Chapter 29

Raylon

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind in that moment.

~Will she scream?~

~Will she run?~

~Maybe I can wait. Do it later.~

~Just enjoy this moment with her before she becomes disgusted by me.~

~No!~

~I came here to do this, so I must do it! I am not this scared of anything!~

I reached up with a trembling hand to the manual release of my mask.

She came over to me and grabbed my hand before I could press it.

I tilted my head to the side in question and she smiled, saying, “Only if you want to.”

I nodded. “I do. I want you to know me…the real me. But if you wish to leave once you see it, I will take no offense. Simply tell me, and I will take you back.”

She nodded and released my hand.

I swallowed hard and shut my eyes. My finger found the release button and pressed it.

~No going back now,~ I thought as I heard my mask tell me that the manual release had been engaged.

The metal began to move off my face, and I kept my eyes shut, not wanting to see her turn away at the sight.

My heart raced in my chest, and my palms were sweating as I waited for her to tell me to take her home. To hear her scream, or gag with disgust.

But when I felt her warm hand on my cheek, I jerked and tore open my eyes to see an impossible sight.

She was smiling.

Connie

The moment his mask moved off his face, I knew this was as naked as he could be.

He could have been in his birthday suit, in all his glory, but this, right here, was his most vulnerable moment.

His eyes remained shut tight, and I heard his breath coming in and out more quickly.

I ran my eyes over his face. Three scars ran from his hairline to his chin. Day-old stubble shaded his face and neck as he swallowed, waiting.

~My God! He is so handsome.~

His straight jaw clenched tight, a muscle twitching in his cheek.

I raised my hand, thinking of all that could happen if I touched him, then placed my palm on his cheek.

He jerked and opened his eyes to stare into mine.

The smile that spread over my face was the most genuine one I ever felt. It came from deep within my heart.

He stared at me, his eyes not once moving, wide with anticipation.

I moved my thumb over his stubble, gently running it over one of the scars.

I could see the pain in his face and without a second thought, I stepped closer to him, stood on my toes, and placed my lips on his.

I felt his lips tremble as he kissed me back.

It felt like the planet had stopped spinning at that moment.

My mind filled with the smell of him, the strength of the man before me, and the madness in my mind at what I had just done.

But I had to. My body needed to be this close to him.

With all the risks and the possibilities of how many ways this could go wrong, I had to kiss him. Like a primal urge that couldn’t be silenced.

I released his lips and rested back on my feet, looking up at him.

“Why did you do that?” he asked in a whisper.

“Because I really wanted to.”

He stepped back and turned away, saying, “I don’t need your pity. You do not need to show me affection to make me feel better. I have a mirror. I know what I look like.”

“Raylon, look at me. Please,” I said and waited.

He struggled with whatever war was in his mind then turned to me.

“I see you,” I said and took a step toward him.

He shook his head and looked away.

I raised my hand to his chest and placed it there. “I see all of you. Look into my eyes and you will not see fear or pity. I see it all, Raylon, and I am not running.”

He met my eyes then, and I saw a tiny twinkle in the corner of his eye before he blinked it away.

“I am disgusting,” he whispered.

“No, you’re not! Not to me. You are incredible in my eyes.”

“I am ruined. Scarred and broken.”

“Then so am I,” I said, feeling so heartbroken by his words. “If scars make you broken, then I’m a shattered doll.

“I have countless scars, all over my body. They make us unique. Different. They tell our story. Some good, some bad, but they are us.

“They are what made us who we are. And I, for one, don’t think anyone should ever hide them. Will you tell me how you got them?”

He nodded. “I was protecting my brother and father from a beast. I was a young boy then, but I knew I couldn’t let the beast take my brother or the king.”

“So you got them being a hero. You risked your own life to save your little brother and your father. You should wear them with pride!”

I shook my head, “Don’t ever hide them from me again. You shouldn’t hide them from anyone. Let the world see what you sacrificed for the ones you love.”

He stepped away from me and went to the window. “In case you didn’t notice it yet, I live in a world of perfection. Everyone—”

“Everyone is not you!”

I went over to him and turned him to look at me. “You are the prince, a warrior, and a hero. And if they don’t like it…then fuck ’em!”

He smiled and as I stared into his eyes, he stepped closer to me, wrapped his arm around my back, and pulled me into a kiss that took my breath away.

Raylon

Her soft lips.

Her sweet scent.

All thought and fear pulled out of me through her.

A moment of madness for me, to pull her to me and kiss her, but now my body felt like it floated with the stars.

Her words to me were exactly what I needed to hear. I needed someone to tell me that I couldn’t hide. I had heard it from my nieces countless times, but this was different.

As our lips moved together, I felt her tongue dart out and glide across my lower lips.

The sensation sent a pulse through my body. If I didn’t stop this now, I would do something that could jeopardize everything with Connie.

~I need to stop. I need to take it slow with her, to make it last.~

I pulled away from the kiss and placed her back onto her feet, still holding her to me.

She licked her lips with a twinkle in her eyes before she smiled and said, “You don’t have to stop.”

I grinned. “Yes, I do. I want you to know me, to be sure you want me like that before we do anything…rushed.”

She nodded, and I felt her try to take a step back, but I held her to me still.

~If I let her go, I may never get to hold her again.~

My heart beat like war drums in my chest as I stared into her eyes.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, standing on her toes to reach, and smiled at me. “What do we do now?”

“Now,” I said and raised a hand to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I will cook you breakfast.”

“Okay,” she said and gave me a far-too-brief kiss before she stepped away and looked around. “Lead the way.”

I smiled and dropped my gaze to the ground, dragging my mind away from the thought of what we could have done.

I brought my eyes to hers and found her standing with arms crossed, smiling, waiting for me. Her eyes not once moving off my face, and I realized I was still without my mask.

~Her smile is true. She does not fear my true face.~

The relief that filled me almost sent me flying through the air.

“Connie,” I said.

She turned to me. “Yeah?”

“Is this real? Do you truly not feel disgusted by me? Please, be honest.”

Her smile fell, and she frowned at me. “Raylon, everything I feel right now…for you, is real. If I felt like that you would see it in my face.”

“I do see something in your eyes, but I don’t think I understand it. You seem…attracted to me. This me.”

~There was that shy smile again.~

“I am. I am attracted to this you. Not the mask, not the prince, but this man, in front of me. The real you.”

“There is still so much you don’t know about me.”

“I know,” she said and reached out her hand to me. “But I can’t wait to learn it all.”

Just then, I saw her face change and a sadness filled her eyes.

“What is it?” I asked, taking her outstretched hand.

“I just remembered,” she said, looking down at our fingers. “I will be leaving soon. Billy and Bob will take me home in a few days.”

Her eyes flicked up to mine. “What am I doing? I can’t fall—” She stopped.

~Please, I beg of you, Connie, finish that sentence!~