Chapter 38
Bree
I giggled breathlessly as I hurried down the narrow path between the huts, struggling to keep pace with Gage’s long, purposeful strides. His hand tugged me along as though he couldn’t get us away from the others fast enough, his broad shoulders cutting through the late afternoon light. Every few seconds he glanced back at me with that wicked grin of his, the kind that never failed to ignite
butterflies deep inside me-except these weren’t gentle little flutters anymore. They were
combustions, fiery wings crashing into one another inside my chest, making it nearly impossible to
breathe.
I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that he was mine. Gage Simmons. Gorgeous,
unattainable, endlessly confident Gage-yet somehow, he had chosen me. Every time he said it out
loud, every time he claimed me with that gravel in his voice, it felt surreal. Too good. Too
overwhelming. Too incomprehensible for a girl like me, who had once been told she wasn’t
enough.
Suddenly, I found myself pressed back against the wooden wall of one of the cabins, the rough
grain biting into my shoulder blades. Gage’s tall frame loomed over me, his presence consuming
every inch of space. Before I could speak, his mouth was at my throat, lips hot and insistent
against my skin. A low gasp slipped out, instinct driving my head to tilt back and give him more.
My fingers curled into the thick strands at the back of his neck, tugging just slightly as if I could
anchor myself to him while my knees threatened to melt beneath me.
His hands-God, those hands-slid firmly along my waist, fingers pressing possessively into the
curve of my hips. The strength in his grip made it clear he wanted me impossibly close, closer than
skin, closer than breath.
“You’re too damn sexy, gorgeous,” he rumbled against my neck, the vibration of his voice skimming
straight down my spine.
I broke into helpless laughter, my lips trembling against the smile I couldn’t contain. “I was just
talking,” I whispered, but the sparks licking through my veins had already burst into an inferno.
He hummed, low and rough, before wrapping me fully in his arms. His tongue traced a languid
path across my throat before planting a fierce, lingering kiss there, branding me in a way no one
else could. “You know I get rowdy when you talk about books like that,” he muttered.
It was our last official day at camp, and everyone had merged into one sprawling group. No separate classes, no rigid schedules-just a free-for-all where you could drift into whatever activity caught your interest. I had spent the morning in book club, passionately unraveling the themes and hidden meanings in the novel Rachel had chosen, only to feel Gage’s eyes on me the entire time. Heavy. Intent. Almost predatory. He hadn’t been listening to the book. He’d been listening to me.
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Chapter 38
“Rowdy?” I echoed through a laugh, still pressed against the wall.
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“Mhm.” His lips finally left my neck, though his body stayed caged around mine. His hands cupped my waist like he was anchoring himself to me, his gaze dragging up my face as though he couldn’t drink me in fast enough. When his eyes met mine, they were darker than I’d ever seen, a dangerous green storm. “You’re so f*****g smart, Bree. Your brain makes me go feral.” His voice dropped to a growl, low and wrecked, right before his mouth claimed mine in a kiss that seared every thought from my head.
The force of him staggered me-his hunger, his reverence, his unshakable need to consume. His lips devoured mine, every pass demanding more, taking and giving in equal measure until I wasn’t
sure where I ended and he began.
Then his hands slid lower, cupping my ass with a rough, greedy grip that made me gasp, my whole body stiffening before it melted entirely against him. The world tilted, dissolved, and all I knew was him-his taste, his heat, his growl vibrating against my mouth as his tongue tangled with mine. What had been PG-13 kisses and playful touches only minutes ago now felt incendiary, like we’d crossed into dangerous territory where one spark could set everything ablaze.
But still, he didn’t push me beyond what I was ready for. He never did. Even when desperation colored every inch of his body, even when I felt the frantic edge of his hunger, he always pulled back the moment I hesitated. That restraint made me ache for him in ways I couldn’t explain.
T
These six weeks had been transformative, life-altering in a way I hadn’t expected. Camp hadn’t just given me friends and laughter. It had given me him. Gage had forced me out of the shadows I’d lived in for too long. He’d coaxed me from my cocoon without even realizing it, until I was standing here, wings trembling, ready to unfold.
I thought of that night he touched my breasts, his body pressing me down into the mattress as his hands molded me through the thin fabric of my shirt. The steady grind of his hips had been unbearable in the best way, his groans breaking into my mouth every time his hardness brushed against me. It had felt magnetic, unstoppable-like the air itself bent around us. And then, just when my body was shaking apart, he’d stopped. Always stopping. Always choosing me over his
own need.
Just as he did now, dragging his lips from mine though his breath stayed ghosting across my mouth. Both of us panted, chests rising and falling in sync, the air between us hot and heavy. His forehead hovered near mine, his grip still holding me grounded against him.
“Meet me at the lake tonight,” he whispered, his voice frayed and rough with need.
My eyes fluttered open, meeting the wild hunger in his. “But… what about the party?” I managed,
breathless.
Rachel’s farewell party was supposed to be the highlight of camp-karaoke, endless pizza, and the
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red solo cups that definitely didn’t contain just punch. But right now, the thought of sixty laughing
voices felt like static compared to the intensity of his gaze.
“I don’t care about the party,” he rasped, his palms sliding up to cradle my face. “I want my last night with you, Bree. Not them. Who knows when I’ll get to see you again?”
