Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Eighteen
ETHAN
W hen the fireworks had concluded, Ellie and Cooper headed off somewhere fancy for their wedding night, and the guests all dispersed. Jessa came out of the house in a T-shirt and jeans, still looking as beautiful as she had in her dress, and we crossed paths.
“You changed,” I said.
“And you’re exactly the same,” she replied.
“Ha! Ha!”
She grinned as she headed over to Penny and Tally to help with last-minute clean-up.
“Ethan!” Kassie waved a hand at me as she headed my way, and I noticed Jessa glance over her shoulder at us as she walked away.
“Hey, Kassie. Did you have a nice time tonight?”
She nodded. “It was a beautiful wedding. Just what they deserved.”
“It really was.”
Her eyes turned in Jessa’s direction briefly. “Looks like the tides are turning for you and Jessa.”
I couldn’t contain my grin. “You might be right.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you. And thanks for your help with that.”
“Cupid is my middle name.” Her lips lifted in a sly smile. “Sorry if my methods were a little too forward.”
“It got her attention. That’s for sure.”
We chuckled, and then she tilted her head toward the shuttle.
“I should get going. We’re flying out tomorrow morning, so I guess this is goodbye for now.”
“It was nice to see you, Kassie.”
“You too.”
“Have a safe trip.”
She gave me a hug and headed toward the bus, and I noticed Cash walking that way with Ellie’s friend, Rachel. He said something that made her touch his arm and laugh. Guess he found someone else to flirt with.
I went into the house and changed my clothes then headed out to help pick up trash. When I came outside, I saw Jessa heading for her car.
I raced after her, wanting desperately to catch her before she left.
“Hey, not so fast.” I touched her arm, and she turned halfway to look at me. “You’re leaving already? I thought maybe we could talk before you go.”
“It’s been a long day, Ethan. I’m really tired.”
I gave her my most alluring look. “Maybe just a kiss goodnight then?”
Her elbow shoved into my stomach.
“I deserved that,” I groaned out.
Her laugh was so lovely, I forgave her instantly. “I barely touched you, big baby.”
I moved in front of her, took both of her hands in mine, and stuck out my lower lip. “Please. Don’t leave yet.”
She sighed and gave me a little nod.
I wanted to pump my fist and cry, “Yes!” but I took one of her hands and led her across the yard, through the rows of wedding chairs, straight for the treehouse.
“Up there? No way.” Jessa shook her head. “You’re not getting lucky in your sister’s treehouse.”
“It’s not only Ellie’s treehouse, and I wasn’t planning to seduce you.” I sidled up to her. “Unless you want me to.”
She held her elbow up like a weapon, and I raised my hands between us.
“I’m kidding. I just want to talk.”
Again, she sighed, then climbed the ladder to the little white house among the branches.
I climbed up after her, and we sat down on the deck, facing the back yard, and let our legs dangle. I sat close enough that my arm could brush against hers while giving her enough space to feel comfortable. Kissing her had been amazing, but I needed to move slowly with her. One baby step at a time.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“The kiss.”
She sighed. “Do we have to?”
“We don’t have to, but I’d like to. Because I liked kissing you tonight. Very much.”
It was quiet for long moments before she replied. “I liked kissing you too.”
“Should we do it again?” I asked.
She shot me a look.
“Listen, what you said last night doesn’t make sense. We can’t go back to the way things were. We’re too good together, Jessa, and I think you know that.”
“Ethan—”
“Why are you fighting this so hard?”
“Because you were right. I’m scared, okay?” she blurted.
I wanted to hug her, but I kept my distance for the moment. Admitting I was right was not easy for her, and it meant everything to me that she was opening up.
“My last relationship was not great.”
“Not because of you,” I said. “That was all Cody. You didn’t deserve a sexist, narcissistic jerk like him.”
“Everybody thought he was so great, though, and I kept thinking this must be how relationships are.”
“It’s not.”
“I know that now, but I went along with a lot of stuff he said … and did to me because I thought it was what was expected. I thought it was what I needed to do to keep him, and then he left me anyway. I gave him more of myself than I should have, and I can’t take that back.”
I was immensely sad for her.
“You deserve better than me, Ethan. I’m not pure and perfect, and I don’t have anything left to give you.”
She looked as if she might cry, so I grabbed hold of her hand, cupped it between mine, and looked her in the eyes. “That’s not true. You have so much to give, Jessalyn Landry. You’re kind, and funny, and so smart, and talented, and loving.”
She huffed.
“So loving,” I stressed. “And you may not admit it, but your love shows through when you’re with the ones you love too—with Ellie and your friends, with your dad and brothers. Even with me in the way you’ve fought with me all these years. Because I know you secretly loved me all this time.”
She tried to elbow me but couldn’t quite manage with her hand in mine.
“And nobody’s perfect, by the way. I’m not a saint. I’ve done things I regret too. But it’s about what we do going forward not what’s behind.”
I could tell her mind was going over all I’d just said.
“So that’s why you never kissed anyone after Cody? You thought you weren’t good enough for another relationship?”
It was quiet again while she thought. “I never let myself get close to anyone else. And this will probably sound weird, but I never liked kissing. Cody was so forceful and … slobbery about it.” Her eyes met mine. “Not like it is with you.”
“Oh, really?” I smirked. “How is it with me?”
Our gazes met and held, and it started to feel a little steamy up in that tree despite the nice summer night breeze.
“Hot,” she breathed.
My lips fell open a little, and her gaze dropped to my mouth. I wanted to pull her into my arms and show her how hot it could get, but with how this conversation had gone so far, I needed to wait and let her make the first move.
