Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel

by Susan Collins

  I hadn't been at all surprised either that Keller could drive the ATV my Gran had stored in her barn. When he drove up and parked outside the front door of Fairvue, I knew we must be going to a hard to reach location for our picnic.

  The supplies we'd gathered fit neatly into the carrier located on the back of the vehicle, and then I put on the helmet Keller handed me before climbing on the seat behind him. Riding this way would be much more fun than going in his truck, because the only way I could stay balanced was to press my body against Keller's and wrap my arms around his waist. I would have to suggest we travel this way more often.

  Pain sliced through me, as I reminded myself there would be no reason to do that. We had less than a week together. This would be our only picnic. I had to focus on what Keller had said.

  Let's make a memory both of us can keep.

  "Are you ready, babe?" Keller twisted his body around from the driver's seat to make sure I was good to go. The nod of my head gave him the confirmation he needed as he revved the engine, and we took off.

  He turned us down a path I had never taken. With three hundred acres, plus Mr. Mac's farm right next door, there was a lot of land I had yet to explore. It wasn't long before we moved off anything that even resembled a path, and he began going in a direction he seemed sure of but that looked doubtful to me as a trail.

  We had been riding for about twenty minutes, but the time passed in a blissful haze for me. I was content, holding onto Keller and enjoying our moment together. I was not disappointed, however, when he stopped and I saw where we were. The view on top of the hill was breathtaking.

  Keller cut the engine and slid off the seat as he took off his helmet. He ran his hands through his hair, and the light breeze the day provided did the rest. He looked incredibly sexy as longer strands of his hair curved across his forehead, perfectly framing his eyes.

  My own helmet followed his as I placed it on the seat of the four wheeler, and then because I couldn't stop myself, I leaned into him and ran my fingers through his hair before pulling his head down to mine for a kiss.

  Keller kissed me slowly, thoroughly, before leaning away.

  "I'm not complaining, but did I do something to deserve that?"

  I smiled at him before easing away and starting to unpack our gear.

  "It's just because I love - "

  My voice caught in my throat, realizing what I had almost admitted. "I, uhm, I love it here. This place is beautiful."

  The spot he'd chosen really was perfect. We were parked in a clearing that already had wildflowers blooming even though it was only May. A stream ran off to our right, water bubbling across small pebbles and larger rocks before it made its way down the hill to the valley below. Giant maples, oaks, and sycamore trees grew around the edge of the field and straight up to the sky, adding their own natural beauty and privacy to the spot as their branches melded together.

  Keller looked at me as if he expected me to say something else.

  "Yes," he finally agreed, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "I love this spot, too. In fact, it's perfect. I'm glad you love it."

  Without warning, tears sprang into my eyes, and I turned my head so Keller wouldn't see. I occupied myself with unloading the blanket for the picnic and grabbing the basket full of food.

  Keller had already walked away to choose the place for our picnic. He was clearing away the few sticks and rocks that littered the area. When he looked up and saw I was carrying so much, he rushed over to help.

  "You should have waited; I would have gotten everything."

  I shook my head, not sure if my voice would betray me and tremble as I mumbled, "No, I'm good." But he still insisted on taking the load from my hands.

  Together we unfolded the quilt I had packed and spread it on the ground. Keller began to make quick work of the picnic basket as he pulled out bottles of water, the chips, and the ham and cheese sandwiches he'd packed for us. He'd also brought a second bag of chocolate covered nuts like the ones he'd given Granger.

  I was glad I could think of Granger now without feeling any guilt. I knew he was taking care of a lot of things so Keller and I could have this time together. He really was a good friend to both of us.

  "Do you want to tell me why you're sad?" Keller leaned over and gently lifted my chin with his fingers.

  I bit my bottom lip and mumbled, "So, you noticed that, huh?"

  "I notice everything about you, babe. You should know that by now."

  His hand slid up the side of my face, and our bodies moved, closing the distance between us. With his fingers wrapped in my hair, he pulled me close and the kiss he gave me was different than the ones we'd shared before. This one was all tenderness and caring, and I had never felt so cherished as I did in that moment.

  "I hope you aren't hungry," he breathed against my mouth.

  My head shook from side to side causing several curls to come loose from the tie that held back my hair. Keller's fingers reached up and pulled at the elastic band, until all of my hair was free.

  "You're beautiful no matter what, sweetheart, but I love being able to run my fingers through your curls." His hands followed his words as he wound his fingers through my hair as he eased me down onto the quilt. His body followed as he shifted me to my side and carefully positioned himself across from me. Propped up on one elbow, he turned to face me, pulling me close and staring down into my upturned face.

  He continued to give me kisses, telling me things I wanted to hear between each one.

  "You are the most beautiful, fascinating girl in any world." His long lashes made shadows on his face as he looked at me. "You have to know that if all we ever have is this day, this moment, it will always be the most perfect moment of my life." His eyes seared into mine, willing me to believe him.

  Keller's voice trembled as he rushed on. "I need to make sure you know how much I care about you, how much I feel when I'm with you. I don't want you to ever cry or be sad again and especially not because of me. All I want to do is see you smile."