My heart lurched, my throat thickening with unspoken words. I wanted to tell him I’d follow him anywhere, that there wasn’t a world where I’d say no to him. But he cut off my answer, sealing it
with another kiss that was as desperate as it was reverent.
“Say you’ll come,” he begged against my lips, voice low and breaking.
Emotion choked me, but my answer was instinct. “I’ll follow you anywhere,” I whispered, every word a promise.
**
I lied straight to Rachel’s face as I got ready, a guilty twist in my stomach as I told her what she
wanted to hear. That Gage and I were excited for the party, that maybe we’d take the stage
together for karaoke, that we’d hype everyone else into singing too. She squealed with delight,
bought every word, and threw her arms around me before bouncing off, full of her own
excitement.
Meanwhile, I stood in front of the mirror with trembling hands, slipping into my favorite set of
underwear like it was armor. My pencil scraped across my brows, sharpening them with careful
strokes, and then I leaned close to spritz perfume at the base of my throat-right where Gage always buried his face, inhaling me like I was the only breath he needed. My pulse jumped just at the thought.
Rachel didn’t deserve to be lied to. She’d been there for me through everything, never once demanding more than I could give, always offering comfort and encouragement without strings. She felt like the big sister I never had, and when she added me on f*******, it felt natural, like an
unspoken promise we’d stay connected after this summer. That thought warmed me even as I
deceived her.
When she finally left the cabin, I lingered behind, my eyes catching on the photo frame by her bed.
Rachel and her fiancé, smiling so wide it nearly spilled out of the picture. Love radiated from them.
Solid, steady, unwavering. If I could grow into even half the woman she was-trustworthy, loving, driven, compassionate-then maybe I’d finally believe I was enough.
I drew a shaky breath, fluffing out my hair until it spilled loose around my shoulders. My nerves tangled in my chest, but determination cut through them like steel. Tonight, I wasn’t holding back. Tonight, I was giving myself fully to Gage Simmons.
Because I knew this was the last night.
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Even if these six weeks had been extraordinary-magical, life-altering-I couldn’t let myself dream
of more. We hadn’t talked about what came after camp. Not once. Not seriously. He called me his girl, I called him mine, but words like that didn’t guarantee anything. Not when reality was waiting right outside these trees.
I didn’t even know what college he went to, only that football consumed his world. Practices.
Games. Scouts hovering with contracts dangling in their hands. He was destined for a future that
left no space for a long-distance girlfriend, no time for late-night phone calls or promises
whispered across state lines. And how could I compete with the attention he drew everywhere he
went? Girls would throw themselves at him, and he could have anyone. Why would he choose me-
again and again-when the world was already begging for him?
That was why I made the decision. One night. One night filled with nothing but yes. A night where
passion wasn’t rationed, where I gave him everything he asked for, everything I had. And when the
sun rose, I’d carry it with me, even if he never looked my way again.
The trees thinned as I stepped down the path toward the lake, the sound of water lapping gently at
the shore drawing me forward. Then the sight of him stopped me cold.
The world had turned into a painting. The setting sun spilled across the lake in soft orange light that bled into rose, lavender, and dusky blue. It shimmered over the ripples, painted the grass,
caught in the treeline. It was breathtaking-yet nothing compared to him.
Gage Simmons. On his knees in front of a blanket spread carefully across the grass. Flickering LED
candles glowed in clusters around him, their soft light reflecting in the water. A basket sat beside
the blanket, filled with snacks and soda cans, like he’d thought of every detail. His sky-blue t-shirt
clung to his shoulders, stretching deliciously over the muscles I craved, while his black jean shorts
framed his thighs in a way that made my knees weak. His blonde hair, tousled and perfect, fell
forward as he adjusted the little setup, completely unaware that he had just stolen every breath
from my lungs.
My fingers tightened on the strap of my crossbody bag, my heart pounding against my ribs so violently it almost hurt. “Hey, Adonis,” I called softly.
His head snapped up instantly, green eyes locking on mine with a heat that spread from my face to
the soles of my feet. The slow smile that spread across his mouth lit him up from the inside out.”
Hey, gorgeous.” He reached one hand toward me, palm open, beckoning.
I couldn’t get to him fast enough. My feet carried me over the grass, my hand slipping into his like
it was second nature, like it had always belonged there. He pulled me closer without hesitation, still kneeling before me, his presence larger than life even from the ground.
“What’s all this?” I asked, my voice small, shaky with nerves and something far deeper.
Even on his knees, he seemed impossibly tall, his head the perfect height for me to rest my chin
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< Chapter 38
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against. I slid my arms around his shoulders, pressing my face into his hair, breathing him in. His arms wrapped around my waist, strong and sure, anchoring me in place.
“I’m trying to romanticize you, gorgeous,” he murmured into my skin, his voice muffled and rough in the sweetest way. “Is it working?”
A laugh bubbled from me, shaky but genuine, as I took in the effort, the thought, the care woven into every flickering candle and folded blanket. No one had ever done something like this for me before. No one had ever thought I deserved to be cherished this much. “Only in the best way possible,” I whispered.
“Good,” he muttered, and then his hands slid lower, down the backs of my thighs. My breath caught when his fingers skimmed just beneath the hem of my dress, a teasing brush of warmth that made my pulse trip.
His lips curved into a smirk I couldn’t see but could feel in the rasp of his voice. “Because I got something to say, and you’re gonna listen.”
And just like that, my heart stopped all over again.
