Chapter 1

Marlo sat on the riverbank with her fishing pole and watched the bobber pulse out a lazy rhythm of rings in the water. She hadn't caught anything yet, but it was nice to spend the afternoon sitting in the shade of a salmonberry bush instead of chopping logs, tilling the field, or any of the thousand chores that needed to be done around her grandfather's old farm house.

She'd only been in Stardew Valley for two weeks and she was already questioning whether she had made a huge mistake leaving everything behind in the city. Her old job, her old apartment, her old life swept away in one impulsive moment, but she had to admit that the fresh air and hard work felt like it was good for her. Everything here was so green she hadn't quite adjusted, being so accustomed to the gray streets and smog of the city.

Still, she couldn't help feeling a little isolated. She had never been much of a people person and usually didn't mind solitude, but she had barely spoken to anyone since the mayor first showed her around. She'd introduced herself to a couple of the villagers and they seemed nice, but she hadn't met anyone she thought she could really connect with. It was such a different world here.

She heard a scraping, whirring sound on the path behind her and she turned to see two young men approaching. One was a smiling blonde with tousled hair and a blue jacket, trying to stay balanced on a skateboard rolling slowly along the uneven cobbles. The other was slightly older, dressed all in black. His dark hair was raked dramatically to one side, shadowing his face. He glowered and smoked as he watched his friend.

"Hey," she called out.

They both turned her way and looked her over. The blonde smiled.

"Hey, are you the chick who moved into the old farm out by the bus stop?"

"Yeah, that's me. I'm Marlo," she said.

"I'm Sam. Nice to meet you. This is Sebastian." His friend gave a slight nod of acknowledgment but said nothing. He just looked at her with his dark eyes, sizing her up silently.

"So how do you like it here?" said Sam.

"It's a big change from living in the city," she said. "I'm not used to the quiet yet, but it's nice."

"You left the city to come to Pelican Town?" Sebastian questioned. "Why would anyone do that?" He seemed surprised and confused.

"I couldn't take the nine to five lifestyle. I don't want to spend the rest of my life slaving away in a cubicle so I can pad someone else's paycheck. I want to be free to make my life what I want it to be." She noticed that Sebastian wasn't scowling anymore.

"That's cool, I totally agree," said Sam nodding. "If I can't make a living with my music," he glanced sideways at Sebastian, "our music, then I don't know what I'll do with myself."

"You'll be a bum living with your parents," Sebastian ribbed him with a smirk.

"Like you should talk, basement dweller!" Sam shot back.

"At least I have a real job!"

Marlo could tell this wasn't a new topic for these two. They bickered like old friends and probably could have carried on for quite a while if she didn't interrupt them.

"So, you said you play music?"

"Yeah, we have a band. We're still working on the name. We played at last year's Luau, but Mayor Lewis said our songs were 'inappropriate' for the kids in town and never invited us back," Sam said proudly. Sebastian seemed to be looking at his shoes, slightly embarrassed by his younger friend's enthusiasm.

"Nice," she said laughing.

"We should actually get going. We have to practice."

"I guess I'll see you around." She waved as they started to walk away.

"Bye!" Sam waved back.

Sebastian turned and looked over his shoulder with a sly grin and called out, "Nice to meet you, Farmer!"

She wasn't sure if he was teasing or if he was actually mocking her. The subtle smile at the corner of his mouth left her wondering. Still, it was nice to finally meet some people. That Sebastian is seriously good looking, she thought. Sam seems nice, if a little immature.

She gathered up her fishing gear. The sun was just starting to set and she needed to get home and make sure her chickens were safe in the coop before nightfall.

Chapter 2

A few days later, Sebastian was sitting on the floor of Sam's bedroom tweaking dials on a banged-up looking synthesizer while Sam aimlessly strummed a few chords on a guitar.

"I ran into Marlo again over by the beach yesterday. She seems pretty cool," Sam said.

Sebastian just grunted in reply, deeply focused on untangling a pile of cords snaking around his knees.