  His crooked grin broke out across his face as he added, "Well, maybe I'd like to hear you moan with pleasure, too, but I'm sure you'd be ecstatically happy then as well."

  I punched him lightly with my free arm, causing him to tumble backwards, and I quickly took advantage and crawled on top of him, my long hair falling around us before I reached over and pulled it to one side and out of the way.

  "I know it's selfish," I began, "but I want more than one day with you. Keller, I don't know what the rules are for guardians. I know that even if everything works out and you're able to save me, there won't really be a completely happy ending for me because you'll have to go back. And when you leave, well, when you go, I will have lost my heart, so how can that really be living?"

  The tears that had threatened to overwhelm me, finally spilled from my eyes. Keller moved swiftly. sitting up and gathered me in his arms. He held me and kissed the top of my head as I buried my face against his chest and let the tears empty my pain.

  "Baby, don't cry. Please don't cry." His arms tightened around me even more and his hands moved across my back, the motion soothing me, helping to stop my tears.

  His own eyes were bright as he gently raised my chin and forced me to look at him. That's when I knew this was as hard on him as it was on me.

  "I have broken so many rules in the past few days. It was one of the reasons I had to go back today. I'm guessing Granger told you I had to go back because of our shields, which was only partially true. I'd actually received a summons I couldn't ignore."

  My eyes grew wide with concern, knowing I was the cause of any trouble he had to face.

  "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to get in trouble."

  Keller's face looked unconcerned as he said, "Don't be sorry. It wasn't like that. I simply had to answer for some of the things we told you. I am forgiven for most of what was said since shielding doesn't work on you, and well, you'd basically figured out a lot of the truth on your own,
but I have been given a reminder that both Granger and I need to be...careful about what we do from here on out."

  Keller's eyebrows drew down into a frown. He seemed to be searching for the right words, and then he shook his head and said, "Why don't we eat now, and then if you feel like it, we'll go down by the creek once we're done."

  I nodded my agreement, even though I didn't feel very hungry. The food would be a good distraction for me, and it was obvious Keller needed the time as well.

  Despite the initial awkwardness, conversation over lunch was more relaxed than I could have ever imagined, especially considering my life was in danger, and Keller had started his day with a reprimand. I was as if we'd both agreed that from this point on we would not think about anything else except each other.

  There were so many things Keller couldn't tell me, but it didn't stop him from sharing a few stories about his world. He was a wonderful story teller, and he had me laughing in no time. The way his face became so animated and the way he used his hands and his arms to express his stories, he was like a performer, and I was mesmerized watching him.

  "In all of the stories you've told me, you're always the age you are right now. How does that work?" I asked him when there was a pause in the conversation.

  Keller pursed his lips, trying to find the best way to explain.

  "Where we live, everyone is pretty much near my age, but I think I've already told you that. There are a few elders there who help guide everything that goes on. We have a huge respect for those who are older than us, which is one of the reasons I love the relationship you have with Ms. Ellie. It reminds me of the relationship guardians have with their elders."

  He shrugged his shoulders as he continued, "I don't remember being much different than the age I am now, but I know I was because I came there as a baby. All I remember about that time is just an overwhelming happiness. There were no physical hurts like cuts or scrapes or bruises or any type of worries, for that matter, like you go through here."

  I thought about my own troubled childhood and wondered what type of person I would have become had I not had those experiences to shape me. I liked who I was now, so maybe it was time I became okay with my past and excepted that it helped make me who I am just as Keller's made him the person I loved.

  Keller's voice continued his explanation, bringing me back from my thoughts. "I do have memories from the age I am now. I have been friends with Granger and his brother and sister for as long as I can remember. They are the closest thing I have to a family."

  Granger's earlier words ran through my mind, and I knew he felt the same about Keller. Even though Keller and I couldn't be together, it helped me a little to know there would always be someone there for him, even when he went back.

  "Well, I think you're the perfect age." I wiped my mouth with my napkin and sat my plate of food to the side. Then I smiled and let my eyes run up and down him suggestively before I added, "Everything is pretty much perfect about you, actually."

  "Only pretty much perfect?" His eyebrows rose in feigned surprise. "Just what do you find lacking, sweetheart?"

  My mouth parted into a huge grin as I jumped up and took off running, shouting back over my shoulder, "You keep telling me you're seventeen, but I think you're probably much too old for me. I bet with all the years you've got on you, you probably can't even catch me!"

  Keller's eyes gleamed with the challenge. Faster than I could have imagined, he jumped up from his spot and began to chase after me. My feet flew across the ground as I ran toward the creek. I wanted to prove I could outrun him by crossing the water before he could, but the idea of being caught in his arms made me a winner either way.

  My feet were already touching the first large rock in the shallows of the water, but even with my head start, he was faster. Two strong arms came from behind me, capturing me, and swirled me through air, landing me safely back on the bank.

  Keller wasn't even out of breath, but my own breathing was anything but normal as he pulled me flush with his body, the winner taking his prize.

  "You were saying?" he asked, his eyes devouring my upturned face, his hands resting possessively at the curve of my hips.

