Here Comes the Light (Cambrooke #1) (31 page)

I
wake up to an annoying pinging on my window. I try to roll over and go back to sleep but it does it again and again. Is it some sort of crazed bird or something? I stretch and look at the clock as I wipe the sleep from my eyes. 1:45. I scoot my bare feet across the carpet, stretch and scratch my bare chest. Ready to scare a bird away when I open the window I see Miley standing outside my window she is in blue flannel pajama pants with my hoodie wrapped tight against her and her hair piled in a mess on top her head.  The cool night air blows on my chest making me shiver.

“What are you doing here?” I whisper shout.

“I need to talk to you.” She hugs herself and her teeth chatter as she talks.

“Now?”
I ask reaching down to help her in my window. She scales the wall while holding my hands I cringe when she stumbles in making a thumping noise on the floor. I hope that didn’t wake my parents.

She stands and hugs my
hoodie against her. “It is colder than I thought it was going to be out there tonight.” She shivers as she shuffles to my bed and eases herself down, sitting on the edge. I lift my blanket around her shoulders and kneel in front of her.

“What is wrong? What’s so
urgent it couldn’t wait until morning or at least just tell me over the phone?” Her eyes look down at my bare chest and she smirks. I haven’t turned the lights on, but there are plenty of lights shining in the room from the street for me to see her face.

“Maybe you should put a shirt on first.” Her eyes blink rapidly at me. I feel my face warm. I hope it is dark enough she doesn’t see me blush.

“Not that I am not happy to see you
, but why are you here?” I ask as I pull the first shirt I can find over my head.

She takes in a long exaggerated breath, making me a little nervous.  “I don’t know how to say this. I just thought if I waited until morning I would lose my nerve.” My heart drops as I flop onto the bed beside her.

“Please don’t tell me you are back with Hudson.” I whisper. I don’t know when she would have had the chance, I just dropped her off from church right before coming home and going to bed, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

“No.” she says quickly shaking her head. “Do you remember telling me that God told you
that you were going to marry…” she swallows as she looks into my eyes. I remember telling her. I just wish I wouldn’t have. I should have waited.

“Well, I just woke up from a dream.” she looks out my window like there is something exciting out there. “I was with you and Jesus in a wedding dress.” She says quickly then shakes her head and giggles. “I was in the wedding dress
, not Jesus.” She places a hand on her forehead and sighs. “This probably sounds crazy.”

I lean forward and place my elbows on my lap. I turn my face towards her. “And where exactly are you going with this?” I ask her.  My heart is smacking against my chest, I know where I want this to go, but I know with Miley it could be anything. I also know by the look on her face she took what I said the wrong way. Her eyebrows sink and the corners of her mouth turn down.

“My gosh,” she gasps now looking at my ceiling. “I’m sorry, this was a mistake.” She says in a rush as she pushes my blanket off her shoulders and stands. “I better go. Sorry for waking you.” She starts back towards my window.  I quickly stand and grab a hold of her shoulders before she can get away I position myself in front of her.

“You are not leaving until you tell me the reason you came here.” I demand. I know if I don’t demand the reason now she may never tell me. She bounces just slightly as she stares in my eyes. Her eyes are glossy, but she doesn’t look away from me to hide it.

“I,” her voice cracks. “I think I am in love with you.” She whispers. Whoa, I didn’t see that coming. I let out the breath I was holding. She surprises me when she still doesn’t look away. “I believe that God wants me to marry you. He… he told me he has a plan for us…together.” Her voice is so light right now I can barely hear her.

Instead of responding, because I am in shock, I just stand here with my eyes wide and my jaw slack. I have been waiting for this for so long. How I can be sure I am not dreaming now?  I feel her body begin to shake under my hands. She is crying. I realized my silence made her think the worst.

“I knew this was a mistake.” She gasps as she tries to get away from me.

I have to do something now. I can’t let her get away. I place my hands on her cheeks and press my lips against hers.
Her hands slide around my waist and pull me closer. When I pull my mouth away I whisper in her ear. “I love you, too.”

“I thought you were going to think I was crazy.” She muffles into my chest.

I lay my cheek on the top of her head. Her body molds up against mine and it is like we fit together perfectly. I don’t want her to leave, but I know what this would look like if we get caught and I am not sure that I can resist temptation with her body pressed against mine like this.

“Miley, as much as I love this right now.” My voice comes out scratchy. “You probably should go.” I say tightening my arms around her.

She giggles. “What am I too sexy in my puppy pj’s and bed head?”

I let out a low chuckle, “I’ll see you in the morning.” I kiss her again before helping her out my window.

Chapter 31

“I
love you.” Declan whisper shouts when I reach the ground I am not as cold as I was when I first showed up now that my insides are warmed.

“I love you too, D.” I whis
per shout back as I back away staring at him.

His eyes
widen and he holds his hand out, “Miley look…”

I back
right up into Robin’s metal birdbath causing the top to fall off and crash.

“ Y
ou alright?” he whispers concerned. I nod quickly before I run off, but I don’t make it out of the yard before the porch light is on. I freeze I don’t know if I can be seen or not I am behind an old oak tree.

“What is going on out here?” Randy’s irritated voice calls out. My heart sinks I see Declan appear behin
d his dad. If Randy sees me I’ll probably be banned from the house. I can’t lose him after I finally admitted my feelings for him.

