A&E by Kailee Reese Samuels

Author:Kailee Reese Samuels [Samuels, Kailee Reese]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781947362208
Publisher: The Sugargrove Book Company
Published: 2018-01-08T18:00:00+00:00

8

A Profound Love

BLEU

“When you wonder to the other side, far away from what you know, prepare to fall down. Anticipate failure; success gifts only for happy people.”

On the drive out to Olivia’s grandparents’ cabin, Alex holds my hand. We both know why we are going out here—to spend some time alone. I should have volunteered up Sadie’s house, but with the cat piss smell reeking through everything, it wouldn’t have made for a very romantic evening.

The cabin is nestled out in woods past Redville. It’s a quaint little place, decorated with antiques and old quilts. Two bedrooms and living room, with a fireplace and small kitchen serve the log cabin well. We investigate the premises as he offers up a perfect smile. He strips off his jacket and shoes as I watch on nervously.

“Do you want something to drink?”

I shake my head. “Do they have any crackers?”

“Crackers?” he repeats, darting into the kitchen. “Lots of canned vegetables,” he says, digging through the pantry. “Oh, honey!” he chirps, opening the freezer, “There is a brand-new pint of MCC.”

“No way!” I yell, rushing to his side. His eyebrows lift with an invitation as he rummages through drawers in search of a spoon. He hands both to me as we move to the living room. He fusses with the fireplace, and the flames ignite as I ease down onto the plush white rug in my blue gown.

“Wow, that’s beautiful!” I awe, staring at the flames. Sitting with me, he cracks open the ice cream and offers me a spoonful of the sweet succulence.

“So are you,” he says.

Blushing, I never imagined I would find a guy like Alex: understanding, kind, and gentle. His fingers swish over my shoulder as he stares at the bruises. “Want to talk about it?”

I shake my head. He doesn’t need to know the truth because he has a future. I’ve seen his temper flare, and a criminal record will not fare well with the college scouts. He could potentially lose everything, so I remain silent and accept the guilt as I let him believe I inflicted the bruises.

I may have a destination with crazy, but it doesn’t mean I’m stopping at every turn out. I care about Alex and with my need to protect him evident by my actions, I accept that I might actually love him. I have never felt such a compelling need to shield someone from the truth. The lie will stain my heart while guarding his soul, and that makes it worth it.

His hair falls in his face as we relax to a comfortable place. Our silence doesn’t disturb my thoughts as I over-process what he might be thinking. Instead, I settle into a tranquil, serene atmosphere I rarely experience as we finish the ice cream and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

Shifting closer to me, Alex kisses my lips as I know how much this moment is supposed to mean. “I don’t want to see you bruised again.”

“I’m sorry…”

“I can handle everything else, but…” he hesitates with an uncertainty.

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