“It’s important that I explain to you what’s been happening.”
His velvet eyes told me he’d made a decision and was ready to divulge some of his secrets. One of the things I loved the most about Brace was the intensity of his gaze, despite how unnerving it could be.
“I’ve always trusted you, Abby, trusted in our relationship. You’re the girl of my dreams; I just never expected to be so torn between my family responsibilities and ... everything.”
“Why do you think this has happened? Why have we been starring center-stage in each other’s dreams?”
He shrugged. “I have a few theories, and – ” He smiled before I could interrupt him. “I will tell you. Just try and have some patience. It will probably be a long conversation.”
Patience ... I don’t think so.
I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. For the first time Brace was almost talkative, and I wanted more. More of this beautiful creature that was so unlike the secretive one-dimensional dream-man I knew.
“You know you can tell me anything, Brace.” I decided to be brave despite my discomfort at being vulnerable. “There’s a connection between us; a reason why we’ve been in each other’s lives, in a manner, for a long time.”
“There’s more than a connection, Abigail. You must feel what I do. This is not just a weak link or a crush. This is much more. It feels ... epic.”
I savored his words and nodded. My breath caught in my throat.
“Yes.” I dropped my gaze slightly. “Yes, I feel the same way. But is this intensity just because we’re young, and First Worlders and Walkers feel emotions strongly?”
Or ...
I paused, my features freezing at my next thought. Was Brace my mate?
“Don’t sell this as some teenage infatuation, Abigail.” He leaned in closer to me, pausing when his lips were just breaths from my own. “This is beyond all that.”
I closed my eyes as his lips hovered over my own, his breath caressing my face. I was waiting for an interruption. The moment was just too perfect and these moments are always interrupted. Surprisingly there was no disturbance, but he also didn’t close that final distance.
My eyes flew open.
He was still close, his eyes locked on my face.
He smiled at my confusion. “Sorry, Red. I’m just savoring the moment.”
My heart was beating so rapidly it felt like one constant beat. I understood exactly what Brace was saying. This delicious moment before his lips actually touched mine was filled with anticipation and butterflies and pure delectable want.
Then he closed the distance, and I realized I was so wrong. There was nothing comparable to the actual kiss. The last time we kissed there had been a tinge of anger and desperation. But now he started slow, light, his lips just brushing my own.
And then he deepened the kiss.
I opened my mouth as his tongue flicked out. I swallowed a groan at the intensity of his lips on mine. Even with his height, we still fit perfectly together. My arms lifted of their own accord, and I rested my hands on the strong, bare muscles in his chest.
Despite the slow beginnings, his kiss moved rapidly past light and teasing to hot and heavy. My breath came in pants, and he was breathing heavier than usual. I gasped as a familiar voice sounded behind us.
“I told you we would be interrupting, Sammy.” Lucy’s words echoed out over the expanse of ocean.
We both paused, but didn’t pull away.
“Ignore them,” I whispered against his lips. “They’re like monsters under the bed: if you don’t acknowledge them, they aren’t real.”
“If you want, I can kill them. That’s what I usually do with monsters.”
I chuckled, unsure if he was kidding. Upon opening one eye, I could see Lucy and Samuel paused in mid-step, as if they’d frozen there and weren’t sure whether to move forward or backwards.
Reluctantly, I untangled myself from Brace. I heard him mutter as he reached out to capture my hand, but his words were too low to understand. I’d noticed recently that he was quite the toucher, a bit like Josian, my tactile father. I had never thought I was so physical, but I was starting to think I actually liked it a lot.
“Come on over. We were just discussing the weather.” I grinned at my best friend.
Lucy bounced over, throwing her arms around me in a hug, not caring about Brace at my side.
She seemed extra bright and happy this morning. And, like the rest of us, she was wrapped in white mesh.
“Sammy and I are practically meteorologists, we discuss the weather that frequently.” She nudged me.
Samuel and Brace gave the typical guy-nod of ‘good morning’. Some of the strain that had been between them since Samuel’s return from Earth was dissipating. And Samuel made no comment at all about me and Brace, but then I hardly expected him to come across the heavy big-brother. He barely acknowledged me at all, let alone played the brother card.
“You and I are due some serious girl-talk, Abigail,” Lucy said, leaning in close to me.