Page 53 of In the Dust

He looks down, almost not wanting to say it. “How could I forget? It was the day I fell in love with you.”

Butterflies dance around my stomach. “We were little kids,” I tell him. Back then, his only worries were getting worms from the dirt.

He kisses my forehead. “I knew then like I know now.” He looks into my eyes. “I’ve always known it was you, Dix.”

“I feel the same way,” I tell him.

His eyes roam my face, and he opens his mouth a few times to speak. “Did you?” He stops himself. “I don’t know why I’m asking this. Of course you did.”

“Did I what?” I sit up, and he does too.

“Been with anyone else?” he finally asks, tipping his head back. “I know it's not fair of me to ask.”

I blush, turning my face to let my damp hair blanket my reddened cheeks. He scoops the obstruction out of the way, laying it against my back. “Only you.” I smile, recalling our first time.

We had promised each other that we would never let another come between us, that this was it. Even though that’s part of why I left, I still held true to it.

He heaves a sigh of relief, but I can’t do the same. “I don’t even want to ask you that.”

“Ask,” he encourages.

A nervous laugh escapes me. “No, I don’t wanna know.”

Sheepishly, he grins. “I’m not going to act like I’m some saint. I’ve been with plenty of women, Dix.” He looks away. “But you were gone, and I was alone and searching for something to replace the hole in my chest.”

I raise my hand, not wanting to hear anymore. “I get it, Colton. I really don’t wanna know. You don’t owe me any confessions.”

He takes my hand and kisses it. “Only you,” he repeats our promise.

A laugh escapes me. “Liar.”

“I’m not.” I look into his big blue eyes, searching for the truth. “I promise you, Dix, you were it for me too.” He shrugs, so calm and collected. “I knew in my heart, deep down, that you would always come back.”

“You’ve been with every girl in town.” I’m skeptical.

“Yeah, I’m not gonna lie, but I never let it get that far.”

He never wanted to allow someone to get that close again; he never wanted to feel the hurt I caused. “I’m sorry you never let anyone get that close again.”

“Dixie, baby.” Colton pulls me in close. “I couldn’t, and that’s not your fault. What we have is something special.” He kisses my forehead. “What’s the point in looking when you’ve already found your heaven?”

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