Page 45 of From the Wreckage
The Fourthof July sun is hot on my shoulders, the air thick with the smell of grilled burgers, hot dogs, and lake water. Dad is in his element, flipping food on the grill while Tom and Anita chatter beside him. I smile when I should, laugh when I’m supposed to.
But none of it holds my attention. Not when Everett is here.
He leans back in a chair at the edge of the deck, dark shades hiding his eyes, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers like he hasn’t got a care in the world.
But I know better.
Every time Dad looks away, those hidden eyes are on me. And when I catch him, his mouth tips into that secretive grin that makes my pulse race faster than the fireworks waiting to explode tonight. Every glance feels like a dare. Every secret smile like gasoline poured over an open flame.
I can barely eat, too keyed up from the stolen texts slipping between us whenever no one’s paying attention.
My body hums with anticipation, every nerve tuned to the need to be alone with him.
By the time night falls,the whole town gathers in the park. Kids run wild with sparklers, their laughter threading through the hum of conversations. I sit on a blanket beside Dad, but my awareness is on Everett sitting just behind me. One slight lean and my shoulder blades would brush his knee.
He shifts closer to me a heartbeat before the first firework cracks across the sky. Red blooms against the darkness, drawing gasps from the crowd.
But Everett isn’t watching the fireworks. He’s watching me.
Each burst of color flashes across his profile when I risk a glance. The entire town is staring at the sky, and he’s staring at me like I’m the only thing worth seeing.
My chest tightens. I can barely breathe.
When the finale fades and the night falls still again, I lean into Dad and kiss his cheek. “I’m going to spend the night at Meghan’s. She’s on her way to pick me up.”
He hugs me tight. “Have fun, kiddo. Be safe.”
“Always.”
I walk toward the edge of the park, my pulse racing and my skin buzzing like I’ve just gotten away with something unforgivable. When I glance back, Everett gives me the barest nod. A silent promise that nearly buckles my knees.
The road isquiet when I reach our meeting spot, the air alive with the faint echo of fireworks from towns farther away. A pair of headlights rounds the curve, and my heart leaps.
Everett’s truck pulls up beside me. The tension between us snaps taut the instant I slide into the passenger seat and close the door. For a beat, we just stare at each other.
“Angel,” he rasps, his voice low and wrecked. “You sure about this?”
My answer is a whisper, but it carries every truth I’ve been holding back. “Yes.”
That’s all it takes. His hand cups the back of my neck, dragging me into a kiss that leaves me breathless, claimed, and completely undone.
The drive is a blur of stolen glances and my pounding heartbeat until he pulls into his driveway and cuts the engine. The steady tick of his engine replaces the roar of my pulse.
When he opens my door, his hand finds mine. That single touch steadies me more than anything else ever has.
The second thedoor shuts behind us, our restraint snaps, and we collide. His mouth crashes onto mine, his hands spanning my hips as he pins me to the wall. Every stolen glance, every whispered word, every secret text, it all erupts now, wild and unstoppable.
“Everett,” I gasp when he finally ends the kiss so we can breathe, his forehead pressed to mine.
“Angel,” he rasps, his voice frayed. “Tell me you want this. Tell me I’m not alone in this.”
“You’re not.” I fist his shirt, my voice shaking with certainty. “I want you. Only you.”
He groans, the sound raw, guttural. “You can tell me to stop at any time. But if you don’t, I’ll ruin you for any other man.”
“Then ruin me, Everett.”
He lifts me, carrying me to his bed, laying me down like I’m made of glass. His hands tremble as they skim my body, tugging at my shirt, sliding it over my head. My shoes and pants follow.
