Page 66 of Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend

The world outside is lost to us, and each brush of his lips against mine sends tingles down my spine, igniting every part of me that has been waiting for this moment. His mouth is warm and soft, molding against mine as if it’s been waiting too. The taste of him—the sweetness of marshmallows from earlier—lingers on my tongue, making me crave more.

I never knew a kiss could feel like this, like falling and flying at the same time.

Like coming home.

I clutch at his shoulders as if he is my lifeline, and in that second, I realize he truly is. Perhaps he alwayshasbeen, but I’ve been too scared to see it. With every soft caress, every gentle push of his mouth against mine, he ushers me into a world where we exist solely for each other. I can feel his heart pulsing against my chest, and it matches the rhythm of my own, a drumbeat only we can hear.

His hands travel up and down my back, exploring the curve of my waist before he grasps my hips with a firm tenderness. I lift my chin and wrap my arms around his neck tight, needing to bridge the small space that still feels too wide, but the boundary only fuels the yearning inside me.

Jordan pauses for a moment, his forehead resting against mine. “I can’t believe this is real,” he murmurs, his voice low and thick like honey.

“It’s real.” And because I don’t want this moment to end, I kiss him again, more fervently this time, pouring every ounce of my love and longing into it. Our mouths move together, perfectly synchronized as if they were always meant to meld this way, like chocolate and peanut butter over a gentle flame.

I have never felt so utterly seen, so cherished as Jordan’s fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, as if he is afraid I might drift away.

As we pull apart briefly, he cups my cheek with his palm, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch. “Marilee,” he whispers, “you have to know that this doesn’t change anything… Except maybe everything.”

I nod, heart racing at his words. I don’t know what the future holds, what will happen after tonight, but I know that I want to be with him, whatever that means. “I know.”

He leans in again, and I can feel the heat radiating between us, the space that we’ve once kept so carefully defined now feeling impossibly small. The midwinter chill outside contrasts sharply with the warmth enveloping this tent—and I am here for it one thousand percent.

Jordan’s heated palms drift from my hips to press against the small of my back, guiding me gently off his lap as he lowers me delicately onto the mattress, his body hovering over mine but not pressing down. Every brush of his skin against me sends shivers through my body. I run my fingers down his arms, feeling the muscles ripple beneath his shirt, marveling at how right this feels. At how well we fit.

The stars outside highlight the scruff on his jaw that only adds to his rugged charm. I can’t help but touch his cheek, feeling the faint stubble beneath my fingertips—a reminder that this moment is real and tangible. That it exists. That we exist. That we are alive.

That we are in love.

And yet…

His head dips to kiss behind my ear. My eyes flutter shut, because it feels amazing. But I finally force them open and whisper, “Jay.”

He sits up on an elbow, his breathing labored. “Yeah?”

“Can we…” My eyes blink into the dim light. It’s like coming back to myself. “It’s just…I know we’re technically married, and with that might come certain…um, expectations. But this is still new.”

His look softens, and there’s a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “You want to take it slow.”

“Yes,” I breathe, relief flooding through me. “I’m not saying never. Just…”

“Not right now. I understand completely.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure.” With that, he leans in for another kiss. It’s feather-light but filled with warmth—and over far too soon when he lies back down beside me and tucks me into his side. “I want to savor every moment with you, Lee. We don’t have to rush a thing. Just kissing you is more than I ever dreamed possible.”

“Thank you.” I should have known this would be his reaction, because whether he’s my friend Jordan or my husband Jordan…he’s still just Jordan. A good man. The best man. My protector. My champion. “So, what now?”

“Now, we look at the stars.”

“And maybe kiss a little more?” I say playfully, pinching his side.

Groaning, he slicks a hand down his face. “Woman, you’re killing me, you know that?”

“You love it.”

“I loveyou,” he says, and the conviction in his tone is like a tuning fork to my heart, making it sing. “And as fornow…now I get to date my wife.”

His wife. Wow. How strange…and yet, wonderful. I think. It’s been an unconventional path, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Right?

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