More than Survival: A Post-apocalyptic Love Story by Camryn Lynn Page A

never been gone for a whole day before. At first, I thought he just got caught in the weather and he’d show up the next day, but that was four weeks ago now. I’m starting to think I’ll never see him again.” My throat tightened as tears worked their way through my body. When they reached my eyes, I looked away. I didn’t know why, but I knew allowing Sawyer to see my tears would make me feel weak. I already felt like a child thanks to all these emotions and unknown inside me.
    “Lucy.” Sawyer’s hand brushed against mine, a touch so light it felt like a butterfly’s wings. It sent a shiver of pleasure through my body, but less than a second later he pulled away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
    I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked up to tell him it was okay, but when my gaze met his the words stuck in my throat. He looked amazing in the faint light of the fire. His blue eyes soft with caring, the stubble on his face making him appear strong. Strong enough to take me in his arms and make me forget all the hurt inside. To take care of me and give me a future I had never even known I could have.
    His eyes swept over me, stopping on my lips, and everything inside me clenched. I remembered the sizzle that had been in the air earlier when I washed his hair. How it had felt like a bolt of lightning shooting through me when our eyes met. How good his hands had felt on my hips.
    In that moment, the loneliness over losing Seamus felt so overwhelming that I was sure it would crush me. And there was Sawyer, so close. So warm. So inviting. He wanted me, I could see it in his expression. The urgent desire to grab me and pull me against him. I wasn’t sure what all the feelings inside me meant, but I knew with certainty I wanted him too.
    I scooted closer and his body stiffened, but he didn’t move away. My hand trembled when I put it on his leg, but I moved it up. Over his strong thigh to his stomach, to his chest, then around to the back of his neck. When I scooted closer, he sucked in a deep breath and the desire in his eyes was too blatant to ignore. We were inches apart. The air around us scorching. His expression hotter than the flames of the fire at my back.
    I took a deep breath and leaned forward. I’d never kissed a man, but the second my lips touched his, I never wanted to stop. He wrapped his arms around me and moved his hands up my back, pulling me closer. Pressing my chest against his as his stubble scratched at my face and his lips moved against mine. The heat from his body warmed me, starting in my chest and moving out, collecting in a pool of fire between my legs. When he ran his tongue over my lips, I opened my mouth to him without thinking, gasping as he plunged into my mouth. I responded by doing the same, mimicking his movements as his lips danced over mine.
    Without warning, Sawyer pulled back and scooted away. His cheeks were flushed, and the conflict in his eyes was obvious. He looked like it hurt him to stop. Like he wanted to rip my clothes off and run away at the same time.
    “No. I won’t take your,” he swallowed, “virtue. I won’t be that person.”
    My heart pounded harder as disappointment swirled through me. I could feel him pulling away. I didn’t want that. I wanted him with me. I wanted him to make me a woman for real and teach me how the world worked. To be here with me so I wouldn’t be alone, so I could have a real life for a change. This was what I had been wanting for years, only I’d been too ignorant to know it.
    “I’m giving myself to you,” I whispered, scooting closer. Reaching for him. “You don’t have to feel bad.”
    He shook his head, but when his eyes moved to my lips, there was hesitation there. He wanted me and he couldn’t hide it. “You don’t even know what you’re doing,” he said, trying to talk us both out of this.
    It wouldn’t work with me.
    I pulled my shirt over my head so fast it made my shoulder throb, but I didn’t