“Emily,” he whispered, and his voice was husky. He gently angled her chin toward his, and when his lips met hers, her knees buckled.
Happiness blossomed in the pit of her belly as he cradled her head in his hands, and she melted against him. She closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his muscled frame leaning against her as she lost herself in his kiss.
Oh my goodness. It’s happening. It’s finally happening!
She’d been kissed by boyfriends over the years, but this was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. The heat, the emotions. Finally feeling Jake’s lips against hers was all she’d fantasized—and more. So much more.
He trailed kisses down her jaw and her neck, and when his lips finally moved away from her skin, he whispered softly in her ear, “Emily.”
Hearing him say her name—heractualfull name—was almost too much. She was going to melt into a puddle right there on the Main Street sidewalk.
When he shifted away from her, she grasped his shoulders for balance. “I’ve wanted to do that for the past week,” he admitted.
“Well, I’ve been waiting for you to do that since I was sixteen.”
His brow wrinkled as his lips curved up in a smirk. “What do you mean?”
She guffawed. “Oh, Jake, please. You had to know that I’ve had the biggest crush on you since we were teenagers.”
“Wait. For real? You have?” He had the nerve to look shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I tell you that?!” She wiped her hands over her wet hair. “You only had eyes for Claire, and I didn’t want to mess things up for you since you were happy. So I’ve spent years convincing myself that I could just be your best friend, but I’vealways dreamed of having more with you. I’ve always wanted to have you all to myself.”
Finally saying those words out loud to him was like having a giant boulder lifted from her shoulders.
He winced. “Oh, Em. I’m sorry.” He brushed his hand over her face. “I wish I’d paid better attention. But trust me, you have my attention now.Allof my attention.”
With that, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her again. And this time she looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He tilted his head, the kiss suddenly becoming deeper, and the feel of his body under her fingertips, the way his muscled torso pressed up against her, made her feel as if all her cells were on fire.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers and grinned. “I’m sorry I waited so long, but I can’t say I’m disappointed.” His smile wobbled, and Serious Jake seemed to reappear before her eyes. “Would you consider being more than my friend?”
“What about Claire?”
He stood up straight and shook his head. “That’s been over for months.”
“Doessheknow that?”
“I keep telling her that I need space. We’ve grown up and changed. I asked her again yesterday to just back off and told her that we’re done.” He took Emily’s hands in his. “I really would like to give us a chance. What do you say? We can take it slow so that no one interferes. We’ll keep it between us so that my family, and Claire—no onecan get in our way.”
Emily was sure she was dreaming, but she wasn’t. Jake was standing in front of her and asking her to be his girlfriend. And this was real life.
Her heart felt like it was going to explode.
“I’d like that,” she said.
“Great.” Then, dipping down, he kissed her again.
He began slowly, taking his time to explore her lips. Her hands moved to the nape of his neck, and her fingertips combed through his hair.
And the world around them fell away.
Jake steered his truck into his driveway later that afternoon. The sun was peeking through the clouds, and he couldn’t stop smiling. He’d held Emily’s hand the entire drive home, and all they could do was grin at each other. His heart felt so full.
But the same questions kept running through his mind. Why hadn’t he noticed sooner that Emily cared about him? How had he missed the signs?
Why had they wasted the last fourteen years as friends when they could’ve been more?
But the past didn’t matter. All that mattered was the future—which they would spend together.