"She's kind of hot, don't you think?" Sam asked.

Sebastian looked up for a moment and seemed to honestly consider the question. "Yeah, she's pretty. Why? You want to date a farmer?" he sneered.

"What's your problem with farming? You act like you're too good for the outdoors or something. Aren't you the same guy who spends half his time out at the lake 'communing with nature'?"

"And I spend the other half of my time in my room on the computer, because I'd rather work with my mind than my hands," he retorted.

"You're so pretentious." Sam rolled his eyes.

"Are we going to practice or what?" Sebastian asked.

"I told you, we need a drummer." Sam said, annoyed.

"And I told you that Abby can play. Why not ask her?" Sebastian replied.

"Why not ask Abby? Are you kidding? The girl who broke your heart and turned you into a moping zombie for six months. The girl who left you swearing you'd never love again or some other melodramatic bullshit." Sam looked incredulous.

"That was in high school! It was like a million years ago. I'm so over that. I'm fine with Abby now."

"You say you're fine, but I don't buy it. This is just more of your 'I'm so tough, nothing hurts me' crap, even though I know you're not really like that. I'm not having any drama mess up the band."

"Suit yourself." Sebastian said. "Look, if we're not going to practice, I'm out of here. See you later."

He walked up the hillside toward his family's house. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he was still bitter about Abby. She ditched him for another guy after he had bared his heart and soul to her. She said she didn't cheat, but that's not what everyone else told him. She made him feel like a fool after he had been so devoted to her. Whatever. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He was just an idiot teenager back then. It was his own fault for letting anyone get close to him. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

As he walked in the front door, he saw his mom at her construction shop counter talking with a customer. She turned and he saw it was Marlo.

"Ah, here's my son Sebastian! Have you two met?" His mom asked.

"Yeah, we met the other day," he mumbled.

"He's not a big talker but he's a real wiz when it comes to computers. He does IT contracting work from home and is making quite a name for himself," she gushed.

"Mom, jeez, it's not a big deal."

"Oh come on, can't a mother brag about her son a little? Marlo and I were just finishing up, why don't you go show her your fancy computer stuff?"

He rolled his eyes and when he looked over to Marlo she was trying not to laugh at his discomfort.

"Wow Sebastian, I'd love to see it," she played along, grinning.

"This way," he said, and he could feel his cheeks getting red. He led her downstairs to his room and shut the door.

"Sorry about my mom. She gets a little over-excited."

"Aw, I thought it was sweet. Sebastian's mommy is proud of her little boy." she teased.

"Yeah, you should hear her talk about my sister. God, I can't wait 'til I save up enough to move out of this place. I'm trying, but it's tough. Contracting work can be off and on. At least my mom takes my job seriously. Everybody else just thinks I hang out down here messing around all day."

She eyed a bong on his desk, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you never mess around."

He laughed. "What can I say, it's a small town. It gets boring around here."

He watched her walk slowly around his room, quietly inspecting his posters and books. "You have all the Cave Saga books," she said, impressed. "I love that series." As she wandered, he noticed the way she bit her lip when she was concentrating on something. I could bite that lip, he thought. He didn't realize he was staring until she looked up and met his eyes and smiled shyly.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't keep you from your work. Thanks for the tour." She turned and headed for the stairs.

"Yeah, feel free to stop by if you're ever up in the shop. I'm here most of the time."

After she was gone, he had trouble concentrating on his work. Something seemed off. He kept reading the same line of code over and over again. The room seemed too quiet, too warm. He thought back to his conversation with Marlo, the way she lightly touched the spine on each of the books on his bookcase, the faint smell of grass and pine sap when she brushed past him.

He decided to go outside for a walk to clear his head.

Chapter 3

As spring turned into summer, Marlo made a habit of spending her evenings fishing. It was cooler at night and the fish were surprisingly active. That night she was up at the lake northeast of town. She was thinking about a new type of bait she saw at Willy's Fish Shop earlier in the day when she heard the snap of a twig off to her right. She spun around and saw Sebastian leaning against a tree, cigarette perched between his fingers.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked.

