Page 89 of Worth the Trouble

I shake my head and grab the bag off the back of my bike, throwing it over my shoulder before taking her hand. “You’ll see.”

The girl cannot stand a surprise. It’s clear she’s used to living on a schedule because she always has to know where we’re going, what we’re doing, who will be there, and what we’re eating.

Too bad her need for routine only makes it that much more fun for me to tear it all up.

Lili slides her fingers through mine and clings tight as I lead her down the path.

Noah told me about this place. It’s only a short hike, but at the end of the trail is a nice little meadow. I don’t really give a shit about nature, but it sounded like something Lili would like. And I’m such a punk when it comes to the opportunity to make her smile.

We walk in silence most of the way, and it takes about fifteen minutes. I can’t remember the last time I’ve sat in my own head that long and not been fucked up on something. But in the silence of the forest, I realize it’s not actually quiet at all. Birds, animals, even the sunbeams seem to be making noise.

Something in the universe is out there trying to talk to me.

Making a final turn on the path, the trees start to thin, and we’re met with a large open space. It’s pretty, I’ll give Noah that, but I still don’t really get it.

What I do like is seeing Lili’s eyes widen at the sight. Her gaze moves from the open space up to the sky above. With her head tipped back, elongating her neck, she closes her eyes. She takes in a deep breath, and I wonder what it’s like to feel a breath like that. An inhale that draws life in.

“It’s beautiful out here.” She opens her eyes and looks up at me.

“That it is.” But I’m not looking at the forest.

I’m looking at her.

She’s bundled in a pale green sweater on this cool fall day. Her jeans hug her legs, and everything about her looks perfect and comfortable. Once more, she’s pulled her hair up into a ponytail. But unlike at the bar last night, it’s messy and loose, leaving a few strands falling around her face.

Without makeup, her lips are still deep red, and I wonder if it’s fair for her to be this alluring in such a fucked-up universe. Pretty, gentle things don’t usually stand a chance. But that’s what she is, everything beautiful that comes from pain. The spot where lightning struck sand, and instead of decimating her, she formed into a lovely pillar of glass.

Something everyone wants a piece of. Including me.

“You’re staring at me.” Lili cracks a smile. Soft, gentle, barely there. Innocence leaking from her cool exterior.

“I am.”

There’s no point arguing. I don’t care about the grass, the flowers, or the leaves. She’s the only beauty worth looking at out here.

I’m a pussy-whipped punk. It’s official.

“Come on.” I grab her hand and lead her further into the open space until we reach a flat patch of earth.

Opening the bag I’ve had slung over my shoulder, I pull out a blanket and lay it down so we can sit. Then I dig into the bottom for some food.

“You packed a picnic?” Her eyebrows pinch.

I shrug. “It’s just a little food.”

“It’s a picnic.” She laughs, but her eyes are bright and excited. “Who are you and what have you done with Rome?”

“I think the correct question is…” I lean in and wrap my hand around the back of her neck, bringing my lips a fraction away from hers. “What haveyoudone with Rome?”

We’re so close, our lips brush when she smiles. Our teeth almost clink when I lean in. Her breath is my air, and I need it like my own fucking heartbeat.

Lili tips her chin up and kisses me, sliding her hand onto my thigh as she does. Her sweet lips plant themselves on mine, and I lose all thought. Birds dance in the trees and it feels a little like the fairytales I never bothered myself with.

If that’s the case, Lili’s the princess in the tower, and I’m the villain who isn’t allowed to keep her. Who definitely isn’t allowed to taste her.

But she tastes likemine.

When she pulls back, her fingers curl on my leg like she’s trying to hold on the same way I am, and we blink at each other for a minute, absorbing whatever this is. If only it didn’t all feel fleeting as she shifts her body and turns her focus to the meadow around us.

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