Page 36 of Turret

“It’s because…oh, you know why.” A rather adorable crimson blush stained his cheeks.

“Please share it with me all the same.” Though I suspected his reason, I needed to hear him say it.

He released a heavy sigh. “As much as I want to say the words, I’m afraid speaking them out loud will make it more difficult to do the right thing. You know…how I feel about you, dear Gemma.”

“So love is what imprisoned you with me?”

He smiled. “That’s not how I see it: love made it so nothing could keep me from remaining by your side to ensure your happiness in any way possible. It was a choice, not a prison, that kept me here.”

My relief caused my shoulders to curl in on myself. He frowned.

“Has this worry haunted you all these years?”

I nodded. “It only grew the more you brought up your desires for me to leave.”

“My wishes were only for you,” he insisted. “Please believe me when I assure you that everything I’ve ever done is on your behalf.”

I did, for trusting him was as easy as loving him.

The reverence of the moment enfolded us and seemed to lend him bravery, for his fingers went to my hair, almost hypnotically. He tugged a few of my pins loose and my long hair and it tumbled down my back before catching in the gentle breeze.

I held my breath as Quinn played with my hair with a look as if nothing had ever fascinated him more. “You’re hair is so beautiful. Too bad it’s not longer. Then we could use it to climb down the turret wall and escape.” His lips curved up in amusement at the thought.

“Now that the force field has faded, we could always use bedsheets instead,” I teased.

For a moment he looked wistful, as if seriously considering the idea…but it didn’t last long. “It’s too dangerous. I could never risk you doing something so reckless when I’m charged with your protection.”

The thought of climbing down the turret was admittedly terrifying, but the feelings faded away at Quinn’s continued attentions playing with my hair.

The moment between us deepened, so different than any I’d ever experienced before, one beyond the friendship, loyalty, and devotion that already existed between us. These feelings gave me the courage to graze his cheek with my fingertips in order to satisfy my need to more deeply explore what was happening between us.

“I know you want to give me happiness, which makes it difficult to understand why you insist on staying away.”

He lowered his hand from my hair, leaving me yearning for his touch to return. “We’ve already discussed this. Staying away is the only way for me to give to you.”

“I want to give to you too, to live a life with you. No matter how impossible you believe such a future to be, my desires will never change, nor will I ever give up. I will wait however long you need until you finally believe me.”

He looked both awed and frightened by the prospect before he managed a weak smile. “I knew you had the strength to fight for what you want. I’ve spent too many years watching you trapped by your beliefs about yourself. You fighting them now gives me hope that you finally realize you deserve happiness. That’s all I want for you.”

I rested my hand over his, and after a moment’s hesitation he flipped his hand over to stroke my palm with his fingers. My breath hooked at the contact and I gave him a questioning look, for as much as I welcomed him touching me, I hadn’t expected him to breach the rigid boundaries he’d set between us. He blinked down at his hand in surprise, as if only now realizing what he was doing, but to my relief, he didn’t cease his tantalizing touch.

So far this scene was playing out just as the tower had imagined—our hands laced together as we sat side by side overlooking the unfolding view from the turret roof. Only one piece was missing. As much as I desired to bridge the distance between us, I felt shy, unsure whether Quinn would allow it. But the tower’s silent urging reminded me to be brave; the fact I was sitting on the rooftop only confirmed I already possessed the courage I needed.

With a wavering breath, I scooted myself closer to Quinn and rested my head on his shoulder. He stiffened at first before releasing a contented sigh as his arm looped around my waist to pull me closer. Encouraged, I nestled my head more cozily against him.

He rested his head against mine with another sigh. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Don’t ruin it for me,” I pleaded.

Thankfully that silenced him, and in this position we sat, staring out across the forest the tower had returned us to after its show. But it appeared it wasn’t entirely finished with its performance and had one final surprise: fireworks lit the sky, a beauty which I’d never before seen.

“Oh…” I breathed in wonder as I marveled at the artistic patterns and colors, the perfect conclusion to the most magical night I’d ever experienced.

The fireworks lit Quinn’s expression, allowing me to bask in the smoldering intensity of his gaze and admire his handsome features, ones I longed to explore with my fingertips.

He was so close, enough for me to easily lean up to close the last remaining distance between us. Longing filled his eyes as they flickered down to my lips, revealing his own sweet desires that, like mine, seemed to have only grown from the reverence of such a moment. Rather than being trapped within the walls we surrounded ourselves with, in this moment we were creating our own story…and I knew exactly how I wanted it to end.

This desire lent me the courage to caress his cheek and lean up. At first he remained still, giving me hope that he’d allow what I most wanted. But at the last moment he pulled back with a groan, not completely but just enough for my hand to fall limply to my side.

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