Page 14 of Quintessentially

Seeing Dax again shouldn’t affect me this way.

It’s the same way I felt the night of John’s funeral, lying with Dax, beside Dax, and in his arms. That night he’d done the worst possible thing to me. Something unforgivable.

He said he loved me.

And then he was gone.

Until now.

The crack of the bat drags my attention to the softball. A Trevor player tosses the bat as he rounds first base. The ball sails into the outfield, appearing as if it will clear the fence.

“A Trevor home run is not a good start,” Chloe says.

Everyone is on their feet as the handsome man in the only blue shirt runs backward and leaping, pulls the ball from the sky.

“Out,” the umpire yells.

And just like when he was a kid, Daxton Richards gets cheered by Riverbend.

ChapterSix

Dax

Six years ago

As we crest the hill, the skies open and torrents of rain fall in sheets from above. A few steps ahead of me, Kandace laughs as she runs. For a moment in time, I forget about my grandfather and the future. As my suit is drenched and Kandace’s dress sticks to her beautiful curves, my only thought is getting us out of the rain.

Lightning crisscrosses from cloud to cloud as thunder rumbles the ground beneath our feet.

Lengthening my strides, I catch Kandace just as she slips on the wet grass. Her blue eyes come to mine as she takes my hand. Together, we hurry past the trees with the outline of our finish line barely visible through the downpour. Mud splatters as we refuse to slow. What was dry ground turns to running streams and my shoes slosh with each step.

We’re both breathing heavily as I push the barn door open. From this side of the large structure, there’s no climbing a ladder. We enter directly at the level of the hayloft. Once we’re both inside, I grip the handle of the door and pull it closed.

As water drips down my face, I turn to the vision at my side. With her auburn hair soaking wet and her dress plastered to her skin, Kandace is an angel on earth as she wipes the rain from her face. “That came fast.”

“Fuck.”

I wipe the wetness from my hair and taking off my suit coat, shake it out. My suit is ruined and so are my shoes. I don’t care. When I look over, Kandace has her arms wrapped around her midsection and is peering up at the opening in the roof as rain continues to fall to the hayloft. The walls echo with thunder merely a second after the inside of the barn brightly flashes as lightning streaks through the sky, only to fade into the shadows seconds later.

I reach for her hand. “Come this way.”

Kandace’s hand is cool in mine as we climb a stack of remaining hay bales. In another few months, harvest will be here, and this entire loft will be filled with hay. Once we get away from the rain to a drier spot, I wrap my arm around her and pull her against me. “Are you cold?”

Her body shivers as she nods. “Who would have thought? It was eighty yesterday.”

My mouth goes dry as I stare into her beautiful blue gaze. I’m living in one of those moments, one that feels surreal. From being overwhelmed with grief only a short time ago, my thoughts are now completely and totally consumed with the woman before me.

My stare lingers on Kandace’s.

Time ceases to move.

The rain and wind no longer register.

Leaning down, I kiss her lips before reaching for the buttons lined down the front of her dress. One by one, I open them. Dropping to my knees, I undo the final buttons as her dress gapes open, revealing her sexy body now only covered by her bra and panties.

Still on my haunches, I look up. “I didn’t suggest going on a walk for this.”

Kandace’s soft hand comes to my cheek. “The way you look at me.” She shakes her head. “I can’t describe how it makes me feel.” She grins as her hands fall to my shoulders. “My hands and feet are cold, but you just looking at me—you warm me from the inside.”

---