Page 62 of Since the Day We Kissed

Almost of their own accord, her arms wound around his neck, fingers threading through the soft hair at the nape. “Ethan.”

For a heartbeat, the world held still—and then his lips met hers.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but like a spark to dry tinder, it quickly ignited into something more. Heat surged through Kara, every nerve awakening as Ethan’s arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her against him.

Years of unspoken longing poured into that kiss. Kara’s knees weakened as Ethan’s lips moved against hers with a passion that made her head spin. She tasted the salt of the ocean on his lips and breathed in the spicy, woodsy scent of his cologne, carried by the breeze. Her fingers tightened in his hair as wave after wave of sensation flooded her senses, each more intoxicating than the last.

Gradually, the world around her came back into focus—the crash of waves, the call of seagulls, the warmth of the sun on their skin. Kara slowly opened her eyes, finding Ethan’s gaze fixed on her, a mix of wonder and happiness etched across his features.

“Wow,” Ethan breathed, his arms still wrapped around her.

Kara felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “Yeah, wow.”

A wet nose nudging against her leg interrupted the moment.

BARK! BARK!

She pulled back, breathless, and looked down at the dog, then back to Ethan.

“We should get back,” Kara said, trying to get her breathing under control.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Ethan smiled, handing her the phone, then pulling the leash from his pocket and clipping it to Benny’s collar. “Time to hit the road, buddy.”

Kara hesitated before returning his smile as they started toward the truck. His smile reminded her of the girl she once was, of a happiness she'd convinced herself she could live without.

Their hands brushed lightly as they walked side by side and once back in the truck, Kara opened the window, letting the wind breeze over her warm cheeks. She pulled out her phone and turned on the screen. As soon as it came on, it went black.

Kara groaned, staring at her blank phone screen. “Ugh, seriously? My phone’s dead. Gotta have it working for the rescue, in case—”

“I get it.” Ethan chuckled, nodding to the glove compartment. “Pretty sure there’s a charger in there.”

“Thanks.” Kara popped open the glove box and reached into it, her fingers brushing past the charger, but something else caught her eye—a glimpse of faded white, buried beneath a stack of old papers.

Her heart stuttered.

Slowly, she pushed the papers aside, revealing the tattered edges. But the image on the Polaroid was unmistakable: her and Ethan, standing on the beach, twenty years ago.

A soft, involuntary gasp escaped Kara’s lips.

He kept it?

At the bottom, in faded ink, it read:Since the day we kissed, I’ve carried you with me—every step, every mile.

Before she could fully process it, Ethan’s voice pulled her back. “Find it?”

Kara slipped the photo back into place in a rush. “Yeah, got it,” she said, closing the compartment and plugging in her phone.

The rest of the drive back to the rescue passed in comfortable silence. Once there, Kara led a contented Benny back to his kennel, giving him an extra pat and a quiet “good boy” before closing the gate. She lingered for a moment, memories old and new swirling in her mind.

As she walked into the lobby, Ethan fell in step beside her.

“Hey, want me to upload those photos now? It might be good to update the website too and make a social post about—”

“Ethan,” she cut him off, her stomach tightening. He was so invested in the rescue, so eager to help. Yet here she was, holding onto a secret that could turn his life upside down. She couldn’t keep it from him any longer. Not after all this time. “Can you sit down for a sec?”

Ethan paused before sitting on a small bench by the lobby desk. “Sure.”

Her gut twisted again, urging her to act. He had a right to know, no matter what her dad had said.

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