Page 13

She looked back, meeting his gaze as he waited for her to continue. As if he were hanging on every word. “Small. Insignificant in the Turning. Just one tiny being in a much, much larger world. But…” she added, staring towards the ocean again, “safe somehow. Like I have a place here. Like I fit.”

“Hmm,” Ty said, sounding skeptical.

“What? Does that sound dumb?” Ena replied, smirking.

“No, not at all,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s just, I don’t think you’re small at all. You seem like a force of nature to me... Maybe that’s why you fit.”

His gaze turned serious now, the intensity of it reminding her of the way he’d looked at her last night.

The sun was already starting to get lower, turning the sky a deep blue with a layer of orange and yellow along the horizon.

This high up, away from the forest, blue was all Ena could see behind him, and his green eyes seemed to glow in the light.

Feeling self-conscious under his gaze, Ena turned away. “Do you see the ocean?” she asked, changing the subject and pointing to the hazy blue line in the distance. “Sometimes on a really clear day, you can see the white caps on the waves.”

“Hmm. No, I can’t see.” Ty bunched his brows together, squinting like he couldn’t quite make it out.

“Seriously? Look,” Ena said, grabbing his arm and tugging him next to her. Standing up on her tippy toes, she put her face right next to his and turned to stare at the horizon with him, pointing in the direction of the ocean. “See?” she said. “Right there.”

Ty turned his face away from where she was pointing to look at her instead. He was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. “Now I see,” he said.

She turned towards him, their faces just inches apart.

Ena couldn’t help but look down at his mouth.

His full lips were quirked upwards on one side in a devastatingly handsome smile.

This close to him, she was surrounded by his scent, as she had been last night.

Cedar, stone, woodsmoke, and honey. Unintentionally, she inhaled deeply, letting her eyes flutter closed as she appreciated the heady combination.

Realizing what she’d just done, embarrassment jolted through her.

Her eyes snapped open as she went to turn away, but Ty reached out with his hand to cradle the side of her face, holding her there.

His eyes locked with hers as he gently stroked his thumb across her cheek. “Can I kiss you?” he asked.

Ena wanted nothing more in that moment, but butterflies filled her stomach. Was this real? She wasn’t sure. This felt like a dream. Not her real life. Everything since she’d seen him last night at the Litha gathering had been a blur.

But, even if it were a dream, she realized she didn’t really care. She’d already achieved an overwhelming high by climbing a cliff. How could she resist throwing herself off this one?

“Yes,” she replied, heart hammering.

Ty pulled her face close to his and lowered his head. Already on her tippy toes, she placed her arms on his shoulders and closed her eyes as their lips touched.

His mouth was warm and soft and felt like home and the greatest unknown at the same time.

The kiss was light and gentle, as if he were holding back, but it didn’t matter; the feel of his lips moving against hers overwhelmed her senses and teased her in a way that sent shivers down her spine.

She instantly felt an ache settle between her thighs and was acutely aware of how close their bodies were.

Then Ty pulled back. He looked into her eyes and didn’t move a muscle, as if he were waiting to see what she would do next.

They stared at each other, a million unspoken things passing between them.

They could stop right here, not go any further.

She could step back and walk away, change the subject.

But Ena didn’t want to do any of those things.

“Kiss me again,” she said.

“Absolutely,” he said, sounding relieved as he pulled her towards him again.

This kiss was firmer, needier. Ena followed Ty’s lead as he naturally guided her mouth open with his own. She gasped slightly, breathing in his air.

Ena had kissed boys before, but it was nothing like this. Kissing Ty felt so natural, so right. He tasted like mint and honey, and when his tongue slowly slipped into her mouth and swirled against hers, she couldn’t help but meet it greedily with her own.

She took a step closer to him without thinking, pressing her body flush with his. His chest was hard and warm, and her breasts pressed against him, tingling at the contact, as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him.

The feel of him heated her blood to boiling, every nerve in her body coming alive.

She let out a small whimper as his hand left the side of her face to twine into her hair, making her breathless as the kiss continued to escalate.

His tongue expertly delved into her mouth, coaxing her, tantalizing her, and then she broke.

Losing awareness of the world around her, Ena wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, letting one hand roam into his hair.

She wanted more, wanted everything, and couldn’t get close enough.

Their mouths and tongues began to move together like they were starving, like they’d been waiting their whole lives to taste one another.

Ty seemed to sense her desperation as his hand left her hair and roamed slowly down her back to grab her ass through her thin dress, pushing her aching center against him.

She felt his cock grow hard between them, pressed against her belly, and arched her hips into him.

His touch was electric, his taste was addictive.

She lost herself to the feeling, to him, and she wanted more .

The overwhelming feeling of it was so strong it shocked her, and all of a sudden, Ena hesitated. This was all happening so fast, and everything she was feeling was so intense it scared her a little. She pulled back, both of them breathing heavily.

Ena stared up at Ty, his eyes heavy lidded with lust. Clearing her throat, she suddenly felt awkward and didn’t know what to say, how to explain her hesitation.

What could she say? “I’m worried that I want you too much?

That kiss was too fucking good and I was scared I wouldn’t stop and we’d end up having sex on this cliff but I just met you yesterday and you’re leaving soon?

” Lowering herself back onto flat feet and pulling back to put some distance between them, she felt his grip around her loosen as a brief look of confusion fell over his face.

“It’s… uh…starting to get dark,” she said. “We should probably head back.”

It wasn’t totally an excuse. Looking around as if he, too, had completely forgotten where they were, Ty seemed to realize that it was, in fact, getting dark, and that they were on top of a cliff with a long hike back to the village.

Ty cleared his throat before he spoke, his voice coming out rough. “Yeah, yes. You’re right. We should head back.”

Ty released her fully from his grip, and she took another step back from him. She saw him release a deep breath, as if to calm himself, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t need the same herself.

Seeking to break the tension a little, she looked cautiously down at the rock wall they’d climbed up to get here. “Please tell me you’re okay to walk back on the path this time.”

Ty chuckled, watching her every move like she was impossible to look away from. “Whatever you want, Ena,” he said.

She smiled at that, and turned to walk down the path, making him follow her.