Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(48)

He pushed some out of the way as a small clearing came into view. “This.”

I moved past him until I could finally see what he was showing me. A small creek flowed through the trees, almost hidden beyond the rocks and moss that clung to their surface.

“This is beautiful.” I looked around before glancing back over my shoulder toward the town. “I would have never known this was here.”

“It’s one of my favorite places in the kingdom.” He leaned against a rock and kicked off his boots. “I come here often when I need to clear my head.”

He tossed his boots to the side before he pulled a small dagger from his side that I hadn’t even noticed. He laid it against his boots then started pulling the tail of his shirt from his pants.

“What are you doing?” I clung to my dress even though I couldn’t stop looking at him.

“This isn’t what I wanted to show you.” He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the ground. I stared at the way the moonlight reflected against his skin, and my gaze caught on the newest scar that marred him. “We've got to wade through the creek to get to it.”

I lifted the skirt of my dress before looking at him like he was crazy. “I'm in a gown.”

“A beautiful fucking gown at that. One that has made me think of nothing but ripping it off you since the moment I saw you tonight.” His gaze ran over the length of me, and it felt like a caress. “I suggest you take it off easily unless you'd like me to do just that.”

I wrapped my arms around myself as he unbuttoned his trousers and started pulling them from his hips. He didn’t take his gaze off me, and all I could think about were the red lacy undergarments that Thalia had convinced me to wear under the dress. There was no way in hell I could pull this dress from my skin and let him see it.

“Take it off.” Evren nodded toward me as he kicked his trousers off his legs. He was left in nothing but a pair of white undergarments, and I took a small step back. “Princess, I wasn’t kidding. I will rip that dress off you. Don’t try to hide what's beneath. I've seen every inch of your body, pressed my fingers against it, worshipped it with my tongue.”

He took a step in my direction, and I held out my hands. “Okay.” I reached behind me and slowly undid the laces of my dress with trembling fingers. I slid my arms out of the sleeves and held the bodice against my chest as I watched him watch me. It was just me and him and the twin blood moons, but somehow, I felt more exposed than ever. I took a deep breath before letting my dress pool at my feet.

“Fuck.” He ran his hand over his jaw as his gaze hungrily took me in. “This is probably a bad idea.”

“What?” I scrambled to grab my dress, but his hands quickly stopped me.

“Don't even think about putting that dress back on.” His voice was firm and wild.

“You're the one who just said this is a bad idea.”

“That's because I didn't realize that you would look like that beneath.” He motioned toward my body. “I had planned on showing some restraint with my mate tonight.” He bit down on his bottom lip. “Now the only thought running through my head is how I’m going to devour every inch of you.”

“Evren.” My voice shook along with my hands as he pulled me toward him.

“Come on. If I don't show you now, we’ll never make it there.”

I let him pull me into the brook and the warm water lapped at my ankles. Evren chuckled as I almost slipped on a rock, and I slapped his chest just as he wrapped an arm around my middle.

“The water isn't but a few inches deep here. It would be embarrassing for the legends of the kingdom’s prince and princess to have found their demise in the small brook behind the town.”

I laughed even as the butterflies took off in my stomach. “But I'm not their princess.”

“Not yet.” He kept walking, moving us forward, and I had to admit that the water felt good against my legs even as we inched deeper and deeper.

We were headed to the other side of the brook where boulders laid upon one another all covered in moss and trails of water. I had no idea where he was taking me. But I still allowed him to move me forward with his body against mine.

“Almost there.” He led me a few steps farther until my hand touched the boulder in front of us.

“You're right. This boulder is a sight to behold.”

Evren chuckled and pulled me to the right. He didn't say a word as he pushed around the boulder, and I noticed the smallest slit between two of the rocks. My heart hammered in my chest as he squeezed between them, but he didn't let go of my hand. He pulled me after him, and I followed his steps as I pushed between the rocks until I could no longer see the light of the moons.

“I'm not sure about this,” I whispered as I pushed out from between the rocks, and the water lapping at my hips.

“Just a little farther.” Evren’s hand hadn’t left mine, and he continued to pull me through the rocks. They pushed against my stomach and chest, almost too tight to squeeze through, and I took a sharp breath once I finally cleared them and hit Evren’s chest. “This is what I wanted to show you.”

I looked around the dark cave and gasped at the starlight that covered every surface of the ceiling. I had never seen starlight except what marked my skin. It was legend that the stars had burned out over a hundred years ago.