“Congratulations.” I laughed with her, and when she texted me photos of the ring and the two of them together at the restaurant, looking elated, I couldn’t help but be excited. “I’m so happy for you both.”
“I know it’s last minute, but, Natty?—”
“Just say when and I’ll be there.”
“Can you come out on Saturday? Please? I need you there,” she squeaked, realizing this was a big ask.
That filled me with shock. “Wait, are you eloping?”
She barked out a laugh. “God, no. Can you imagine? Mom would kill me. But we wanted to do the engagement party this weekend. Cherry Hill had an opening.” Ah, that made more sense. Cherry Hill Country Club was the Breckenridge family’s preferred venue. I’d practically grown up there. “Mom’s already setting everything up. You know how she can be.”
Didn’t I know it. “Saturday is fast, but I’ll try. We’ll talk soon, okay?”
“I know you’ll find a way,” she said happily.
I setmy suitcase down and packed up my toiletries from Jack’s shower. I looked longingly at the turquoise decorative tiles and flicked the light off just as quickly. I was excited to finally have my own space again. Jack had been putting in extra hours, and it had been an excruciatingly long week of not jumping him every chance I got.
He and I had been good lately. We’d agreed we didn’t belong together, and that was okay. Even if seeing his messy, tousledhair had me panting. Even if seeing him put on his daily SPF did something to me. What was wrong with my libido? Sunscreen wasn’t sexy. So why did I have to control myself when Jack did it?
I rolled my eyes and finished gathering my things. I had my own cabin, which meant privacy, which was good. But as I looked around at Jack’s place one last time, I was filled with a sense of yearning. Was I actually going to miss this?
I grabbed my luggage and toiletry bag and headed over to Andromeda, not looking back. From the outside, everything seemed perfect. The cabin looked as though nothing had happened. It felt like another cute place. It would make a lovely home, with all its new charm, but it didn’t feel like mine.
That was, until I opened the door and saw Jack standing there, taking up most of the space. He was sweaty and focused, but his face smoothed out its hard lines when he saw me.
“Hey, you’re back. Welcome home.” Jack gestured around my cabin like Vanna White onWheel of Fortune, and I melted. He looked good here, smiling at his own cheesiness. Too good.
And just like that, my eyes filled with moisture. This was a big change and something I wasn’t ready for. I didn’t want to leave our space. But most of all, I didn’t want to leave him.
Jack jumped into action, taking a step toward me, and before I could convince myself that this wasn’t one of the several dreams I’d had since our time at the fire watch, his hand was caressing my cheek, making me feel safe and whole, as though he’d solve all my problems if he could.
“Natalie.”
There was a pleading note to my name. I’d never heard it uttered like that before.
“I’m fine. It just looks so pretty,” I lied, gesturing at the room. I told myself the newly clean bedding and curtains in my favoritecolors weren’t put there just for me. That he hadn’t gone above and beyond because he was doing it for me. “Jack, I?—”
He cut me off with a kiss, his lips moving in slow, languorous swipes against mine. A surprised sound escaped me before my body caught up. I tugged at his shirt and reactively arched against him, suddenly needing so much more.
His controlled movements contrasted with this crazed thing I’d somehow become, but Jack put his hand on my face, cradled my cheek, and met my eyes. “I’m going to take my time with you, Nat.” The promise in his words had me instantly slowing down to enjoy this.
My hands ran up his arms and looped around his neck. He lifted me, and my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. His eyes never left mine as he walked us to my bed and gently laid me down.
Then Jack kissed me again. A deep, passionate kiss that told me this was the start of more between us.
I didn’t know what this meant exactly, but it was already too late. I needed this. Needed to be closer to him. Needed to feel him inside me.
Everything about this was suddenly very intimate. I wanted him, even if it was a bad idea.
Jack’s lips caressed mine intensely.We took breaths between every kiss, as if this was a normal form of communication. A beautiful conversation we spoke as our bodies melded together.
I wrapped my leg around his thigh and brought him even closer.
He groaned into my mouth. “That’s it, sweetheart.”
The way Jack spoke the endearment made my stomach swoop. His gaze felt charged as his fingers toyed with the waistband of my pants and underwear. I nodded softly, urging him on, and he took them both off in one pull.
By the time my shirt and bra hit the floor, a self-consciousness had washed over me. It had been so dark at the fire watch, and we’d moved so quickly that I was sure he hadn’t seen much of my body, but being completely naked now felt intimate in a whole new way. He gave me a slow, appreciative look, taking in every freckle and curve.
