you.” Grace contemplated whether she should drink the beer as she played with the tab on top of the can. “I probably shouldn’t drink this.”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It might help though.”
Tonight. The beer would only numb tonight, but that was enough. She’d take what she could get. Her fingers pulled on the tab, and she waited for the hiss to die down before taking a sip. As the metallic taste of alcohol slid down her throat, she prayed it would make the events of the night fuzzy until all she could think of was the lake before her, and Darius beside her.
Darius’ voice broke the beautiful silence. “I come here when I need to get away and think.”
The focus of her eyes stayed on the surface of the lake, as she stared at the twinkling reflections. “I can see why.” A part of the heaviness from earlier lifted from her shoulders, making it seem like they weren’t so weighed down. The only other time she had been drunk, she was a happy drunk. So she’d heard. She didn’t feel so happy the next morning when she swore over the toilet she’d never do it again. The glimmer from the moon caught in the condensation trickling down the can while she held the beer up.
“It’s crazy,” she said, without turning toward Darius.
“What is?”
“This place. It reminds me of somewhere I’ve been in my dreams. Somewhere I love.”
The sound of grainy sand scratching against the underbelly of the blanket rang out from beneath Darius’ shifting body. “That doesn’t sound so crazy.”
Done with soaking up the scenery, she turned her head toward Darius, only to be caught up again. But this time, it was from the moon’s reflection in his eyes. She was lost, sucked into the glimmer of his compelling stare. He drew her in like a stupid moth to an alluring, beautiful flame.
Sounds around her sharpened like background music to a movie, building tension for the scene. Grace’s pulse quickened as everything else in her life fell away, leaving only the world of Darius underneath a dark sky that shone bright against the moon’s vibrant white light. Her breath caught when he leaned toward her, releasing the tension her grip had on the blanket.
Uncertainty shone in his eyes as he slowly lifted his hand and cupped the side of her face. A shudder ran through her body from his touch, dulling the song of crickets, the whispering breeze across the sand, and rustling of grass until it was all muted. There was nothing else but the two of them, just Darius and her. The warmth of his breath pressed against her lips, and she drew it in like she needed it to breathe. His mouth came closer to hers and she stilled, captivated with anticipation.
Slowly, his breath brushed upward across her face, until the heat of his lips seared her forehead. And then he kept them there. The growing excitement crashed down all around her. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she wasn’t going to be kissed by Darius. Not on the mouth, anyway.
Disappointed, she let out a heavy breath, allowing her tensed muscles to relax. Darius brought his face down, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes tightly shut. Swiftly, he kissed her forehead again and sat back up.
“So, I know you said earlier you didn’t want to talk about it. But I can’t help but ask. Was it the guy from the party?”
“Yes and no,” she said, still trying to shake her disappointment. “It’s a long story, really.”
“I don’t have anywhere I need to be until the morning.” His smile was a mixture of encouragement and mischief—confusing.
A thought suddenly occurred to her. “Hey!” she said. “What time is it?”
Darius’ gaze went to his watch. “Eleven ten, why?”
If she dragged this out a little longer, she’d be spending her coming-into-adulthood moment with Darius. “Oh, no reason. It’s just my birthday in fifty minutes is all.” Happy freaking birthday to me, she moped. I can’t even get a kiss.
“Can I give you something?”
“Sure,” she said with a shrug.
Before Grace knew what was happening, he pulled her by the nape of the neck, placing yet another kiss on her forehead. But then he kissed her temple, moved further down, and pressed his lips against her cheek. Her heart completely stopped from the shock, but then stuttered into a fast-paced tempo. Her breathing accelerated.
Slowly, he pulled away while looking her in the eye, entangling her in