From the other side, I drink Echo in. She’s a slender goddess in the shadows created by the moonlight, and the way she gazes at me reminds me how much she owns me. It’s a sexy look. One that dances along my skin before the actual touch.

Maybe she is a wood nymph. Maybe she belongs to some long-lost bloodline and being here in this field, in these woods, brings that special spark to the surface.

Or maybe it’s because for the first time since I’ve met her, Echo’s taken control of her destiny. She’s learned how to put herself first while still being the girl I love.

“What you did tonight, for Meredith...” There’s no words. “I’m not sure I could love you more.”

Echo smiles and glances away, too proud of her deeds to accept the compliment. “She’s my friend.”

“If the world lived by your personal code, there’d be a lot less fighting.”

Echo kneels on the blanket and situates the pillows near the top and unfolds the other cover. “As I said, she’s my friend.”

I sit beside her and help arrange our bed. “Do you regret it? That you have to wait to study here for a year?”

“To be honest, I’m more excited than I was before. Hunter is giving me a great opportunity, but he reminds me a lot of my dad. It feels powerful to know that I negotiated my own future. Does that make sense?”

“Yes.” It’s how I feel about my brothers and my newfound uncle. I’ve got a future now—on my terms.

“Hey, Noah,” she says.

“Yeah?”

Her mouth moves up into this sensual smile. “I sold a painting today to a gallery in New York City.”

Damn, I like her happy. “You did.”

“So for about thirty seconds today, that made me a rock star.”

I chuckle and sweep her hair over her shoulder, letting the soft strands drift from my fingers. “You’re always a rock star.”

“Hey, Noah,” she says in this soft voice that licks fire into my veins.

I raise my eyebrows at her in response.

“I’m sort of done talking.”

And so am I.

Echo

We haven’t made love since the first time and part of me expects nerves, but what I’m shocked at is the lack of them. Maybe it’s because I’m too happy. Maybe it’s because it’s late, and I’m a bit drunk on the high of saving not only Meredith’s dreams, but my own. Or maybe it’s because I love Noah, and he loves me, and I’m not afraid to trust our future.

In the middle of this field, far off the trail that’s forever away from the campground, it’s like we’ve created our own world. No one else exists—only the two of us, and that’s completely fine with me.

Noah lays a hand on the curve of my waist, next to my hip, and I wiggle closer to him. The heat of his palm rushes past my clothes and straight into my bloodstream.

I raise my head, and Noah’s right there. His breath hot on my face, his lips mere centimeters from mine. There’s an electricity that develops between us. A hypnotic force field pulling us into each other. My heart picks up speed. I swallow then lick my lips.

Noah watches the movement. His brown eyes darken, and a thrill runs through me when I spot the spark of lust...the hunger ...the desire...for me.

“Will we ever stop being drawn to each other?” I ask.

Noah barely shifts his head in a no, and the movement causes his lips to slightly brush against mine. My heart stutters then starts again. Once he kisses me, we’ll never be able to stop, and I don’t ever want this to end.

“Never,” he whispers, his voice the right amount of husky.

I tilt my head up, Noah bends down, and the first taste of his lips causes a small sound of pleasure to escape from my throat. His fingers burrow into my hair in response, and our mouths move in time.

There’s this build inside me as hands roam. A surge of warmth in my veins, and all of it leads to places that I consider begging Noah to caress. Hands wander over then underneath. My fingers explore with as much greed as Noah’s.

My hips sway. A reaction to Noah’s touch. A reaction to me touching him. I rub my hand down the plane of Noah’s stomach, and I have no problem lifting his shirt over his head so I can play without barriers. Noah doesn’t take long to follow the change in the dance as he fists the bottom of my tank and slips it off.

Noah pauses and stares at me...my face then my chest then back up again. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

I blush, and Noah smiles. He reaches over and skims the bare skin of my shoulder. Goose bumps form along my arms. One bra strap falls to my arm then the other, and the world tunnels in a pleasing haze. The material of my bra drops a little, but not enough to show all that I possess, and as Noah stretches around to my back, I’m reminded that he’s definitely about all.

With a flick, the pressure around my body gives, and the sweet release of no longer being confined eases across my midsection. His fingertips trace the area where my bra had been, and I shiver as he reaches the front.

Noah leans forward and kisses my neck. The hot sensation of his mouth makes me light-headed. I wrap my arms around him and pull at his hair to stay upright. I revel in the feeling of pure skin against skin.

Using his body, Noah guides me to lie on the blanket, and the moment my head connects with the pillow, his mouth begins this delicious dance down.

Cool air nips at my skin, but Noah’s caresses set me on fire. He does things that he’s done before, and then he does things that he hasn’t. Things with my breasts...places below. Touches and kisses and things that urge me to clutch the blanket as my back arches, things that cause the breath to rush out of my body, things that encourage me and Noah to find a rhythm.

What started off as slow becomes faster.

When he lifts his head back to mine, I swear to God the world explodes. We’re rolling and shedding more clothes until there is absolutely nothing left between us but the night.

And then Noah’s there. Near that special part of me that’s warm and ready, and I have to force my mouth away from Noah’s as I gasp, “Protection.”

I smile when he mumbles a curse word into my shoulder, then giggle when he gently nips my neck. Faster than even I thought Noah could move, he’s yanked his wallet out of his discarded jeans, found a condom and has it on.

He rolls back on top of me, smoothing the hair away from my face. “I love you, Echo Emerson.”

“I love you.” I do. So much that saying the words doesn’t seem like I’m doing the high inside me justice.