Chapter 34
Stella
W hen we come back to the cabins, we find everyone surrounding the campfire, their faces lined with worry. But when Hazel sees me, with Adrian a few steps behind, she runs to wrap me in a hug. Relief floods her face and the others turn and smile, visibly relaxing at the sight of me.
Jay and Adrian leave quietly for their respective cabins to start packing. It’s our last day here and we need to start preparing now so we don’t rush tomorrow morning, when we have to leave.
I hug Hazel back as she holds me tighter.
“You need to stop scaring me like that! I was worried for you.”
“I’m sorry. My powers were acting up and I didn’t want to bother anyone.”
“Stella, you are one of the only people I can say this to: I would fight anyone annoyed with you for something you cannot control. I really would.”
I smile. “I would for you too.”
She steps back. “I’m going to start packing with Nate. Come join us when you’re ready.”
As they step away, Layla and Isabella walk to join me.
Layla wraps me in a tight hug. “You have no idea how much I was overthinking everything when I saw your magic acting up and we couldn’t find you.
I know you couldn’t do much and I understand that feeling more than you could understand.
” She sighs, hugging me tighter, continuing more softly, “I wish I could have fought that battle for you. I know how difficult it can be to fight battles in your own mind and I wish I could have done something for you. Just . . . Promise me you’ll tell me if there’s something I can do, okay? ”
I hold her tighter. “I will. You always have me too, Layla.”
She steps away and points to her cabin where Sam is waiting for her. I laugh lightly and head to join Nate and Hazel to pack my own bags.
…
The afternoon passes in a blur of packing and talking about every subject under the sun.
As night falls, we gather again by the fire.
Being around a campfire late at night with these people is the definition of the word contentment.
We’re all laughing and making the most of our last moments in this place.
The stars shine above us, and a gentle breeze reminds us of the night slowly settling in.
None of us want this to end, so we all got our blankets to stay warm and moved the tree stumps to be closer to each other. Hazel and Nate are sitting on their stump next to me, hugging each other’s sides. Their eyes glaze at us, but I can see just how much they don’t want this night to end.
Jay is sitting on the stump right in front of us, laughing hysterically.
Isabella seems happy about her return home and all the plans she has for running and for her coffee shop. It’s good to see her face so lit up after last night’s events. Layla and Sam are next to her, listening with sleepy smiles.
I’m starting to get tired too, but there’s nothing that could pull me away from these people. The cackle of the fire is relaxing, the night is peaceful and I’m curled up into Adrian’s side.
His thumb is rubbing soothing circles on my back and his arms hold me close to him. Every part of me knows I’m safe. We’re curled up in blankets, just like the others are, and this moment is perfect.
Sam and Jay are bickering, and it makes me smile to see Sam slowly come out of his shell. Isabella is trying, badly, to hide her laughter, and Layla smiles softly at the interaction.
Hazel and Nate are talking together softly next to me, with Hazel giggling quietly. I love seeing those two together.
I can’t drag my eyes away.
I clearly spoke too soon because I feel Adrian looking at me and kiss the crown of my head delicately. My eyes immediately shoot to his and he smiles playfully.
“What was that for?” I murmur as the others talk and laugh around us, but all my focus is on Adrian and the noises fade away, with only my steady heartbeat filling my ears.
“Nothing. I just wanted your attention.”
I chuckle softly. “Well, you always have it.”
His eyes dive into mine and my heart skips a beat. “You never leave my mind, Stella.”
I grin. “You’re what I think about even when I need to be focused.”
He chuckles softly and rearranges us so I can lay my legs on his lap. “That’s quite an achievement.”
“The highest form of success.”
He smiles. I snuggle in closer and ask in a low voice, “What were Hazel and Nate like when they were younger?”
He rubs his warm hand up and down my arm and tingles erupt everywhere he touches me. “Nate’s family lived next door. So, they saw each other all the time. They played a lot when they were kids and were really adorable. When they went to school, they did everything together.”
“What about Layla? What was she like growing up?”
Adrian chuckles lightly. “A big introvert and a hopeless romantic. She crafted stories from everything and always had a dreamy smile on her face. She and I were pretty close and we talked so many times about love. Layla loved hearing different opinions on what love meant to people and, as she grew up, she loved having deep conversations more and more.”
I glance at her. “I see how that makes the Layla we have today.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“I suppose Jay and Isabella grew up bickering more than you did with your sisters.”
Adrian laughs, but it’s low and I can tell the day is catching up with him. “Yeah. It was the one aspect of our life that remained steady over the years.”
I snuggle in closer, letting my eyes flutter closed. He rests his head on mine. We watch the fire flicker lower as the night slips by.
…
It doesn’t take long for all of us to get tired, so we pack up everything and head back to our cabins. Jay, Layla and Sam left for theirs a while ago and Isabella is joining Nate and Hazel in our cabin for the night.
Adrian grabs my hand and leads me to his when he sees that my cabin is clearly pretty occupied.
Energy buzzes under my skin, heightening all my senses, as we step inside.
We both stop and stare at each other, grinning without a word. Like magnets, we draw closer and my heart pounds as I look into his eyes.
A warm ache spreads in my stomach. His warm breath brushes my neck and it makes me dizzy with want. I’ve never been someone who lost focus easily, but Adrian unravels me in the best way possible. All I see is him, and only him.
His hand lands softly on my cheek, his touch feather-light, as he leans in closer, and my skin feels as though it’s being lit on fire. He leans down to kiss me as I push myself up to meet him.
The second his lips touch mine, the chemistry between us bursts like fireworks. My blood pounds in my ears as our lips crash together and he kisses me, the air turning electric.
We laugh breathlessly as we stumble backwards, tangled in each other, until we collapse gently on the bed.
His fingertips trail over my wrist and my pulse kicks into overdrive. He grins, his gaze steady yet passionate. I smile back, my heart racing. His hands lightly grip my outer thighs, his fingertips leaving a trail of fire in their wake.
It doesn’t take long for us to lose every piece of clothing until there’s nothing between us. His heart races against my skin as if it was my own. I feel utterly safe with this man and I can’t stop grinning because it’s Adrian that I’m spending this moment with.
I can feel his smile on my skin as he kisses me, and I will carry the feel of his smile with me for the rest of my life. He touches me like he’s mesmerizing me and it makes me emotional. I feel precious.
We’re completely lost together as the night passes, and every second of this night is branded into my memory-–the flashes of passion in his beautiful eyes, his tender yet hungry touch, and every single emotion he made me feel.
The sun kisses the horizon just as tenderly as Adrian is kissing my shoulder as we wake up from the little sleep we actually got.
We’re heading back to Westwood Spring today and it’s going to be a long drive, especially with both of us so exhausted and in urgent need of sleep.
I’m hoping someone else offers to drive.
Still, in the safety of his cabin as the sun rises, Adrian pulls me back into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around my body and I know I’m home .