“How hungry are you? Can you wait?”
With that question, her gaze dropped to my mouth for a brief second, before dragging them back up to my eyes with a quiet nod. “I can wait.”
Blood hummed through my veins as I toed the metal beneath my foot. “Hang on.”
She giggled as the truck bumped over the gravel, a cloud of white dust rising behind us as we made our escape. I started laughing too. The picture-perfect kiss I had envisioned giving her after we shared a dance or something now looked like a page out of a fairytale—so unrealistic it was stupid. Cursing how long the driveway was, I pushed thirty miles per hour and Hollie braced her hand on the dash. Above the cacophony of gravel hitting the truck’s undercarriage, Hollie giggled uncontrollably. When I glanced over, her cheeks were bright red, her smile was huge, and the sound of her laughter was so adorable I wanted to listen to it on repeat.
Wanting and being wanted felt so good.
I reached across the console and scooped up her left hand, pulling it over so I could kiss the back of her knuckles. “This is pretty unhinged behavior for a first date.”
Her giggles escalated to a full laugh. “You can hardly call this a first date.”
“True.” I kissed her knuckles again, amazed that a hand could be so soft and smell so good.
I turned onto the road. The Guadalupe River ran through Comfortand there were some secluded access points not too far away that offered some shade and privacy. The five minute drive amped my anticipation so much that a tremble settled deep in my core. We didn’t talk. I just focused on staying between the lines, which took every ounce of my effort.
Finally, the trees lining the river came into view and I found the spot Cade and I discovered years ago—on the stretch between The Old Ford Bend and the bridge. Over the years, it accidentally became my getaway spot when life felt heavy. The access road that veered toward the river had started to lose visibility, light tire marks marring the overgrown grass were the only giveaway. I pulled in until the truck was hidden, shadowed by towering cypress and oak trees.
Throwing the truck into park, I wasted no time.
I exited and crossed to Hollie’s side, opening her door and helping her slide to the ground. As soon as her sandaled feet hit the grass, I cupped her chin and dragged her open mouth to mine.
FORTY-TWO
Hollie
The doors on the truck were left ajar, their beeping the only thing that grounded me to the earth as Jesse leaned down and captured my lips. His mouth was hot and open, skipping anything remotely introductory. I had dreamed of this man’s kiss every day forweeks. So many times, I convinced myself that what we shared in the barn would never get a redo or a second chance. That it was a kiss destined to haunt me until I was six feet under.
I never counted onthis.
A frantic race to a rendezvous point.
Fully tasting him, my exhale came with a moan of relief. A deep groan vibrated in his chest as my hands skated up his shoulders and plowed through his hair. His tongue swept into my mouth, finding mine, as his palms skimmed my hips and traveled my bare back.
The sensation of his hands on me made my knees give out. And my whole body helplessly dropped a few inches.
Jesse’s grip tightened, lifting me back to my full height and pressing me against him. Genuinely dizzy, I clung to him as my source of gravity because I lost all sense of bearings, my equilibriumcompletely at his mercy. I already knew he could kiss. But, goodness, Jesse Holmes couldkiss.
His hands explored every inch of skin on my back as my tongue danced beyond his lips. He was fully open to me and responded to each of my demands like it was his job to satisfy. Even at our best, Garrett had never kissed me like this. Never treated me like I was the only person on planet earth that could help him.
But Jesse touched me likeIwas it for him.
Me.
How? I didn’t feel like I’d done anything to deserve him, but here I was, taking like he was all mine to take. For so many years, I’d been the giver, the one operating from a deficit while Garrett had his fill of anything he wanted at the drop of a hat.
But being with Jesse filledmeup. He had never taxed me beyond my ability or asked me to give more than I was willing to give. He had never forced me to operate out of fear. Pouring my love into Jesse felt like pouring love back into myself. I wasn’t sure how that worked, but, with him, I could give and take at the same time. I could love and be loved. Want and be wanted. Fill and be filled.
Even though my future loomed before me like an unknown foe, we would last. We hadto, because I wouldn’t function at full capacity without him. Jesse brought out the best in me. He had taken every part of my heart and elevated it somehow.
I love you.I wanted to say it outloud.
The times I’d questioned if love was what we really shared felt as distant as the twinkling stars. Ofcoursethis was love. What else could it be? People in a fling didn’t feel like this. There was no uncertainty, question, or danger in this kiss.
It was all answers. All safety. All knowing and known.
While our first kiss felt like fire, this kiss washome. I never wanted to be anywhere else.
