Sometimes Moments (Sometimes Moments, #1)(35)
Peyton sat back on her bed, rubbing her forehead. It was too early to be arguing with him. But there was so much that had gone unexplained between them. They were imploding.
“How do we move on from this? You’re adamant that you won’t leave until after the wedding. How do we coexist in this town?” she asked, defeated.
Callum sighed and crouched in front of her. She noticed his sleeve still pushed up and was able to see that her name had visibly branded him. He placed the photographs on her unmade bed and then rested his palms on her knees.
“I’m not saying that you should forgive me so easily, because I don’t want that. Just let me in your life, Peyton, even if it’s only for a little while. We keep taking too many steps back. I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me, but I won’t stop trying to get you to. Can we just have a start fresh? Actually become friends or at least something along those lines?”
Peyton blinked once.
She turned her head and looked at the Polaroid picture of them sitting on the pier together. It had been a good memory of them—one she had reflected on throughout the years. He might have not loved her, but he cared—his tattoo proved it.
“Okay,” she said, her eyes still on the picture. Her mother would be proud about that one word. She turned and met his stare. “But can I ask you a favour?”
“Anything.”
While staring at his tattooed arm, Peyton smiled at the way the letters of her name joined together perfectly. For whatever reason, it was sentimental to him. And the thought had her breathing out as she kept her eyes on his hands across her knees.
He can’t keep my name tattooed on his wrist… I don’t want to be a reminder.
“When you leave, can you get my name removed? That reason behind it isn’t necessary anymore. I shouldn’t be a reminder for you.”
His hands left her for a moment before he placed a finger under her chin, lifting her head to meet his. Then he gave her sorrowful smile and nodded.
“Okay. It’ll be the first thing I do when I leave town. I promise, Peyton.” His voice was wrapped in a delicate and painfully beautiful whisper.
Her heart ripped wide open. Callum Reid would wind up breaking her heart all over again. And for some reason, Peyton was willing to once again feel the pain he’d inflict once goodbye had left his lips.
Callum didn’t say anything else. Instead, he kept his eyes planted on various parts of her face. First, it was her eyes, then her nose, and then finally her mouth. That’s when her breathing decided—in that very moment—that it was an unnecessary function. Peyton wished her lungs would work. Just enough to say that his gaze didn’t leave her breathless…and hopeless…and desperate.
Air. Shit. I need air.
“Can I ask you a favour, Peyton?” he asked, his eyes still locked on her mouth. She couldn’t deny the fact that she, too, was staring.
Afraid of the possible shakiness and betrayal in her voice, Peyton nodded.
Callum’s fingers slowly trailed from under her chin to her cheek, lightly brushing against her skin and almost giving her a heart attack. The sigh he had exhaled echoed in the air before he cupped her face firmly in his palms, his actions requiring her attention. It was then that her lips instantly parted as she took in the features of his face.
She used to stare at his chin dimple when he smiled. She thought back to the days he’d sat next to her in class. When he’d brush his chin as he worked on his questions and she’d stare until he’d look over at her with a raised eyebrow. She’d laugh in the middle of the lesson and the rest of the class would gawk at them. In this moment with him, she wished they were back there, in that classroom. Back to simple times.
“Peyton,” he breathed, and she quickly met those grey pools of conflicted and frustrating emotions.
She swallowed hard, trying to regain some form of composure. “What’s your favour?”
He didn’t turn away or blink. He kept his gaze hard on her. “Promise me that you won’t let me kiss you? I can’t lose focus on why I’m here. And I can’t let anything happen between us. You can’t let me kiss you, okay?”
Her heart plunged, leaving a sick and tight knot in the pit of her stomach. No kissing. She shouldn’t be so disappointed. If anything, she should be relieved. She wouldn’t travel down that path, but deep down, she wanted to know what his lips felt like…for one last time.
Straightening her back, she gave him a firm nod and said, “Scout’s honour, Callum Reid,” before sticking up her pinkie.
His lips curved upwards, and then he entwined his pinkie with hers. “Scout’s honour, Peyton Spencer.”
They both laughed, acknowledging the time they were Cubs in Scouts Victoria. The only reason why she quit the Scouts was because she hadn’t liked one of the older Venturer girls—the one who’d dunked her in the mud pit of the obstacle course. Callum was the one who had pulled her out and quit Scouts the next day with her.
He gently pushed on her knees and stood up properly. When he took her hand and helped her up, Peyton tried to ignore the tingles that his touch ignited.
“What’s our plan today, Scout Peyton?” he asked and let go of her hand.
She was sure that he could feel the sweat of her hand. He made her nervous and uncomfortable. As discreetly as she could, she wiped her hand on her pyjama bottoms.