Page 65 of Forged in Flames (Made of Steel 2)

I closed my eyes. I felt him turn toward me again to make sure my eyes were closed. My hands slid further into his shirt. I didn't even care what he thought. There was no way I could stop touching him. One touch was all it took.

He placed a soft kiss against my forearm. The feeling of his lips against my skin made my arm tingle. Clearly he didn't mind what I was doing. I turned my mouth toward the side of his neck. I wanted to taste him. I inched closer.

But before I found the courage to kiss his skin, we stopped. I was disappointed when he let go of my thighs.

"Keep your eyes closed," he said.

I slid down his back and released my hands from him. The next thing I knew he had his hand over my eyes. I felt his body heat behind me.

"Okay. You can look now." He slowly lowered his hand from my eyes.

We were standing on a bridge. The water below us was reflecting the city lights. It almost looked like a reflection of the stars in the sky instead. Thousands and thousands of lights. "It's so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

I laughed and turned toward him. "Did you seriously bring me here just to set up that line?"

"No, but it was a plus." He smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "They host events at the row house across the lake at night. Usually you can hear music and I had fun dancing with you the other night. It should start any minute."

As if on cue, light violin music could be heard flitting across the water.

/>

"May I have this dance?" He took a step back from me and put his hand out.

I curtseyed and he laughed. I held my breath as I put my hand in his. For one second.

He pulled me close.

For two seconds.

"Sadie." His voice was low and seductive and it made my insides flip over.

For three seconds.

One of his hands drifted to my lower back as the other lightly touched the side of my face.

For four seconds.

"It feels like I've known you all my life," he whispered as he tilted his face down toward mine.

For five seconds.

I tilted my head up until my lips brushed against his. My world was dark and gray. But when his lips touched mine, it was like suddenly everything was in color again. Everything was alright. That was an understatement. Everything was perfect. I stood up on my tiptoes to deepen the kiss. All that pent up passion he had been holding on to for Summer, I could feel it. It reverberated from my head to my toes as we both clung to each other in the darkness.

It took five seconds for me to feel complete for the first time in ten years. And I knew in that moment that I couldn't run from this feeling. Screw everyone else. Screw the danger. I had to tell him the truth. He deserved to know. I pulled back. "I need to tell you something."

A big raindrop landed on my forehead as I looked up at him. That single splash of water was like a wakeup call. My life wasn't meant to be in color. It was dreary and dull. I lived in a nightmare, and this was a dream. And it was time to wake up. Tears started to well in my eyes.

"Tell me." His hand moved to the side of my neck as his eyes searched mine.

The rain started to pick up. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Tell me."

"I'm so sorry, Miles." I pulled away from him.

"Sadie don't..." his words faded away as I ran. But I swore I heard him say, "don't leave me." My throat seemed to constrict as I ran. My tears mixed with the rain until I was completely soaked in my own misery. Why did I have to wake up from my dream? I covered my face in my hands and collapsed in the muddy grass, letting the violent sobs rake through me. The last light in my life had just been extinguished. And I was alone in my darkness.

---