The Criminal Soulmate

Chapter Twenty

The sun rose, bringing with it a new beginning.

Dylan's eyes opened, his head turning to face a sleeping Leanna. Her eyes looked puffy, her lips bright from hours of kissing. The image of their limbs tangled together flashed in his mind. He took a deep breath, afraid to move. Afraid to shatter the peace of the morning.

Nothing had happened between them. They'd kissed, but that was it. The strangest part was that he didn't mind. Dylan knew for certain now that Leanna had never been with anyone. He'd taken her first kiss. He didn't want to take more. Not with the future looking dull. Leanna deserved to wait for someone who could be there for her, someone who would be able to love her without putting her life in danger.

A lump caught in Dylan's throat, cutting off his air. He lay in the hay, feeling the heat radiating off Leanna. Last night had been the breaking point. Dylan couldn't handle the truth. He needed to tell Leanna about her parents, needed to convince her to leave them behind.

And to leave him behind, too.

It hurt him to think about leaving her behind, but Dylan knew there was no way to avoid it. He'd need to do it. Break her heart, make her hate him, it didn't matter how. All that mattered was that he do it. He would go back to Morgan and Tom. He would make them forget all about the girl he'd spent three breathtaking weeks with.

With time, Leanna would learn to forget him. She had a chance at life, he couldn't take that away.

"Dylan?" Leanna's eyes opened, the sunlight making her blink.

God, did he want to kiss her again. He wanted to do so many things with her, to her. It wasn't just a physical urge. Dylan could feel his heart yearning for her, longing to spend hours doing nothing but talk.

He would miss her when this was all over.

"Yeah?" He glanced down at her, feeling like his heart was being crushed.

Leanna stretched out her arms, staring at him. Dylan gulped, hesitating. She noticed, hurt flashing across her face.

Dylan gave in, falling into her arms.

If she continued to kiss him like this, he'd never be able to leave. He had no idea where she'd even learned to kiss, but it was enough to make him come undone. He found Leanna sitting in his lap, her lips never leaving his.

Hours earlier, they'd clung onto each other like they were just waiting for death to come. Like they had just minutes left to live. As if they got all their oxygen from the other person.

Dylan knew they wouldn't be reaching the town before noon.

He allowed himself to indulge in Leanna's presence another twenty minutes before pulling away.

"We should leave now. I want to get in town before the sun sets."

Leanna bit her lip, still sitting on him. After a moment, she nodded, getting to her feet.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, needing to hear her voice.

"No," she said, crossing the room to stand at the still open doors.

Dylan stared at the spot they'd spent the better half of the previous day laying. The hay had been flattened, forever marking the place where he'd given in to her advances. He allowed himself a smile.