Page 66

Twenty

Jackson

Maybe I knew how to do this because I knew what not to do

I likedto think the weather was working with me because it rained fairly heavily for the whole weekend. It gave us every reason to stay in our bubble. To pretend no one else existed.

Marley was on my lap, my dick still buried inside her, as we both tried to find our breath. It was raining hard, and it was like we were the only two people on earth when she climbed on top of me on the porch couch. This corner of the deck was enclosed from the floor to the railing and had plastic rain flaps to close it off the rest, so we'd been enjoying being outside while watching it rain.

Until Marley wanted more.

Our first time together had been slow and careful as she worked through what appeared to be one hell of a ton of baggage, but after a couple of days she'd loosened up. She didn't hesitate when she wanted me. She simply took it.

And I didn't mind one bit.

"I should clean up." I kissed her cheek, her shoulder.

"Just walk out into the rain." She climbed off me and threw her wild hair back as she stretched out.

"I'll keep that in mind." The rain pounding the roof was thunderous.

"I feel like I'm in a movie. This is the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse. Or Tarzan's. Or...something like that. This isn't real life."

I threw away the condom and used a towel to finish cleaning up before backing Marley into the log wall. "Excuse me?"

She waved one hand through the air even as I pinned her with my hips and caged her between my arms. "This view, this rain, it's just all so magical! It can't be real."

Not to mention the hours of mind-bending sex. "Darlin', you're hurting my feelings."

"Jackson."

"Marley. I'm serious. This is the best weekend I've ever had and you're talking about it being fake."

She dipped her gaze, her telltale sign that she was feeling vulnerable. "What happens tomorrow?"

I tilted her chin up because I hated it when she hid her eyes from me. "More of this mixed with a little of the outside world." I didn't need to work, so fuck that shit. I would pick up Gus or babysit or make dinners for Karis, but every single minute outside of that was Marley's.

"You mean that, don't you?"

We were barely breathing normal after that last orgasm, but I kissed her like I was ready for another round. I kissed her until she completely melted and wound her arms around my neck. "Yes, I mean it. Unless you want me to go back to the barn."

She squeezed me tighter. "Nope. I like you right where you are."

"Good. Then it's settled. We keep doing what we've been doing. Except sometimes you work a little and sometimes I help Karis out."

We spent the afternoon cuddling and cooking. She explained her writing woes and even gave me a copy of one of her books to read. I planned a shopping trip to stock Karis and Marley up on groceries for the week. Marley went for a walk when the rain lightened up a little and came back soaked to the bone but with the biggest smile on her face.

I might not know everything about her past, but I knew she loved water. Rain, rivers, oceans, showers, and baths all made her ridiculously happy. Which made it ridiculously easy for me to keep that smile on her face. I could pull her into a shower and soap her up or let her wander in the rain for some thinking time and take her to a hot bath to warm her back up.

Everything was easy between us as long as we were being honest and up front with each other. I understood there were things I didn't know and she'd tell me when she was ready. I'd be lying if I didn't acknowledge I was doing the same thing with her. She didn't need to know the shit in my past because it didn't affect our present. But one day... one day she'd need to know because we'd run through all the other parts of our lives and it was time.

Marley flicked a bubble off her fingers and pressed her leg against mine in the hot water of her enormous tub. She didn't say anything, didn't fill the silence just to fill the silence. But she knew when I needed her touch, that simply having her leg on mine made me happy.

"Thanks for drawing the bath. I was colder than I realized."

"It's a true hardship to strip you naked and enjoy this view." I winked to drive home that I was teasing.

She hummed and slid deeper into the tub, going back to silence. She never mentioned old boyfriends, not that I mentioned any past lovers, either. My relationships were as temporary as my location, and I got the impression Marley's weren't any more permanent. If I had any doubts about our future, it was based in the knowledge that neither of us had been in a relationship like this before.