Page 69 of Where Broken Wings Fly

Holding my breath for fear of doing something wrong, I feel her arms wind around my neck to draw me closer. With my head buried in her throat, I take a deep inhale, smiling to myself. Somewhere inside of me, a switch is flipped.

She smells like home.

I’d forgotten what it felt like.

As we break apart, instinct overcomes me. I’m not sure how I end up cupping her cheek, my thumb tracing over the freckles that stain her skin. Her eyes are giant saucers, uncertain of the magnetic force wrapped around us both.

“I should go,” I rasp.

“So should I.”

But neither of us moves. We’re still entwined—two autumn leaves dancing in the breeze, wrapped around each other for the show. I’m untethered, falling through my carefully constructed reality, but she’s there to catch me.

My lips brush against hers in the briefest, most hesitant kiss. Common sense has packed up, cleaned house and moved the hell out of my brain. This is a stupid fucking idea, but it doesn’t stop me from kissing her again.

I need us to be closer, connected, our souls suffused together somehow. I can’t stand the space left between us. With a sharp intake of breath, she suddenly kisses me back. Heat zips across my skin and floods my entire body with tingles.

Mouths locked, we move together in a perfect, un-choreographed harmony. It feels so right to let her capture my bottom lip between her teeth, gently tugging to deepen the kiss. Hidden by swaying crops, I surrender myself to her.

“Mi,” she breaks the kiss to gasp.

“You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Kissing along her jawline, I suckle the delicate flesh of her throat into my mouth. Her tiny, adorable moans for attention have me rock hard in seconds. I want to taste every single inch of her body and mark it as mine.

Hands skating down her arms, I find my way inside her coat to grasp the generous curves of her hips. The inferno scorching inside of me is heightened by her mouth attacking mine again, and the swipe of her tongue hesitantly touching mine.

I want more.

I need more.

She’s bringing me back to life.

A bellow from nearby forces us to jump apart. As quickly as the haze of desire descended, it dissipates and leaves me cold. My dick is almost bursting out of my jeans, aching with the need to be touched.

Fuck, this is embarrassing.

I’m shamefully inexperienced. Being a mountain recluse doesn’t exactly equate to much dating experience, let alone with my own crap on top of that. I have no idea what I’m doing here. Internally freaking out, I put some distance between us.

“Micah?” she questions, her gaze worried.

“I don’t… ah, I shouldn’t have done that.”

Disappointment warps her features. “I’m so sorry. My head is a mess. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

I avoid her stare. “It’s my fault for starting it. Killian and Zach… they both care about you a lot. They would be better friends than me.”

“What? Micah, no—”

“I should go.”

Willow flushes a dark shade of red as I climb to my feet, feeling like a complete and utter asshole. I never should have done this. I’m not blind. Killian and Zach have grown close to Willow already. They don’t treat all new residents like this.

They’re better men than me, and far more capable of looking after her. I can’t even look after myself on a good day. She deserves far more than that. Opening up to her was a mistake.

“Micah? Please don’t go.”

“I can’t be your friend, Willow. I’m not capable of it.”

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