Free Falling

My cell phone started ringing in my hand then. A little squeak left my lips as I dropped my phone onto the floor in my surprise. I clamped my hand over my mouth as I stood there, staring at it, seeing that it was a private number calling me. There was no way I was answering it. I didn’t know what to do, the phone seemed to be deafening as it continued to ring and ring.

My thoughts shot to Luke. I wanted Luke – no, that wasn’t quite right, I needed him. My need for Luke suddenly made things clearer for me. I needed to call him and get to somewhere where he could find me. I shouldn’t be standing on my own in a marquee where anyone could come in and no one would be any the wiser.

I bent and snatched the phone from the floor, instantly rejecting the call as I bolted back out of the door and into the middle of the crowd, not stopping until I was right in the centre of the attractions where it was busiest. I knew that if the guy was watching me that he’d be able to see me right now, but at least he wouldn’t be able to do anything while I was surrounded by people. I kept darting my eyes around for anything suspicious as I hit speed dial one and called Luke’s number. As the line connected my phone battery beeped, signalling it was about to die soon. I whimpered, praying it would hold out enough until I spoke to Luke.

Thankfully he answered after a couple of rings. “Hey, baby. Where are you?”

The sound of his voice brought a lump to my throat. “Luke, oh God, the phone, a message, please,” I rambled.

“Message? From the person that’s harassing you? Damn it! Where are you? Tell me where you are and I’ll meet you there. Stay with Zach!” he barked angrily.

My chin trembled as I looked around quickly, trying to find something I could describe to him so he’d know where I was. “The shooting stall next to where you won my crocodile,” I muttered, not having the will to explain that I was on my own.

“Okay, I’ll be there as quick as I can.” He disconnected the call. I let my hand drop to my side as I walked further into the crowd and just stopped in the middle of the walkway, not even apologising when people walked into me or bumped me because I was in the way. The crowd made me feel slightly safer, but not as safe as I knew Luke’s arms would make me feel.

An hour and a half later I’d given a full report to DI Neeson. Luke had called them after he’d finally managed to calm me down. He’d also called Zach, laying into him down the phone about leaving me alone and how he was lucky I was alright and hadn’t been hurt. The happy atmosphere had died out almost straight away; the fun had been sucked out of the night. Luke and I had left the others at the fairground to continue with the merriment, while Luke drove me to a McDonalds close by so I could give my statement to the police. He’d arranged with Charlotte that I was just going to stay at his place tonight instead of going to hers. I was actually extremely grateful for that. Being in Luke’s arms tonight was just what I needed. I hadn’t informed my dad of the change of plans. He would probably say no and insist that I go home, but I couldn’t be alone right now. Staying at Luke’s was what I desperately wanted.

I swallowed the last of my coffee, looking up at him now. His expression was a mask of concern as he looked back at me with those big brown eyes that I fell in love with so deeply. He reached out, taking my hand across the table and interlacing our fingers. DI Neeson had not long left and we’d just been sat in silence for the last few minutes. I didn’t even know what to say. I longed for life to go back to normal, for us to be normal and together, for me to stop being terrified all the time. I hated everything about my life at that moment.

“Come on, let’s go. I’ll run you a nice hot bath when we get to mine and you can soak and relax,” he suggested, helping me up from the seat.

I sighed dreamily at how nice that sounded. “Thanks.” We hobbled out across the practically deserted parking lot and over to his Jeep that was parked in the corner. When we got to it I leant against the side of the car, watching as he dug in his pocket for his keys. “I can’t wait to graduate and leave for college,” I mumbled, shaking my head tiredly. “Think all this will stop when we go away to college?” I asked hopefully.

His eyes searched mine as he nodded. “Yeah,” he confirmed. “Have you… have you decided on college then?” he asked, dropping his eyes to the floor and playing with his keys in his hand.

Decided on college? What is he asking me that for? “I thought we’d decided on that months ago.”

He looked up, confusion clear across his face. “Yeah but, you know, things changed since then. I screwed up. So I assumed you’d be looking at colleges closer to your family instead.”

I shrugged. “Why would I do that?” I questioned. We’d talked and talked about colleges before, we’d decided on one that offered us both great opportunities.

His mouth dropped open in shock. “Are you saying that maybe we could still go to Oregon together?” he asked. The hopeful tone to his voice made my heart stutter.

