Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (25 page)

“How is a kiss going too
far?” I ask him unconvinced, “and even if that is all that happened why didn’t you tell me about it?”

He holds his hands out palms up. “I am sorry. I’m really ashamed of it.”

“You lied to me.” I hate that my voice cracks at the worst times. “You told me you never had a girlfriend.”

“I haven’t had a girlfriend until you.”  He looks at the ceiling and sighs.
“I just wanted to forget it ever happened. I told Nate and Lexi and they advised me to stay away from her.”

“If you were advised to stay away from her, why
did you leave that message?” he stands and steps towards me again. I keep myself just far enough away from him that he can’t touch me.

“I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. After what we both had gone through with Lia
m…” he looks at me with hurt in his eyes. I know this is just an act. “It’s a weakness of mine, I just was trying to make things right.” He tries to touch me again then tilts his head. “What is going on?” I shake my head as I continue to scowl. “Why are you pushing me away?” he asks softly.

“I’m not.” I deadpan. “I’
m just not going to let you or any other guy hurt me again.”

“You are so stubborn.” He growls. This is the first I have ever seen him angry at least now he is real. “All I want to do is love you.” His voice escalates. “Yes, I have flaws. I am human, Miley.” He storms towards the door. “Sooner or later you are going to have to let somebody in.
Call me when you decide to.” His voice is clipped when he says this. He lost his temper but I am in shock that he didn’t hit or break anything. He barely slammed the door.

I throw myself on my bed face first and scream into my pillow. He is wr
ong. I don’t have to let anyone in and I am not going to.

“Just let me love you…” the words ring in my ear so loudly they wake me. My room is still dark and I look out my bedroom window to the starry night that is slowly disappearing into the light. I look around the room to find who the voice belonged to… there is no one here. Aunt Kate is down the hall sleeping soundly. Now I am wide-awake. I pull on my running shorts and a tank top. In this July heat the nights are even hot I know I won’t need a jacket. As I am bending over tying my tennis shoe my eye catches the picture in the trash. Declan’s face smiles up at me. Did I overreact? I can’t take the chance to find out. I cared too much.

The morning dew soaks my tennis shoes as I jog through the yard. I don’t care. I need this release. I love the smell of the fresh new day. The light fog that rests on the Earth before the heat chases it away. I can hear the birds singing with little to drown them out because the rest of the world is still asleep. I run for several blocks. When I see him… I pause. He stops as well when he sees me. Football training already I assume.  We are headed towards each other and neither of us turns to avoid the other. I don’t know why it is like a bug to one of those bug zappers for me. I know I am approaching my ruin, but the sight brings me in.

“Hey.” He says with a slight smile as he removes an ear bud. Sweat pours off his dark hair.
He reaches up and wipes it off with the back of his hand. He is in a sleeveless shirt and long mesh shorts.

“Hey.” I say as I make myself look past him. I can’t do this right now.

“What are you doing?” he asks as his breathing finally evens out.

“I couldn’t sleep.” I
suck in my bottom lip and look past him. He turns to see what I am looking at.

“I am training for football.” He explains even though I didn’t ask.

“I have to go.” I point around him.

“Why don’t we run together?” he asks like we didn’t just have the worst relationship ever and he is now dating one of my best friends.

“I don’t think that is a good idea.” I finally make myself look at him.

“Why, just friends.” He looks over his shoulder. “I don’t see anyone else out here to keep you company.”

“Maybe I don’t want company.” I snap with my hands on my hips.

“What happened with you and Nova?” he asks ignoring my last comment.

I suddenly remember telling her that he wanted me back. “Oh, look I am sorry about that…I kind of told her about you coming over the other day. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. I didn’t break you up did I?”

“Actually
…” He says before taking a drink of Gatorade. “It wasn’t really working anyway.”

“Why do you say that?” I nervously shift.

“Because I am still in love with my ex-girlfriend.”  This makes me look at him again.

“Hudson, don’t do this.” I whisper as I stare into his brown eyes, before I know what is
happening he advancing towards me he grabs my face and smashes his lips on mine. I want to give in, to meld into this kiss, but I can’t. I push him off me. “Hudson!” I shout, fighting back tears before I run off.

“Mi
ley, wait.” He jogs after me. “Don’t run away.” he says keeping up with me. “We need to talk.”

“No we don’t you need to just leave me alone.” I breathe out as I run. I finally reach my front porch. He is still following me.

“I know we belong together, I said I am sorry.” He says as I turn towards him when my feet hit the concrete steps. “Nova and I are over. You and I.” he closes the distance between us and reaches up to touch my face. “Look, we both have spent time with other people, and now we kno

The car ride seems to go on forever. Yes, I let him talk me into going on a date with him tonight in a moment of weakness. Past cornfields and cow pastures the road turns from smooth black top to rough and gravely.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask slowly. “Somewhere to murder me and they will never find the body?” I look out at the houseless land that goes on for mile. He laughs. He thinks I am joking as he pulls into a driveway lined with trees. He stops at the gate that has a sign stating ‘no trespassing, private property.’ He removes his seat
belt and reaches for the door handle.

“Hudson, what are you doing?  The sign says no trespassing.” I say grabbing his elbow. My heart pounds inside my chest.

