Chapter 24
Kelly
Jake keeps workingme softly with his mouth and the curl of his fingers while the storm beats against the windows. Waves of heat and pleasure radiate throughout my body, every nerve ending ignited.
I reach my peak before tumbling straight over, a gathering of forgotten dreams, a reunion of two halves that had been searching for each other since time began. The air is charged with a spark of recognition, a pull of destiny that seems to radiate from our intertwined bodies.
As my core continues to pulse, he grabs a condom from the wallet in his jeans pocket and tears the foil packet. Then he’s above me, his body radiating heat.
I’m aching for him to be inside me and he lines himself up and enters slowly, inch by glorious inch. I gasp at the fullness, my body stretching to accommodate his size.
He begins to move, slowly at first, as though savoring the sensation of our bodies joined together, kissing me deeply, his tongue mimicking the rhythm of his thrusts.
Tilting my hips up, he slides in a little deeper, so deep it almost hurts, pleasure and pain mixing in an exquisite cocktail. He starts to quicken his pace, driving deeper and harder with each pump of his hips, skin slapping against skin as the floorboards groan beneath us. I’m lost in the heat of his body pressing down on mine, the relentless pace we set that echoes the pounding rain outside.
Every movement against me brings back a flood of memories and emotions, all reminding me of why he was my first and true love. It’s electrifying, yet soothes all the ragged parts of my soul at the same time. I never want this to end.
“Jake,” I gasp, all pretense of control shattered. My nails dig into his shoulders, urging him on, needing more of this raw connection. “You feel so good.”
“God, Kelly,” he groans, voice thick with emotion as he buries his face in my neck.
We move together, frenzied and frantic, chasing a release that’s been building for weeks. Thunder roars, rattling the window panes. Rain lashes at the glass as I come undone once more, crying out his name, Jake following a moment later. It’s an explosion of sensations, a tidal wave crashing against the shore of our past, a mix of longing and familiarity that leaves me breathless.
At this moment, all the years we’ve been apart dissolve, and every sensation in my body is heightened and intensified. The roughness of the wooden floor against my skin where the T-shirts he laid out have scrunched and rolled, the weight of his body on top of mine, him inside me—still hard, the sweat dripping down our bodies.
It’s real and primal, and makes me feel alive in a way I haven’t in a long time. He pulls out slowly and kisses me, before disposing of the condom. Then he’s back, lying down beside me, curling the warmth of his body around me.
Lying on the floor together, the heat of the fire flickering across us, I stare at the ceiling, the storm still howling outside. Jake’s breathing is steady next to me, his arm loosely draped over my waist, as though it’s the most natural thing in the world.
The weight of his arm is comforting, and one treasuring hand moves up to cup my breast. Some things are just inevitable.
Jake shifts, brushing his lips softly against my temple. “I’ve missed this. Missed you,” he murmurs, his voice low and tender. “I’ve been missing you every day since you’ve been gone.” There’s an aching sincerity in his tone that makes my breath catch.
Something inside me unfurls slowly, a flower, each petal blooming with a tender and familiar touch. Nostalgia blends with the sweet heat of desire. It’s a homecoming.
Jake kisses the side of my face, his lips lingering, his hand tracing the line of my jaw, just like he did the first time we slept together.Our first time.The memories seep back, time folding in half and warping.
It was years ago, but the recollection hits with a startling clarity. I remember the jittery excitement, the way my heart galloped as I told Mom I’d be at Nora’s for the night. The lie tasted sweet on my lips, forbidden and thrilling, because I knew where I was really going—to him, to Jake.
“Hey, beautiful.” Jake had greeted me at the front door, his dark brown eyes reflecting the porch light, his voice a touch nervous, but his smile—his smile said he was just as excited as I was. We’d messed around a lot before then, but this was the first time we’d be going all the way. My first time.
“Hey,” I said back, leaning up to kiss him. Our hands found each other, interlocking fingers signaling the start of something we both knew was inevitable.
His parents were out of town, taking his sister Lucy to her grandparents, and we had the house to ourselves. Our steps were hushed as we tiptoed up the stairs, the anticipation buzzing between us.
“Are you sure?” he asked once we reached his room, his gaze searching mine for any hint of hesitation. His concern was touching, endearing.
“Never been more sure of anything,” I remember answering, the boldness in my voice surprising even me.
The softness of his bed contrasted the hard lines of desire that drew us together, and our kisses deepened. Jake’s hands slowly undressed me, and then himself. The world outside his window, with its chorus of crickets and distant waves breaking against the shore, faded to nothing but a hum.
We explored each other’s bodies, and my mind replays those moments, the ghosts of his hands settling over the very real heat of himnow.
“Kelly,” he’d moaned against my neck all those years ago, his breath hot and dizzying. His fingers slipped inside me, drawing out a yearning in me so raw it almost hurt. “You’re so pretty. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” I whispered back, my voice laced with an urgency I could barely contain. “I want more. Please. I’m ready.”
His dark eyes lifted to meet mine, brimming with something fierce, something that echoed the wildness in my own chest. His movements stilled for a moment, the weight of significance heavy in the air. He fumbled awkwardly in the bedside drawer. My heart hammered against my ribs as he retrieved a small foil packet.
