Before she could think, before she could talk herself out of it, she lifted her head from his chest, searching his face. His deep brown eyes were unwavering, watching her, not pushing, not pulling away. Just there.
That was all it took.
She leaned in, pressing her lips to his with a hunger that had nothing to do with passion and everything to do with needing him.
Jake didn’t hesitate, didn’t make her feel foolish. His hands slid to her back, grounding her as he returned the kiss, slow at first, then deeper. Warmth flooded through her, not heat, but something stronger—something terrifying.
She clung to him, her fingers curling into his shirt, desperate to hold onto this moment, to not feel so alone. Jake responded, his grip tightening, his breath hitching slightly, and for a brief second, she thought—this is it. This is where everything changes.
But then?—
Jake pulled back.
Not roughly, not abruptly, but enough. Enough that the loss of him sent a cold rush through her.
Capri blinked up at him, her breath unsteady, her heart hammering. “What…?” The word was barely there, more air than sound.
Jake exhaled slowly, keeping his hands on her shoulders like he was afraid she might bolt.
“Capri,” he said, his voice rough but gentle. “Don’t get this wrong. I know I said it on the mountain, but—I love you.”
His conviction hit her like a freight train, busting through the walls she’d spent years building. She sensed the mood in the room had shifted. She could feel it in the air between them.
“But,” he continued, eyes locked onto hers, “I want our first time to be about us. Not about your hurt.”
The moment stretched between them, raw and real, and Capri didn’t know what to do with it. Her instincts screamed at her to pull away, to fold back into herself, to shove the pain down where he couldn’t see it. But Jake wasn’t letting her go.
His hands slid down, capturing hers, his hold firm as if he could tether her to the moment, keep her from slipping back into old patterns.
“I’m here,” he murmured. “I’m not going anywhere. But I won’t let this be a decision you regret later. I want you to be sure.”
Capri swallowed hard, her eyes burning. She wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, that it wasn’t about hurt at all. But deep down, she knew better.
Jake brushed his thumb over her knuckles, waiting, watching, giving her space.
She closed her eyes for a beat, let out a slow breath, and squeezed his hands back. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice unsteady.
Jake smiled, just a little, and pulled her into a hug—no rush, no pressure. Just him. Just them.
Capri felt the rush before she could stop it—a surge so powerful it nearly stole her breath. His words echoed in her head. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. And she knew, deep down, that she felt the same. She had for a while. Maybe from the first time he looked at her like she was worth waiting for. Maybe from the moment he bought the stupid porch furniture just so she’d have a welcoming space to come home to.
Her fingers tightened around his, and she swallowed hard, her pulse thundering in her ears. “I’m in this for good, too.”
The words slipped out before she could second-guess them, before she could put up the usual walls. But for once, she didn’t want to take them back.
Jake went still, like she’d knocked the breath from him. His grip on her hands didn’t loosen, but his brows lifted slightly in surprise.
She powered forward before she could lose her nerve. “I’ve never said that to anyone before and meant it. Never. But I mean it now.” She squeezed his hands tighter. “I don’t want this to be casual. I don’t want to pretend like this is something we can let fade when life gets complicated.” Her voice grew stronger, more sure. “I want to choose you, Jake. Every day.”
A change shifted in his expression, deep and knowing, like he’d been waiting for this moment, like he’d always known she had it in her.
She exhaled, searching his face, needing to make him understand. “I’ve spent my whole life trying to control everything—trying to keep people from leaving me. But you…” She shook her head, a shaky laugh escaping. “You’re the first person I’ve ever met who makes me feel safe without me having to hold all the pieces together. You make me feel like I can let go, and I won’t fall apart.”
Jake’s lips parted, his eyes now raw and unreadable. But before he could say anything—before she could overthink this—she blurted, “Marry me.”
Silence.
Capri barely heard the sound of her own breath over the roaring in her ears. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t calculated. It was just true.
