Page 131 of Trust Me

He stayed at my side as we made it to the break between two trees where the path continued. “We should go back to the house.”

“Scared of the dark?”

“No, but I don’t know what’s in there.”

“Will you just trust me?”

“Convince me.”

“Baby,” I murmured, touching his cheek. “I promised you starlight, didn’t I?”

His eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Say that again.”

“I promised—”

“Not that part.”

I hesitated, realizing exactly what I’d said. Putting my arm around his shoulders, I dipped my head close to his ear. “I’ll say it if you come with me.”

He made a disgruntled sound but let me guide him further down the path. It opened up, revealing a creek with moonlight shining on the water. Oli looked around, stepping away from me to explore. I just watched him, taking in the curiosity I’d started to love seeing on his face.

“Oli, baby.”

He whirled around, his eyes wide. When he broke into a smile, I stepped closer.

“You really must have luck on your side,” I noted, looking up at the sky. The clouds had parted, revealing just a few stars above. “It’s not much, but . . .” I shrugged. “At least they’re up there.”

I thought his curiosity was something to admire, but the wonder on his face was an entirely different beast. He was twenty-four, and he had seen the stars a million times, yet it looked like he was experiencing them for the first time. Once again, I wanted to know not only what he was thinking, but what he felt at this moment.

Taking a seat on a large rock, I decided to simply watch him. With his head tipped back, the moonlight cast a shadow beneath his jaw, and it bathed him in a silver glow that made him look ethereal.

“You’re staring,” he pointed out without looking at me.

“I’m allowed.”

“You should be looking at the stars.”

“What if they aren’t the most mesmerizing thing in front of me?”

Turning to me, he cocked his head. “What’s with the romance?”

“Just trying it out. Should I not?”

He stepped up to me, putting his hands on my shoulders as he met my eyes. “You should be careful. I might get addicted.”

“Coming from the guy who won’t even have caffeine,” I laughed. Putting my hands behind his thighs, I tugged him closer so he was between my legs. “What’s that about anyway?”

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .” His lips curved as he tipped his head back to look at the sky. “Remi made me promise to never do drugs. Not that I needed to be told, but he had a friend in one of his homes that got lost to them, plus his . . . Well, it doesn’t matter his reasons.

“I was lost as a kid, just trying to figure out who I was and how I fit in the world. Before Remi, I had nobody to guide me, and I saw all of the ways external forces pull us this way and that. I guess I just never wanted anything to influence me except what I had complete control over. I know caffeine isn’t like alcohol or anything,” he said quickly. “It’s just that I like to have mastery over my mind and body, maybe to an unhealthy degree.”

“Sounds like you think you’re better than the rest of us.”

He laughed, the sound seeming to get lost in the space around us.

With two fingers, I traced down the column of his throat. “You should be proud of who you’ve become,” I said.

“Do you think so?”