Lucain pov

The sun had started to sink by the time we finally left the private stretch of beach. Lily’s hair was still a little messy from my hands, her cheeks faintly flushed, and every time she looked at me she smiled like she was holding a secret only the two of us shared.

I drove slower than usual on the way back. One of my hands stayed on the wheel; the other held hers across the center console, our fingers laced together. Her thumb traced small, absent circles against my skin. Neither of us spoke much. The quiet felt comfortable, heavy with everything we had just done and everything...