Page 24 of Defend Her Heart

We stand there unmoving, my finger still pressed gently to the bottom of her chin, eyes searching each other.

The sound of booming laughter breaks the spell, causing Avery to jolt backward. My hand drops to my side, immediately itching to reach back out to her. A group of teenagers wearing our school’s memorabilia approaches, and I step next to Avery to let them by.

Once the group moves past us, Avery’s confident mask is back in place, the vulnerable moment gone in a flash.

“Are you going to take me on this adventure now or what?”

I want more than anything to slip back into that moment, her gorgeous green eyes locked on mine, inches away from claiming her mouth. Instead, we fall into step next to each other again, making our way back toward campus.

After a short ten-minute walk, we’ve finally made it to the front gates of our school. Old brick buildings cover the campus, long paved pathways leading to each one, with the dorm buildings on the outer edge near the world-class athletic facilities. The hockey rink could rival any minor league teams’ building, and I still can’t believe I get to go to school here. But my favorite part of the entire school is just behind us, where a looming clock tower sits, stealing everyone’s attention with its elegance. The weathered stone looks ancient and ivy creeps up the sides leading to arch windows at the top.

The campus is relatively quiet right now, with not many kids back on campus yet for the year. The school allows athletes to come back early if one of their coaches agrees to supervise. I know that both hockey teams are back on campus already as well as a few others, but it’s close to ten o’clock now so most of them are already in their rooms for the night.

“This big adventure you want to take me on is at school? Ithink we have two very different definitions of the word ‘adventure.’”

I turn to face Avery and begin walking backward.

“Ye of little faith.”

She throws her hands out in front of her. “Well, sorry! But my idea of fun doesn’t happen at school.”

The words on the tip of my tongue are totally inappropriate. She must know exactly what I’m thinking because she reaches out and stabs me in the front of my shoulder with her fingers.

“Ew, not that kind of fun! You know what I meant. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

Raising my hands in front of me, I show her my palms. “You’re the one who said it. Not me.”

My eyes scan the surroundings and I turn so I don’t run into the brick wall I know is getting close. Once we get to the door, I do one more check to make sure no one is around us.

“What are you doing?” Avery whisper-hisses at me.

I bring my finger up to my lips to shush her. “Just wait. Trust me.”

Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my wallet. In the hidden compartment, I pull out a gold key and insert it into the locked door.

“Connor! Where the hell did you get a key to the clock tower?”

“I know people,” I say, then wink at her before pushing the door open.

Avery hesitates, looking over her shoulder before she sprints through the door into the pitch-black clock tower. I follow her in and gently close the door behind me.

I pull out my phone and turn the flashlight on its dimmest setting. Carefully, I put the key back into my wallet and then position my phone in front of me. Avery’s nervous face illuminates in the dark. Her eyes dart from side to side, taking in the musty old room we stand in.

“What are we doing here?” Her eyes continue to case the room.

“I want to show you something. Come on.” I reach out my hand, and even though she has absolutely no reason to, I hope like hell she trusts me.

Unlike before, Avery doesn’t hesitate. Her hand finds mine and I lace my fingers with hers. I should ignore what I’m feeling but it’s damn near impossible at this point. The warmth of her hand is like a soft caress against my callused palm. Holding her hand feels like stepping onto a fresh sheet of ice. Unsteady for half a second but then suddenly there’s no place I’d rather be.

I pull her behind me, using the flashlight as a guide to the corner of the room where a spiral staircase made of iron awaits. When I go to take my first step, I’m met with resistance.

I turn and find Avery nibbling on her fingernails, her other hand still gripping mine tightly. I set my phone down on the step, the light illuminating the small area around us. Reaching out, I move her hand away from her face before lacing my fingers through hers again. Gripping both of her hands with mine, I move them up between us.

“Do you trust me?”

Avery’s eyes dart around the space, landing on the staircase behind me. “For some crazy reason, I do. I just…I don’t love heights.”

Without thinking, I bring our adjoined hands to my lips before placing the softest of kisses on the knuckles of her right hand.