The Union

by T. H. Hernandez

  He responds immediately, his mouth softening against mine. Something intense and wonderful wends through me like tiny vines of heat and happiness. Then, for whatever reason, Lucy’s face flashes behind my eyes, unwanted and intrusive.

  I place my hands on his chest and push away from him, my breathing ragged, guilt scorching my face. “I’m…I’m sorry.”

  “What for?” he asks.

  “For that… I don’t…I’m not…” I’m not what? A boyfriend kisser? I think I’ve proven that I am. Shit, I have to get out of here. I spin and head toward the steps.

  “Evan, wait.”

  I pause, but don’t turn around. Things are going to be all kinds of awkward at the house now because of my actions. I need to fix this. With a deep breath, I press my lips firmly together and pivot to face him.

  His golden eyes bore into mine, genuine confusion lacing his features. “Did I do something wrong?”

  “God, no. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I know you and Lucy—”

  “Lucy?”

  “Yeah, Lucy. The blonde?”

  “I know who she is, but why are we talking about her?”

  “Because, you…the two of you…on the way home yesterday you stopped to talk to her. For a long time.”

  The corners of his mouth tip up in an infuriating smirk. Then he shakes his head and his smile grows. “I only talked to her for a couple minutes before going back to the trading post.”

  “What? You went back to the… So, that was you?” He was the one who put the hair balm in my room. He went all the way back in that god-awful heat. For me. Between that sweet gesture and the realization he didn’t spend all afternoon with Lucy, my heart melts into a puddle of goo.

  He takes two strides toward me, until his face is inches from mine, his breath warm and inviting, dancing across my lips. With a soft sigh, his mouth is on mine in an unhurried, sensuous kiss, that sends heat pulsing through my veins.

  He pulls me closer, kissing me deliberately, perfectly, turning my bones to mush. His hands slide to cup my face, his thumbs gliding over my cheeks.

  My fingers push through his hair and I inhale his intoxicating scent. Union guys mask their odor with aftershaves and cologne, but Cyrus always smells earthy and natural.

  The kiss is unending, a slow dance of tongues and lips, and heavy breaths, until he finally pulls back, pressing his lips to my forehead.

  Holy crap, what did I just do? I’m already torn up enough over going home, and kissing Cyrus isn’t going to help. But I can’t deny that being with him like this feels more right than anything I’ve ever known.

  “We should get back,” he says. “We’re supposed to be checking snares.”

  He takes my hand, lacing our fingers and leads me out of the hut. We walk in silence, but I’m hyper aware of the heat from his hand sending little jolts of electricity through me.

  We take a diagonal path away from the ravine before he stops and smiles. “Looks like we have dinner.”

  I follow his gaze to a large wild rabbit hanging from a tree. Below it are two sticks driven into the ground parallel to one another. Cyrus retrieves the dead animal, stuffs it in the pack, and we head to the next snare. All in all, we have three rabbits.

  As we trek back to the house, I want to end the somewhat awkward silence between us. “Cyrus?”

  “Hmm?”

  “What did you need to get away from?”

  “What?”

  “You said you built your hut thing because you needed to get away. Get away from what?”

  He gives me a sexy half smile, that sends my heart skipping. “When we first got here, it was just Lucien and Draya, Marcus and Sonia…and me. Being the fifth wheel got old pretty fast. I had to get away from all of that cozy…coupleness.”

  When we reach the outer edge of the clearing where the house sits, Cyrus abruptly stops and tugs me to him. He wraps a hand around my waist and kisses me until I can’t think straight. An easy smile lights up his face when he pulls back, making my blood run slow and warm.

  He takes my hand and leads the way into the house where Ally and Marcus are at the dining room table pouring wax into candle molds. Marcus glances at us, his eyes zeroing in on my hand in Cyrus’s. A grin blooms across his face and he nods at Cyrus.

  Cyrus leans over and kisses my temple, his whiskers grazing my cheek, before opening the pack to pull out the rabbits.

