“Yeah. Be out in a minute.” I splashed some cool water on my face, then rubbed a towel over my cheeks.
The hot flash was gone, and I felt a little better. That was weird. When I returned to my room, Trent was lying in bed, shirtless. He had one hand tucked behind his head, the other resting on his stomach. I took a moment to admire how gorgeous he was.
His dark hair was mussed, as if he’d spent the last few minutes running his fingers through it. His long lashes framed dark, lustful eyes—eyes that were devouring me. His bare skin, perfect in every way, beckoned me.
My gaze followed his hand as he rubbed it across his chest.
“You just gonna stand over there and stare?” His tone was all playful amusement, laced with an undercurrent of desire.
Slowly, I crossed the room, shut off the lights, and climbed beneath the covers. He rolled onto his side and found my lips. I threaded my fingers through his hair and kissed him like I was dying, and he was my only lifeline. I rolled onto my side, too, so we were laying face to face, chest to chest.
Trent groaned, and it was like he’d pushed the on button for every nerve in my body. His hand landed on my leg and inched up my thigh, over my hip and waist, dragging the hem of my T-shirt with it. Goose bumps spread like wildfire over my skin, and my heart raced harder than it ever had before.
“All I could think about tonight was getting back here to you,” he whispered as he left my lips and kissed my jawline.
I tilted my head, giving him both permission and my ultimate trust. “You took forever.”
He chuckled against my neck, and I trembled. He responded by pulling me closer, and when I wiggled to remove all the extra space between us, he growled low in his throat.
“I can’t get enough of you, Chloe.”
The words he’d said to me so long ago breezed through my mind…
“Every time I touch you or kiss you, it’s like every nerve in my body is electrified, every feeling magnified. It’s like my very skin is alive with energy. I crave you, Chloe, and that’s the best feeling in the world.”
I finally understood that feeling now. The intense, all-consuming need to always be together, to feel his lips on mine, to bask in his tender touches, to swim in his whispered declarations of love. I knew what I needed to do—what I wanted to do.
“Trent, stop.”
He jerked back instantly. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”
“No.” With a heavy sigh, I flopped over onto my back. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” Confusion filled his voice. He remained beside me, head propped in one hand while the other rested lightly on my belly.
I blew out a breath and licked my lips. How did I even start to have this conversation with him? What did I say? How did I explain all the conflicting emotions I still couldn’t make sense of in my own head?
“Chloe, honey, you’re kinda scaring me. What’s going on?” He flexed his fingers across my stomach before flattening his palm.
His touch sent pain throbbing through my belly button, but I pushed it away. I needed to focus on what I was about to do.
“I love you so much it scares me at times,” I said. I laced my fingers together tightly and rested them on my ribs, needing the physical pressure to keep me focused. “I think about what I’d do if anything bad ever happened to you, if you woke up one morning and decided you no longer wanted to be with me—”
“That will never happen. I will never not want to be with you,” he said.
I put a finger against his lips to silence him. “Let me finish.”
He kissed my fingertip, then took my hand into his, kissing my palm, my wrist. But he didn’t say anything, so I continued—as best as I could when his lips were distracting me.
“I worry about what will happen to you when I die,” I said.
Trent froze. “That’s a long time away.”
“Is it?”
“Yes,” he snarled. “It is. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll spend every day of my existence making sure you have another day with me.”
“Trent.” My voice was strangled with too many emotions. I cupped the side of his face and fought hard against the threat of impending tears. “Did you know that this was one of the main reasons I let you wipe my memories? Because I know that someday, I’m going to die, and you’re not. And the thought of causing you that much pain…” I shook my head, and the first tear blazed a hot trail down my cheek. “I couldn’t do that to you, so I thought if I just left, then maybe you could move on, forget about me.”
“Never,” he said fiercely. He grasped both of my hands and held them between us, near our hearts. “I could never forget you. I’d never want to.” He lowered his head and kissed my knuckles. “There will always only be you, even when you’re no longer here.” His voice hitched—it was so slight it was almost imperceptible, but I’d heard it, and my heart shattered.
“My death is going to destroy you,” I said.
There was a much too long pause before he said, “Yes.”
I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against his shoulder. He rubbed my back, and my tears flowed freely, cascading down my face and onto his chest.
My choices came into clear focus—I kept my mouth shut, didn’t break the curse, and destroyed the man I loved; or I gave up every human dream I had so I wouldn’t cause Trent an eternity of heartbreak and despair.
After a moment, he put his finger under my chin and lifted my face to his. “This entire situation sucks, and it isn’t fair, but make no mistake, Chloe. I will live an eternity
