chapter Eight
We lay beside each other in silence; close enough to touch but not touching. I could feel the tension radiating from him and I bit my lip in dismay. Why was he doing this to us? I knew he was upset about something, but I had no idea what was eating him up.
“You know, I don't know how I'm supposed to know what's up with you if you don't tell me. It's not as though I can read...” I trailed off as I realized what I'd been about to say.
“Go on, don't stop. It's not as though you can read my mind, right?”
I hated the sarcasm and bitterness. I wanted things to be okay between us but I felt as though there was a wide chasm between us even though we were lying down beside each other.
“Why are you doing this, Dylan?” I finally turned to face him.
When he didn't answer my question, I turned away from him and rolled to my side, giving him my back. I felt...empty. That was the word. Empty. Even when we were just friends, we never had this between us. As much as he exasperated me, I knew he was there for me. Right now I felt so alone. I wanted him to put his arms around me and tell me he loved me. I tensed and became still. Where had that thought come from? Why would I want him to love me? Love wasn't part of the equation, was it?
I lay there and stared at the white walls of the plane. It was slowly dawning on me that I'd fallen in love with him. Heck I'd probably been in love with him for several months and never realized it. Why else would I have wanted him to love me so badly? With the realization came wonder, elation and deep sadness. What if he didn't love me back? As it was, he was barely speaking to me.
“What do you think is going on between us, Luanne?”
I tensed when I heard his voice. “We are dating, aren't we?” Did I read things wrong? No, I was pretty sure he'd signed the note he'd left for me, was it last night? I was sure he'd signed it, your boyfriend.
“What are your feelings for me?”
My feelings for him were too new for me to share so I hedged instead. “Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“You don't know how I feel about you, do you?”
“You never said,” I told him quietly.
He was silent for a moment then I heard him sigh. “Look at me, Lu.”
I turned to face him.
“I'm crazy about you,” he stated simply, gazing into my eyes.
I looked into his eyes and my heart skipped a beat. “Then why have you been acting funny?” My voice sounded breathless to my ears.
He closed his eyes and exhaled, and then opened them again. “Because you drive me crazy, Lu. You opened up to me and I've never felt that level of connection with another person. For the first time in my life I felt like I wasn't alone. Then you slammed the door, it was like you'd rejected me. I'm so in love with you that something like that hits me hard.”
He loved me? I couldn't believe it. I gazed into his eyes and I knew he spoke the truth, but it was still hard to take in. Everyone who'd ever loved me had left me in some way or the other. I knew it was through no fault of theirs, but the damage had been done. Now here he was, telling me he loved me and worse, even meaning it. I was finding it difficult to take in.
“Lu, did you hear me?”
“I heard you.” I was still in a daze.
“Do you love me even a little?”
It was the vulnerability I heard in his voice which brought me out of the daze. I reached out and cupped his face in my palm. Gazing deep into his eyes, I deliberately lifted the invisible barrier I'd unknowingly created.
I love you so much, Dylan. You complete me. You are the other part of my soul.
I saw the shock go through him, then his eyes lit up with pure joy.
My darling Lu, you have no idea how much that means to me.
I gently stroked his face and smiled. My heart was so full I felt it would burst. I had no idea love could be like this. Or that letting another person in could be so filling.
Neither did I.
Well, we're in this together, right? I asked with slight apprehension.
All the way, babe.
Good. I really do love you, Dylan.
I know and it means the world to me.
We kissed then, holding onto each other like we'd never let go. And we probably didn't intend to ever let go of the other, at least I knew I didn't. I lay my head on his chest and he stroked my back. Even with the cloud of the kidnappers hanging over our heads, I felt safe and warm all over. I wasn't sure what was waiting for us in London, but I had hope. Hope that Katrina would be okay. Hope that we would both come through the ordeal unscathed. And hope that our love would grow. Hope is a very strong thing and riding on its wings, and I finally fell asleep.
TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK THREE: The Flame Keepers - Book 3