7. Celeste
7
CELESTE
A few minutes after Dane leaves, I take a seat by the window, hoping I might get another glimpse of him. But the forest is quiet and frustratingly devoid of the handsome mountain man who has taken over all my thoughts.
“You want spaghetti?” Brody calls from the kitchen. “I can make some meatballs to go with it.”
“Sounds good,” I say, my eyes still fixed on the window.
My brother starts bustling around with pots and pans, the sound echoing through the cabin as I hold Dane’s book in my hands, lifting it to my nose. The outside smells like his cabin—pine and spices. I open it up and breathe in the scent of musty old pages, smiling to myself. Dane said this was his favorite book as a kid. I wonder if this is the same copy he had back then.
I begin to read, turning the pages carefully, speeding through Chapter 1 with a smile as I read about Tom’s antics. When I reach Chapter 2, I notice a piece of paper folded over, tucked between the pages.
A bookmark, maybe?
But as I look at it, I remember what Dane said. He told me to read Chapter 2—insisted on it—with a meaningful look that I couldn’t decipher at the time. But now, as I carefully unfold the paper, my heart starts to flutter. It’s covered in a few lines of scrawled handwriting, and I shoot a quick look toward the kitchen, making sure Brody is still busy before I start to read.
Celeste,
Meet me tomorrow at the fallen tree by the creek. Come when you can. I’ll wait.
Dane
P.S. Been thinking about you.
Heat floods my cheeks, and I smile ear to ear as I read the note again and again before clutching it to my chest. The last line sends a shudder of delight through me, and I instinctively bend down to kiss the note.
He’s been thinking about me.
This connection between us…he feels it, too.
Part of me wants to race out of here right now, straight to his cabin. I want to see him again so badly it hurts. Tomorrow suddenly feels like a lifetime away, and I’m already racking my brain for ways to avoid making Brody suspicious. I could tell him I’m going for a walk, but he might come with me. I could snatch an hour of time if he heads into Cherry Hollow again, but there’s no guarantee.
Crap.
I could just be honest and tell Brody I’m going to spend time with Dane, but I don’t want another argument with my brother hanging over me. It would be better to keep it a secret, and I bite my lip, thinking hard, when a crazy thought hits me.
I’ll go tonight instead.
My brother sleeps early and wakes up early, so he’ll be out like a light by ten-thirty. Then I can sneak to Dane’s cabin. It’s risky, especially since he’s not expecting me to show up tonight, but it’s the only way I can think of to spend some real time together without my brother knowing.
I take the note and hide it at the bottom of my suitcase, tucking it carefully inside a different book. Then I sit down for dinner with Brody, trying to act normal as we chat over our spaghetti.
“You okay?” he asks after I trail off in the middle of a thought for the third time. “Something bothering you?”
“Nope.” I smile. “Just a little tired. I think I’ll go to bed early tonight.”
Brody nods. “Me too.”
I don’t like lying to my brother, but my excitement drowns out the guilt. In a few hours, I can see Dane again with no distractions. Just him and me, in his cozy cabin full of books. I think back to this afternoon, when his intense eyes dropped to my lips and he leaned in…maybe this time, he’ll kiss me for real.
“What are you smiling at?” Brody asks with a chuckle.
“Uh…the meatballs.” I can’t help it. I grin at him. “They’re really good.”
We talk for the rest of the meal, chatting and laughing, but my mind is preoccupied by four little words that I can’t stop obsessing over.
Been thinking about you.
* * *
Okay, this is officially a crazy idea.
It seemed more rational a few hours ago, but now darkness has fallen and the forest is pitch-black outside the window. Brody went to bed at ten, but I waited until eleven to be extra safe, and now I’m standing in front of the open door, a flashlight in my hands as I stare out into the cold night.
I’m not scared of being out in the forest this late. It’s an environment that feels natural to me—comforting—even in the dark. Besides, Dane’s cabin isn’t far. No…what scares me is that he’ll think I’m nuts for showing up at his cabin uninvited at this hour.
Just think of it like a book, I tell myself.
I try to imagine myself as the heroine of a romance novel, sneaking out to meet a handsome older man after dark. I’ve never done anything like this before, and nerves flutter in my gut as I take a step outside, quietly closing the door behind me.
There’s still time to turn back.
That’s what I tell myself with every step as I follow my flashlight along the familiar path to Dane’s home. But I know I won’t turn back. This man is already under my skin, and the closer I get to him, the harder my heart thumps. When I finally reach the cabin, I’m relieved to see the orange glow of a fire flickering through the windows. The warmth of today has seeped away, and the night is as bitter as midwinter as I walk tentatively to his front door. It takes a full minute before I gather the courage to knock.
My pulse jumps as I hear a sound from inside, then the door creaks open. Dane towers over me, filling the doorway. The roar of the fireplace bathes him in shadow, and it’s hard for me to make out his expression. My throat tightens, and I suddenly feel too shy to speak. It reminds me of the first time we met, when I was totally tongue-tied.
God, there’s just something about this man…
“Celeste.” He says my name like a question in that deep, growly voice.
“Hi,” I say weakly. “I…I got your note.” My breath hitches, but I force myself to continue. “I know it’s weird for me to show up like this, but I…I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow. Because, well…I’ve been thinking about you, too. And I thought tonight would be a good time to?—”
But I never finish my sentence. Before I can say another word, Dane’s hand cups my cheek. I catch a flash of his amber eyes, his parted lips as he bends down, and then his mouth is on mine, raw and hungry. A shudder runs through me as his tongue slides between my lips, the taste of whisky filling my mouth as I moan against him. He grips me tight, pulling me over the threshold and closing the door behind us, never once breaking our kiss. He pushes me against the closed door, my back flat against the wood. I can’t move. All I can do is surrender myself to him…and it feels so right.
This is happening.
It’s really happening.
Dane’s tongue slides against mine, lips bruising, hands tangling through my hair as our frustration bubbles to the surface, hot and inevitable. I kiss him back hard, wrapping my arms around his neck, holding on for dear life. Desire pools between my thighs as our bodies press together. I can feel Dane’s cock poking against my stomach, straining against his jeans, and it sends a thrill of pleasure up my spine knowing that it’s because of me.
“Fuck,” Dane murmurs between kisses, his breath hot on my lips. “You have no idea how much I want you, Celeste. No fucking idea.”
I’m too breathless to speak, too overwhelmed by the feel of him, the taste of him. So I answer by pulling him closer, my body begging him for more as our mouths move desperately and the world dissolves around us.