Page 58

Marley slid across the bench seat and I automatically lifted my arm so she could tuck into my side. "I'm sorry."

And somehow it didn't bother me anymore. Not with Marley resting her head on my shoulder to comfort me. This woman already understood me better than my own parents ever had.

"Don't be. That's the past. I much prefer my present."

Her hand came to my chest, resting right over my heart. Could she feel how hard it pounded for her?

“The past felt a lot more important before I met you,” she murmured.

I had to swallow past the massive lump that had just formed in my throat becausefuckwhat a compliment. I dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

She stayed tucked into me as I drove up our mountain and parked beside Golden Hour. "I don't want the night to end,” I confessed. I didn't want to stop touching her or having her close or feeling all these new feelings.

She lifted her head, eyes locking on mine. "I don't either."

I swear time stopped. Like it was necessary for it to pause so we could absorb everything that had happened over the course of the day. This morning I wanted to make Marley happy by surprising her with something I hoped she needed. But we’d lived a lifetime since then. She let me in, just a little, and I’d swung open my whole damn door. There was nowhere else I wanted to be ever again.

“I can build a fire and we can watch the fireflies dance,” I offered.

She smiled. “Are you using butchered Sixpense None The Richer lyrics to ask for a kiss, Jackson?”

Damn my sisters for filling my subconscious with pop songs, rom coms, and probably a hell of a lot more I forgot I knew. “Naw, darlin’. Just more of your time.” Although a kiss or twelve would be much appreciated.

“Just time?”

I brushed her cheek with my thumb, wanting everything. “All my time is for you now.”

She ducked her head and I worried I’d taken it too far, confessed too much for what she could handle. But then she straddled my lap in that sundress of hers and blew my damn mind. Her hand wrapped around my neck and her fingers dug into my hair as she smiled. "Kissme."

Eighteen

Marley

For a writer with a big imagination you sure have trouble seeing the possibilities

The seatbelt wasin the way, but I didn't care. I needed to be closer to him immediately. I didn't care that the steering wheel was digging into my back or anything else for that matter. I just needed to feel Jackson's body against mine and to kiss him again.

So yeah, I surprise-straddled him in his truck. But we were kissing and he was growing harder where I ground against him and all was right with the world.

His hands coasted down my spine as I held his face in both of mine. Iwantedhim. I wanted to feel good again and the only person who seemed to care about that other than Charley was Jackson, and, quite frankly, Charley could never give me what Jackson could.

"I really hope this means you're inviting me inside." He gasped between kisses. "I mean, it's okay either way, but I just want the record to show I'm okay with that."

"Just okay?" I smiled.

"More than okay." He squeezed my hips. "Today has been the best day I've had in a long time. I think you're becoming my favorite person, Marley Tranquill."

"You're just saying that because I'm grinding on your lap," I teased.

"I'm saying it because it's true." Jackson was dead serious, not a trace of teasing in his voice or his eyes.

It took my breath away. All day this thing between us kept growing bigger and brighter. It was blinding and all-consuming.

But most importantly, it wasgenuine.

Which, honestly, scared the shit out of me. Because I was absolutely sure I would end up hurting Jackson in the end. "Please don't hate me when this falls apart."

A look of defiance flashed through his eyes. "Who says this is falling apart?"