AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He agreed, and walked away. I took a moment to calm myself before going to face Jack.
This was going to be a long night.
Chapter 21
Jack
Aswesatdownto a delicious dinner at Maya's parents’ house, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. When we dated, I’d met them and seen them a few times. But that was a long time ago and, based on her dad’s glare, I thought maybe that bridge had been burned.
But Sam and Jill Davies were nothing but kind to me, after the initial stern glare from Sam when I arrived.
Maya's parents had gone all out, cooking all their best dishes. I was blown away by how amazing everything tasted. But what surprised me was how much Maya made an effort to include me in the conversation. She would make little jokes, causing us all to laugh together.
It was a welcome change from our usual time together where we struggled to hold entire conversations without choking or using Eli as a buffer. But it wasn't just the conversation that was making me feel giddy. It was the way Maya was looking at me.
Her eyes sparkled with genuine interest and curiosity as we talked, and I couldn't help but feel like I was finally making a connection with her. It was a feeling I had been craving for so long, and it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
After dinner, Maya and I took on the task of washing the dishes together. Eli went off to play with his grandparents in the living room, and it was just the two of us in the kitchen. We worked in comfortable silence, she washed, and I dried. It felt nice.
Maya’s hand brushed mine a few times, and I felt the sparks dance on my skin and shoot through my body. Close enough to get a hint of her familiar smell which made my body light up with awareness.
Maya shot me a small smile as she handed me the last plate to dry.
“Wanna go for a walk?” She bit her lower lip, undermining the casual tone in her voice.
“Sure, that sounds great.”
I grabbed our jackets and waited by the front door while Maya made sure Eli was doing okay with his grandparents.
Maya blew out a long breath as we made our way down the darkening street. The air was cooler now, with a slight breeze that made Maya’s hair dance, and I wished I could reach out and run my fingers through the soft strands.
We made some small talk. Maya asked about the time I spent with Eli. I realized how far the relationship I had with Eli had come. I knew his favorite ice cream (bubble gum), his favorite color (blue), and the sound of his giggles when we wrestled together.
We walked until we got to a park overlooking the river valley below and decided to sit on a park bench. We spent a few quiet moments just taking in the view when I heard Maya shift and take a deep breath.
“Jack, I just want to say the obvious. I’m sorry. That feels so weak, but I just don’t know what else to say. Seeing you with Eli…I just–I don’t–I’m just so sorry.”
“I can’t say it’s okay, Maya. Of course, I wish I’d had the last six years with Eli. But I also kind of get it. I gave you no reason to trust that I’d be there for you after I took off. I get it. How were you supposed to find me and tell me this huge news when I didn't even have the decency to close down our relationship the right way?" I looked at her and her eyes carried an element of surprise, like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "And believe me, it's not lost on me that you and your parents went through some hard times raising a baby. I'm sure it's not exactly what any of you were expecting you would have to do at that point in your lives. I have to be thankful that your parents supported you. So let’s just say we’ll work together to move forward?”
Maya looked up at me, her eyes shimmering. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, from the way her eyes twinkled and her plump lips parted, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
We were sitting close, our bodies barely inches apart. Every cell in mine felt drawn to Maya. My heart picked up speed and my fingers tingled with the need to touch her. There was nothing I could do. I was hopeless. Icravedher.
As she looked at me, I stopped thinking, leaned in, and kissed her. It was a soft, gentle kiss and I could feel the surprise on her lips. But it felt like an explosion inside of me. An explosion that when the pieces fell to the ground, they were laid out perfectly and just fit together.
Everything felt perfect, calm, and beautiful. The world made sense when my lips were pressed against Maya’s and she lifted her arms to wrap them around my neck. The heat from her body radiated through mine, feeling like the perfect weight blanket on a cool night.
I swept my tongue into her mouth, exploring her and tasting her. Finally, I let my hands comb through her hair the way they’d been longing to do.
I could feel the intensity of the moment, and I wanted nothing more than to stay in this blissful state forever.
My hands began to wander down her neck, and I could feel her heart racing in time with mine. She shivered as my fingertips grazed her skin, and I felt my entire body harden as she touched me in return. I pulled her closer, wanting to be as close to her as possible. I wanted to take this further, please her until she was a writhing mess under me.
I had no idea I had wanted this as much as I did until today.
I felt like a man dying of thirst in the desert who just had the first sweet drops of water from an oasis.
With the greatest effort ever recorded in the history of the world, I pulled away from Maya. I reminded myself that we were in a public park, barely a few blocks away from her parents' house. I had to get my shit together.