  I bit my bottom lip, wondering what he would say if I told him I loved him.

  "I was saying that I'm okay with dating an older man."

  He laughed out loud and then swooped my legs out from under me. Cradled against his chest, I remembered the night at the club and how I'd felt safe in his arms even back then.

  Keller acted like it was nothing to carry my extra weight as his purposeful strides carried him across the clearing and back to the quilt. He eased me out of his arms and down the length of his body, letting my feet touch the ground but not releasing me from his hold.

  "Do you want to know what all someone my age can do?"

  I nodded, words deserting me, my eyes growing wide in anticipation.

  Keller's head dipped, and his lips found the pulse at the base of my neck. His tongue touched the sensitive spot, and then he placed the tiniest of kisses up and down my throat. My stomach, which was already swimming with butterflies, dropped as his mouth continued its deliberate exploration.

  My own hands could no longer stay still, and I tried to bring him closer but he wouldn't let me. Before I could protest, he slid both my hands behind my back and held them together with his powerful grip, leaving only one of his hands free to explore while my own remained trapped.

  He stared at me for a moment, considering something, before he came to a decision.

  "Hmmm...I caught you, so I think it's only right I get to have some type of reward. I'm not a selfish guy, so I really hope this is as sweet for you as it will be for me."

  "What did you have in mind?" My voice was shaking. I was nervous and excited all at the same time.

  "I think I'm going to be a bit of an explorer and you, sweetheart, don't get to touch anything - so that you can have time to think about throwing out these crazy challenges you like to give."

  Keller reached out then with his one free hand and his fingers dipped at the low V neck of my T-shirt. He pushed the loose material lower until his knuckles grazed the lace I wore underneath. As close as we were I could feel his heart racing as his fingers curved down and explored the further mysteries he was only just discovering. I could tell he was enjoying his job as an explorer as much as I was. My own knees were growing weak, and without the support of his arm, I was certain I would no longer be able to stand.

  His head dipped lower, and his kisses ran over the outside of my shirt, following the path his fingers were tracing. Even through the material, my body changed at his touch. I ached to claim back my hands and touch him everywhere.

  Still holding me captive, his mouth went lower, to my stomach. Using his free hand and his teeth, he lifted my shirt and placed his mouth against the blazing skin underneath. The feel of his lips there against my skin was nearly my undoing. My head fell backwards, and I could barely keep my balance, the sensations he was causing were that intense.

  "Keller, please," I moaned.

  "Please, what?" he murmured back, his mouth never leaving my skin, going lower and lower, taking his job as an explorer very seriously.

  "Let me touch you," I cried, frustrated, moving my hands against the stronghold he had on my wrists.

  His fingers loosened and my hands were free. I lost no time burying my fingers in his hair, pulling him up to meet my kiss. His strong hands lifted up my hips, sliding underneath me, positioning me, and then I felt the bark of a tree against my back as he leaned into me, his weight and strength keeping me against him as my hands moved as freely as my mouth, touching, kissing, discovering, as he'd done to me.

  His shirt was a barrier, and I yanked the material up over his head, tossing it carelessly to the ground. His own hands did the same to me, leaving only the thin, white lace of my bra between us.

  Nothing had ever felt this good.

  I wanted.

  I needed.

&n
bsp; Everything.

  A moan escaped me, and Keller whispered into my ear, "I told you I'd make you happy."

  I laughed out loud but not for long, as his mouth took ownership of mine in a searing kiss. My legs unwrapped from his waist and then slowly slid down to the ground, my feet barely touching, so that I could feel the full length of him. His knee wedged between my own and I stood on my tiptoes, pressing my body into his.

  The sun's afternoon rays felt warm on my skin, and when I dared to open my eyes, I saw that one ray had Keller wrapped in its light. The effect made a halo over his head, and the image was so powerful that for a minute I couldn't breathe. I was reminded instantly of who he was and how I had no real claim on him. He truly was heavenly.

  "Keller, we have to stop."

  Keller shook his head from side to side. "No, no, no. That's my line, and I'm not using it today."

  I pushed at his chest with both of my hands, loving the way his skin felt underneath my palms, wondering how I could find the willpower to move away from him.

  "Look at me," I whispered. "Please."

  Keller's eyes moved over me as he whispered, "You're beautiful, love. So beautiful."

  A sound, half sigh and half laughter escaped from me. "No, idiot. Look at my face for a minute and stop kissing me."

  "My answer doesn't change. You're still beautiful." His crooked smile was nearly my undoing.

  I slipped from his arms and bent down and grabbed our shirts. Without looking at him, I slipped mine over my head and held his out to him, careful not to touch him again just yet.

  His eyebrows shot up in a look of disbelief. A loud sigh escaped from him before he took the shirt from my hand and slipped it over his head. I swallowed hard as I watched him getting dressed, wondering if I'd ever have that view again and praying that somehow I would.

  He grabbed hold of one of my arms and pulled me to him and held me tight.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to move so fast."

  I shook my head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry, not you. I don't want you to risk anything for me and that includes your position."