I Hate the Way...

Part 55: "Beneath the Crescent Moon"

The brunette lets out a gasp at the change, "Hope!"

"I never said it was a good idea to trust me," Hope teases, carrying Josie effortlessly up the worn stairs of the abandoned lighthouse.

Reaching the top, Hope carefully sets Josie down, watching Josie's wide smile turn into a look of awe as she looks out over the riggidy railing. The panoramic view of the coastline beneath the crescent moon is breathtaking. The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below creates a soothing, gentle melody.

"This is incredible, Hope," Josie says, awe-struck.

"Yeah," Hope brings herself to sit, legs dangling over the edge as she takes in the familiar view, "It's peaceful up here." Josie walks over to join Hope, sitting with Hope's assistance. "I've only been here a few times since the crash," Hope says, a sudden vulnerability to her demeanor as she looks out at the shoreline. "It's the closest I can get to flying."

Josie looks over at Hope with a soft gaze, "You'll get there one day, Hope. Look at all the progress you've made so far." Hope nods, glancing down to her hand as Josie slips their fingers together. The brunette asks, curious, "Am I the first person you've brought up here?"

"No," Hope says simply, turning to see the offended look on Josie's face, making the auburnette chuckle lightly, "The first was Raf."

"Oh," Josie scolds herself for getting jealous over such a thing.

Hope grins knowingly before adding, "He only came up here to get me down."

Josie chuckles at that piece of information. "Well, I'm honored to be your second choice," she says half jokingly.

Hope shakes her head with a grin on her lips as she turns to face her wife, "You could never be second choice, Josie."

Josie searches Hope's expression, trying to find any indication that she's lying, but she doesn't find any. There's a sincerity to her tone and expression, and Josie can tell she means what she said. Josie can't help but blush at the words, her heart skipping a beat, especially with the way Hope looks at her now, as if she's the greatest person to ever live, the greatest thing she's ever known.

Josie tries to fight the urge to fall into that feeling, she really does. But, ultimately, she can't fight it. Not with Hope.

She glances downward at Hope's pair of inviting lips, and like a magnet, she's drawn in, leaning closer before their lips collide in a slow but searing kiss.
As the kiss intensifies, Josie feels that familiar heat ignite in her stomach, a tingling feeling traveling up her spine and reaching the ends of every nerve. She lets out a soft moan when she parts her lips, allowing Hope's tongue to collide with her own in a battle for dominance, which Josie submits to quickly.

Josie pulls away when air becomes a necessity, and when Hope opens her eyes, Josie could almost swear she sees a flicker of gold in her orbs. It goes as fast as it comes, but it's a reminder that Hope's trapped wolf wants out. With a newfound determination, Josie breathlessly utters, "Take me home?" She cups Hope's cheek before adding in a seductive whisper, "And take me to bed."

And just like that, that same fleck of gold returns, swimming in the sea of blue in Hope's irises before fading again, and with that, Hope gives her a nod. The auburnette stands to her feet before picking Josie up and carrying her down the stairs the same way they came up.

She gets Josie into the passenger side of the car before going over toward the driver's side and getting in herself. Hope drives them home with increased difficulty though, as Josie seems to have made a habit of leaning over the console to steal kisses and teasing touches.