"Long enough to see you catch that huge wad of green algae a few minutes ago. You're quite the angler."

"Very funny. It's harder than it looks. Let me have one of those."

He walked over to where she was sitting on the bank and sat nearby, offering her his pack.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"Only when I'm frustrated or annoyed." She gave him a pointed look, but then smiled. "What are you doing out here?"

"I come out here to think. I like the quiet and the darkness. It's peaceful," he said looking out over the water.

They smoked in silence for a few minutes.

"So this is what you do with your time." Sebastian said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just trying to understand what your life is like. Farming, fishing, living off the land. You moved out here from the city, and I know you said you didn't want to work in an office forever, but is this really what you had in mind?"

"Sort of. I guess I didn't totally know what I was getting into, but I honestly don't regret it."

He looked at her quizzically. "I just don't get it. It seems like the city is so much more exciting, there's so much happening. This place is boring. How can you be happier here?"

She sighed. "I miss a few things about the city. Mainly the restaurants. Here I'm stuck with my own lousy cooking or the Stardrop Saloon," she grinned.

"Really though, the city isn't as great as you think. It's dirty and loud. Everyplace is so crowded with constant people all the time. For someone who says he enjoys the silence, I'm surprised that would appeal to you. Everyone in the city is so wrapped up in their own busy lives that it seems like no one really connects with each other. You may make a hundred 'friends', but good luck finding anyone you can really count on. I'd rather be out here on my own."

"So you're a loner too, Farmer," he smiled.

"I don't know, maybe a little. I just like to be self-sufficient and be around people I trust."

He looked at her appraisingly. "You're not like what I expected at all," he said, standing. "It's been nice talking to you, but I've got to get going. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she said and watched him walk up the hill to his house. She would definitely need to come fishing here more often.

Chapter 4

Sebastian was working at his desk when he heard his door creak open.

"Knock knock! Hey Sebastian, what's up?"

"Hey Abby. I'm just busy working." He hoped she would take the hint that he didn't want her sticking around. Despite his attempts to ignore her, she flopped down on his couch and he groaned inwardly.

"You weren't at the Saloon on Friday. Sam and I missed you." She smiled coquettishly.

Ever since he and Abby had started talking again, he'd noticed her trying out her old charms on him. He wouldn't get sucked in to her games again.

"Yeah, I was at the lake," he replied.

"You ditched your friends to go mope around the lake?"

"I was hanging out with Marlo."

"Marlo? The chick who moved into that old farm?" she asked disdainfully.

"Yeah, so?"

"I'm just surprised," she said.

Yeah, and jealous, he thought. I was her adoring follower for so long. I bet she can't stand the thought of me being interested in someone else.

"Look, I'm really busy right now," he said irritably.

"Ok, jeez. I'll let you get back to your precious computer. See ya." She walked out the door.

I can't believe I used to be so obsessed with her. She's never had any respect for me or what I do. I'm never letting myself become so enamored with someone that I lose my self-respect ever again.

Chapter 5

Marlo staggered out of the mine and collapsed to her knees at the edge of the lake. She'd spent all day down in the dark caverns breaking rocks until her back ached and her hands were raw and red. She had a gash down her forearm from being surprised by two bats. Luckily she reacted quickly enough to avoid any further injury, but next time she'd be sure to wear more than an old tank top. She washed her dagger in the clear lake water and wiped it dry on her pants before lying back on the ground exhausted, closing her eyes. I'll let myself rest for just a few minutes before making the long walk home, she thought.

"Are you ok?"

She cracked her eyes open to see a dark figure looming over her, and she sat up in surprise. Sebastian was crouched next to her, a concerned look on his face.

"Do you get a kick out of sneaking up on me or something? You scared the crap out of me!" she yelled.

"Sorry," he said raising both hands to placate her. "I was across the lake and I saw you stumble out of the mine and collapse. Are you bleeding?" His eyes widened.

