2 updates in one night! sorry, I cooked so hard on this one that I couldn't wait!

I hop down the steep path leading to the docks. The solar-powered lanterns lined up along each side of the trail seem to be working great. I had my doubts when Emery mentioned investing in some, but they looked really nice.

I play with the ends of my braid as I walk past the last batch of trees, finally catching a glimpse of the lit-up dock ahead. At the end of it, I spot a figure sitting on the edge of it, with his legs hanging off of it.

"I didn't make you wait too long, did I?" I call out as I step foot onto the thick planks.

Aiden turns his head, my voice startling him for a second. He relaxes when he spots me and stands up to meet me halfway, "Not at all, sunshine."

He reaches me and greets me with a yearning kiss, warming enough to make me melt right into him. My hands travel up his arms to rest on his shoulder, a silent acceptance of his affection.

Once we pull away, he takes my hand and guides me to where he was sitting before I arrived. I watch him sit down as close to the edge as possible, pulling me down to join him.

I slip off my sandals, not wanting them to accidentally plunge into the lake water. I set them down beside me and perch my hands behind me to lean back comfortably.

I expected him to talk my ear off the way he usually does, but this mutual silence was just as welcoming. It was definitely odd of him to be this quiet, yet something about it was as comforting as listening to him talk about whatever comes to mind.

I admire the way the moonlight reflects on the calm ripples of water before us. The lake's gentle sway offered a pleasing sound slowly melting into the natural ambiance of the forest. Lanterns on the wooden posts gave off a warm glow, a stark contrast to the cool tones of the night.

"It's so beautiful..." I catch myself saying aloud, the breathlessness in my tone giving away my astonishment.

"It is."

I turn to meet his eyes already looking in my direction. It seemed he had not once spared the view a glance.

My eyes roam over his features being highlighted by the artificial lighting behind us. Maybe it was the way the light was directly hitting his face, but I'm just now noticing that he is no longer wearing his crimson eye contacts.

And, God...

Brown eyes were made for him. He's never looked so soft, so kind. They were as warm and as dark as a cup of steaming coffee, providing a sense of familiarity that tempted me to never look away.

And his hair.

He hadn't had a chance to maintain it or keep up with what I assumed was his typical dying routine. His natural, rich-brown roots now took over most of his hair. Only the tips remained that blonde shade I was met with the day I arrived at Solstice Summit.

Something about seeing him with brown hair made me appreciate the color a whole lot more. This was Aiden Clark. The real him. There was nothing artificial about the boy sitting by my side now.

I reach up to brush a strand of his thick, wavy hair now reaching below his ears.

"What're you doing...?" He asks warily, though I don't miss the hint of curious amusement in his chocolate-brown irises.

"Why do you dye it?" I ask genuinely, keeping my eyes glued to his hair.

I can hear a faint gulp, a sign of hesitance to answer honestly. Perhaps this subject should have remained unscathed.

"I don't like my natural hair color." He responds vaguely, lowering my hand from his head to rest in between both of his.

"Why? I love it."

He furrows his brows, as if trying his hardest to figure me out, "You do?"

"Yeah," A smile forms on my lips, "I really do."

"Hm." He lowers his head, staring down at his reflection in the dark water below.

I say nothing for a few beats, contemplating on pushing him further. I come to the conclusion that changing the subject is the smartest move, but he's already breaking the silence before I got a chance to.

"I look like my dad," He begins, running his thumb over my knuckles, "That's what people always say, at least."

He raises his other hand to run through his hair, "I'm a spitting image of him, is what they'd say. I'm going to look like him. Be like him."

I tense up, already figuring out where his insecurities originate from.

"I don't want that. Hell, I'd cut all ties with him if I could. But since that isn't an option, changing my appearance to look nothing like him is the closest I'll get to separating myself from the man I wish to never become."

I lean my head on his shoulder and place my free hand on his knee reassuringly, "You are nothing like your dad. I don't need to meet him to know that you are everything he could never be."

"You don't even know me—"

"I know enough," I lean back to meet his eyes. I take his face in my hands, "You're amazing. You are literally life, Aiden! Everything is better with you. I've never felt so alive until I met you."

"Y/N..."

"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. If only you could feel what I feel when I'm with you."

His whole body relaxes with every heavy confession that spills out of my mouth. He wraps his hands over mine, resting his forehead against mine. Millions of bolts of electricity shoot up my arms, bringing me a new wave of energy I didn't feel before.

He is life.

"I don't need to be you to know what I do to you, Y/N."

He tips my chin upward and locks my lips with his. They are as soft as they always are, moving with a familiarity and comfort only he could bring me.

One of his hands drops down to slip under my loose shirt, grazing the fabric of my bikini. My body ignites with a newly lit fire, being consistently fed with every touch.

He peppers my cheeks with kisses, eventually trailing down my neck to my collarbone. He leaves a fiery warmth behind, one that'll likely stick with me in my dreams tonight.

When his mouth brushes over the thick strap of my swimwear's top, he inches back and glances down at it with heavy eyes.

"You're wearing a bathing suit."

"Is that a question or an observation?" I ask, using this opportunity to catch my breath after he left me gasping for air.

"Can you swim?" He dismisses my question, replacing it with one of his own.

I narrow my eyes, "Yeah, why—Aiden!"

He scoops me up in his arms, stealing one final kiss from me before tossing me over the dock and into the cold water.

My entire body submerges into the deep darkness before floating back up to the surface. I gasp the moment my head pops out from under the water. I push my soaking hair back and sway my arms and legs to keep me afloat.

I look up at the dock to find it lacking a certain someone. I furrow my brows skeptically and glance around for any sight of him.

"Aiden?"

