78

After a while chatting with Cyrus’s friends and family at the bonfire. Mia noticed Cyrus wandering off into the woods. He looked so peaceful and happy. It was obvious he was in his element with nature, and his expression made her smile inside.

Mia excused herself from the group and followed him down a long path leading to a clearing that overlooked the lake. The moon was bright, and the stars were reflecting over the water. She found Cyrus standing with his hands in his pockets, looking up at the sky.

Cyrus could feel her presence, and a soft weft of her perfume reached him before she did.

His low, graveled voice carried over the night’s silence as she approached. “My dad used to bring Wraith and me here when we were kids. He used to teach us to be survivalists and how to live off the land. Our old cabin is the one just across the lake. I use it as a summer home now. This is the one place I can still feel him near.”

Mia walked up behind him, placing her hand on his bicep. She kissed his shoulder blade and rested her head against his arm. “You miss them, don’t you?”

“Every day. Sometimes I wish I would have died that night instead of them. That way maybe Wraith and Holly would have had them around. Maybe Holly wouldn’t have been so angry all the time if my parents would have been alive to raise her. Wraith and I did our best, but we had no idea how to raise a little girl.”

“She means well.”

“She was wrong for fighting with you. I’m sorry.” Cyrus turned to Mia, wrapping his arms around her, engulfing her like a cocoon. Resting his head on hers, Mia could feel his tension relax as his arms tightened around her. “I want nothing to mess this up.”

“It won’t. I promise. I’m here, Cyrus, and won’t leave you. That’s what you’re afraid of, isn’t it? It’s the real reason you were afraid to bring me here.”

Cyrus let out a breath as he tried to hold back his emotions. “Yes. I was afraid my family would be a little too much and mess it up for us. Mia?”

“Yes.”

Her heart pounded as he ran his hands over her hair. He pulled her into his chest protectively, laying a kiss on the top of her head. It was as if he was so desperate to be close to her it was almost too painful. As his breath hitched, Mia could feel his embrace tighten like he couldn’t get close enough. His body shook, and she knew he was crying even though no sound escaped him.

“I think I’m falling in love with you. No… I already am. I love you, Mia.”

“Cyrus… I...”

“Please. Don’t say anything. Just let me hold you.”

Mia turned her head to look into his eyes. He was looking at the stars as if he were searching for something far out of reach, and his eyes were red from holding back tears. Cyrus wanted her love so much that he was afraid to admit his feelings and face rejection. Understandably, Mia could feel his sincerity, but his heart had been broken before. His divorce was hard, but now this man was trying to learn to love again.

Just like the song she had sung to him in the club, Mia was learning to love for the first time in her life. It was scary for them both, but they needed this. They needed each other in more ways than they could express.

Mia knew there would be no more holding back. This was what she had been searching for. Her dreams, her future, the love she always prayed for was right there in his arms. It was all right here, waiting for her to reach out and take it.

Mia reached to caress his cheek, and Cyrus slowly looked down at her as her fingertips grazed his jawline. A tear had escaped the corner of his eye and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss it away. Cyrus’ eyes moved between hers and the fullness of her waiting lips. Their eyes slowly lulled shut, and she waited for his lips to descend on her own. Slowly, he rested his lips to hers with a chaste kiss that held every promise he would make to truly love her.

Cyrus’ tinder touch sent shivers down her spine and a desire that she had never felt before burned from within. Mia moaned into Cyrus’ lips as if he had just given her life. Their lips exploring and needy, Cyrus deepened the gentle kiss with a flick of his tongue, as Mia’s panting moans welcomed him in.

“Mmm… Cyrus.”

Her hand grazed down his chest, reaching the hem of his t-shirt. Slowly, Mia’s fingers roamed beneath the fabric over his hard abs and grazed the scar there. Cyrus flexed under her touch as her fingers roamed upward causing goosebumps to prickle his skin.

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Author Note: Steamy scene coming up...