  Then I get my first lesson in skinning and cleaning a rabbit and find myself longing for the days I only had to clean fish.

  23

  Cozy Coupleness

  After all the kissing Cyrus and I did that morning, an uncomfortable air settled between us like an annoying relative trying to monopolize the conversation. More than once I wondered if he regretted what happened between us or if he was sorry he’d showed me his secret place.

  We sat far apart during dinner, and I caught Marcus shooting Cyrus questioning glances, but no one else seemed to notice the big cloud of awkward hovering over the table. After finishing the dishes, I went outside to escape the weird vibe as much as to relax and cool off.

  Even though I hoped Cyrus would join me, I wasn’t sure what to say to him if he did. Everything changed between us after our lips locked, and the comfortable compatibility we’d had was replaced by an electrifying intensity I wasn’t sure how to handle.

  He came outside a few minutes later and climbed up next to me. We sat beside each other for a long time, his warm, taut body pulling at me like a magnet to steel.

  Then he started talking. About walking for weeks before they found this piece of land and how they just knew this was where they’d build their house. I got lost in his words, forgetting to be uneasy around him. When he reached over and took my hand, weaving his fingers between mine, things felt…right, like they had before only better in the best possible way.

  Once we got past the initial post-kissing weirdness, things have been great, although we never seem to have enough time for each other. We’re so busy during the days and in the evenings there’s dinner, reading, and socializing with everyone. As much as I want to be alone with Cyrus, the others demand our involvement in card games and group discussions, as if nothing has changed. Most nights we’re lucky if we can find even an hour to ourselves.

  Tonight, as soon as we finish the dishes, Cyrus takes my hand and pulls me through the living room, past everyone sitting down to play cards and the boys holding out a book for me to read. “Not tonight. Tonight, she’s all mine,” he says with a smile that sends anticipation zinging through my veins.

  We head out the front door, but instead of leading me to the rock, he pulls me to the side porch where a hammock is suspended between two posts. He rolls in, reaching out a hand to help me in beside him.

  I lay next to him as we talk about nothing in particular, my head on his shoulder, his hand resting on my hip. While telling me about the first time he went hunting, he lifts my chin, tipping my face up. His words trail off as he lowers his head, his eyes roaming over my face before slipping closed as his lips find mine.

  A wave of heat pulses through me as his kiss deepens. When his mouth demands more, I willingly respond. He lets out a soft groan, sending me tumbling into a heady, delicious fog.

  He makes no further attempts at conversation, his lips only leave mine to nuzzle my neck or glide across my jaw on their way to my ear. His hands remain respectful, never straying to inappropriate places, even when my body would like a little less respect.

  I come up for air, my face flushed, and try to gather my thoughts, which is nearly impossible when he kisses my collar bone. “One of us should probably go to bed.”

  His lips trail up my neck, making me forget what I was saying. His voice is husky next to my ear. “Then it’s going to have to be you, because I’m not leaving.”

  With one phrase, he renders me speechless. The way he kisses me like he can’t get enough, the way my body responds to his touch…I can’t make sense of what’s happening with us. It’s bo
th powerful and scary as hell.

  And then there’s the annoying voice in my head that reminds me the closer we get, the harder it’s going to be when I leave. I hate that voice. It tries to force me to think things through and make logical decisions, but what I’m feeling is intoxicating and explosive—anything but logical.

  I give a fleeting thought to going inside, but he pulls me closer and the idea pops like a bubble on a summer breeze. I breathe in his masculine scent, and let myself drift off on a dreamy cloud of avoidance.

  It’s hotter than hell on a mid-summer day. So hot, that even those who’ve lived here for years aren’t immune. To survive, we get up before dawn to get as much done as possible before the heat beats us into submission. Then we pack a bag and hike to a large pool of water to cool off. It’s always crowded; everyone else from the area seems to have the same idea.

