Dane returns with our drinks, sitting next to me and placing my hand in his under the table. We continue to talk to my dad and make plans to get together for dinner in the city before school starts back up again. I tell him about my job, and he asks Dane about his art. Everything just feels right.

“We should get going soon. I hate to cut this short, but we need to find a camping spot before it gets dark,” Dane says. He looks at me apologetically. I hate to end this too, but there will be other days.

“You kids can stay with me tonight if you want.”

“No, we’re only sleeping outside for the next four days,” I smile up at Dane.

My Dad laughs, shaking his head. “Don’t say I didn’t offer.”

We say our goodbyes and my dad gives me a hug, which means everything to me. I craved his attention for years, and now I have it, and I feel like another piece of me has been put into place. I have Dane to thank for this one too.

Once we jump back on the bike, I hold Dane tight. Not because I’m scared or nervous, but because I love him and never want to let him go. He’s done so much for me and this just topped all of it. Dane filled a big hole in my heart when I met him, and he continues to patch it up piece by piece. Every day I don’t think it’s possible to love him anymore, but then I do.

My mom may never come around, and I’ve accepted that. Some relationships aren’t meant to be fixed. I’m going to hold onto the people who stand by me every day no matter what they do with their lives. I don’t think she can ever do that.

We drive north until the sun starts to set over the horizon and we’re forced to stop at a small campground somewhere in Massachusetts. It’s quiet, nestled away from the main road and surrounded by trees. A river runs to one side while a park lines the other. It’s the kind of place I’ve seen in family movies, but never really knew existed.

I think this trip is going to be amazing.

Dane slips off the bike and heads over to the small office to pay the nightly fee on the spot we selected. I decide to make myself useful and attempt to set up the tent by myself. I dump all the contents of the bag onto the ground and stand with my hands on my hips, trying to decide which piece to pick up first. I’m completely lost, so I pick up all the poles and decide to sort them by size. This has to be helpful, right?

Dane’s laughter fills the night sky behind me. I smile; it’s been a while since I’ve heard him laugh like that. I’m sure he’s laughing at me, but if this is what I have to do to make it happen, I’ll do it.

Turning to face him, I squint my eyes against the falling sun. He looks gorgeous in his faded blue jeans, grey, chest hugging t-shirt and black motorcycle boots. He walks toward the piles I’ve made and picks up one of the longer poles. “Were you sorting these for me, baby?”

I bite my lip, trying to hold back my laughter. He’s making fun of my tent building skills, and I don’t mind it one bit. I know this is not my calling. “Why don’t I go take a shower while you set up the tent?” I smile, pointing my thumb toward the public showers. It was going to be another first for me.

“Yeah, that’s probably not a bad idea. I’m going to grab one as soon as I’m done,” he replies, wiping the sweat from his forehead. There’s something sexy about a man in work clothes with sweat glistening on his face. I wish there weren’t people around because I would definitely hit the showers with Dane Wright.

I walk away before I get any more visions of our n**ed bodies under a stream of running water. The showers are lukewarm at best, but it feels good against my hot, sticky skin. This day’s been surreal; I never thought I would be sitting across from my dad laughing in a coffee shop. I think it shows we all have the ability to change and see things differently. I hate that his motivation was the threat of illness, the fear of not seeing another year pass by, but if it got us here it wasn’t for nothing.

I brush my teeth and comb through my damp hair before returning to our campsite. I’m shocked to find Dane sprawled out on a blanket in front of a fire, tent put together behind him. What’s even more shocking is that he’s in fresh clothes and his hair is wet. “Are you done showering already?” I ask, walking to the tent to tuck my bag inside. My eyes widen when I see an air mattress blown up inside. My God, did this guy all of a sudden get super powers?

“Yep, I’ve been lying by this fire for at least five minutes,” he says behind me. I turn back around to see his head resting on his hands, feet crossed at his ankles. He has on black athletic shorts and nothing else. I lick my lips as I watch the fire illuminate his chest. “Are you going to enjoy the fire with me, or are you just going to stand there?” he asks, not even bothering to look back at me. He knows what I’m doing, and it drives me crazy that he has this affect without having to move a finger.

Kneeling behind his head, I move over his face so that my lips are above his. He finally opens his eyes, locking them on my mouth. I want to kiss him, but even more than that, I want to tease him like he’s doing to me right now. “You need to show me how to put the tent together sometime,” I whisper, moving my face a little closer to his.

