Lies Beneath the Cherry Tree

chapter 26

Cold water pours over the tiles, the sound sharp in my ears as I stand outside her bathroom door, my heart hammering against my chest. I can't believe I'm here, but I had to see her, to touch her. Every step I took to her house felt wrong, yet I couldn’t turn back. I knew I shouldn’t be doing this—Adrian’s warnings echoed in my mind, telling me to stay away from her, to not drag her into my world. But my resolve crumbled the second I heard the water running, knowing she was just a few feet away, so close I could almost feel her skin against mine.

The door creaked open, and there she stood, wrapped in nothing but a towel. The air left my lungs as I took her in, the steam from the shower curling around her like mist, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders, droplets of water tracing the curves of her body.

"Lyllea," I breathed, barely able to get the words out. Her eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly as she stared up at me, a mixture of surprise and something else I couldn’t place.

"Nathan! What are you doing here?" she squeaked, her voice trembling. She looked so vulnerable, standing there with water still clinging to her skin, and it took everything in me not to reach out and touch her, to feel the warmth of her beneath my fingers.

I couldn’t help the way my eyes moved over her, taking in every inch of her, my pulse quickening with every passing second. This was a mistake. I knew that. But I couldn’t bring myself to leave. "Hi," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"H-hi," she breathed, and I could tell she was just as affected as I was. The way her chest rose and fell, the slight hitch in her breath... it was driving me crazy. I needed to be closer, to feel her against me.

I stepped forward, watching the way her eyes darted down to my chest, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. Her reaction only fueled the fire inside me. I reached out, gently tucking a strand of her wet hair behind her ear. The simple touch made her flinch, but she didn’t pull away. My thumb moved to her chin, lifting her face so I could see her eyes.

I leaned in, close enough to feel her breath on my skin, and whispered, "I came here for more."

I could practically see the shiver that ran through her body at my words, her legs seemed to weaken beneath her. I couldn’t help but smirk as I pulled her closer, our lips crashing together in a desperate kiss. She tasted like mint and something uniquely her, something I knew I’d crave for the rest of my life.

She kissed me back eagerly, her lips parting as my tongue slid into her mouth, exploring, tasting. My hand slid down her back, pressing her even closer to me as I walked her backward into the bathroom. I wanted to feel her skin, to trace every curve with my hands, to leave no part of her untouched. But as I pulled her into me, something inside me twisted—a reminder of why I shouldn’t be here.

I tried to push it aside, focusing on the way her body fit perfectly against mine, but her voice pulled me out of the haze.

"Nathan," she whispered, her voice soft but filled with an unspoken question. "Why did you leave me?"

I froze, the guilt washing over me like ice water. She deserved an answer, but how could I explain? How could I tell her that every time I touched her, every time I kissed her, I felt like I was dragging her deeper into a darkness she didn’t deserve? "I... I couldn’t stay," I admitted, my voice rough. "I’m dangerous for you, Lyllea. I shouldn’t even be here."

Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to understand, but I could see the hurt there, the confusion. "Then why are you here now?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why did you come back?"

I had no good answer, just the truth. "Because I can’t stay away," I whispered, my hand sliding down to the knot of her towel. "Because I need you, even if it’s wrong."