  Last week, Sonia and I went shopping at the trading post for swimwear. It was something straight out of the ninth circle of hell, but I found something that fits and isn’t hideous. It’s just a basic navy and white striped bikini, but I’m mostly happy with it and it covers more skin than some of the girls around here.

  While lying on a rock drying off, I feel the burning rays of Lucy’s heated glare from across the pool. Cyrus says they weren’t together, so I don’t know what her problem is, but after three days of this, it’s getting old.

  I push up and walk over to where she’s sitting with her family. If she’s surprised I’m confronting her, she doesn’t give anything away.

  “Hey,” I say.

  “You’re just the shiny new thing. I know you’re not from around here, so I’ll clue you in. He burns through girls faster than a wildfire during a wind storm”

  Ohhh-kay, maybe I didn’t need to know that. “I don’t want to fight with you over Cyrus. We don’t need to be friends, but could you dial back the animosity some?”

  She flicks her long blond hair over her shoulder and glances across the water to where Cyrus is messing around with Lucien, Marcus, and Will with pure longing. After schooling her features, she turns back to me. “Whatever. You can have him. I was done with him anyway.”

  I roll my eyes and walk back to my towel, pissed I let her get to me. With a renewed determination to just ignore her, I close my eyes and soak up the rays, but her words play on repeat in my head. The boy kisses like he’s a freaking expert in the fine art of lip-locking, so he’s either a natural or he’s had a lot of experience.

  A shadow passes over me and I open my eyes to find Dag grinning down at me, his eyes raking over my body.

  “Well, hello there, beautiful.”

  Shielding my eyes with my hand, I meet his gaze. “Dag.” He drops down next to me, and I sit up so we’re eye level. Several long moments of silence pass before I ask, “What do you want?”

  He directs a blinding smile my way. “I wanted to find out if you’re free for dinner.”

  “Oh. Thanks, but I’m going to pass.”

  His grin only grows wider. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  “Fat chance,” I mutter as he saunters off.

  Sudden water droplets on the rock dry almost instantly, and I glance up to find Cyrus glaring after Dag, his jaw ticking. “What did he want?”

  “A date.”

  His hands ball into fists at his side, then he drops down beside me and kisses me. Hard and possessive. I put my hands on his shoulders and shove him back. “What the hell?”

  He grumbles something under his breath and jumps back into the pool, swimming back to the others leaving me to wonder how I’m the one who just screwed things up. I wade into the cool water and make my way over to Sonia, Ally, and Draya.

  “What was that all about?” Sonia asks when I reach them.

  “I don’t know, some possessive pissing contest between Cyrus and Dag.”

  “What happened?” Ally asks.

  “Dag invited me to dinner. I said no. Cyrus licked my tonsils to prove a point. I asked him what his problem was and now he’s pissed at me.”

  Draya snorts. “You’re unbelievable.”

  I turn to face her, ready for her to enlighten me as only she can.

  “We may not have modern technology, but we’re not cavemen. Cy wasn’t marking his territory. Dag is mighty interested in you and where you came from, and he won’t stop sniffing around until he gets some answers.”

  “The current rumor is that you came back with us from Summer Fest,” Sonia says. “The timing is right. Plus, couples meet and fall in love at the festivals all the time. Since people travel so far to attend, relationships can’t continue unless one of them is willing to move. We aren’t discouraging the rumors.” She rubs my shoulder. “The last time Dag saw you and Cy, it was before you were together. He’s probably testing to find out if the rumors are true.”

  “Cyrus was trying to protect you but not in the way you thought,” Draya says.

  “How the hell was I supposed to know any of this? You get your hackles up when I assume wrongly, but you don’t tell me shit unless I happen to ask the right questions.”

  “Sorry, Evan, sometimes I forget how different things are from what you’re used to,” Sonia says.

  “So, what should I do now?”

  “Go talk to him,” Draya says.

  I watch Cyrus with his brother and friends, noting the playful expression from earlier is gone. With a deep breath, I wade over to him.

