Letting You Go (Stone Lake 1)

It’s worth it.

Chapter Eighteen

Gavin

“How did I do?” Luna asks, her face flushed. She blows her bangs out of her face, looking so proud that I don’t have the heart to tell her the truth.

My clutch and transmission are glad we finally made it to the lake.

“You did really good, Moonbeam.”

“Really?” she cries excitedly, her hand slapping in victory against the steering wheel.

“I thought it was getting better there as we turned to the old lake. I didn’t even stall at the stop sign but once.”

“Yep, that’s better than I did my first time,” I lie.

“Yay! I might really get the hang of this Gavin.”

“Yeah, you might,” I laugh. “Are you ready to go sink some worms?”

Her nose scrunches up on her face and it makes me want to laugh. “Do you have to say it like that?”

I lean down and kiss her lips again, just another brief peck, giving me a small taste of her. Her lips part against mine, but I resist tasting her deeper for now. I’m definitely not a saint, but Luna is special, and I want her to know that.

“Let’s go fishing,” I murmur, and she looks at me smiling so intently that it seems to light up everything around us.

“Sounds good.”

I grab the poles and tackle box, while Luna gets the small cooler that she brought, and we walk hand in hand toward the dock. Being here with her again feels right. Memories of the night we shared, of her lying in my arms all come rushing back to me, so strong that it’s almost as if they have a taste and it’s definitely sweet.

We settle down in silence. Merely passing small talk here and there as I bait her hook followed with mine. We sit on the edge of the dock, feet dangling off, Luna barefoot. It might be the single best time of my life. Maybe even better than the night we slept out here, because my brother isn’t close by. He has no idea I’m here and he won’t for as long as I can keep him in the dark. I don’t want him to taint what Luna and I have. If he hurts her again, I’ll kill him, and I’m not just saying that. Whatever ties we shared aren’t even a memory. I can’t change that. I don’t even want to. I don’t know what it says about me, but I hate my brother.

“You got quiet,” Luna observes. She puts her hands over her eyes like a visor as she looks at me, to guard them from the sun.

“I was just thinking.”

“What about?”

I start to lie, but I don’t want to—not with Luna and not about this.

“About Atticus.”

“Your brother?” she asks, sounding confused, and maybe a little surprised.

“I don’t want him to know about us, Luna.”

“Uh…”

“At least for now. I want time for whatever is between us, just to be about the two of us.”

“You keep saying that. I’m starting to feel like some dirty little secret you want to keep, Gavin.”

“Now you’re talking insane. You’re the prettiest girl in school… What?” I stop and ask when she scrunches her nose up and looks unhappy.

“No girl wants to be called the prettiest girl in school.”

“But, Babe, you are,” I laugh as her expression gets more frustrated. “Quit being cute.”

“Cute and pretty. It’s like you hate me,” she whines.

I full out laugh. I can’t stop. Luna makes me feel free and that’s a sensation I’ve never had in my life.

“Babe.” I shake my head, still unable to control my laughter.

“Can’t I be gorgeous? Beautiful? Sexy? Dangerous? Geez!”

I put my fishing pole down and pull Luna in close. I stare into her eyes. The green in them shimmers like emeralds. She’s not wearing makeup like most of the girls at school do. Luna doesn’t need it. I drop my head down to hers, eyes wide open, keeping my gaze focused, and making sure she can see the truth in what I’m telling her.

“You’re so beautiful you take my breath away.”

“Gavin…” she murmurs, her voice soft and sweet. It wraps around me, slides inside of me. I love the way she says my name. I love the tender look on her face as she does. Jesus, I like everything about Luna Marshall. I kiss her, hoping that she can feel what she does to me, hoping to make her understand what she makes me feel.

I’m not sure I succeed, but it’s a damn good kiss. It’s the kind that erases the memory of any that came before it and probably any that might come after it. In my heart, I know, if I could only kiss Luna Marshall for the rest of my life, I’d die a happy man. I don’t care if I am only eighteen.

It’s completely true.

Chapter Nineteen

Luna

“Did you have a good birthday?”