I paused, thinking through how to phrase it. None of the versions in my head felt right.
“Wes, what?—”
“Baby, look,” Wes interrupted as he sat up. “Looks like the sky is showing off for us tonight.”
Confused, I sat up. When I looked again, it became clear what had caught his attention. I gasped at the sight.
Lighting up the sky was the most spectacular view I had ever seen. The sky was alive, green and deep purple ribbons dancing across it. The reflection of the northern lights stretched acrossthe still lake, creating a mirrored glow. Time stilled, urging us to soak in every vivid detail together.
“I’ve never seen something so beautiful,” I whispered, taking it in. I knew there were areas in the Midwest, including Wisconsin and Illinois, where you could occasionally see the northern lights if the timing was right, but you had to get far out of the city in order to stand a chance. My hand itched to grab my phone, to capture a photo that I could look back on, but I appreciated the moment. I reached for his hand instead, intertwining our fingers together. “Did you know we would see this tonight?”
“I hoped we would. Cooper mentioned there was a chance, and I figured we might as well try. It paid off.”
I nodded in agreement, softly saying, “I’m glad we tried.” The double meaning from my words hung in the air. Yes, we still had time, but it was fleeting. Would any amount of time be enough with Wesley? Even if I stayed?
I paused, turning my head and taking in the sight of him under the lights, the way the greens and purples illuminated his sharp jawline, the slope of his nose. But it was the way he was already looking at me, so achingly tender, that had my eyes welling up. I thought back to the Luke Combs song we danced to at Lake Ridge earlier this month. Were we getting into something we knew was about to end in two broken hearts?
“Oh, baby,” he murmured without me even having to say anything. “I know.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, but it wasn’t caught between my teeth for long. Wesley’s rough hand cupped the side of my face, and he used his thumb to pull my lip free.
“Did you ever think something could feel this right?” I asked, my voice quiet and hesitant.
Wes used the pad of his thumb to wipe away a stray tear, a soft smile on his face. “No, not before meeting you. Honestly, itstill catches me off guard the way I feel about you, how quickly my feelings are growing. But I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t regret anything that’s happened between us.”
“I don’t regret anything either. I just… I don’t know where this is all going to go.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“I don’t either, and I think that’s okay. All I know is…” His large hands found my hips, bunching up the fabric of my dress as he pulled me on top of his lap so I was straddling him. He set his palms on my thighs, fingertips inching underneath the hem of my dress. “You make everything feel easy, Juliette. Everything feels right with you.”
My hands found his shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt as I leaned in closer. “Yeah, everything feels right with you, too,” I whispered.
We knew what was coming, but maybe it was okay to forget about it for a moment. To just be. Together.
I thought about what I wanted out of this summer when I first got to Golden Falls, and part of it was to be more present. To not think so much about what comes next.
And with Wes, all I could do was be in the moment. I couldn’t think of a better place to be.
We stared at each other for a beat. Then another. It was silent except for the crickets chirping—and my heart pounding inside my chest. Wesley’s hands slowly inched up my thighs until he met my hips. Even on a hot summer night, goose bumps formed on my skin from his touch.
“I want to focus on you tonight, on us,” I said. “I want”—I pulled Wes closer by his shirt, my mouth inches away from his—“you.”
“I want you, too. So much.” A low growl rumbled through Wes’s chest. “Do you feel what you do to me, baby?” he asked in a hoarse whisper, rocking my hips over his jeans.
My breath picked up in anticipation. Even though I was wearing panties, the friction against my center felttoo good. So good that I couldn’t take it anymore.
I closed the distance first, my mouth meeting his in a slow but hungry kiss. A moan immediately escaped me from how good his lips felt against mine.
While the kiss started off slow, it didn’t stay that way for long. The pace of everything quickened once I parted my lips. Our kiss. My hips. Our hands exploring. The searing kiss was both too much and not nearly enough. More. I neededmore. I needed everything he would give me.
Wes’s hands pulled down the straps of my dress to expose my breasts.
“Fuck,” he groaned against my lips. “You’re going to be the death of me. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”
One of his large hands cupped my breast, toying and tugging my hardened nipple. The pleasure was all consuming, and I rested my forehead against his to catch my breath. “I want you, Wes.”
My hands trailed down his chest to his belt, my fingers fumbling to undo it and then his jeans.
He chuckled lowly, his whole chest rumbling. “I’m all yours.”
