Sweet Dandelion

I don’t know what to say, so I continue to keep quiet. What happened is proof of how careful we have to be, because it’s all too easy to get caught.

I watch as he opens and closes his fists, his jaw taut, brows drawn. My own heart gallops like a reckless horse fueled with adrenaline now that she’s gone.

We weren’t doing anything wrong, but we so easily could’ve been, and in one second of time everything could’ve gone up in flames.

Lachlan’s baby blues drift in my direction and his look of torture is a punch straight to my chest.

“It’s okay,” I say, but I know it’s really not.

He shakes his head back and forth, silent.

Word vomit takes over, and I launch into telling him about the weekend trip, more about the accident, I tell him about the last two days and Sage taking care of me. But all it does is darken his face further and the pit in my stomach grows.

I see him shutting down right in front of me and it’s fucking terrifying. We’ve come too far to backtrack.

When the bell rings, it startles me, and I know I have to go.

Pausing in the doorway, I look over my shoulder, “Don’t leave me,” I murmur.

His eyes look back at me, the fear vivid.

He does give me a nod, though, and I tell myself that’s better than nothing.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

A few weeks later there’s no longer any evidence of the accident, except for the slight soreness still in my ribs, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

Entering the gym, I find it empty.

Situating myself on the bike, I put my earphones in and start my playlist.

Letting the mindlessness take over, I zone out for a while until my thoughts drift to Lachlan.

Things haven’t been the same since that secretary barged into the room. It’s not like we were even doing anything, but I think the fear of what we could’ve been doing has consumed him. Even if someone saw him touching my cheek, that wouldn’t be innocent, not between someone in his position and a student.

It’s nearing April, though, and I miss his touch so much my entire body aches for it. It’s not that he hasn’t touched me at all, we’ve shared a few brushes of our fingers, stolen kisses, but we haven’t lost ourselves in each other like we did New Year’s Eve.

I want to feel his bare skin beneath mine. Trace the contours of his muscles with the tip of my finger. I want to feel him inside me, all around me, taking over everything.

But with the wall he’s built back up, that doesn’t seem likely.

The only thing that comforts me is that he still tells me he loves me. Sometimes whispered in my ear before I leave his office, other times on the street if I bump into him and Zeppelin, and if he can’t speak it he texts it.

It’s like he wants me to know, despite his distance, his feelings still remain.

With thoughts of Lachlan filling my head I forget to track my workout, and when I look down at the bike it tells me I’ve done twenty-five miles, which is way more than I need to be doing my first day back. I’d intended to only do a measly ten at a slow speed.

Hopping off, my body is slightly damp with sweat. Wiping my arm across my brow, I take a sip of my water. This time I remembered to bring a bottle with me.

Gulping down every drop, I head for the exit. Swinging the door open, I immediately bump into someone. My body starts to fall, but a big hand grabs me.

“Whoa, so sorry about that,” a gruff voice speaks.

I look up at my rescuer, a tall man with thick brown hair and a big beard threaded with gray.

“Thanks for catching me. That could’ve been bad.” I would’ve ended up with a massive bruise on my hip for sure.

“Take your hand off her!” I look over to see Lachlan marching down the hall in his gym attire.