Torch (Take It Off, #1)

by Cambria Hebert

“Because even in the center of a blazing fire, my body reacted to you. Because seeing you so small and helpless in a hospital bed twisted my guts. Because the day I walked into your room and those stormy gray eyes landed on mine, I felt like there was something tethering us together. Or maybe it was because of the way you sighed and leaned into my chest the night I carried you to my bed.

“The thought of anyone else’s hands on you drives me insane. Now I get to be your first. And your last.”

He was looking at me with a sort of awe in his eyes that made me feel silly for ever thinking I wouldn’t be anything but beautiful in his eyes.

“You’re beautiful,” he told me. “I think you are, too.”

Here I felt like I could breathe. I felt like the wind coming off the waves was carrying away the worst of my worries and the water was going to soak up the worst of my pain. Out here I didn’t feel like my entire world was crumbling. It was here I realized how lucky I was just to… be.