“You definitely matter, Ronnie,” he whispered. “To them andto me.”
My heartbeat pounded loud in my ears as his words filled me with hope. “I believe that. I do. Honestly. Being here is everything. I love Wellspring. I’m sure I’ll get over the whole birthday melancholy one day. Next year, hopefully. Maybe I’ll even make a wish the next time someone buys me a cake.”
“Pretend I’m holding your cake, then.” He held up his hands, like he had something in them.
I eyed him skeptically. “What?”
“We’re thinking happy thoughts right now. Keep up.”
I sat up straight. “Okay, I’m good with that.”
“If you could have that moment again, what would you wish for?”
Peering up at the ceiling, I bit down on my bottom lip. So many things flashed through my mind. Beaches, mountain cabins, a new career, being in love, a family of my own. But I went with the safe choice. “I want to travel. I wish I could go to Alaska.”
He raised a brow. “Alaska?
Tipping my head up, I laughed. “Yes.” I met his waiting gaze again. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”
“Hm. Gotcha. I’m just surprised you didn’t say some place like Greece or Costa Rica. Some place with a beach and warm weather. I mean, if you want snow, we do live in Michigan.”
I shoved him playfully. “Stop making fun of me. I do want to visit those places. Definitely. But I’d like to go to Anchorage.”
“Why?”
Shrugging, I said, “I don’t know. I just do. I’d also like to see the Northern Lights. Oh, and I want to visit some of the cultural attractions, ski, take a cruise on the Pacific. It sounds fun to me. Romantic.”
“If you say so.” He held up his glass. “Well, let’s toast and agree. To cold ass Alaska.”
Grinning, I touched my glass to his. “To Alaska.”
I tasted the cider and moaned. “This is so good. You have a gift.”
“It’s my granny’s recipe, with a few little tweaks.”
I finished my drink and set the empty cup down on the table. “Yum. I’ll have to take some home with me. I love it!”
“I’ll make you some. For your birthday.”
“It’s almost over. Anyway, what about you? What would you wish for?”
“It’s not my birthday,” he teased. “This is all about you, remember?”
I pointed at him. “But you said I could ask you a question.”
“Okay,” he conceded. “If I could have one wish…” His gaze fell to my mouth. Inching closer until his knee bumped mine, he murmured, “I’d want a do-over.”
My eyes were laser focused on his lips. “A do-over?”
“Yeah. A do-over.”
Then, he kissed me. And,oh God, it might have been worth the wait. Because…Shit. He was good at this.
A low groan pierced the air. It was me. I knew it because with every brush of his lips against mine, every stroke of his tongue against mine, I was coming undone. Almost like he was taking me apart inch by delicious inch.
With our lips fused together, he pulled me onto his lap. “Juke,” I breathed.
This man was turning me inside out, flipping everything I thought I knew about kissing on its head. And I never wanted to stop. I wanted to drench myself in Juke, spend the rest of my life exploring him.