Standing in the cool night, illuminated by a streetlight a little way away, it hit me just how much I loved him. All of this stuff that had happened recently just proved to me how much I needed him in my life. He was the one for me. He was my first thought when I was scared, the one I wanted to comfort me when I cried, and the one I wanted to share everything with. He had always been that person for me, I’d just been too clouded by hurt to see that us being together was inevitable.

All of this stuff, this being in danger stuff, had all served to show me how precious each day was. I shouldn’t be wasting time being sad and lonely, when the thing I wanted more than anything, wanted me too. I was just doing myself an injustice by denying myself something that made me incredibly happy all the time.

“When we leave school I think everything will be better. Right now every time I look around I get reminded of what you did, the people all know so I feel like they’re laughing at me. I think once school is over and we’re at college then we can start afresh,” I suggested. Starting afresh sounded like bliss to me.

His eyes widened as he stepped closer to me, so close that his body was merely inches away and his toes actually touched mine. “Start afresh. Please tell me you’re saying what I think you’re saying,” he begged. His voice broke as he looked at me so intently that it made my stomach flutter.

“Well, do you think I’m saying that I just can’t be without you anymore?” I asked, reaching out one hand and placing it over his heart. I could feel the steady drumming under my palm, and I smiled at how precious it felt to me.

“That’s what I pray you’re saying, baby,” he whispered, leaning in closer to me and touching my cheek, brushing his fingers there softly. He leant forward, placing his forehead against mine as his breathing became more ragged. His other hand gripped my side tightly. “Please. Please, Maisie,” he begged.

Emotion was threatening to boil over as happiness hit me in waves. I knew then that this was the right thing to do. Screw everything and everyone else. Luke Hannigan made me happy, and I just couldn’t not be with him anymore.

“Tell me you love me.” I slid my hands up to his neck, pushing one into the back of his hair and weaving my fingers into the soft silky strands.

He gulped loudly. His eyes danced with excitement, his whole body seemed to go rigid. “I lov-” I crashed my lips to his before he could finish saying it. I didn’t need him to say it. I already knew.

As soon as his lips were on mine, everything else seemed to evaporate and all that was important was him and me and that his lips belonged on mine. He made a small startled moan in the back of his throat but kissed me back immediately, pushing against me, trapping me between the hardness of his body and the cool metal of his car. The passion that went into the kiss almost knocked me sideways as his tongue met mine. His taste exploded against my taste buds as I fisted my hand into his hair, squeezing myself to him tighter, wanting to melt inside him and never get out again.

Everything about the way he kissed me, the feel of his hands as they gripped my waist, the way he pinned me tightly against the car as he kissed me like I had never been kissed before in my life, all of it was beautiful. It was familiar, incredible, passionate, but most importantly, it was right. My whole body seemed to come alive with a hunger that he always seemed to evoke in me. I pulled my mouth away from his, desperate for air, gasping as my knees went weak with longing. My love for him was overwhelming, almost too much to cope with as everything built inside me like a raging inferno. I needed to release this passion before it made me explode. I fumbled behind me, grabbing the back door handle, pushing him away from me for a second so I could move to the side and force the door open.

When I looked up at him I knew that he felt exactly the same as me in that moment - desperate and needy. My skin seemed to prickle all over as I whimpered. Grabbing his shirt and yanking him towards me, I sat on the back seat, hooking my legs either side of his and trapping him against me. “Luke,” I whined, not having the words to describe what I needed from him.

He flicked his eyes behind him, a little bewildered as he gasped for breath too. “Here? Seriously?” he croaked, his voice all husky and thick with lust.

I didn’t answer, just leant forward and pressed my mouth to his again, capturing his bottom lip between my teeth and biting roughly. He grunted, and that seemed to be all the encouragement he needed as he moved forward, forcing me onto my back as he leant on top of me, wriggling and fumbling behind him, slamming the door closed, trapping us in the back of his car. Almost instantly the temperature in the car seemed to spike as he looked down at me with eyes that were so ecstatic that it made my heart ache.

Reaching out, I snagged his hoodie and T-shirt, yanking them both over his head in one easy movement. His phone slid out of his pocket and thumped to the floor, but neither of us paid any attention as he leant down, brushing his lips against mine softly, just once. My fingers dug into the bare skin of his back, just marvelling over the weight of his body on top of me again.