Leave Him Loved_Harloe Rae by Rae Harloe

Author:Rae, Harloe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: novel
Publisher: Crooked Tree Press
Published: 2021-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

The road ahead is dark, the type that conceals distance with an opaque veil. There’s no telling what might wait in the endless sea of black. I could be steering straight to the edge of a cliff and would be none the wiser until my high beams caught the threat. The obscurity is so dense that my eyes blur from staring at blank space. It’s the type of vast midnight that allows the mind to create nonexistent figures.

This far out, no floodlights guide us, not that I rely on those. I’ve been blindly navigating these rural streets since before I had a license. I’ve engrained the route we’re taking in my mind, memorized it from countless trips over the years. My grasp on the steering wheel never falters as I maneuver the sharp bends with practiced ease.

I steal stealthy peeks at Audria during our short ride. From my periphery, I see her searching the vast nothingness. I track each subtle movement highlighted by the dashboard. Her delicate features take more of my concentration than I can afford. Fuck, she’s beautiful. I must’ve done something right to have her sitting next to me.

We drive for approximately two miles before a reflective strip alerts me to turn. Gravel spews and pings against metal as the tires eat up the ground. The dirt lane turns steep, signaling the final leg of our journey. My headlights offer a sneak peek as the ground levels out. Our destination is cloaked for the most part, but the familiarity spreads warmth in my chest all the same.

“Where are we?” Audria whispers, as if she’s afraid of waking any monsters lurking in the shadows.

That gives me pause. “Are you afraid of the dark?”

She peeks over from the corner of her eye. “No.”

I seek out her hand to hold. “You’re not convincing anyone.”

Her brow creases. “Huh?”

I squeeze her fingers. “You can tell me, babe. No need to be ashamed.”

Audria sends me a bland look. “Thanks for the boost of confidence, buddy. If I’m getting scared, you’ll be the first to hear.”

“And the only one.” I hitch a thumb at the abyss beyond my window.

“That’s not creepy at all.”

I’m pretty sure I can hear her teeth chattering. “Should we leave? I feel like you’re nervous.”

She rubs her temples. “Are you trying to give me reason to be?”

“Not at all.” Quite the opposite, if I can stop assuming the worst.

“Then who are you trying to convince?”

“Good question,” I mutter. “Should we get out?”

Audria reclines against her door, showing no signs of moving. “Not until you tell me where we are.”

I groan and shake my head. “That would probably be a good place to start. This is the first field I helped seed. We planted alfalfa hay, not that it matters. These twelve acres hold a bit of sentimental value for me.”

Her entire demeanor changes. She exhales, and the strain relaxes from her posture. Any trace of the pinched expression from moments ago smooths out, replaced with the carefree smile I’ve grown so fond of.

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