“No doubt about that,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist. “But I have a feeling if we start kissing again, I’m not going to stop until your clothes are on the floor.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I grin as I push up on tiptoe, bringing my lips closer to his.
He laughs as he pulls away, capturing my hand as he reaches for the door. “Come on. Let’s get turkey before they run out.”
“Well, I do like turkey,” I grumble. “Not as much as kissing, but…”
I follow him out of the closet, excitement overshadowing my disappointment that our stolen moment is over.
We’ll kiss again. Soon. And once I prove I’m worthy of his trust, I have a feeling I’ll have all the Jake kisses I can handle.
The rest of the evening passes in a blissful haze.
I’m so happy, so hopeful, so thrilled to the tips of my toes, I have a hard time focusing on anything but Jake’s smile, his hand warm in mine, his lips kissing me good-night on my parents’ front porch the way he’s done hundreds of times before.
Those memories echo inside me as his lips brush mine, the past suddenly sweeter in the wake of my rapidly improving present.
“See you soon, beautiful,” he says, backing down the porch steps and disappearing into the darkness. “Tomorrow?”
“Yes,” I breathe, so over-the-moon it doesn’t occur to me that I may have already violated Jake’s “no more secrets” policy our first night back together.
It’s an old secret, not a new one, but still…I didn’t tell Jake about my last night in Bliss River. With his brother.
It should have been the first thing out of my mouth when he mentioned second chances, but I was so dizzy from his kiss and the sweetness of our first real date in years that the realization doesn’t hit until I’m brushing my teeth before bed.
“Shit,” I mumble around a mouth full of foam, my heart sinking.
That’s it. I have to come clean. First thing tomorrow.
It’s the only path forward.
No matter how much I want to dive into this second chance with Jake and leave the past far behind us, I owe him the truth.
Or as much of it as I can remember, anyway.
I owe him the chance to change his mind about giving me another shot at his heart, even though the thought of his eyes going cold again when he looks at me is…misery-inducing.
I curl under the covers in bed, my stomach as unsettled as it was at the start of the night.
Closing my eyes, I thread my fingers together and pray for a happy ending, and that by this time tomorrow a path forward with Jake will still be visible on my horizon.
Chapter Fourteen
Jake
“Hey, boss, catch!”
I look up from my desk, catching the bag of burritos Faith tosses my way with one hand while hitting send on an email to the head of the fire board with the other, my grin not slipping for a second.
“Thank you, ma’am.” I shut down the computer and bounce out of my chair, humming beneath my breath as I reach for my jacket and start to shrug it on.
But then I glance out the window at the picture-perfect Saturday afternoon and think better of it.
It’s almost sixty-five degrees out and the temperature is still climbing. Bliss River is enjoying a freakishly warm winter afternoon—maybe the last one of its kind until spring rolls around in a few months. It would be a sin not to get out and take advantage of the gorgeous weather, and I don’t intend to do any sinning today.
“I’m heading out, Faith,” I say, draping my jacket over my arm. “Page me if you need me. If not, I’ll see you Tuesday.”
“Tuesday?” She frowns.
“I had to shift my days to make sure I’m free next Friday.”
“Right. Got it,” Faith says, before muttering beneath her breath. “The fundraisers are fun and all, but I’m not going to be sad about work hours going back to normal.”
“I hear ya.” I start for the door. “Thanks for the burritos.”
“You’re welcome, but you’re, um…not eating both of those yourself, are you? Do I smell a lunch date?” she asks as she unpacks chips and salsa near the coffee station.
“Maybe.” I don’t try to hide my smile, but I don’t offer any further information, either.
This thing with Naomi is too new. Even if I were the kind to kiss and tell, I don’t feel ready to talk about this yet. I don’t want to talk about it; I just want to enjoy it, to enjoy her—her laugh, her smile, the way she talks with her hands when she’s nervous, the way she sighs my name when I kiss her.
As I step out the front door into the unusually warm day, I push that last part gently from my mind.