Hiraeth

Chapter Thirty Five

The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels faded into the distance as Sage stared out the window, her heart still pounding from the confrontation. Her thoughts whirled in a tempest of confusion, longing, and unresolved feelings. Just as the familiar landscape began to blur, a flash of movement caught her eye.

There he was.

Beckett stood by the side of the road, silhouetted against the fading light of dusk. His tall frame was tense, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his trousers, his face set in a determined expression. Sage's breath caught in her throat as her heart waged war against her mind.

The carriage continued rolling forward, and she felt a desperate urge to call for the driver to stop, but the words wouldn't come. Just then, Beckett stepped into the path of the carriage, raising a hand to signal for it to halt.

Sage's heart raced as the carriage lurched to a stop. She could see Beckett's features more clearly now-his brow furrowed, jaw clenched, eyes burning with something that ignited her own feelings.

"Beckett!" she called, throwing open the carriage door before the driver could even dismount. She jumped down, her pulse quickening with every step she took toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to stop you," he said, his voice steady but filled with an urgency that sent a thrill through her. He stepped closer, closing the space between them, his dark eyes searching hers. "I can't let you leave without telling you can't let you leave without telling you how I feel."

Her breath hitched. She didn't know how to respond, but she felt drawn to him, a magnetic pull she couldn't resist.

"Beckett, this isn't the time-" she started, but he interrupted her, stepping even closer, his presence overwhelming.

"No, Sage. It is the time," he said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.

"I've spent too much time running from this, from you. I love you, and I can't imagine my life without you."

Her heart swelled at his words, the truth behind them washing over her like a tide. "I... I love you too," she admitted, the vulnerability in her voice palpable.

He stepped closer still, their bodies inches apart, the air crackling with tension. "Then don't go. Please. Let's talk this through, find a way back to each other," he implored, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin.

Sage felt her resolve melting away under the heat of his gaze, his touch igniting a fire within her that she thought had been extinguished. She leaned into his hand, and for the first time since their fight, hope flickered in her chest.

"Beckett..."

He leaned in, capturing her lips with his, the kiss igniting a blaze of passion that had been simmering between them. It was tender at first, a hesitant exploration that quickly morphed into something deeper, more urgent.

She kissed him back with equal fervor, losing herself in the taste of him, the warmth of his body against hers.

The world around them faded, and it felt as though they were the only two people in existence, everything else falling away.

"Let's go somewhere private," he murmured against her lips, and she nodded, heart racing at the thought of being alone with him, of unraveling the tension that had built between them.

They slipped away from the main road, Beckett leading her to a secluded grove of trees just off the path. The branches formed a natural canopy above them, and the soft glow of twilight filtered through the leaves, casting a magical light around them.