"It's nothing serious," she shrugged. "Just the cost of exploring. Wanna see what I found?" She eagerly pulled open a beat up old rucksack.

"I got some copper, a few geodes, and I think this is amethyst." She was surprised to see he actually looked interested in her finds. "It probably just looks like a bunch of dirty rocks, but I think it's pretty amazing what you can find hidden away down there."

"No, I think that's cool. Really. I read so many books and comics about people who go out on adventures and here you are actually doing it." He looked at her appreciatively. "That's pretty badass."

She blushed. "It's really not a big deal," she said shyly. "This is one of the best pieces I found today. It's quartz. Look at those crystal formations. Here, I want you to have it."

She pressed it into his hands and felt a warm wave throb in her stomach as her fingers brushed against his. She saw his cheeks redden slightly.

"Really? Thanks. This is really great."

She rose stiffly, grabbing her bag and tools. "I better get going. It's a long walk home and I'm beat."

He hurried to his feet. "I could give you a ride home on my motorcycle if you want." He tilted his head down, looking at her questioningly from behind his hair as if he was afraid she'd turn him down.

"That'd be great. I didn't know you had a bike."

"Yeah, when it's not broken down I like to go out riding late at night after everyone's asleep. It's like having the whole valley to myself. C'mon." He turned and led her over to the garage attached to his family's house.

The bike looked old, but well cared for. She gathered all of her equipment into her bag and slid it onto her shoulders while she watched him throw one leg over the seat. He beckoned for her to climb on. She straddled the seat close behind him and loosely grasped his hips. His black sweater smelled like smoke and something subtle underneath. Salt and musk.

He grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his chest, pulling her even closer. "Hold on," he said grinning and kicked the bike into rumbling life. As the night air whipped past them she huddled against him and pressed her chest against his warm back, his sweater lightly scratching her cheek. She had goosebumps, but she didn't think the cool air was totally to blame.

I can't believe this is happening, she thought. Who would have guessed I would meet a guy like this in Pelican Town of all places.

They made their way bumping up the rutted dirt road to her house. He stopped in front, but didn't dismount. She climbed down, flustered. Man, he gives mixed signals, she thought. I wish I knew what he was thinking. Is he just being nice or is he feeling what I'm feeling?

"Thanks for the lift."

"No problem," he shrugged.

"Let me make it up to you. Come to my house tomorrow evening and I'll make you dinner."

"Didn't you say once before you were a lousy cook?" There was that sly smile of his.

She laughed. "It'll be good. I promise."

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. What time?"

"How about seven? That'll give me time to finish up around here first."

"See you tomorrow, Farmer!" he called out smiling and rode off, his headlight fading into the trees.

Chapter 6

That night, Sebastian lay in the dark of his room, staring up at the ceiling above his bed. He had been awake for hours. The thoughts in his head were flipping back and forth like channels on a broken television. What am I doing? He kept asking himself this question, over and over. I've been making so many plans for my future. I'm finally getting my shit together and trying to make something of my life, and now I'm questioning everything. All because of her.

He remembered feeling the heat of her legs and chest pressed so tightly against him on the ride to her house. He pictured all the times they he watched her fishing, the way she would sit in focused silence, breaking into an unexpected smile or laugh. He thought about her lying on the bank of the lake. The muscles in her arms still taut from a long day of work. The leap of fear in his gut when he saw she was hurt.

What could she possibly think of him? He was always hiding away down here or skulking around in the woods, chain smoking, nervous. Every time he opened his mouth around her he said something stupid. He pretended to be confident, aloof, but he was just a loser. He couldn't believe he agreed to have dinner with her tomorrow. Oh well, once she realizes how lame I am she'll leave me alone and I can get my focus back. He told himself this, yet he couldn't deny the small feeling of hope in his chest and a craving to see her again.

Chapter 7

Marlo was stressed. She had rushed around all morning watering her crops, tending to the animals, cleaning her house, which had been put off too many times recently in favor of more pressing farm chores. She was making a few dishes that she hoped she wouldn't mess up. Cauliflower gratin, roasted turnips, and salmon with sautéed kale and pasta. She hoped he'd like it.

