Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

23

"Anything?"

"Yes," He nodded, adjusting his position to rest his arm along the back of the seat so that his fingers could brush against the material covering her shoulder. He played with fire and knew it but couldn't help himself.

She chewed on her bottom lip, an action he found both endearing and alluring, "What's your favorite color?"

He grinned. "Purple. You?"

"Yellow. Why purple?"

"It reminds me of lilacs—they were my mom's favorite flower. Why, yellow?"

"Buttercups... I've always had a partiality to them. Favorite food?"

"Hmmm," he murmured, inching closer to her, "that's a tough one... but I think it's gotta be bread fresh from the oven slathered in butter. You?"

"Eggs Benedict." Elyria grinned, scooting across the seat until their thighs brushed.

He rubbed his thumb across the seam in the upholstery of the back cushion and bit back a smile. "I hate eggs."

"You do?" She said, surprise and delight plain on her face. "I've never met anyone who hates eggs. Why?"

Everett shrugged, "Mostly because they remind me of my father." When her brow creased in a delicate frown, he knew he couldn't just leave it at that. "He owned a fireworks factory and always came home smelling of rotten eggs from the sulfur." Letting out a sigh, he stared down at his lap and allowed a foggy memory of his father to come to mind.

"He was a vicious brute of a man, especially compared to the frailness of my mother. Everything had to be done exactly his way, but even then, it was never good enough—I was never good enough... no matter what I did. So eventually, I gave up trying."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, taking his hand in hers. "We don't have to talk about him. I shouldn't have asked."

"It was bound to come up sooner or later." Speaking barely above a whisper, he continued, "We didn't get along very well when my mother was alive. After she died, I went to live with her younger sister Mable."

"How old were you?"

A humorless smile curled his lips. "Thirteen... she hadn't even been buried a week when he woke me up and drove me to the station. Never heard from him again other than the telegram informing me of his death two years later."

Clearing his throat, he stared at her and pushed the image of his father from his mind. "He left me the factory in his will, held in trust until I turned twenty-one. The moment I could, I sold it and used some of the profit to buy my house and the land it sits on."

"New question?" She said with a kind smile.

"Yes, please, something frivolous."

"Frivolous, hmmm?" Her eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips together for a moment, giving the impression of being in deep thought. "What... is... your absolute most favorite thing to do?"

That was easy. "Kiss you."

A nervous laugh escaped her, and she rolled her eyes, "I'm serious."

"So am I."

Her lips bent in a shy smile, "Mine too."

Their questions, some silly and others of a more serious nature, lasted into the early morning hours. They talked of their fears and dreams, sharing thoughts and feelings that had never been spoken aloud to another soul.

By the time the faint oranges and blues of dawn painted the sky, Everett sat relaxed against the door frame with Elyria tucked against his chest. His fingers drifted aimlessly up and down her back, tracing imaginary designs.

"Everett?" She said drowsily.

"Hmmm?"

She pulled away from him and whispered, "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to jump out and answer her itself.

His answer would have been a firm no if he'd been asked such a question before meeting her. Attraction at first sight, yes, but anything to be labeled 'love' he'd believed needed time to evolve.

However, none of this proved to be the case where Elyria was concerned. "I didn't before, but I do now." Already missing the feel of her in his arms, he scooted closer and cradled her cheek. "You?"

"I wanted to believe in it, but in my case, I worried it would be more complicated."

"Complicated, how?"

She sighed and leaned into his touch, lowering her voice as though divulging a deep, dark secret when she softly admitted, "Because I'm blind." Her throat convulsed on a swallow before she added, "I should have told you sooner—"

"I know," he said gently. "I've known since before we started writing."

Her entire body stilled, but she didn't pull away. "And it doesn't bother you?"

"Did it bother you when I was blind? Or that I'm crippled, for that matter?"

"No," she said without hesitation.

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Then why should it bother me?"

Slowly, she relaxed. "I had to make sure... before."

With his eyes focused on Elyria's mouth, he threaded his fingers through the hair at the back of her head and pulled her closer. "Before?"

She licked her lips, her eyelids sliding halfway closed, when he bent his head and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. "Before I told you, I love you."

His stomach flipped, and his heart gave a funny little kick. He'd hoped it to be the case, but to actually hear her say it to his face filled him with incandescent joy. Trailing kisses across her jaw, he pulled slightly away and watched her. "You do?"

"Most definitely," she said, her mouth a single breath away from his.

"Good," He swallowed convulsively and whispered against her lips, "because... I love you too."