“Dad.”
I hear, but it isn’t Declan, the voice comes from behind me. I turn and see Garrett. What is he doing out here? He is in jeans and an Ohio State tee shirt, ‘Go,’ Garrett mouths to me when his eyes meet mine. He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I take off running. I run all the way home despite the cold air stinging my skin as I run. I feel bad leaving Garrett hanging like that. I am the reason his dad was awake.

Declan’s mouth attaches to mine as soon as I slide into his truck. He tastes like minty toothpaste. His hair is still damp from his shower and his light soapy scent fills his truck.  I can’t help but smile as I pull away from him. His hand stays on my cheek.

“What happened with Garrett last night?” I ask. Not that I am not enjoying kissing him. I have had a million questions since
I saw Garrett outside in the middle of the night.

“He got in trouble.” Declan says all huskily with a smile before leaning back into me.

“Calm, D, we need to get to school.” I giggle and push on his chest.  He chuckles as he turns back toward the steering wheel. “Where was he?”

“He didn’t say.” Declan shrugs as he pulls out of my drive.

“I feel bad I’m the reason he was caught.” I look out the window.

Declan nods, keeping one hand on the wheel and the other on my knee causing my leg to tingle.  “Don’t feel bad. You know how weird Garrett has been acting. It’s for the best he was caught.” He pulls into the school. “My parents don’t have a clue what to do with him
since I am such an angel.” He smirks.

I shake my head. He parks the truck. “You have girls sneaking into your room at night.” I giggle.

He puffs out his chest. “Yeah that tends to happen from time to time given my studliness.” He smirks at me.

This makes me giggle even more “You are too much, D.”

He turns the engine off. “You decided about homecoming yet?” he seems a little nervous when he asks me.

“Yeah, I am going to go ahead and do it.” I speak softly. “God has a plan, right?”

“I hate seeing your family like this, D.” my voice is light as we sit on the porch swing my legs lay across the swing and my back is against
Declan’s. Dinner was tense and awkward. Robin tried to make small talk but the tension between Randy and Garrett was thick. I couldn’t eat much.  Declan arms slide around me and he rests his head against my back.

“We’ll get through it.” He says.

“I still hate I bailed last night and left Garrett to get into all this trouble, we were in the wrong too.”

“We didn’t do anything.” he says as he slides my hair off my shoulder and kisses my cheek. “You need to quit beating yourself up about it. I told you earlier it is best he was caught He won’t talk to anyone and I know he has been partying. It wasn’t the first night he snuck out. I just wish he would talk to me.”

“I tried to talk to him at lunch.” My voice comes out small. “He didn’t say anything.”

“I don’t want to talk about Garrett right now.” His voice is husky as he grazes his lips against the side of my head. “I want to enjoy being with you. I have waited a long time for this.”
Declan’s lips press against mine and I turn to face him, sliding my hands around his neck as he pulls me closer by the waist.

“Cool it Homecoming Queen.” Declan and I pull away from each other when the front door slams and Garrett chuckles as he leans against the house. “Dad sent me out said you too where getting a little too hot and heavy out here.” My face flares. I can’t believe his dad saw us making out again.

“I don’t think I can go inside again.” I gush.

Declan chuckles. “It isn’t like we are going to do it on the porch.” He stands and tells me he will be right back before he disappears into the house.

I look at Garrett who is still chuckling. I am glad my embarrassment amuses him. “So what kind of trouble are you in?” I ask him.

This makes the smile fade from his face. “It’s bad, Miley. Let’s just say that being grounded for life is nothing compared to it.”

“You should talk to somebody about it.” I lean forward. He laughs and shakes his head.

“I am going to have to eventually.” He takes a deep breath, “But I can’t right now.”

“You know you can talk to me and your brother. If not one of us, talk to Nate.”

He looks out at the street and half laughs. “
Welp, I better get back to house arrest.” I didn’t expect that. Declan comes flying out of the house with an armload of things as Garrett goes back in.

“Hey watch it.” Declan says when Garrett almost knocks him over. “What did you say to him?”

“I just tried to get him to talk.” I shrug.

“Yeah, that is the reaction most of us get.” He says as he pulls me off the swing by the arm with his free hand.

“What are we doing?” I laugh.

“Going on our first date.”
He says placing stuff in his arms in the back of the truck.

“What are we doing in the middle of nowhere, D?” I ask when he pulls into a field.

“Meteor shower.” He smiles as he jumps out of the truck. I follow his lead he hops in the bed and spreads out a blanket before helping me up.  He pulls out a lighter and a ceramic looking bowl from his backpack. My heart races in confusion.

“What are you doing, drugs?” I whisper.

He laughs and shakes his head. “Dessert.” He holds up a bag of marshmallows. “We are making
smores while we watch the meteor shower. He lights a fire in the little bowl and hands me a small stick with a marshmallow on the end. Could he be any sweeter?

“D, this is amazing.” I smile. “I just hope we don’t catch anything on fire.”

He chuckles. “I can put hot chocolate on it.” He holds up a thermos.

“You brought hot chocolate?” I gush as I lean over and press my lips against his cheek. “You are awesome Declan Light.”

“Yeah.” He replies as he takes my roasted marshmallow and presses it between chocolate and gram cracker for me.

After we have our fill of
smores, which is only one for me and about five for him, Declan puts out the fire and pushes the ceramic bowl away. We cuddle up against the cab. The air is cool tonight he pulls an extra blanket over me with one arm as he keeps his other arm around me. We gaze up at the sky. This is the closest I have ever felt to anyone. I don’t care if he sees who I really am I trust him not to run away.