“How can you say that?” Anger flashes through me and I break free from Ryan’s grasp. “How can you?” I storm down the path, my emotions scrambling up inside me.

I try to walk away from him, but he’s on my heels. I just go faster, even though the sun is beginning to set and the path is a blur through my tears.

“Hey, stop,” Ryan calls out.

I keep going, walking over old tree roots and a rickety boardwalk without tripping. I still remember every step of this path, even these many years later.

“I said stop.” He grabs my arm and holds me still.

“What?” I try to glare at him. I try to meet his solemn stare, but I have to look away. Intensity radiates from his blue eyes. It’s too much for me to face.

“Don’t run away from me, Red. We don’t have to run away from this,” he pleads. I can see he’s genuine. He wears the truth on his sleeve. Still, something inside me can’t fully believe it. Something broke me in my childhood and made me believe I was never worthy of true love.

“Why are you just saying this now? What if I never even brought you here? Were you going to drive out of my life and never tell me how you feel?”

“Yes.”

The simplicity of his answer shocks me.

“Why?”

“Because I never expected to feel this way about anyone. Love wasn’t something that’s happened for me. Not ever. When I realized I was falling for you, I told myself it couldn’t be real. It was too fast. Too unexpected. But I know now I was wrong. I do love you, Red. I know that might not be what you want to hear, and if you still want me to drop you at your grandmother’s house and never look back, then that’s what I’ll do. But damn it, I love you, and I couldn’t leave forever without letting you know.”

I push my mane back, running my fingers through my hair. “I don’t want you to leave.” I finally make my own confession. “I’ve been trying to figure out how I could get you to stay and give us a chance all day.”

“Why?” Flames flicker behind his eyes as he makes me realize the answer.

“Because… I love you too.” My eyebrows reach skyward as I face him. Even now, there’s still a small part of me expecting this to fall through. Will I ever feel worthy of his love? Will he stick around long enough for me to find out?

“Come here.” Ryan pulls me into him with a jerk and loses his balance.

The slippery fallen leaves and brown pine needles catch us off guard, sending us tumbling down the gentle slope at the side of the path and I land on top of Ryan. He’s completely splayed out, like he’s about to make a snow angel in the wrong season. I laugh. He laughs too and for a moment the only sound in the entire park is our happiness. It echoes off the trees and floats up into the dimming sky.

“I love you,” I say the words again, more confidently this time.

Ryan wraps his arms over my back, pulling me flat on him. “I love you too,” he murmurs. His lips softly blanket mine like the first drifting snowflakes of winter that coat your eyelashes as you stare up at the sky.

Our tongues find each other, slowly dancing like we did last night on the ballroom floor. Swaying to a secret tune. Ryan slides his hand up my shirt, not with the desperate, reckless need he showed me last night. No. This time he’s deliberate and delicate. His hand cups my breast and I slide my legs open so I’ve got him straddled. His cock presses into me, making me moan into his mouth.

“Here?” I break our kiss and self-consciously look around.

“There’s no one around. We have the whole place to ourselves.” He sits up until I’m sitting on his lap, my legs spread out over him and my breasts heaving in his face.

Ryan lifts my shirt and kisses wet warmth through the lace of my bra, leaving my nipples taut and a steady desire building up inside me.

“I need you, Ryan.” I reach down between us and pluck open his jeans button, fumbling with his zipper.

He manages to pull his pants and underwear down enough to put on a condom while I tug my jeans and panties off one leg. They dangle off my other leg and my pussy is completely exposed to his face.

Ryan leans into me, digging his fingers into my ass, and licks my pussy as I stand before him. His tongue delves in past my lips and slides a long lick from my center to my clit. It’s like he’s savoring me, enjoying my taste on his lips. I kneel back over his legs, hovering my slick mound over his ready cock, and slowly lower myself onto him. We both grunt quietly as his cock fills me entirely and I slowly begin to ride him like the slowest cowgirl being bucked by an underwater bronco. Each time I slide back down his thick shaft I breathe in sharply at how completely he stretches me out.

I slide my hands over his shoulders and pick up speed as I bounce on his lap. Every time I come down, he bottoms out inside me, and shivers of bliss travel through my entire body.

My pussy clenches down around him and my orgasm unexpectedly ripples through my core, traveling outward and building up like a wave rolling into the shore.

Ryan’s large hands circle my waist and he holds me under his control as he lifts me up and brings me down harder on his cock. His breathing grows jagged and he thrusts into me deep, freezing as his cock is buried as far as possible inside. I watch his face contort and his eyes squeeze to slivers as his cum fills the barrier between us. When the last spurts fill the condom, I stand up and begin to put my clothes back on properly while he gets himself sorted out. I glance around the darkening forest, checking to see if anyone managed to spy on us, but it’s still just us out here.

“What do you say? Time to go see Grandma?” Ryan slides up behind me and kisses my neck.

“Will you stay with me? Will you stay in Portland and give this a shot?” I finally directly ask the question that’s been at the tip of my tongue all day.

“Yes, Red. I absolutely will.”