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Loving a woman like Lux felt…freeing. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing both the similarities and the differences. And it was those differences that made the connection so beautiful.

It was like finding someone who understood her in a way no one else could.

Zoey kept massaging Lux’s ankle and leg, her mind swirling with thoughts and emotions. She didn’t know what would happen next, but as she admired Lux’s quiet strength, she couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they would find a way out of this together.

As Lux’s breathing evened out, Zoey found herself lost in the moment.

The fire was still out there and the danger was real, but for this moment, Zoey allowed herself to find peace in the presence of the woman beside her. She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she knew that whatever happened, she wasn’t alone.

19

LUX

Lux leaned back against the tree, her eyes closed as Zoey continued to gently caress her lower leg and foot. The pain was still there, a dull throb that pulsed with each beat of her heart, but Zoey’s touch made it bearable.

She wasn’t sure if it was the massage itself or just the fact that Zoey was the one doing it, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was the warmth spreading from Zoey’s hands into her skin, a warmth that seemed to reach straight to her chest.

She had been trying not to think too much about her feelings for Zoey, but it was impossible now. Every touch made it harder to deny what was happening.

She was falling in love.

The thought should have terrified her, and maybe it did a little, but not as much as she would have expected. There was no jolt of fear, no urge to pull away and protect herself. Instead, there was just a pull toward Zoey that she didn’t want to resist.

She opened her eyes and looked at Zoey, who had her brow furrowed in concentration. Zoey had a way of looking at the world that fascinated Lux. There was a softness in her beautifulbrown eyes, a kind of quiet determination that made Lux want to know everything about her.

But there was also a distance there, especially when Zoey talked about leaving people behind. Lux could see the pain it caused her, the way it made her withdraw into herself, and it made Lux wonder what it was like for Zoey to be with her, someone who was so scared of letting people in.

“What was it like for you growing up?” Lux asked. “Did you always know you were meant to love a woman?”

Zoey smiled.

“I think I always knew, but it took me a while to figure it out. I did have this crush on a girl in high school. She was a year older than me—really pretty and really smart and straight. I thought she was perfect. You can guess how the rest played out.”

“What happened?” Lux asked, curious.

“I told her how I felt, and she didn’t feel the same way,” Zoey said, shrugging like it didn’t matter, but Lux could see the hurt in her eyes. “It was tough, but it taught me a lot about myself. I realized that I’m the kind of person who goes all in, a thousand percent, even when I know it might not work out.”

Lux felt a pang in her chest at Zoey’s words. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for someone like that, someone who would give everything and expect the same in return.

But at the same time, the thought didn’t scare her the way it usually did. Instead, she found herself wanting to be the person Zoey could depend on, the one who wouldn’t let her down.

She looked away, trying to hide the confusion written on her face. She wasn’t sure what to do with these feelings or how to handle the fact that she was starting to fall for Zoey, but she didn’t want to push her away either.

The last thing she wanted was to hurt Zoey, but she couldn’t deny the pull she felt, the way she wanted to kiss Zoey every time they were close.

“What’s on your mind?” Zoey asked.

Lux hesitated, not sure how to answer. She didn’t want to admit what she was thinking, so she deflected with a joke.

“I’m just thinking about how nice it would be if we had some marshmallows right now. A campfire and some s’mores would make this whole situation a lot more bearable.”

Zoey chuckled, a sound that made Lux’s heart flutter. “You always know how to lighten the mood, don’t you?”

“It’s a gift,” Lux said with a grin. “But seriously, I’m just trying to figure out when we’re going to get out of here. I mean, I’m not exactly in a hurry to get back to reality, but it would be nice to know we’re not going to be stuck out here forever.”

Lux found herself relaxing, letting go of some of the tension she had been carrying. It felt good to just be with Zoey, to not have to pretend or put up walls. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time, and it scared her, but it also felt right.

Zoey’s hands moved up her leg, massaging her thigh through her pants, and Lux let out a sigh of relief. The pain was still there, but it was manageable, and Zoey’s touch was soothing in a way Lux hadn’t expected.