He tries to move his head up to reach my lips, but I pull up making it difficult. His head falls back on the blanket, and I move so that I’m above him again, shooting him a knowing grin. “Kiss me,” he demands, reaching up to cup my face in his hands.

“Only if you promise to show me how to put the tent up,” I say, leaning in just a little closer. His eyes are burning into mine. If I don’t give him something soon, I’m probably going to get tackled onto my back and kissed until my lips are red and swollen.

He moves to sit up, causing me to adjust my position. “Baby, you already know how to put up a tent,” he says, pointing to the inseam of his shorts. From the looks of things, I’m pretty good at putting up tents.

I laugh as I straddle his h*ps and run my fingers along his sides. I know he’s ticklish, but that’s the point. It works as he tries to control his own laughter while reaching for my feet. When that doesn’t work, he flips me over and straddles my hips, using his lips instead of his hands to make my body react. They’re everywhere: my neck, lips, the exposed part of my chest.

I close my eyes and listen to the crickets chirping, the crackle of the fire and a few people laughing in the distance. I don’t know if I’ve even been more in touch with my body and the feel of his lips on my skin. The calming, happy sounds match the way my heart feels and the combination sends heat through my chest.

I feel n**ed and empty when his mouth leaves my body so he can lie at my side and pull me into his arms. His long fingers work their way into my hair as we stare into the night sky identifying constellations. I can’t think of anything more perfect than this.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The air is already warm and humid when I wake up after our first night under the stars. Yesterday went so much better than I thought it would. I hoped that when we met up with Alex’s dad, he would keep his promise to make things better with her, but he did more than that. He apologized and made an effort to have a relationship with her in the future. I could see the hesitancy all over her face when he first started talking, but by the end of the afternoon there was an easiness that I hadn’t seen before. She seemed at peace, like there was hope that all things would be okay.

I don’t know what we’re doing the next few days, but I do know they’re going to be some of the best of my life. Last night, yeah, I can’t even put it into words. No one knows us out here, and there are no distractions getting in our way. I never thought I would be the guy sleeping under the stars with a girl wrapped in my arms, but I’ve changed.

She shuffles in my arms making my whole body very aware of how close she is to me with her body pressed against mine. I grind my h*ps into her back, eliciting a gasp from her pretty pink lips. “Dane Wright, what do you think you’re doing?” she asks, sleepily.

I want her to wake up, I think, as I move my lips up her arm. I literally feel her body shaking as I work my way up to the spot right below her ear. “I thought I’d get some breakfast before we hit the road,” I say against her neck.

She leans her head back into me, reaching her arm up to run her fingers through my hair. I love when she does that; it sends a tingle down my whole body, making me want to taste her even more. I move just enough to flip her on her back, connecting my lips with hers. Her back arches, urging me for more. I rub my palms over her thin white cami, making her ni**les instantly perk as soft moans escape her lips. “Dane,” she whispers.

“What, baby?” I move my palm down her flat stomach before running it between her legs. Her chest moves up and down rapidly, and I feel her warm breath against my face. “You’re so f**king beautiful.”

“God, I need you,” she whimpers. I swear my chest might explode. It’s good to feel needed without having to actually hold that person up. We’re equals…equally torn and somewhat put together. It’s a bond most people think only exists on a movie screen, but we have it.

I pull down her cami, exposing her full breast, wasting no time before sucking her nipple between my lips. Her moans become louder before I move my lips back up to meet hers. I rest my body on top of her as I graze on her lips.

When I can’t take the feel of her body wiggling under mine anymore, I sit back on my knees, carefully removing her clothes before pulling my shorts down. I watch her lips part, begging me for more. My body rests on top of hers again, with my forearms resting on either side of her head allowing my fingers to tangle in her hair. I gently ease our bodies together, using slow, long movements to build her up.

My eyes take in her whole face. The way her eyes focus on mine as I continue to thrust. The way her lower lip gets tucked between her teeth when she’s close to coming. She’s amazing. Beautiful. Mine.

When she wraps her hands around my back, digging her nails into my skin, I know she’s close. I’m close too, but I want to make sure she’s taken care of first. I reach my fingers between her legs as I quicken my pace. It’s not long before we’re both drenched in sweat, trying to drown out our screams by using the other’s mouth.