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I was her first. The first person she gave all of herself to. I slid my hands up her body as I stood up, our gazes locking when I cradled her face in my hands and kissed her. "You're my first, too."

"First?" She scrunched her nose.

I kissed that too. "First person I've given all of myself to. First woman I've said I love you to. First person I've wanted to change my whole life for."

I ate up the way her lips parted and eyes widened for me. The wonder and the love that reflected back at me.

Fuck, I wasn't just in love with Marley. I wasin lovewith Marley. And while that might not sound any different, it absolutely was.

Twenty-Seven

Marley

My world tilted and spun in different directions like a sadistic carnival ride

I stretchedmy legs and arms as I woke up from a nap on the deck sofa. It was so quiet here. Not because there was an absence of noise, but because all of the noise was natural. Just wind, leaves, birds, and in the far distance, water. Every so often I heard a loud vehicle, but it was so far away that it only registered as a blip on my radar.

The wind picked up and I pulled the fuzzy blanket back up over my bare arm. I was all alone for the first time in three days and as soon as Jackson left, I crashed. The event alone was exhausting but then I knew Jackson needed answers. He'd been so patient, so careful with me.

Telling him how my friends died was even more exhausting than the event. We said a lot of big things to each other and flung ourselves deep into a relationship.

It was a lot. But it was good. So good.

I was madly in love...something I'd honestly given up hope of ever experiencing.

My phone vibrated on the table beside me and I picked it up.

Jackson

I miss you.

I grinned and typed back:

How's Gus?

Jackson

He missed me. I missed him too.

My heart swelled. I loved how much he loved Gus, how much he cared about his sister and his friends. I didn't think I'd ever met someone so truly genuine with their love before.

Marley

Enjoy your time with him. (I miss you too, Cowboy.)

Jackson

I can't wait for Friday. Love you!

He made me want to doodle hearts in my notebook. I swear that man made me feel like a hopeful teenager again. I was about to set my phone aside when it began vibrating, this time with a video call from Charley.

"Hello Charles. What's up?"

Charley's face appeared on the screen, but she wasn't looking at her phone and she was holding it painfully close to her face.

"Your place...it's been ransacked."

I sat bolt upright. "How?" I had cameras, motion detectors, an alarm system, and the police regularly drove by to put eyes on my home.