Prologue

LAKE

I never thought I’d find a new reason never to want summer to end. “Baby,” I moaned against his sucking lips once more before pulling away. “You have to let me go at some point, you know.”

“No.” And to make his point clear, he gripped my ass tighter, pulling me closer to him while I sat on his lap. I couldn’t help but smile against his chest.

“You’re being unreasonable.”

“You think I give a fuck?” His sharp tone was replaced with a softly worded plea. “Stay with me.”

Now how was I supposed to resist that? He so wasn’t playing fair and he knew it. To make it worse, he leaned down and rubbed his nose against mine. I could feel the sweet scent of his breath against my face.

Keiran had always been possessive, but this felt different. He was clinging to me in a desperate attempt to delay or stop what was already happening.

Tomorrow, I would be leaving Six Forks behind for Nebraska. A few months ago, leaving this place and the unrelenting torment he unleashed on me had been all I wanted. I never thought he would be the reason I would want to stay. He and I would be attending separate schools thirteen hundred miles away.

It felt like our fairytale was ending. Uneasiness turned my body cold. Would he go to his school in Arizona and forget about me? What if he realized I wasn’t what he wanted? What if he found someone stronger, fiercer, and better equipped to handle him?

The answer to his weird behavior was an epiphany brought on by my fears. A tidal wave of unwanted emotions shattered the light bulb and I found myself clutching him back. What if he felt as insecure as I did?

“Are you afraid?” I breathed evidence of our shared insecurities into the night air, letting it hang between us.

“Yes.”

I hadn’t expected honesty. Keiran had just admitted he was afraid. The idea that I could make him feel vulnerable made me both elated and afraid. We have been together for only a few months now, but I feel like I’ve been his forever.

In a way, I guess I have.

Before I could tell him I shared his fears, he emitted a sound between a growl and a grunt and abruptly lifted me to my feet. “Fine. Go then.”

I had no idea what set him off. Without another word or backward glance, he was gone, and I was left standing alone in the playground that had become our meeting place when we needed to be alone.

“What the fuck just happened?” I whispered aloud.

I stomped to the parking lot but found his car already gone. His behavior was unlike the possessiveness he’d shown since he claimed me as his for good. I hopped in my car confused and feeling a little bit played.

The next day, I was pulling up to the airport with Willow and Aunt Carissa feeling angry and hurt. I hadn’t heard from Keiran since he left me alone at the playground.

I was getting ready to leave my home behind for the first time, and he was off somewhere pacing like an angry, caged lion. I knew he wouldn’t be pouting. It just wasn’t his style, but it didn’t make him any less childish. I moved my suitcase and carry-on from the car with short angry movements. From the corner of my eye, I could see my aunt and best friend lift their eyebrows.

“Are you okay, honey?”

“Fine,” I barely pushed through my teeth. I didn’t want to be rude to my aunt, but Keiran’s absence had already consumed me. Each minute that stretched by, my anger rose. To avoid making eye contact, I stared at my shaking hand.

I heard Willow mumble something to my aunt. I wished they would leave so I could have a moment alone. It was getting harder to get on that plane knowing how we had left things.

“Hey.”

I tore my attention from my twitching hand to find a worried green gaze staring back at me. “What did he do?” I could tell by her sharp tone she wouldn’t leave it alone, so I looked around for my aunt, who seemed to have disappeared, before answering.

“What makes you think it was him and not me?” I wasn’t going to take the blame for our fight, but I was sick of people treating me with kid gloves when it came to Keiran.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it? You’re here and he’s not. He should be here.”

“We got into a fight last night.”

“About?”

“I wish I knew.”

“I’m not following,” she said impatiently.

“Keiran doesn’t want me to leave. I guess it was too much for him.” As if he’s the only one feeling it. My sudden awareness of how selfish he was acting did nothing to abate my anger.

“Are you sure you’re prepared for a long distance relationship?”