes my hair from my face before yanking me by the waist closer to him.

“Tell me, Ivy.”

“I wished that you would never stop loving me. That you’d love me forever.”

His face lights up with the biggest smile.

“Easy, baby. Wish granted.”

He leans in and takes my mouth with his before pushing me onto my back and laying his body on top of mine. My legs fall open to make room for him. Our kissing heats up quickly and as clothes are removed and our bodies join each other, he tells me.Through every moment we’re with each other, under the stars at my favorite place in the world, he tells me. With every touch, every kiss, and every word.

“I love you.”

I wake up alone in Sawyer’s bed, my heart heavy and a knot in my stomach. It’s pitch black outside his bedroom window, but I don’t care to check the time. I know I need to talk with him, but the thought makes me want to stay huddled in his bed and hide under the warm blankets. So much has changed since we last saw each other and it terrifies me to face him. Will he understand why I had to disappear? Knowing that I’ve done enough damage by running and that avoiding the inevitable is only going to make things worse, I leave the comfort of his bed and the safety of his bedroom. I walk aimlessly through his dark, quiet house, the wood floor cool under my feet, until I see a flickering light from a small fire through a set of large windows at the back of the living room. My emotions are all over the place. I just hope I can find the strength to say what I need to say and that he’ll be willing to hear me out. I give the glass a gentle knock before sliding open the door and stepping out. He’s sitting on a long, plush patio couch, a glass of bourbon in his hand, watching the fire.

“Can I join you?”

“Of course you can. You don’t have to ask.” His voice is calm and my nerves settle slightly. I take a seat on the far side of the couch and watch the little embers float away from the fire into the night.

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