It had been a long time since she had worn anything other than work clothes or stuffed her hair in a messy bun. She borrowed a dress from Emily, the local seamstress. It was simple black shift, which she hoped didn't look like she was trying too hard. It was a little short on her, but her legs had gotten lean and firm from working outside and she didn't mind showing them off a little. She had gotten rid of all her heels when she moved, so she kept her feet bare. She was just setting out the silverware when she heard a knock at the door. Sebastian stood at the threshold looking shy, hiding behind his hair.

"Come on in and make yourself at home," she said. "I'm just finishing up."

He walked around glancing at the paperbacks she had on loan from the library, her potted herbs, her shelf of minerals. Her cat Momo circled Sebastian's legs, purring.

"Would you like some wine? I just finished bottling a whole cask of strawberry wine I've been aging. It's not bad."

He looked a little nervous and she hoped this would help loosen him up and bring out the charming, funny side of him that occasionally surfaced from underneath his cool exterior.

"Sure, why not."

They drank several glasses of wine and talked over dinner, trading stories about their families, growing up, their hobbies. She was pleased by how much they had in common. He told her about his work and his plans to move to the city. She talked about her old job and her experience starting over in Stardew Valley. She ate heartily and as she was slurping up the last of her pasta, she looked up to see him watching her with a smile on his face.

"Oh sorry!" she said sheepishly. "I spend so much time alone out here I forget myself sometimes."

"Don't apologize! I think the more time you spend alone, the more you become your true self. It concentrates your personality like a crucible," he said and then suddenly reddened. "Sorry. God, I probably sound really drunk."

She laughed. "Now you're the one who needs to stop apologizing." They both smiled.

After dinner she pulled out her old record player. It was one of the few remnants she kept of her old life in the city. They sat by the fire, him on the couch, her on the floor, both of them flipping through old albums she had picked up at thrift stores over the years. Portishead played in the background while they chattered away, cheeks flushed with wine and eager conversation. By now, their initial nervousness had faded, probably due to the two empty wine bottles nearby on the floor.

"Oooh, Joy Division!" he held up a worn LP. "I now forgive you for owning so many Smiths records."

"Whatever! You like doom and gloom," she teased.

"They were Abby's favorite band and I can't stand to listen to them anymore," he scowled.

"Abby?"

"Yeah. She and I went out for a couple years in high school. Old history. Long story short, I opened up my heart and got stabbed in it." He drunkenly pantomimed a knife in his chest.

"It sucks to get hurt like that, but you can't push everyone away forever or you'll miss out on finding someone who really loves you."

He looked sadly into the distance and she could see pain on his face for just a moment before his expression shifted back to a hazy smile.

"Do you want to open another bottle?" he said slurring, lifting his empty glass.

"Are you sure? It's pretty late."

"Late, late, for a very important date," he mumbled to himself.

She went to the kitchen for another bottle and a large glass of water. Maybe she could talk him out of the wine. When she returned she saw his head lolled back on the arm of the couch, fast asleep. She looked at the dark lashes twitching fitfully against his cheek and she was tempted to kiss him there. Instead, she pulled a wool blanket from the battered wooden chest in the corner and draped it over him. She left the glass of water for him, turned out the light, and walked quietly to her room.

Ch 8

The crow of a rooster split Sebastian's skull in two as he woke to a glaring sunbeam in his face, his vision blurring. What the hell? As he got his bearings, he realized where he was, and snippets of the night before flashed in his mind.

"Oh God, I'm an idiot," he groaned. He shambled to the kitchen and splashed some water on his face. There was no sign of Marlo except for a plate of muffins and some homemade jam on the table with a note that read, "Hope you slept well. I'm down in the barn." He gulped down some lukewarm coffee that looked like it had been sitting out for a while.