  “Can we talk?”

  He doesn’t answer but he does follow me to the center of the pool where a large rock juts out of the water. I hoist myself onto it, dangling my legs over the edge. “I’m sorry. I jumped to conclusions earlier, and…I’m sorry.”

  “You do that a lot.”

  “What?”

  “Jump to conclusions.”

  I start to argue, but I can’t come up with anything because he’s right. But it’s not all on me. “Okay. But if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to try to make sense of it on my own. And I’m not always going to reach the right conclusion.”

  He reaches up and places his hands on either side of me, penning me in. “Okay.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” My favorite smile breaks across his face.

  I push myself forward and slide off the rock, wrapping my arms around his neck. His fingers press into my hips as I reach up to kiss him, and this time I don’t care who’s watching.

  24

  Destiny

  The moon is almost full in the darkening sky by the time Cyrus and I head outside for some alone time. We’ve both been so busy over the past few days we’ve barely seen each other. Tonight, we agreed to make us a priority. Cyrus sits, tugging me in front of him and wraps his arms around my waist. I lean my head against his solid chest while we talk late into the night.

  Occasionally his lips stray to the side of my neck, destroying my ability to focus. When he stops and my head clears, our conversation resumes. This time I stay awake as he tells me about growing up with his parents and siblings. He openly shares about the tornado that ripped his world apart and what it was like to leave the only home he’d ever known with his brother and friends.

  He asks about my family and I tell him about my mom and Joe, Katie and Rachel, and about Eddie and Liam and Quinn, the siblings I have yet to meet. Something shifts inside me as I talk. Words fall from my mouth and things I thought I’d never share suddenly come with ease.

  I tell him about Bryce and the beating by Alivia and her friends the next day, and how I needed to decide whether to stay and go to a trial or agree to the deal and move on. This requires a bit of background on how our justice system works and the way politics came into play.

  “They got off with just some community service. It was my word against theirs, three against one, so it would’ve been harder for me to make my case. Plus, I would’ve had to stay put until after the trial. With Alivia’s dad being the mayor and my uncle the govern
or, a trial was the last thing either of them wanted, anyway. Sometimes I think my uncle pushed me into the deal.”

  Cyrus stiffens behind me. “What did you say?”

  I shrug. “I didn’t want to testify, but sometimes I wonder if my uncle pushed me harder than he needed to—”

  “Not that. Your uncle’s a governor?”

  “Technically he’s my step uncle…”

  “I’ll be right back. Stay here.” He unwraps his arms from me and jumps down before heading into the house.

  What the hell? I wait a few minutes before curiosity gets the best of me and follow him inside. As soon as I open the door, loud, angry voices filter down.

  “She’s going to get us all killed,” Draya yells.

  “That’s a bit extreme,” Cyrus says.

  “No, it’s not, and if you start using the brain between your ears for a change, you’ll realize I’m right. You’ve been a pathetic love-sick puppy since we found her, but now your lack of judgment regarding her isn’t just stupid, it’s dangerous.”

  “That’s enough Dray.” Lucien’s voice is low, but there’s no mistaking the authority in his tone.

  I make my way up the stairs and stand on the top step. They’re all in the kitchen, unaware of my presence.

  Draya’s harsh expression softens a little. “I’m sorry, Cyrus, but she needs to go back.”

  Marcus says something too quiet for me to make out, then Sonia says, “He’s right, Cy.”

  They continue to converse in tones too low for me to overhear.

  “I’ll talk to her,” Cyrus says, staring at the floor.

  He turns toward the door and pauses when he sees me, his face drawn. A hole bores itself deep in my gut, making breathing difficult. He’s sending me home. Anger and pain twist through me as I turn and rush down the stairs.

  “Evan, wait,” Cyrus calls after me.

  I slam the front door behind me and walk to the back of the house, my heart pounding. I can’t decide if I’m more pissed at him for making me care or at myself for falling for another guy I barely know.