Page 86 of Fall to Me
Rolling her eyes, she laughs and takes the bags off the back, emptying them onto the ground before getting back on the four-wheeler. We take off again, heading in the opposite direction of the house.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” she calls over her shoulder and presses on the gas.
I cling to her as she drives faster than I feel comfortable with, the sound of her laughter flying behind us. We splash through mud, and trees blur as we pass them by at top speed. Finally, we come up to a huge pond in the middle of nowhere, and she hops off with the blanket in hand. River walks to the dock with mefollowing behind her and sits down. I scoot in beside her, taking the blanket from her hands and wrapping it around us. Holding her close in my arms, I whisper into her ear. “Tell me one thing about you that I don’t know.”
She hesitates for a few minutes, looking off into the distance. “I’m a little superstitious. What about you?”
“I’m scared to fail.”
We sit in silence, and the peaceful calm of being in the middle of nowhere washes over me. “I love it out here.”
Her head tilts, and she kisses my jaw. “Me too. This is what I miss about being home.”
The cold wind hits my face as we watch the sun begin to set behind the pond. Being here, with her in my arms, is so peaceful. I think I could retire to some quiet place in the country and live the rest of my days just like this.
“You know, I’ve been thinking about my life . . .” River says, shaking her head. “About who I am. I still haven’t really found my identity yet, but I’m discovering more about myself each day, and it doesn’t feel like I’m standing still while everything else around me moves at hyper speed.”
I kiss her jaw, and she hums in response.
“I know who you are, baby.” I kiss the top of her head. “But, like I said, only you can find your identity. What I can do is tell you some of the reasons I love you.”
Turning in my arms, she looks up at me.
My eyes roam over her face, taking in how fucking magnificent she truly is.
“You have this energy about you that’s all-consuming. A glow about you that draws people and causes them to want to be close to you. When I look at you, I don’t only see a person full of life, I feel it in the depths of my soul. You’re strong and resilient. Like a storm that refuses to be tamed but leaves nothing but beauty behind once it’s calmed. God, you’re so damn beautiful. Whenyou smile, especially when it starts in your eyes and spreads to your lips, it takes my breath away. You’re fiercely loyal, and you stop at nothing to protect the people you love. You have a brilliant mind. And when you express your thoughts; it’s like watching fireworks in slow motion.”
My lips ghost against her temple. “And your laugh. Fuck, I could listen to it on repeat. You don’t have to know exactly who you are yet. Just know that I do. I see who you are, and I’m gonna keep showing you that you’re loved. And when you need me to, I’ll remind you every damn day as to why.”
A tear falls down her cheek, and she swipes it away. “That’s how you see me?”
I comb my fingers through a loose strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear. “That’s exactly how I see you. Those are just a few of the many reasons why I fell in love with you.”
River shifts and straddles me. Taking my face in her hands, her nails scratch the scruff on my jaw. “You are the most incredible man I’ve ever met, Carter, and I’m sorry it took me so long to see that. I want you to know out of everything I’m thankful for, I’m most thankful for you.”
She leans in and kisses me. My tongue peeks out to caress hers as I deepen our kiss, and my hands roam over her body. I lift her shirt, peel it off of her, and snake my arm behind her back to unclasp her bra with the snap of my fingers. The straps of the lacy fabric fall down her arms, and she drops the bra behind me. On that cold wooden dock, with the sun setting behind the horizon in front of us, I peel off the rest of her clothes, lay her back, and bury myself inside her. This time is different. I’ve made love to her before, but I’ve never felt so connected to her. I feel her heartbeat against my chest and find myself lost in her eyes as the last bit of sunlight catches them, turning them into pools of amber.
All thoughts of anything but her are lost. I don’t think about the chaos that is our life right now. I don’t think about what might be waiting for us when we return home. All I can think about is how perfect she feels wrapped around me. The echoes of her sighs drifting off into the air around us. Her nails, clutching at my back. How soft her lips are and the way they mold to mine so perfectly.
My heart drums in my ears, telling me it will always beat for her.
Always.
Twenty-Seven
River
Carter stretches on the ice right in front of me. I think it started out as a funny way for him to get under my skin, but now, I think he knows it turns me on. He looks over his shoulder, and tosses me a wink, thrusting and rotating his hips real nice and slow. I shake my head, giggling in embarrassment and hiding my face behind my hands while peeking through my fingers.
“Graham, save the foreplay for after the game. Let’s go,” Coach yells.
Standing, he pounds his fist over his heart and blows me a kiss. “I’m playing for you, baby.”
“You better be, Fight Club. I love you,” I yell with my hands cupped around my mouth.
Smirking, he skates away. Things have changed a lot in the past few months. I never thought I’d say those words to him, but here we are.