There's no way I can face her right now. She probably thinks I'm an alcoholic, a complete ass, or both. He had a tendency to drink too much too fast when he was nervous and last night proved why he usually avoided drinking. It was so humiliating. He looked out the window and didn't see Marlo anywhere nearby. He decided he'd rather risk being rude and leaving without saying goodbye than run into her. He slipped quietly out the back door.

Last night he had walked to Marlo's, and it made for a gruelingly hung-over walk home. When he opened the front door he saw his mom and his sister Maru.

"You're up early," his mom beamed. "Out getting some fresh air?"

"Yeah, in the clothes he wore yesterday," Maru cracked, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I'll be downstairs." He hurried into the cool, soothing darkness of his room and collapsed on his bed. To his dismay he heard footsteps behind him.

"What have you been up to, big brother?" Maru asked with a cat-like grin.

"None of your business!" He moaned into his pillow, "I officially hate wine."

"This wouldn't be wine made by a pretty farmer by any chance?" she questioned slyly.

"Leave me alone Maru, seriously. I don't feel like having this conversation right now."

"My stoic, forever-alone, older brother comes home hung over after apparently spending the night with the new hottie in town and you expect me to leave you alone about it? You've got to be kidding."

"Hottie? What are you, twelve? Look, nothing happened. It was late. I drank too much and fell asleep on her couch. Are you happy? Now get out of here."

"Fell asleep? That's even better. You get a chance to hook up with Marlo and you blew it! I can tease you for months about this." She cackled gleefully all the way up the stairs.

He felt queasy. Was it the hangover or was Maru right? He wanted to be with Marlo so badly it felt like he had been punched in the gut. He wanted to tell her how he felt, and now he'd probably never get the chance. Then again, maybe it was for the best. She'd never want to see him again and he could get her out of his head. He struggled to push all thoughts of her out of his mind until he finally fell into a troubled sleep.

Chapter 9

The sun had risen high in the sky and Marlo paused a moment from chopping wood to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She was surprised she hadn't seen Sebastian yet. Could he still be asleep? He did have a lot to drink last night, but she thought the sun would have woken him by now.

Her heart hiccupped at the thought of seeing him again. Even though she was a sweaty mess, she decided she should go up and check on him. Inside, she saw an empty coffee mug on the table, but no sign of Sebastian. The bathroom and bedroom were empty. The fire from last night was now cold coals in the grate. He left? He didn't even say goodbye. She mentally scanned through her memories from last night, trying to figure out what went wrong. She thought they had had a really good time and were finally opening up to each other. Obviously not. He complains about being able to trust anyone. Like he should talk!

She went back outside and slammed her axe into a fallen log, over and over. With each strike she vented her frustration and hurt until all she wanted to do was cry. I'm not going to cry over some guy no matter how much I like him.

Over the next week, Marlo didn't hear from Sebastian or even see him around. She stopped by places where they usually bumped into each other, but he was never there. Then one day when she was coming out of Pierre's she almost ran right into Sebastian's sister, Maru who was coming out of the local clinic.

"Hey Marlo!" she said waving.

"Hi Maru. What's up?"

"I was wondering, have you talked to Sebby lately?"

"I haven't seen him," Marlo said curtly.

Maru sighed. "I was afraid of this. He can be such a drama queen. Look, I don't mean to pry, but I heard about him crashing at your place the other night."

Marlo raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"He's been moping around the house all week, and I can't stand seeing him like this. I know it's none of my business, but I think what ever happened with you two really bothered him. He tries to be a tough guy and just bottles it all up. I wish you would try to talk to him. He'll drown himself in his own misery for the sake of his stupid wounded pride."

"Maybe I have better things to do than deal with his stupid wounded pride," Marlo said, annoyed.

"I know it's stupid, but the thing is Marlo, it's just a front. He's not really like that when you get to know him. He's actually really sensitive, and he compensates for his low self-esteem by acting proud." She grinned. "Can you tell I've been studying my psychology with Dr. Harvey?" she said. "I could write a textbook about Sebastian. He's my own personal case study."

