Not when your reason for breathing refuses to give you the things you can’t live without.

Her heart. Her soul. Her future. No matter the cost.

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, I give in and concede, offering her the satisfaction of winning this round. Turning, I feel Wendy’s eyes on my back until I am completely out of sight. There is only one place I feel like being right now. I wish I could save myself the walk and fly, but I haven’t been able to soar above land and into the clouds without the help of pixie dust since a few weeks after Wendy left the first time. In fact, I had to sneak some from Tinker Bell and the other fae to even get back to her so I could bring her here last night. Plus, that would let her see where I am going. Where I have gone every damn day since she’s been gone.

A place I can’t escape no matter how hard I try.

One where I first felt the magic start to leave me.

One that forever changed both of us and ruined me from ever being able to move on without her.

Chapter 5

Peter

“‘See,’ he said, ‘it is the kiss I gave her. It has saved her life.’”

Peter & Wendy

- J.M. Barrie

SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO

“Be careful, Wendy. I won’t be able to live with myself if you get hurt.”

Reaching out to her quickly, I wrap my arm around her waist and hoist her up against my body, barely saving her in time to keep her from tumbling off the rock and into the crashing waves.

“Oh my, Peter, thank you,” her breath is warm against my lips as her eyes lift to meet mine. Her grip on my biceps tightens. Something stirs in my lower stomach as our bodies heat to an unbearable high while I stare down into her eyes.

“You know, the lost boys say you always wait until the last minute to save someone.”

Her eyes twinkle in the moonlight and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face, loving the look that stares back at me. Flushed cheeks. Startled eyes. Mostly because I put it there. It’s thrilling. An excitement stirs to life inside me. Breathtaking. That’s what she is. Nothing has ever been able to take my breath away before.

“They say you like the rush of the risk, the cleverness in the catch, more than the life you’re saving,” she continues, her mouth hanging open as her eyes travel to my lips and she wets hers with anticipation.

Leaning in, my dick stirs as she waits with bated breath for me to respond.

“You’re the only life worth saving, Wendy.”

Her body trembles in my arms, and I tighten my grip around her, pulling her closer, not able to get her close enough. “More than your own, Peter?” she whispers.