Page 18
Story: Her Protector on Route 14
Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt her in some way? Does she regret what we did?
“Let’s stop here,” I say, pointing to an exit.
“What’s here?” Holly replies.
“One of the federal accommodations I told you about. I need to check in,” I say.
She pulls up to the building, lets me touch base, and when I come back out, she’s standing there against the hood of her car, glancing at the route map.
“I’m upset,” she whispers before I can ask what’s wrong.
“Did I push you too far last night?” I ask the moment I see her.
She shakes her head, but her eyes don’t quite meet mine. “No. It’s not that.”
She takes a breath, her voice quieter now. “You were gone when I woke up. Then I saw you laughing with someone else, and you’re not the type to just… be like that. So it messed with my head.”
She pauses, trying to collect the words.
“I know it’s not fair to expect you to stay until I wake up. Igetthat. It’s just… I started wondering if I was reading everything wrong. If I’m too naïve. Too inexperienced to keep up with you.”
She glances at me then, her voice soft but honest. “It’s not like you’re my first anything. But you—you’re subtle. You don’t say much, and I overthinkeverything. It gets to me.”
I take a step closer, the tension in my chest loosening slightly.
“I’m not asking for flowers or grand gestures or some big romantic speech,” she continues, voice trembling just a bit. “I just… I don’t always know where I stand with you. One moment, you’re telling me I’m just right, and the next, I feel like I’m chasing something I’ll never quite catch.”
She exhales shakily, her eyes searching mine. “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem. But I just want to know what this is. Whatweare. Because right now… I really don’t.”
She trembles slightly and looks to the side. “And I think you should drive.”
“We’re moving fast. I know that,” I say, gently lifting her chin. “But you’re special to me, Holly. Your optimism, your sweetness, the way you genuinely care about people. How passionate you are about photography, how curious and brave you are. You light up a room without even trying.”
Her lips twitch into a half-smile before she looks away. “And overwhelming,” she says softly. “I told you before. Iknowit can come off as too much. And the rest of the time I feel like I fade into the background. Like I’m just… there.”
She shrugs and rubs her shoulder, like she’s trying to make herself smaller.
“I’m not asking for a title,” she adds quickly. “I just… don’t want to feel like I imagined everything between us.”
I step closer, into her space, and brush her chin with my thumb until she finally looks up at me.
“Don’t you dare minimize yourself, darling,” I say, my voice low but firm. “You’ve brought light into my life that I didn’t think I’d ever feel again. Because of you, I’m noticing things I forgot how to see. I’m laughing more. Hell, I’m even enjoying being around people—and that’s saying something.”
Her breath catches, and I see it—the flicker of hope in her eyes.
She licks her top lip. “You’re older, more worldly, have mystery and restraint and know who you are while I’m still figuring it out and I don’t want to dive into something and ...”
And get hurt.I kiss her forehead, then her temple. “Relationships aren’t about comparing experiences or being the same. They’re about connection, trust, being there for each other, creating something deeper and balancing each other. I think we balance each other well.”
“I think so too,” she whispers.
“And I’m glad you told me,” I say, brushing my lips against hers. “So I don’t have to read your mind.”
I kiss her again, a little longer this time. “I’m glad you let me come on this trip with you.”
Another kiss, deeper now, more sure. “That you didn’t let your doubts keep you from saying how you feel.”
And then one more, lingering and full of everything I haven’t put into words yet. “That you’re still kissing me back.”
“Let’s stop here,” I say, pointing to an exit.
“What’s here?” Holly replies.
“One of the federal accommodations I told you about. I need to check in,” I say.
She pulls up to the building, lets me touch base, and when I come back out, she’s standing there against the hood of her car, glancing at the route map.
“I’m upset,” she whispers before I can ask what’s wrong.
“Did I push you too far last night?” I ask the moment I see her.
She shakes her head, but her eyes don’t quite meet mine. “No. It’s not that.”
She takes a breath, her voice quieter now. “You were gone when I woke up. Then I saw you laughing with someone else, and you’re not the type to just… be like that. So it messed with my head.”
She pauses, trying to collect the words.
“I know it’s not fair to expect you to stay until I wake up. Igetthat. It’s just… I started wondering if I was reading everything wrong. If I’m too naïve. Too inexperienced to keep up with you.”
She glances at me then, her voice soft but honest. “It’s not like you’re my first anything. But you—you’re subtle. You don’t say much, and I overthinkeverything. It gets to me.”
I take a step closer, the tension in my chest loosening slightly.
“I’m not asking for flowers or grand gestures or some big romantic speech,” she continues, voice trembling just a bit. “I just… I don’t always know where I stand with you. One moment, you’re telling me I’m just right, and the next, I feel like I’m chasing something I’ll never quite catch.”
She exhales shakily, her eyes searching mine. “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem. But I just want to know what this is. Whatweare. Because right now… I really don’t.”
She trembles slightly and looks to the side. “And I think you should drive.”
“We’re moving fast. I know that,” I say, gently lifting her chin. “But you’re special to me, Holly. Your optimism, your sweetness, the way you genuinely care about people. How passionate you are about photography, how curious and brave you are. You light up a room without even trying.”
Her lips twitch into a half-smile before she looks away. “And overwhelming,” she says softly. “I told you before. Iknowit can come off as too much. And the rest of the time I feel like I fade into the background. Like I’m just… there.”
She shrugs and rubs her shoulder, like she’s trying to make herself smaller.
“I’m not asking for a title,” she adds quickly. “I just… don’t want to feel like I imagined everything between us.”
I step closer, into her space, and brush her chin with my thumb until she finally looks up at me.
“Don’t you dare minimize yourself, darling,” I say, my voice low but firm. “You’ve brought light into my life that I didn’t think I’d ever feel again. Because of you, I’m noticing things I forgot how to see. I’m laughing more. Hell, I’m even enjoying being around people—and that’s saying something.”
Her breath catches, and I see it—the flicker of hope in her eyes.
She licks her top lip. “You’re older, more worldly, have mystery and restraint and know who you are while I’m still figuring it out and I don’t want to dive into something and ...”
And get hurt.I kiss her forehead, then her temple. “Relationships aren’t about comparing experiences or being the same. They’re about connection, trust, being there for each other, creating something deeper and balancing each other. I think we balance each other well.”
“I think so too,” she whispers.
“And I’m glad you told me,” I say, brushing my lips against hers. “So I don’t have to read your mind.”
I kiss her again, a little longer this time. “I’m glad you let me come on this trip with you.”
Another kiss, deeper now, more sure. “That you didn’t let your doubts keep you from saying how you feel.”
And then one more, lingering and full of everything I haven’t put into words yet. “That you’re still kissing me back.”