Page 101 of Entangled

He gives me one last look and pull of his bottom lip before dropping his eyes to the guitar and beginning to strum. The song is slow and steady when he starts, dropping low for a couple beats before lifting to a higher note to repeat. It’s the perfect, lazily acoustic kind of song that I know he favors after spending so much time listening to him play. The sound of it is soft and intimate, perfectly suited to his low croon. He flicks his eyes to mine and I see that flash of dimples once more before he starts to sing.

And I know right away this song is only for me.

“I’ve been waiting for you

To come around and tell me the truth

About everything that you’re going through

My girl, you’ve got nothing to lose.”

The breath leaves my chest in a whoosh as I watch him, knowing that this is us to him. This is our song. This is how Jace likes to speak and right now he’s pouring his love for me out in front of everyone. Cracking his heart open and bleeding into the sand for me. Making sure there’s not a doubt in anyone’s mind, including mine, that I have not only his body but his heart too. It humbles me in a way few things in my life have, that this magnificent sun would dare to break through the shadows of my dark eclipse. But that’s just what the sun did, it was as natural as breathing to him.

And when he gets to the chorus… my heart cracks open in turn.

“I’ve got time, I’ve got love

Got confidence you’ll rise above

Give me a minute to hold my girl

Give me a minute to hold my girl

Crowded town, silent bed

Pick a place to rest your head

Give me a minute to hold my girl

Give me a minute to hold my girl.”

I watch him sing with his golden skin shining in the fire, hair pulled back messily, eyes down as he sings. And I realize I love him too. Even if some part of me still has trouble saying those three little words, still feels like it’s a betrayal for some reason.

But I do love him.

I love him for being the boy who reminded me of who I was, who chased me down in a parking lot, picked my locks and taught me how to chase the sun again. I love him for wanting me even when I wasn’t so sure I wanted myself. For showing me that even the worst heartbreak can heal, and that love, in all its infinite spectrums, can always be born anew.

It terrifies me, the idea of giving another piece of my heart over when I just became whole again, but… Jace keeps his promises, right? And I don’t want to miss my moment in the sun with him.

I stand and his eyes rise to me, watching curiously as I walk across to him while he starts to sing those last two runs of the chorus. But if he can bleed out here in front of everyone in the sand for me, I can sure as hell do the same for him. Fear has no place with us. It never has, really. He tilts his head back to look up at me when I make it to him and step over his guitar one foot at a time, allowing him a second to move it forward and make room before I settle into his lap.

Looping my arms around his neck, I drop my forehead to his as he sings those last lines. Letting him see all my feelings as I stare into his firework eyes, giving in to the love he’s earned from me. The smile on his face turns brilliant and he drops the guitar beside us as he gets to the last run of the chorus before bringing his hands up to cup my face. He sings softly then. Only for me, for us. For this love I’m about to give him.

When the last word trails from his lips, I drop my mouth to his ear. “I’m right there with you, Dawson. Love and all.”

“Yeah?” he whispers back huskily. “Sure that’s not the tequila talking?”

“I’m sure.” I nod adamantly, lifting my head to look into his eyes again, seeing the fear and the hope there. “Just hang in there with me… and keep your promises, okay?”

My eyes prick as I finish and he dips his lips to mine with a soft kiss. “Always, Ellie.”

I kiss him deeply then, pouring all my feelings into it. Showing him how much he means to me in the way I speak best. He drops back onto the sand, taking me with him and dropping his hands to my hips. His lips pulling at mine softly as we settle into this new symphony of us.

But just when things start to heat up a bit, I hear Tiff’s voice holler from somewhere to my right. “No sex, El! No sex! That was my birthday wish.” She harrumphs. “That was also the shortest concert ever. I want a do-over.”

Jace and I laugh into each other’s mouths as we break our kiss, staring into each other’s eyes a moment. Finding our footing after stepping off the precipice into this whole new world of vulnerability. I ruin the moment by yawning and he chuckles, bringing a hand up to my spine and trailing his fingers as I drop my head to his chest.

“Can you carry me over your shoulder home?” I mumble, snuggling into his warmth and the comfort of his sea-spring scent.

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