Her breathing accelerated, as did mine, and my palms began to sweat against her hand. The anticipation was killing me, but I remained still.
And then, she slowly leaned closer with her eyes remaining on my lips. Having her overcome the mental barrier she’d put up was a huge victory. She was going for it, and I was ready. Big time.
Inches from our lips touching, with her warm breath against my mouth, the clouds above opened up, dumping the rain that had been forecasted earlier in the day. The leaves above our heads were no help in sheltering us, as they sagged under the weight of the heavy rain, releasing cold droplets onto our heads.
I jumped to my feet and offered her my hands to help her up.
“In here.” I opened the door to the treehouse, and let her enter ahead of me.
We laughed as we shook off the rain.
“Thank God the rain held off until after the wedding,” she said as she wiped her wet arms against the side of her shirt.
I looked around the space, found a box of tissues, and handed her a few.
“Thanks.” Her eyes flitted to mine a few times, and my stomach flipped. With her hair damp and sticking to her face, she was extremely alluring.
When I’d wiped my arms, I stepped closer until I was in her personal space. “So, you think my kisses are hot, huh?”
She responded with an amused little smile, and I reached up and peeled some of the stuck strands from her face, pushing them back into the rest of her hair. I slowly traced along the curve of her ear, down the side of her neck to her shoulder, and she watched me as if in wonder.
I lowered my hands to my sides. “What do you want, Jessa?”
Her lips parted as her gaze lowered to my mouth then raised to my eyes. “I want you to kiss me again.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice.
My hands found just the right place at her lower back as I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips to hers. I wanted to go slow, but Jessa wasn’t having that. Her arms were instantly around my neck, gently tugging at my hair, her body against mine, her lips pressing firmly, pushing toward taking things further.
I backed away for a second and moved my hands up to hold her face, softly touching my lips to hers once, twice, a third time. Each time, I pressed a little harder and held a little longer. I continued on that way until she gave in to my slower pace, melting into me a little at a time.
It was the most perfect kiss of my life.
And when it was over, she stood as still as a statue with her eyes closed, lips parted, and breathed out slowly.
“Jess,” I whispered.
Her eyelids lifted, and she focused on me. “ That was a kiss.”
I chuckled. “You can say that again.”
“It really was such a perfect day. And you totally saved it with your fake wedding plan,” I told Jessa as we reclined on the blankets and pillows Ellie had filled one corner of the treehouse with.
“There was no way I was letting the paparazzi ruin Ellie and Cooper’s happy day.” She shook her head.
“I’m kind of dying to see the photos they took as the fake bride and groom came running out of the bar. Do you think they figured out it wasn’t them?”
“I guess we’ll find out if we see those pictures online of the wedding.” She made air quotes when she said wedding, which made me laugh.
“I wonder if they ever found who sent up that drone,” Jessa said.
My eyes found hers. “You didn’t hear?”
Her eyebrows lifted. “No. Who?”
“It was Cody.”
She sat up instantly with eyes as wide as saucers. “Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Officer Cobb found him down the street, and he spent the day in the back of a police car.”
Jessa cracked up laughing and fell back against my side, which made me smile.
“He admitted he was going to sell the images to a tabloid,” I told her.
“Thank God for Officer Cobb,” she said.
“Yeah, he said what Cody did was pretty corny.”
She rolled her eyes when she got my bad joke.
“I couldn’t help it.”
Her hand suddenly whipped across and smacked my chest. “Why didn’t you tell me who it was earlier?”
“I thought someone would’ve told you already.”
She shook her head. “That is just so perfect.”
“Such an idiot. In so many ways.”
Her laughter faded. “I wish I’d figured that out sooner, but I don’t think I knew myself very well in my early twenties.”
“Who did?”
“I was never boy crazy like your sister and Penny were. While they were off trying to kiss the boys on the playground, I was kicking boys’ butts at soccer and basketball.”
“Yeah, I remember. I was one of them.”
“Didn’t take much. You are not meant to play sports involving a ball, Ethan.”
“You know I only played because you were there.” I gave her a little smile, and she looked away shyly.
“I wish I hadn’t changed who I was for a guy. I never thought I’d be that girl, and as soon as I had a boyfriend, that’s exactly who I became. I thought I was stronger than that.” She frowned. “Another reason I avoided relationships … he made me feel weak and like everything I did was somehow wrong, and I never wanted to feel like that again.”
“I would never try to change you. You’re amazing just the way you are.”
A small smile appeared on her face. “Thank you.”
I searched her face. “What about me?”
One of her eyebrows lifted. “What about you?”
“You’re supposed to tell me how amazing I am now.”
She elbowed me in the ribs, and I groan-laughed, which seemed to amuse her.
We lay quietly for a minute, listening to the sound of the rain on the treehouse roof.
“Sometimes we have to go through being with the wrong person to figure out who the right person is.” I lowered my arm between us and slid my hand beneath hers, turning it over until our fingers were entwined.
A squeeze of my hand was her only reply.
“I’m hungry,” she said after several quiet minutes had passed.
“You expect me to go out in this rain and get you food?” My stomach growled, and she raised an eyebrow at me.
“You were saying?”
“Fine.” I rolled over and placed one hand on either side of her body, hovering above her with my lips a few inches from hers. “But you owe me.”
“Is that so?”
I grinned. “You can stay here and think about how you’re going to repay me when I return.”
“Already thinking about it,” she said with a coy smile.
I thought about that smile and those lips as I climbed down the ladder and raced across the slippery grass. The quicker I got to the house, the quicker I could get back to her.