He smirks and holds a key up in between us.  “I have the key my grandparents own it.” He climbs out and unlocks the gate pushing it open to allow the car to drive through. We ascend a hill and the choppy dirt path bounces me all over the car. I can’t believe he is driving his precious car up here. He finally pulls up beside a small cabin. There is a modest porch on the front with just two folding lawn chairs that look like they might fall apart if someone big sat in them. There is a pond that sits not far-off and you can see forever up here over all the trees and farms. The sky now has a light pink glow from the sun beginning to fall. We started this day together at sunrise and now we are together again for sunset. He lifts a small cooler out of his trunk and carries it to the porch. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes taking in the sereneness of all of this. I hear the cooler open up and some ice slosh around. I turn back to see a beer in his hand.

He smiles at me. “I brought strawberry wine coolers just in case you wanted to drink.”

“I don’t know.” I say looking at his beer. He shrugs as he walks up to me and puts his arm around my waist we walk to the dock hanging over the pond.  We step out on the wood and make our way to the end the only sound here are the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking. He kicks his shoes off and sits on the edge dipping his feet in. He looks up at me and taps beside him when I hesitate.

“Is is cold?” I ask.

“No.” he laughs. “C’mon, sit down.” I slip off my flip-flops and lower myself down beside him.

“Fish won’t try to eat my feet will they?” I ask before I dip them in.

“No,” he laughs again. “The fish won’t bother you, I promise.” He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close to him as soon as I am seated. He looks me right in the eyes before he slowly presses his lips against mine. The familiarity in his kiss, his touch, he finally broke through my wall again.  Everything seems perfect. He picked the most romantic date to take me on, yet something deep down in me is nagging at me. I have to shut it up. I place my hand on his chest and push him back.

“Hudson?” I whisper.

“Hmmm.” He continues to rub circles on my back.

“Can I get one of those wine coolers now?” I say breathily the corners of his mouth turn upwards and his eyes brighten.

“Let’s go back up to the cabin.” He nods as he stands and takes my hand I carry my flip flops. Hudson throws his empty beer in the trash barrel I don’t know when he had time to drink it, his mouth has been attached to mine. He pulls out another beer along with a wine cooler he opens both throwing the caps in the trash.

The wine cooler
tastes better than beer but it still isn’t good. I have to silence this voice in my head telling me I am making a mistake. I am not. I loved him. I mean I love him. I look out in awe of the wonderful painting in the sky the purples, pinks and oranges the light the sun is making across its canvas. Hudson stands behind me and pulls my back against him, leaning on his car.

“The view here is breathtaking.” I say.

“I know.” He mumbles with his mouth on my neck. The breeze picks up and my hair flies into my face. I hold the bottle in between my legs as I pull my hair up into a messy bun. Hudson seems to take this as an invitation his lips moves all over my neck. I drink my drink even faster now as my heart speeds up. The more I drink the more his hands move. He finally turns me around and lays me across the hood of his car kissing me passionately.

“Hudson.” I gasp pushing him away.

He doesn’t get off of me he just hovers above me staring at me through glossy eyes. “You need another drink?” he asks as his hand runs across the waist of my jean shorts barely grazing my stomach.

“Is that why you brought me up here?” I chide.

“Why? We’re just making out.” He says lowering his mouth to my neck, “haven’t you missed me,” his voice is muffled against my neck.

“Hudson
stop.” I push on his chest but he doesn’t move. He kisses me roughly. “I don’t want to.” I cry. He finally pushes off me and leans against the car.

“I’m sorry, Miley.” He whispers as he looks into my eyes
. His are all glossy and red. I wonder just how many beers he has had.

“You sure you don’t need another?”
he points to the empty bottle lying on the ground beside me.

“That is why you brought me here!” I yell.

“What are you talking about?”

“You brought me here to get me drunk and repeat prom night.” I rush to the around the car to the driver’s side and climb in.

“Miley, what are you doing?” he says leaning into the car. I reach for the keys to start the car.

“You can’t drive a stick.” He slurs.
I push the door open making him stumble backwards and slam the car door.

“Easy.” He winces.

“What were your plans? Leave me stranded here with you? You’re too drunk to drive.” I push on his chest and he stumbles back again.

“I didn’t think I was going to get drunk tonight.” He shakes his head. “Or that you would want to leave.” He sways trying to stand straight up. “Miley,
come to the cabin with me. I’ll sober up and take you home. I promise.” I look out at the pond then at the cabin. I don’t have any other choice I reluctantly follow him. There’s no electric here he tells me where I can find a flashlight as he sits in the bed in the middle of the cabin. It’s only one room. Not much to it at all.

“This is really small.” I say.

“We only camp here sometimes.” He shakes his head, “It’s better than pitching a tent.” He sighs as I wave the flashlight around there is a loft above us. “I really wanted tonight to go differently.” He says. “All I want is us together again.” I point the flashlight so I can see him but not so it is shining in his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you, really I don’t.” He hangs his head into his hands. This tugs at my heart and I take a couple steps forward closing the distance between us. I put my hand on his neck he looks up at me and grabs my waist pulling me in between his legs. He hugs me close to him. “I love you.” He whispers with his head resting on my stomach.

I lean down so I can kiss him he pulls me on top of him when my lips meet his. This time I am not stopping him. He just poured his heart out and it melted mine.

Chapter 23

A
loud banging noise makes me jolt from my sleep. It takes me a minute to realize where I am. I’m still in Hudson’s cabin. I hear people talking and another clanging sound. “Hudson.” I nudge him. “Somebody is here.” I whisper.