Chapter 14: Make Me Yours
The afternoon sun bathes the lakeside in a golden glow, the air thick with the scent of wildflowers and the soft ripple of water against the shore. Oliver and I sprawl on a blanket, a half-empty bottle of red wine glinting between us, its tart sweetness lingering on my lips. We’ve spent hours here, nibbling on cheese and crackers, our laughter mingling with the breeze, peeling back the layers of the four years we’ve lost to silence and secrets. Each shared story, each fleeting smile, feels like a bridge between us, fragile but real, and I cling to it, desperate to hold onto this moment before it slips away.
Oliver shifts, his eyes catching mine, warm and unguarded in a way that makes my heart stutter. “Can I tell you a story?” he asks, his voice low, almost reve
