Chapter Thirteen #2
She took a step closer, the space between us shrinking until I could smell the faint mix of the spiked cocoa and her sweet perfume.
“I forgive you,” she whispered. “The truth is, we both hold blame. I should’ve clarified with you what you meant instead of assuming.
With everything you were going through, that wasn’t fair.
Thirty-six-year-old me sees that now, too.
” She rested her hands delicately against my chest. “I never meant to hurt you, Jacob, and I didn’t realize how much I was leaving behind. ”
Cupping her face in my hands, I peered into her eyes, slowly shaking my head. “You don’t owe me an apology, Mari. You did exactly what you were meant to do…live your dream. Don’t let my hang-ups make you feel guilty for that.”
A small, grateful smile curved her lips. “Thank you,” she mouthed.
I leaned forward, brushing my lips against her forehead.
They lingered there a little too long, and when she looked up at me again with those round, tender eyes, the moment unraveled.
I gently kissed her, offering tender pecks that she didn’t reject.
Our lips crashed together in a rush that neither of us tried to stop.
Our mouths parted, and our tongues tangoed as if this dance was between familiar lovers.
My fingertips traced the line of her neck, savoring the warmth of her skin.
Gently, I tilted her head, pressing slow kisses along her jawline, behind her ear, down to her collarbone.
Her breath caught, and she clung to me as if her balance depended on it.
My hands slid beneath the hem of her sweater, drawing her close until there was no space left between us.
Our mouths found each other again, charged with hunger and desperation.
It’d been nearly a year since I’d been satisfied.
A woman I was casually dating in the next town over moved out of state when her job transferred her.
That was the end of any intimate relationship I’d had.
Not that women in Skye Ridge didn’t try.
I just wasn’t interested. Being honest, the only woman I’d ever truly been interested in was the one in my arms now.
A soft moan escaped her lips. “Mmm.”
“Can I have you?” I whispered against her mouth.
Her response came as a sigh. “Ye…yes.”
I lifted her sweater over her head and tossed it aside.
Beneath it, a cotton camisole hugged her curves, straining against her swelling breasts.
I eased it upward, my fingers trailing her sides until the fabric joined the sweater on the floor.
My hands brushed over her shoulders, placing soft kisses there as I unclasped her bra and slid the straps down her arms. When it fell away, I let it drop wherever it pleased.
My attention was fully captured by the woman before me.
Kneeling, I wrapped my arms around her waist and drew her to me.
My palms explored her smooth, velvety skin as if I were discovering a hidden treasure.
I took my time, learning every subtle reaction.
The shiver when my lips found her shoulder, the sharp inhale when I cupped her breasts, the soft sound she made when I tasted her chocolate peaks for the first time.
Her body arched beneath my touch, and when my lips trailed down her stomach, her fingers brushed the top of my head.
I slipped my hands into the waist of her leggings, easing them down along with her panties in one smooth motion.
Rising, I drew her against me again, lifting her by the petite curve of her hips.
She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I held her there, letting her feel the full weight of my need.
“You smell incredible,” I murmured, biting my lip as I looked into her eyes. “Can I taste you?”
Her answer came as a breathless nod, her chest rising and falling in rhythm with her anticipation.
I grabbed the plush throw blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it out on the carpeted floor before the fireplace as I held her with the other arm, while she littered subtle pecks to my neck.
Lowering her to the makeshift pallet, I rose briefly, stripping away my hoodie and t-shirt.
Her gaze followed my every movement, her lips parted, eyes heavy with longing.
Watching her watch me made the heat surge even higher.
The crackle of the fireplace cast a luminous glow against her beautiful brown skin.
She was breathtaking. My angel in the firelight.
I slid off my sweats and boxers, baring myself to her.
Her breath hitched as an unspoken invitation sparked between us.
Her watchful eyes on me heightened my desires as I sprang forth.
Her lids were lowered in a seductive haze.
She released a quiet hum, licking her lips in anticipation. Still, I wanted to give before I took.
Kneeling again, I began at her ankles, my lips tracing a slow path up her calves to her thighs, savoring her soft gasps.
