The morning air held a frosty chill, but the sun shone brightly, and there wasn’t a cloud in the blue-blue sky. It looked like the start of a beautiful early spring day. A perfect day for leaving.I hate sun.
“Goodbye, Grav.” She gave him a stiff hug, resisting the urge to cling.
“Be well.” He strode away.
Well, this is it.Her throat clogged with tears.
I survived a fucking apocalypse, and I’m going to let him walk away without a single word? Without a fight? When did I become such a coward?“Don’t go!”
He halted. Turned.
“Don’t go. I have no right to ask you, but I’d like you to stay—with me.”
He moved toward her. “I only wanted you to ask me.”
Her lips quivered. “What are you saying?” She had to be sure they were on the same page.
“I don’t want to leave. I wish to stay with you.”
“Really?” Her eyes filled with tears. “F-for how long?”
“For as long as you’ll have me.” He broke into a big smile.
“What about your people?”
“Why would I want them if I can have you?”
“Oh, Grav.” She launched herself at him, and he caught her in an awkward hug, like he didn’t know what to do with his arms. She pressed her lips to his in an exuberant, happy kiss. He stiffened, and blue-blue eyes widened, but he tightened his arms.
“What about your people? Won’t I complicate your life?” He peered down at her. She hadn’t realized howtallhe was. Most of the time he’d been with her, he’d been flat on his back.
There were still many details, way more important details than height to learn about each other, but they had the time.
“You’re willing to go with me when I try to find them?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Complicated is the new normal. I’d rather have you and a complicated life than live a simple life without you.” She looked up at him. “Let’s go inside.”
In the cave, he shrugged his pack and dropped it with a satisfyingthunk. Laurel couldn’t stop grinning.He wants to stay!
She shuddered at how close she’d come to letting him walk out of her life because they both had waited for the other to say something first.Note to self: Ask for what you want. Don’t expect him to guess.
She wasn’t naïve. Hooking up with himwouldcomplicate a reunion with her fellow humans. It could be dangerous—people might shoot first, ask questions later. They would have to be extra cautious. But if she’d been able to accept him, hopefully once she vouched for him, others would, too. And she wanted him at her side on the journey called life.
Blue-blue eyes sparked with speculation. “That thing you did…”
“What thing?”
“Pressing your mouth to mine.”
“Kissing?”
“That’s what you call it?”
She sighed. “Let me guess: Progg don’t kiss.”
“No, we don’t.” He shook his head.