I turn around, searching for him and finding no one else.

But I am then pulled right back down into the water. A pair of hands finds my hips, dragging me back up. I rub my eyes and open them wide in shock to find Aiden holding me up securely.

"You asshole!" I splash his face, causing him to quickly turn away to dodge the attack.

He laughs, lowering me so I can float at his level. He makes sure I stay close, keeping his hands wrapped around me.

"You are such a manchild!" I scold him and attempt to swim out of his hold.

He grins and yanks me back to him until our chests press against each other. I instinctively wrap my legs around his midriff when his hand rests on my back.

"Is that how you see me through your eyes, sunshine?" He asks.

"Yes." I respond pettily, even though that was hardly true.

"Awe, don't be mad. I thought you wanted to go for a swim."

I suck in a breath when his fingers hook around the royal blue straps, "That's why you're wearing this, isn't it?"

"I...well—yeah. B-But..."

"You're stuttering. I love when you stutter. It means you're nervous, right?"

Damn him and his attention to detail.

"You make me nervous when you look at me like that..." I admit sheepishly, fighting the urge to break this intense eye contact.

"Like what, sunshine?"

"Like you're trying to take me in all at once. Like a man starved."

He's watching me watch him, and I've never felt so intimidated yet fascinated before. Whatever this is between us, I want there to be an after. I don't want this to end.

Eight weeks was not nearly long enough for us.

Us.

Yes. I like the sound of that. I believe that there is an us in this life, and in the next. Call me crazy, but I'm already willing to risk it all for this boy.

"Aiden..." I breathe out, feeling the muscles in my legs tighten around his torso.

"Yeah...?"

I pull my wet shirt over my head, revealing the bikini top that has been teasing him since I showed up. I bunch it up in a tight ball and hurl it over to the dock. He audibly inhales, so sharp that I'm afraid he might have stopped breathing altogether.

His fingers dig into the curves of my waist, as if in desperate need of an anchor to keep him from sinking. His lips pull apart as he eyes me up and down, struggling to take me in completely.

"You...you're so...y-you...."

"Who's stuttering now?" I deliver a mocking grin, enjoying this newfound knowledge that I have just as much of an effect on him as he has on me.

"You're a star, Y/N...So fucking beautiful and bright...Brighter than the damn sun..."

His words have me melting like slush in his arms. I would have never taken him for a man of words, but he sure knows his way with them.

He pulls me flush against him and welcomes me with a scorching kiss, leaving me aching for more. I want everything he has to offer. I want him to want me as badly as I want him. I want to know and cherish every bit of him. I want to be the person he cries to, laughs to. I've never felt so greedy.

I gasp against his lips when his hands squeeze the flesh of my thighs, craving me just as much as I was thirsting for him. But I eventually have to unravel myself from him when I feel him begin to tire from kicking his legs to keep us afloat.

Now supporting my own weight, I keep myself anchored to him by my arms. My hands slip under his shirt to claim the planes of his abdomen. The water slows my movements, but not my eagerness.

He breaks our kiss to give attention to the dip where my neck and shoulder meets, planting his mouth on the sensitive skin and tasting me like I'm his last meal.

He slowly drifts us close to the dock's support beams, likely needing to lean on something before he exhausts himself. My back eventually hits the wooden structure and he wastes no time in yanking off his own shirt, leaving the beauty of his body to my wandering eyes, and tossing it behind him to land on the bank.

"Aiden..."

"Quiet..." He murmurs against my neck, allowing his hands to explore my body.

I've never done anything like this with anyone other than Barron. But this time was unlike anything I've ever experienced. There was so much passion and feeling, it was not just raw lust.

For some reason, I didn't feel the need to keep my guard up with Aiden. He made me feel safe, despite this being the most vulnerable I've ever been with him.

His aggressive notions weren't raising any red flags, but rather exciting me further. I didn't feel threatened by the way he handled me or groaned against me. It felt so fucking incredible.

I press my palms against the wooden supports, lazily tossing my head back. I offered myself as a blank canvas for him to do whatever he wished. And, holy shit, he did not disappoint.

His lips, his teeth, his hands. Every part of him performed a different task simultaneously, ensuring that all of me got the attention it deserved.

Once our breaths get so heavy they turn into pants, our touches grow weak and sloppy. The water was clearly weighing us down, barring us from going to our full lengths. He grunts in between kisses, which is enough to let me know that he'll have to call it quits soon.

As much as I don't want to, I press on his shoulders to break my lips away from his. I can't help but chuckle when he chases my mouth, aching for more. I kiss him once more before panting out,

"We should stop..."

"I know..." He answers, though his eyes are saying something completely different.

"Aiden," I laugh softly, lightly nudging his bare chest with my fist.

"Right...right..." He mutters, following me back to the lake's shore.

I crawl out of the water, feeling the fatigue kick in quickly. Aiden's right behind, plopping down on the terrain beside me with a soft groan.

I curl up to his side, resting an arm on his chest as we both gaze up at the stars. He takes my hand to his lips, planting soft kisses all the way up to my shoulder. I giggle when I feel slight tickling sensations as he does so. He stops at my cheek and looks down at me with the softest eyes.

"Have I ever told you that royal blue is so your color?" He asks, shamelessly dragging his eyes over my dripping body.

I blush, but then shove his face away lightly, "If I recall, you were telling Devon the other night how royal blue is hard on the eyes."

He scoffs, rolling onto his side to watch me, "Yeah, but royal blue on you is anything but hard on the eyes."

"Well, aren't you just charming." I smile, turning on my side as well to face him.

He silently admires me for the longest minute ever, eventually saying, "I meant what I said, Y/N."

"What part?"

"You're a star. The brightest."