Page 123 of Saving the Rain
He’s here with me.
All it takes is for the briefest lift of my gaze, to raise my chin, and I find Raine. Those dark eyes of his are right there, and I’m kinda addicted to the way he’s forever watching me.
Seeing him now, as we lock on each other for a brief moment, I can’t stop a grin from completely taking over. My wide smile is met with his cute scowl. He’s got his usual stern demeanor going on, but it’s just a front.
He’s found his home at long last.
His contentment is a tangible, beautiful thing to be in the vicinity of.
Besides, it would be impossible to ignore the way he’s beenwelcomed into this group of our friends and family. The way he’s damn well adored to pieces by all these people makes my heart swell to bursting.
I’m quite honestly the luckiest son of a bitch to ever exist, knowing that he’s mine, and I’m his, and that we’re together in everything that might come our way.
All our friends are here, along with my dad and Layla, of course. Summer bonfires at Devil’s Peak Ranch are becoming something of a tradition... and as I glance around at the people gathered in front of the flames, it hardly seems possible that just over a year ago, we all stood in that hospital waiting and hanging onto nothing but hope.
Twelve months since I sat by his hospital bed, praying he’d come back to me. And I’ve never been more relieved to hear his voice than in that moment when he finally woke up after surgery.
A year ago, he and I were still finding our feet in the aftermath of Raine being discharged. Safe to say we’re both very happy to see the back of medical staff and emergency wards.
Raine gives me the kind of look that hooks into my stomach, drawing me to him in an instant. Just like I unknowingly found myself drawn to him the first time I saw him from across a bonfire when he arrived in Crimson Ridge, here I am sauntering over, trying to at least attempt not to give him moon-eyes and a goofy grin.
God knows he already has enough evidence that I’m a fool for him.
He’s sitting a little further away from the bonfire, with his ass resting against a hay bale. The fact he’s over here on his own makes me feel even more alive, knowing that I can have him to myself for a little while, even though there are others here enjoying the night.
Who can blame me for wanting to corner my extremely hot boyfriend alone in the dark at every opportunity?
“I’ve got something for you.” His voice is all velvety and deep.
“Oh yeah?” My eyebrows lift, and that smile I’d been attempting to dial down breaks free. As it stretches to take over my face, my point of focus drops.
“Christ. Not in my pants.” He groans and tilts his head back, exposing the stubble coating his throat.
“That would be an excellent choice of present though, just saying.”
Raine tugs me to stand between his knees, giving me one of those reproachfulthat’ll cost you laterlooks. “Cheeky. No... but this is it right here...”
His big palm unfurls, and in the center sits a smooth, round stone.
“Oh my god. Where did you find this?” My eyes pinball between his face and his hand, then I grab it from him. It’s warm from his touch, and I melt a little that it has something of him infused into it. Except my initial excitement over a silly little fucking rock makes way for my brain to catch up.
Narrowing my stare, I look at him for a long moment while rubbing the surface with my thumb. “Have you had it this whole time, or what?”
Of course, Raine gives me absolutely nothing. An unreadable expression sits there as he watches me closely.
I shove at his shoulder. “Seriously? I thought I’d lost it. Figured it was gone forever.”
“Don’t pout.” Now he finally gives in, allowing a twitch of his lips as he teases me ever so softly.
Rolling it between the pads of my fingers, I shake my head and find myself speechless. This is such a tiny thing, such an insignificant little fragment of rock, yet it holds a lot of memories for me.
Raine clears his throat. “I kept it... and didn’t understand why at first. Maybe guilt? Part of me thought I’d somehow been responsible for you getting injured. Probably would’ve carried it around for a long ass time... a reminder that I was the last person you spoke to before your accident.”
I’m already shaking my head. “If I didn’t have my own shit going on—stuff with my mom that day—you’d have never gotten to me that easily. It was all on me that I carried on competing when my head was messy.”
His gaze softens, and my insides go all gooey. “After a while, carrying this stupid stone around, I realized it kept me grounded.” He takes my hand in his own. “Kept me centered even when I was away from you all that time. I wasn’t ready to give you up... so it was like carrying a little piece of you with me.”
“Completely obsessed, huh?” The words might be playful, butthey’re thick with emotion surging at me unexpectedly and I have to blink fast. “How’d you end up with it?”