I started down the steps when a dark shadow to my right caught my eye.
I was starting to get scared when the person stepped fully into my line of sight. “Jesus, Trent!” I put a hand to my racing heart. “What are you doing creeping around here at night?”
He bit his lip, his hands shoved into the pockets of his coat. His breath formed foggy clouds in the cold air. “I’m sorry for showing up here like this…although I’d think you’d be used to it by now,” he chuckled, biting his plump bottom lip as he eyed me bashfully. “I needed to see you though.”
“You saw me at the restaurant,” I remarked. I was still shocked that I told him that I wanted him. When we’d returned to the table he’d worn a proud smile and been the happiest I’d seen him in a long time. I still wasn’t sure if it was the best idea to explore whatever this was between us. I felt we’d both end up hurt in the end.
“I needed to see you again,” he repeated, taking a deep breath as his eyes briefly closed.
“Are you okay?” I questioned, my gaze carefully sliding over his body to make sure he wasn’t harmed. “Has something happened?”
“Everything is fine,” he assured me. “I needed…I needed to see you before I went to bed. I have to make sure you’re okay with this…whatever this is,” he ran his fingers through his hair. “I won’t be able to handle it if I wake up tomorrow and you’re back to pretending I don’t exist. I’ve waited five years for you to come back around. I can’t…” He stopped, gritting his teeth like he was unsure if he wanted to continue with what he had to say. “I can’t handle it if all you’re doing is messing with me.”
“Trenton…I…I don’t pretend to know everything and I certainly have no idea where we might be headed,” I swallowed, “but I’m yours.”
His blue eyes flared brightly at my words.
I don’t think he understood how much he owned me. Even at sixteen years old he’d ruined me for anyone else. He was all I knew and all I wanted. No one else could ever compare. I’d been through a lot over the years, and even then I’d known I wasn’t worthy of his love. I could never say the words back to him. I didn’t know what it was to love someone that wasn’t family. Regardless, that didn’t stop my attraction. Although, many times I’d wished it had. Even after our night in the tent, when I’d started ignoring him, every time I saw him I’d been attacked by a major case of the butterflies. Over the years that feeling never went away. Trenton was the only man that was able to tempt me. He was like an intoxicating drug that I couldn’t get enough of. I tried to stay away from him—because he might not know it, but we were bad for each other—but like any addict, I could only stay on the bandwagon so long. I was done being good. I wanted what I wanted, and that was Trent. He obviously wanted me too, so why deny myself anymore? It would end, I knew that, but at least I’d have experienced what it was truly like to be with Trent, and I’d be able to look back at those memories with fondness.
“Say it again,” he breathed, reaching up to run his thumb over my bottom lip.
“I’m yours,” I whispered. For now and forever. “I’m done running. I’m done fighting what I feel,” I spoke passionately. “I’m doing this for me.”
“And what is this, Row?” Trent asked huskily, leaning so close to me that if I moved an inch my lips would be on his. “What are we?”
“I-I don’t know,” I answered honestly, “why does it need a definition? Why can’t we just be…us?”
“Just us,” he mused. “I like the sound of that,” he grinned crookedly.
I liked the sound of it too—almost too much, but I wasn’t telling him that.
“As much as I’d like to stand here and chat, I’ve really got to go,” I told him, already walking away.
He was quick to catch up to me, falling into step beside me. “We can walk and talk.”
“What do you want to talk about?” I adjusted the strap of my purse on my shoulder.
“How about we figure out where we’re going on our first official date?” He suggested, jogging in front of me and turning around to face me as he walked backwards.
“Surprise me,” I rolled my eyes as he began to balance on the edge of the sidewalk.
“Hmm,” he did a little hop, coming back to my side and throwing an arm over my shoulders, “I do love surprises. Whatever will I come up with?”