"Thanks for the advice. I'll think about it." Marlo walked slowly through town, mulling over what Maru had told her. Gray clouds had gathered low in the sky while they were talking, and it was starting to drizzle. She decided to go check on her crab pots before the weather got worse. As she hurried down the path to the beach, she saw a lone figure standing in the rain, looking out at the sea.

Sebastian.

When she got close, he turned his head in surprise. "Now who's the one sneaking up on people," he said quietly. He gestured for her to come closer and share his umbrella.

"I wish you would talk to me Sebastian. I thought we had a good time the other night, but then you disappeared and you've been avoiding me ever since. What did I do wrong?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry for being a jerk. I was embarrassed about making a drunken fool of myself. You didn't do anything."

"So you got a little drunk. It's not a big deal. You didn't do anything foolish. I thought it was cute."

"It's not just that," he said seriously, his eyes focused on the sea, refusing to look at her.

"Well what is it then?" she said, frustrated. "I thought we both felt something for each other. I'm afraid of getting hurt too, you know, and I need to be able to trust you just as much as you want to be able to trust me. We can't trust each other if we don't talk to each other."

"You're right, and I do feel something for you," he turned to face her. "More than something. You're all I can think about, but I know myself. When I fall for someone, I fall hard, so hard that I let myself become consumed. I feel like it's already happening. I thought I knew what I wanted. I had plans for my future, and now I don't know anything. I don't know if it's because what I want has changed, or if I'm losing my focus because all I can see is you."

"Sebastian, I don't want you to give up on your career or your future for me. I won't let you. Why does it have to be all or nothing? It doesn't have to change you."

He touched her cheek and slid it around to the back of her neck, pulling her to him. He kissed her deeply, and she felt a rush like lightning spreading all the way down her spine.

He murmured, "It's already changing me."

He turned, and she was left standing in the rain as he walked away alone in the dusk.

Chapter 10

The rain continued all night and into the next day. Marlo didn't feel like working and the rain gave her an excuse to stay inside staring out at the gray. Momo bumped his head against her chin as she sat at the table, trying to cheer her up.

As the sun set, she built a fire, staring at the flames. It was amazing how one kiss really could change everything. It hurt to be away from Sebastian. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and look into those dark eyes, but she couldn't stand the thought of causing him so much unhappiness. Better to leave him be. I'll focus on my work, the farm, my animals. I'll curl back into my shell and let him do the same. Outside, she heard a rumble. Was that thunder?

She went to the window and saw Sebastian silhouetted in the rain, standing in front of his motorcycle. She opened the door and he was there, kissing her, his wet hair and lashes dripping onto her cheeks.

"I know what I want now," he said looking into her eyes. "I used to want to run away to the city, but I don't need to run away anymore. Everything I want is here. I want you, and I'm not going to worry about the future or worry about getting hurt. You're one of the bravest people I've ever met, and I'm going to be brave for you too."

They reached for each other like hungry animals, mouth against mouth, her hands in his hair, him grasping her back, her waist, entwining into each other. She pulled him to her room, never taking their hands off each other. She slid off his wet shirt, and they left a tangle of clothes on the floor around them. He backed her down onto the bed and pulled off her boots. Later when they finally pulled apart gasping, momentarily sated, she laid her hand on his chest and he laid his hand on top of hers.

In the morning, Sebastian woke to the sound of the shower. A few minutes later Marlo entered the room with damp hair, wearing only his t-shirt and a smile.

"Why are you up so early? I want you back in bed with me," he mock pouted.

"You have a lot to learn about farming my little computer geek," she grinned and sat next to him on the bed. "If I don't go feed the animals we'll have a bovine riot on our hands."

"Let them riot," he growled, pulling her toward him.

"How about this," she said. "You give me an hour to appease the animals while you luxuriate here in bed." As she spoke, she slowly straddled him and slid her hands up his chest. "And then I'll come back and make you forget I was even gone." She kissed him.

"You drive a hard bargain, Farmer."

"Speaking of hard," she squirmed above him and grinned wickedly.

"Now you're just being mean," he moaned.

She laughed. "That's what you get for calling me Farmer."