Under the Dusty Sky (Holloway Farms)

It’s one of those key chains you can buy charms for. The guitar is to remind you of me. There are lots of other kinds of additions, like dance shoes and such. You can put all your memories on there.” He runs his hand though his hair.
    Tears sting my eyes, and I’m completely at a loss as to why. My mind starts to burn through thoughts faster than I can make sense of them, so I just rub my thumb over the little gemstone guitar and look at him through the loose strands of hair that hang in his face. My memories.
    “ Thanks.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say.
    He reaches out and uncurls my fingers off the keychain and takes the gift box from my other hand. His touch is so light and careful it puts my body into overdrive, and the light hurts my eyes. The smell of straw and smoke and Ben’s perfect guy scent combo burns my nostrils. I have to clench my fingers into a fist to get the tingle of his touch to go away, but it doesn’t. He moves away from me to set down my gift, and he pulls his phone out and sets it down. He taps the screen a few times, and a familiar tune starts to hum faintly from the built-in speaker.
    My head lifts. “Hey, this is my favorite song.”
    Ben looks over his shoulder at me and smirks.
    “ I know.” He turns and steps up to me again, running his fingers down my arm and taking my hand. His other arm slips around my waist and pulls me into him. His face is inches from mine. My jaw is slack, limbs shaking, brain still foggy and unsure what’s happening.
    Ben lifts my hand and places it on his chest, holding it in place. He starts to sway slightly pulling me with him.
    My cheeks burn hotter. The tears are back, stinging just behind the lids, and I hope he doesn’t notice because I don’t know why they’re there.
    “ What are you doing?” I whisper.
    “ Dancing. It’s your favorite thing to do, is it not?”
    “ No, I mean, yes. But this, Ben. I mean this, all of this. What are you doing?” The thick iron gate that is my internal fortress is poised to slam shut based on his answer. At the same time, I want to cling to him. Crawl inside him and get lost there.
    Ben steps back, and a wave of cold passes over me, making me shiver.
    “ Part of it is because I feel bad for earlier. My sister just shocked me, especially after what happened in the truck. Sash’s not supposed to be here, and I didn’t know what to do. I shouldn’t have introduced you like that.”
    The tears are back, hot and wet, but clinging to my lashes with everything they have. I don’t cry. Not in front of guys. But I want to. He won’t mind. This guy. This guy is different, somehow. He must sense it now because he’s toe to toe with me in one step, his hands cupping my face.
    “ Gracie, please, don’t worry about Sasha. She’s really not as bitchy as she seems.” He pauses and smiles. “Okay, she is as bitchy as she seems. But you have to know it’s not you. I’m her little brother. She tries to protect me from girls who use me for money.”
    My eyes lock onto his. “I wasn’t—”
    “ I know. But she’s just looking out for me. Like your brothers do for you.”
    My heart speeds up, and I take his wrist. “Did my brothers threaten you?”
    “ A little, yeah. They more warned me, actually. They know you better than you think they do.”
    I smile through tears, and one escapes its place floating in the mass and slides down my face. Just like he did the first day I met him, he swipes his thumb over my cheek, and I shake harder. Nerves spark and sputter through me, and I can’t figure them out.
    “ So, what’s the second part?” I need to keep talking. I can’t handle this feeling. I can’t stand how out of control I am. How strange I feel. How unstable.
    “ Huh?” His voice perfectly reflects the sideways look on his face.
    “ The reasons you’re doing this. You said the first part, so I want to know the second part.”
    “ I like you.”
    “ Huh?” We instantly switch roles.
    “ The second part is that I like you. Like, like you, like you. I shouldn’t. I didn’t want to. I tried not to. But I do.”
    “ Well you just know how to melt a girl’s heart.” I laugh half sarcastic, but I get it. I get it more than I want to.
    Ben’s hands slide down my arms again, and he laces his fingers with mine.
    “ I find reasons to be near you, to touch you. I want to ask you a million questions. I want to know things about you I’ve never wanted to know about a girl. From