CALE WAS UP to something for our date. He had me dressed up like a freaking redneck, but honestly, I really didn’t care. I was just excited to be going on a real date. When I’d thought about if this day would ever come with anyone, I’d been overwhelmed with anxiety. My nightmare dinner with Sam and then his creepy note stressed me out, but going out with Cale had me feeling anticipation I hadn’t felt in a very long time. For once in the past three years, I felt like a normal woman going on a normal date with a man. A very hot man.
The drive to our unknown-to-me destination was a quiet one except for Big Wreck singing a very appropriate “You Caught My Eye” in the background. Our thoughts were in other places as we drove. Yesterday, Pops had a talk with me about being careful on my date. It seemed that he had quite the protective streak in him. If he’d known about the craziness with Sam or, more terrifying, my abduction three years ago, he’d have probably forbid me to date anyone ever. Family isn’t always blood. Pops was definitely family.
I noticed that we were heading towards a more secluded area that normally would have sent me into a panic. But with Cale, this was exciting, not scary. If only he knew how much he’d saved me from my ugly past these last few days. When my mom called earlier, I was finally able to give her the juicy gossip she’d been waiting on for the past three years. She was beyond thrilled and couldn’t wait to meet the man who had managed to snag her baby girl’s interest. I missed her and Rich so much and desperately anticipated seeing them on Thanksgiving.
After driving on some old roads through the woods for a good thirty minutes, we eventually arrived at a clearing. “Ready for our date?” Cale asked.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” I answered honestly.
He smiled at me before hopping out of the truck. I followed after him to find him already pulling stuff out of the back.
“What exactly are we doing?”
“Carry those two bags right there. You’ll find out soon enough, but we need to get going before it gets dark,” he instructed.
A little while later, after hiking though several nearly impassable trails, we arrived at a small clearing completely surrounded by thick woods. Darkness was falling quickly, but with Cale nearby, my fear stayed at bay.
With impressive efficiency, Cale assembled a tent in record time. “I was a Boy Scout,” he offered when he saw my jaw hanging. After the tent was up, he gathered what he needed and started a blazing fire that illuminated our camping area.
“So, is it safe to assume we’re camping, Cale?” I asked him.
“Complete with ghost stories and all,” he smirked.
I watched him as he dragged over a huge piece of wood for us to sit on. Once I sat down, he busied himself with the small ice chest he’d brought with us. A few minutes later, he handed me a stick with a hot dog on it.
“You can’t go camping without cooking hot dogs over the campfire,” he grinned, looking very much like a little boy.
After we’d filled our bellies with hot dogs sans buns, he brought out the marshmallows. By the time I burned the third one, I was in full-on pout mode. He’d already laughed at me the entire time, but he eventually held up one of his perfectly roasted marshmallows to my lips. I leaned forward and pulled it off his fingers with just my mouth, never losing eye contact, leaving him staring at my lips. When I dipped my head back down to suck off the gooey remnants of the marshmallow on his fingers, he groaned loudly. Who’s laughing now?
After the tense marshmallow moment, we settled by the fire, getting cozy. Cale had already located a blanket he’d brought and wrapped it around us since the temperature had begun to drop. It was quiet except for the crackling of the fire, chirping of crickets, and rustling of leaves blowing in the wind.
“Thank you, Cale,” I whispered, snuggling into his neck with my arms wrapped around him as much as they could be while sitting side by side.
“For what?” he asked.
“For this. All of it. This date is the best one ever. It’s perfect. You have no idea what it means to me,” I said seriously. “I feel like you’re the only one who sees me. To everyone else, I feel like I am just this ugly moth, just a fragment of who I used to be. But with you, I feel like you see me for more than that.”
He cringed at the first part of my words but squeezed me back. “Lia, Madison once told me to go after what I wanted in life. There’s never been anything that I’ve wanted more than what is in my arms right now. She was right. And, Lia, you are not a moth. I’m the moth,” he declared, looking into my eyes, no hint of humor at all in his face.
When I shook my head at him, he placed his palms on either side of my face, bringing my face closer to his.
“Lia, I’m the moth and you are the flame. Your light burns so bright. I never had a chance. From the moment you maced me, I have been fluttering as close as I can get to you. Your fire enchants me, and I’d do anything to be near this fire, even if it meant death. Babe, you have to realize that what we have is so unique,” he said with conviction. “So don’t ever call yourself a moth again, Lia. You’re the damned fire shining to me like a beacon in the night. Wherever you go, I will follow.” He then leaned forward, pressing his lips into mine with such an intensity, grabbing the back of my head like he was holding on for dear life.
I was lost in his words, his touch, his kiss. My mother had had a whirlwind romance with Rich, so I wasn’t opposed at all to what was happening so quickly between Cale and me. It was like we’d been waiting a really long time for one another.
A twig snapped, pulling us from our kiss to look around into the dark forest.
“The critters are coming out. Want to make out in the tent?” he teased with a wink.
“Something like that,” I countered back, causing another sexy growl of his.