Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits 1.50)

The fleeting smile falls. “I miss Aires, and I’m mad at him. I feel so awful that I’m mad at him.”

“Me, too. Maybe Mrs. Collins will be into that group therapy crap with the two of us.”

She giggles and leans into my chest. My arms wrap around Echo, and I’ve never felt so relieved in my life. Her soft body holding on to mine, her scent filling each intake of air. I kiss the top of her head. I’ve never belonged with anyone like I belong with Echo.

“I love you,” she whispers. “I love you, and I’d prefer to do the whole kid and grandkid thing, but I love you enough that I’ll stay with you even if we last for six more months.”

“We’re the long haul,” I tell her.

“Even if we aren’t. I’m going to stop questioning when it ends because you’re right. It does all end. The question I should ask is what I’m going to do with the time in between.”

Which brings me to what’s going to kill my pride...possibly kill me. “You’re wrong. You did get something from this summer.”

“What’s that?” she mumbles into my chest.

I comb my fingers through her silky hair. It’s an automatic gesture. One I’ve done a million times. With this statement, the act will no longer be one I get to take for granted. “You get to study for a full year under one of the best artists in the country. It got you into one of the biggest art shows of the year.”

Echo pulls back to look at me, and a hint of happiness lights her face. “You do listen.”

“Baby,” I say, exasperated. “I listen to every damn thing that falls out of your mouth. Your every sigh. Every small, sexy sound when we kiss and every hitch of your breath when you sleep. Echo...”

Say it, asshole. “I want you to stay here for the year. When you told me...” It ripped my damn heart out and it shredded my soul. “This means something to you, and you mean everything to me. We’ll make it work. Skype. Phone calls. I’ll visit you. You’ll visit home. I’m behind you. Every step of the way.”

She does it. She fucking does it. Echo steps back from the edge, and her eyes are wider than I’ve seen. “You’re serious?”

“Never been more serious in my life.”

Echo

My mind spins. Noah’s promising me everything I’ve ever fantasized about. He’s encouraging me to chase my dreams and will stand by me...at least emotionally. This, for Noah, is epic.

Like the last time we visited here, the evening is closing in around us. The night sky is fading into orange and reds. Soon, the shadows will overtake us, but this time, the darkness doesn’t frighten me. Just because I may not be able to see Noah, it doesn’t mean that he’s not beside me.

My fingers slide along his cheek, and I relish the way his stubble sweetly scratches my palm. I craved more, and Noah’s given me more.

Noah tilts his head into my touch. He also feels this connection...this magnetic force calling us home.

Home.

Noah’s become a man and has built us a home. Not a structure. Not a physical place to lay our heads, but a home in the sense that it completely matters...we belong to each other.

I inch higher on my toes. Noah begins to lean down to me, but I don’t want him reaching for me. I need to be the one who kisses him first. To be the one that starts the first night that begins without the baggage I’ve been carrying.

Before Noah has a chance to lead, I brush my mouth against his and slip my tongue between the part of his lips. Noah immediately fists my hair, and the gentle pull sends shivers through my bloodstream.

I inhale, and Noah’s spicy scent fills my lungs, and it’s intoxicating. Hands roam, cooler air pricks at my skin, and the pads of my fingertips skim above the goose bumps rising on his back.

The wind whips through my hair, stinging me and evidently stinging Noah as his strong hand smoothes back the curls and he begins this slow, seductive descent of kisses along my jawline and down my neck.

My body cries for more and arches into him, but I drove here for a reason. With a hand on Noah’s chest and a lot of willpower, I ease back. “I want to jump.”

It’s like watching a train speeding at two hundred miles per hour slam on the brakes, and I stifle a giggle as Noah attempts to switch gears. He’s totally disheveled thanks to my exploring. His hair completely mussed. His shirt hitched up on one side, exposing the muscles of his abs. “What?”

“Hunter said I wasn’t a risk-taker, and I am. He said that I should wear long sleeves to hide my scars because it would be easier. I don’t want easy because I know I’m strong. I went on this trip with you, and I’ve begged gallery owner after gallery owner to give me a chance, and I told Hunter his paintings sucked twice.”

Noah laughs, and the smile on my face grows. He hitches a finger in the loop of my jean cut offs and draws me near. “That’s my girl.”

His girl. My cheeks warm with a bit of shyness and joyous embarrassment. His girl. “Your girl wants to jump off this ledge into a pool of water.”