Adam

Everything was going great until Davy's cousins noticed me. They’re clearly still looking to get revenge over what happened like it was my fault. But, hell, the whole town still thinks it was, even though it's been eight years. Likely they always will.

Taylor's very quiet beside me. She's scared, I can tell, because it's like she's not even here. And I don't have it in me to comfort her, because anything I say right now will just come out harsh and wrong.

Main Street is mostly dark when we reach it, and I see Julie climbing into her car in the alley bordering the diner, but she doesn't see me.

"You're in a bad mood all of a sudden," Taylor whispers. "Is it over those guys? What did they want?"

"I'm just tired. Didn't really get a lot of sleep last night," I lie and wink at her, which makes her roll her eyes again. But she smiles too.

As well she should. And laugh too. Being with her is like coming in from the rain, returning to base safe and unhurt. Even running into Davy's family doesn’t have the same edge as it might, if she weren't with me. Those problems don't belong here with us.

I lean over and kiss her on the cheek. She nestles closer after that, rests her head on my shoulder.

"I like you too," she whispers, and I'm not even sure she meant to say it aloud.

We reach her cabin too soon, and my side feels way too cold without her pressing into me. But she's all tense again, and I should take my leave. However impossible going home seems at the moment.

Julie's probably sitting out on the porch drinking wine by now, and Mom's likely still up, since she doesn't seem to sleep much at night. Hell, Bradley might even be home since it's Sunday.

"Well, good night then," I say and pull her into an embrace as she exits the truck. She's so light, so soft and I could literally just hold her and stare into her eyes all night.

She closes them when I lean in to kiss her, digs her fingernails into my back as my tongue plays with hers in her mouth. I could do this all night long too.

But I should let her go in. She needs to know I won't force her into anything she doesn't really want to do.

Yet she doesn't let go of me when I pull away from the kiss. She's staring over my shoulder at the dark cabin, and this time her fear has a whole different quality to it. It's not as sharp, but more all-encompassing.

"Your neighbors are all here," I tell her and point to the left. "There's a whole family staying in the cabin just a few yards behind those trees."

"How do you know?"

"I had some trouble finding this place earlier," I say.

She lets go of me after that, looking at me, but not meeting my eyes. "Do you want to stay?"

Hell, yeah! I want to yell, but that would be too needy, too weird. And I'm falling hard enough as it is.

"You want me to?"

"I am very sleepy, though," she says, backtracking again, still not meeting my eyes, so maybe I should say no.

"OK, I'll see you tomorrow though, right?" I say and take a step away from her.

"Right," she whispers and I get a vivid flash of standing in front of this cabin tomorrow and her being gone. It's like a knife to the stomach. I don't even know her last name, don't know anything about her and even after tonight, she could very well still disappear by tomorrow.

"Or you can stay," she says, taking the words right out of my mouth.

So I slam the door shut before she can change her mind again, take her hand, and pull her to the cabin so fast she giggles. I'm good at snatching up what comes along, living in the moment, and this one I really want to live for.

* * *

Taylor

Before I know it, I'm on my back on the sofa, his weight pressing me down, his lips hot and hard against my own, electric currents passing through me. I wrap my leg around his and pull him closer, wanting, needing more of his weight on me. His whole body is so hard, so stable, and if I just hold on tight enough that's all I'll ever need to steady me.

My thoughts make no sense. But this feeling of completeness, rightness is so real I could get lost in it. I sigh as his lips leave mine to trail kisses down my neck, so softly it tickles. His weight on me lessens, and then his hand is under my shirt, caressing my stomach, sparks flying everywhere. I want him naked and I want him inside me. I've never known anything as clearly as I know that.

He breaks the kiss and tries to lift my shirt up.

"I don't have any protection," I whisper and grab his wrist.

"I'm clean," he says hoarsely, but stops anyway.

"Still," I whisper. I'm on the pill, so I won't get pregnant. But we should use protection. Even with my body screaming for him I know that. Now that we’ve stopped kissing, it's all moving too fast for me again.

"Can we go slower?"

I can't believe I said it. He'll think I'm a total virgin. He'll kiss me a little more, maybe, but then he's outta here.

His gaze lingers on me, soft and real like an actual touch. That's it. He's about to say good night. And then what? I'll probably chase him down and beg him to stay, like a total psycho.

"Alright, Taylor, we can take it as slow as you want," he says and smoothes my shirt back down. It takes a few seconds for the words to connect in my head.

Then his lips are on mine again, and I'm kissing him right back, my body again functioning without the benefit of reason. But there really is no reason why I should fight this, because this is right, this is where I'm supposed to be. I need no rational thought to tell me that, because I feel it, every cell in my body knows it.

So I let go completely, for the first time in forever, maybe the first time in my life, until his lips, his weight on me, his hot breaths as he kisses my neck, my cheeks, are all there is. I'm not chubby, clumsy, confrontational Taylor. I'm that princess hidden away in this cabin, only she's finally grown up into a woman, and she's finally been found.