Silence engulfs us for the next few minutes, the air around us charged with electricity. He watches me with an expression that holds so much affection and quiet wonder that I just have to ask, “What are you thinking?”
He lets out a soft, breathy chuckle. “I’m thinking about a lot of things… but there’s one in particular I’m too nervous to tell you. In case you run off on me again.”
“I promise I won’t. Not this time.”
His eyes drop to my mouth, a gesture he’s been making all evening. When he bites his bottom lip, heat instantly pools low in my stomach.Why does he have to be so freaking sexy!
“I’ve been thinking about kissing you all night. It’s like I’ve waited so long to have you in my arms again, that now you’re here, all I want to do is just kiss you and kiss you until our lips are completely swollen and red.”
I swallow sharply, my cheeks flush from his words and from the heat of his gaze. I take in a deep breath, then, slowly rise on my tiptoes. Cupping his jaw with my hands, I claim his lips with mine, my eyes closing on instinct. The moment I part my lips for him, he slides his warm tongue inside, tangling, exploring. With the way he’s gripping my hips so tightly, I can tell he’s trying desperately not to lose control.
“Fuck, Mila.” He groans, the sound rough and edged with something almost like pain.
“Why is it so hard to contain myself around you?”
“Then don’t. Just let go.”
The corner of his lip curls into a mischievous grin, a mix of challenge and desire in his eyes. Then, in the next breath, his hand snakes to the back of my neck, pulling me into a searing, all-consuming kiss.
“Jason.” I pull back slowly, my chest rising and falling from the intensity of our kiss. “I just want you to know that I never stopped thinking about you. In fact, one of the things that got me through my darkest moments was imagining you, standing there at the end, waiting for me like you promised.”
He leans in and presses a delicate kiss to my forehead. “Funny you say that, because you were always on my mind too. The only thing that got me through each day was the hope that you’d come back to me. I guess all that praying and wishing finallyworked, because here you are, back in my arms again. Where you’ve always belonged.”
“Thank you, Jason. For never giving up on me. For never giving up on us.”
“You’re worth every fight, Mila. And don’t you ever forget that. I will never, ever give up on us for as long as I live. You and Jake are my entire world.”
“Good! Because I’m done being away from you. I’m done wasting any more time. I’m ready to give us another chance, Jason. As strange as it sounds, I think my thirteen-year-old self knew—it was you always going to be you in the end.” I let out a soft chuckle.
His smile stretches so wide that I can’t help but return one too. We kiss once more, only this time with a fierce intensity I’ve never felt before. He bites and tugs on my lip, so much so that I’m sure they’re red and swollen just like he said they’d be.
“Come home with me?” he whispers against my lips.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
On the drive back to his house his hand never leaves mine—not even once to shift gears.
And when we finally step through the front door, there’s no more waiting, no more holding back. He leads me straight to his bedroom, where time seems to slow, and the rest of the world fades away. It’s just the two of us, wrapped in our own little piece of heaven, where he makes love to me—slowly, passionately, leaving us both breathless and renewed.
Epilogue
Jason
November, 2024.
It’s the end of spring, the air already heavy with the promise of summer’s heat. Guests flow through the manicured lawns of the elegantAmour Extraordinaire, their voices mixing with the gentle sounds of the string quartet playing classical music. At the heart of it all rises a stunning French chateau, its pale stone walls bathed in golden light, adding a perfect touch of fairy-tale romance.
Whitewashed chairs are arranged in neat rows beneath the shade of towering oak trees, and curving around a long stone aisle. At the end stands a floral arch that frames the rolling countryside beyond, the air carrying the faint scent of roses and lavender. The entire setting feels timeless, as though the venue itself was built solely for Skylar and Heath’s big day.
The atmosphere is already worlds apart from Skylar’s first wedding to Kaden. That day was beautiful, but it never came close to this kind of grandeur. This is bigger, more enchanting, exactly how it should have always been. Skylar deserves nothing but the best, and I couldn’t be happier knowing she’s finally experiencing it with the true love of her life.
Sadly, the same can’t be said for her ex-husband, Kaden. The moment he learned of Skylar’s engagement to Heath, it absolutely shattered him. He withdrew from everyone, isolating himself for days on end, drowning in alcohol until it nearlyconsumed his life. It took endless pleading, and even the threat of rehab, before he finally agreed to get help. He still has a long road ahead of him, but now that he has his own space, he’s making some real effort to turn his life around. Even if today hits him hard, I know he’ll be okay.
It’s been six months since Mila and I reconnected, and life has been so much better with her in it. Even if the last few months have been total chaos with Elena being arrested and charged with sexual assault.
Eventually, several of her students finally came forward to the University’s governing board, accusing her of exploiting her position to pressure them into sexual activity. She was also accused of tampering with their grades and threatening their academic futures to ensure their silence. Since these weren’t isolated incidents but part of a repeated pattern targeting multiple students over time, Elena could face serious prison time if convicted.
Her shocked and distraught parents are doing everything they can to secure her release on bail, but given the severity of the charge, things aren’t looking good. She may have to remain in custody until her first court appearance.
