A Love Once Lost

a Greene

nie. (I love

sed palm resting against my cheek like s

ened. But hear me out-I'll never do what that wretched boy did to you. I won't grind you down the

d for myself. But the old wounds wouldn't let me be. Every time my eyes shut, the nightmares about

ide open. Reading the storm in me, Ethan spok

ur chest. But I promise you, nothing like that will ever touch you again. I

any hand that reached for me sent my mind hurtling straight back to that awful moment. I despised flinching from the people who loved me. Ev

my life knowing what my

lting my chin so our e

t hurt too mu

not afraid of them. I want to fight alongside you. Just... give me a proper chance.

sper. "I'm sorry for how I've been these past weeks. I was. . . terrified o

hat's it, for good. No breaking up. Jake and the rest of them can go to hell; I'd stand between you and a hurricane if it came to it, Annie." His voice held stea

ny shred of doubt, before I finally murmured, "You id

t lit up his tantalizing, grayish-blue

, who makes breathing feel less like a chore. You always stood up for me, pulled

ver let anyone else treat you like a doormat, never let a hand fall on you without a fight. Try, at least. Because this soft heart of mi

uite match the joke. Or maybe he wasn't joking at all-which made the whole thing

my worn out, oversized shirt, which

ou my girlfriend?" he asked, suddenly shy, color rushing to his cheeks. Tha

d thought it through, but it fit-he really did feel li

is arms, his voice bright with delight. "Not com

arms round his neck. "Sorry

cheek with a gentleness that set my heart tumbling. Then, with an ende

" I asked, g

with a smile. "Those three li

my pulse took off. "Do I

he swept a strand of hair from my face. "No rus

them to me for real, stomach and all. And somehow, being near him al

red what courage I had, and met

us. Glancing up at Ethan, nervous and hungr

. "¡Dios mío! (My God!)" he burst out, cradling my

gain, clearer this time. "I love you, I love you, I lov

tirely. Then, without warning, he scooped me clean off the ground as though I weighed nothi

with Ethan, swept up in this madness, this reckless tumble into love, into being loved. I wanted the mome

He murmured, finally setting me back

sharp jawline, letting my thumb brush his li

I said, wanting him to

piness, pulling me back into his arms. Then

back to class." I murmured, reluctant but needing a

denied a sweet. How could someone so

son next." He pointed o

ed my eyes to hide t

ing across his face. "One more thing-you owe me a date tonight. Fairground first,

thout a fight. "Fine,

t's finally have that fil

, grinning the whole

--

IA

into my body like a slammed door. Tears were already streaming, and I sc

uldn't the m

he nightstand, buzzing a

one. Great - now I'd be sprinting agai

om. My stomach dropped before the next cras

Not th