Die A Little

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The following morning, I awoke to the cold air around me; the sun had only just risen and the birds were singing as they flew from tree to tree. The blanket that had been wrapped around us both throughout the night was nothing compared to the warmth of Brian's arms. As I rolled over, however, I came to realise that he hadn't just pulled away over the course of the night, he was nowhere to be seen. Sitting up in the back of the truck and wiping the sleep from my eyes, the blanket fell from around my shoulders. I looked around at the field, confused as to where he had disappeared to.

Turning to the sound of leaves being crunched under someone's feet, I was relieved to see that it was Brian returning from the woodland area. He was clad in just his jeans and sneakers, stepping his way back over to where he had left me. I crossed my arms and leaned over the edge of the cargo bed, smiling at him.

"Good morning," Brian smiled, coming to a stop in front of me.

I was slightly higher than him as I leaned down and kissed his lips once. My eyes studied his, soaking in the brown staring back at me and the crinkle by his eyes. I could look at his crooked smile and morning stubble all day if I had the time to.

"Where'd you go?" I pouted, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "I was cold without you."

"As you like to put it, Babe, nature called." Brian explained with a hearty chuckle, his voice still thick with sleep. "Relax, I'm here now."

I watched on as he climbed back up to join me, immediately taking me in his arms and laying us down along the cargo bed. We studied the sky for a while, pointing out uniquely shaped clouds before Brian cleared his throat and made me look at him.

"I hoped you enjoyed this little trip." He blushed.

"I loved every second of it, Brian." I smiled, placing my hand to his cheek. "You made it so special and it'll be a night that I'll never forget."

"Because we fucked three times?" Brian smirked, making me smack him lightly at the shoulder.

"No," I emphasised. "Because it was one of the most intimate times we've had and that was before the sex happened."

My fingers played with the ends of his hair. "I feel like we really learned a lot about each other and it's just made me love you even more."

"I didn't think that that was possible." Brian replied. "But I understand what you're saying."

He pulled me closer into his chest and pressed a soft kiss to my temple. "I don't want to mess this up again, Sal."

"That's not going to happen if you stay true to yourself, Brian." I sighed. "You were trying to be someone I know deep down that you're not. Surely you didn't enjoy hurting people?"

"Not really." Brian shrugged, frowning hard. "But it was all that I had known for years."

"Can you imagine if that party had never happened?" I asked openly, thinking that Brian would have no response.

"I wouldn't have become a better person; I wouldn't have learned how to love someone with every ounce of my heart." Brian expressed sincerely, his hand running up and down the small of my back comfortingly.

Turning my head, tears filled my eyes at his words. Brian wasn't a one to open up about feelings. But he was trying, and I appreciated that more than anything. He knew that I was like an open book when it came to this sort of thing, but with him, Brian was the complete opposite.

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, taking in our surroundings. "We should get back home soon."

"Why the rush?" I questioned, running my foot along his thigh.