When I parted her legs, the firelight gilded her peeking pretty pearl in gold.
I usually prayed over my meals, but all I could manage was a quick “amen” before I devoured my feast, savoring the finest delicacy ever created.
She was perfection itself. Every curve, every sigh, every tremble.
“Jacob…” she moaned, her back arching as I worshiped her with my mouth.
“Mmm-mmm,” I hummed, devouring her succulent essence. “How do you taste this good, mhm?”
Her taste, her sounds, her scent. They pulled me under completely. She gripped the blanket in her fists, her thighs trembling around my shoulders. Her peak was near, and I needed to taste her release as much as she needed to let it go.
“JuJu, I’m com—”
Her cry shattered mid-sentence as her release came, sudden and powerful. I stayed with her through it, tasting every quiver, every wave. Her body softened against the blanket, breath ragged, heartbeat thundering in time with mine.
“Juuuu,” she cried out.
When she tried to pull away, I caught her waist gently. “Eighteen years,” I murmured, voice thick with longing. “I’m not done yet.”
Another crest rose between us before she finally melted into quiet stillness, her body humming against mine. I moved up beside her, and she met me halfway, pressing her mouth to mine in a deep, longing kiss.
“I wanted to taste what you enjoyed so much,” she whispered, her voice husky against my ear.
I cursed softly, the sound swallowed by her lips. Somehow, she kept finding new ways to undo me.
As we lay tangled in the afterglow, reality nudged its way in. “I don’t have any protection,” I said, breathing still uneven.
“I have an IUD.” Her hands traced a line up and down my back. “And I trust you.”
My heart exploded at her words. Trust. After all this time, anger, and hurt, she trusted me. I pressed my forehead to hers, capturing her mouth in a feverish kiss. “I trust you, too.”
With that, I eased into her slowly, both of us pausing to absorb the connection.
The feeling was overwhelming—familiar and new all at once.
Nestled in her warmth and softness wasn’t just pleasure.
It was comfort after a long work day. It was peace in a world of chaos.
It was Sunday dinner, date night Friday, and morning kisses on Mondays.
It was the only place I needed and desired to be.
I realized I’d been living in this house, but she made it feel like home.
We moved together naturally, our rhythm and melody finding harmony. Every breath, every sigh synced until all that existed was the orgasmic sound of us amid the gentle crackle of fire and the muted sounds of holiday music floating through the room.
“What are you doing to me, huh?” I asked, my voice hoarse.
“Same thing you’re doing to me,” she gasped, her body arching to meet mine. “Ahh… JuJu…”
“Say it again.” I breathed, thrusting deeper. “Just like that.”
“JuJuuuu…” she cried, the sound breaking into a moan as I pulled her closer.
“Gawd Mari, baby.”
She went over the edge and took me with her, hitting our crescendo together. We collapsed beside each other, a beautifully tangled mess as we stretched across the blanket, allowing the warmth of the fire to bathe our naked bodies.
I pulled her into my arms, and we caressed each other, the moment wildly beautiful. She drew circles on my abs as her head lay against my chest, and I glided my fingertips up and down her arm.
“I guess we needed that, huh?” she said softly.
I kissed the crown of her head and lifted her chin, making sure she saw the sincerity in my eyes. “Don’t think that’s all I wanted or that my apology was about this. It wasn’t.”
Her smile was gentle, knowing. “No, I didn’t think that.
” She nestled closer, her voice low. “But I understand it’s not permanent.
If my dad stays stable, I’ll be heading back to D.C.
soon. Maybe I’ll come home for Christmas, but after that…
” She exhaled. “It’s back to my life there and yours here. ”
Her words hit heavy, but I couldn’t argue with her truth.
She had a world waiting for her beyond this small town.
Still, I’d made a promise to her father and to myself.
As I held her against me, the thought of letting her go again was impossible.
I had to figure out a way to get her to see that somehow, some way, we could work.
I had survived eighteen years without her in my life, but I knew, as we lay there in the afterglow of our rekindling, I couldn’t live the rest of my life without her in mine.