Page 37 of Long Story Short

‘I don’t know; you’re quiet so I was worried.’

That made me smile. ‘I suppose I’m usually not great at letting silences drag on. But this was… nice.’

‘It’s nice being here with you,’ Jake agreed. His words made my heart stutter a little bit that he felt the same way I did.

‘You ever have a moment and wish you could just freeze it and let it exist for hours and hours?’ I asked.

Jake thought about my question for a couple of seconds. ‘Yeah, I do wish we could freeze moments sometimes but then if we could, would they stay special in our memories? Or are they special because they are fleeting and we never know when we’re going to have one or how long the moment will last? Maybe that makes us hang on tightly and enjoy it for as long as we are in it, right?’

I nodded slowly. ‘It’s true. I thought I’d like to keep this moment going for a long time but you’re right; it’s special because I know it has to end soon. And I need to make sure I remember it.’

‘I’m honoured this is a moment you want to remember.’

I tore my gaze from his eyes and looked back out at the Statue of Liberty. ‘I don’t often feel calm or at peace. I’m thinking at a hundred miles an hour most of the time. And talking at it too, as you know. But I felt it then. I feel it now.’

Jake exhaled loudly. ‘The fact that you feel calm with me… God, I want to kiss you again.’

I turned back to him. ‘Why don’t you?’ I challenged.

He smiled and leaned in to brush my lips with his. Then he kissed my cheek and slid down to my jaw, moving to kiss me under my ear and then down the side of my neck, making me sigh. He kissed back up my neck to my ear then leaned in to whisper, ‘Do you have any idea the hold you have over me already?’

I shivered with pleasure. I wanted to believe every sweet thing he said. He sounded so sincere. He made me feel so good. I could feel myself wanting to get carried away too. I had been looking for kisses and touches and moments like I had read about in romance novels. And now finally, here they were. How could I stop myself now?

His lips found mine again and this time, this kiss was even more passionate than it had been on the Bridge. Our lips met in a frenzy and I didn’t think I’d ever kissed a man with such abandon in public. But there was a magnetic pull between us and I was helpless to resist it. His lips pressed harder against me, his tongue searched for mine and his arms held me snug against him. I moved closer, wishing I could climb onto his lap and maybe I would have done if we had been in private. His tongue massaging mine turned me on more than I could have imagined.

When Jake broke from my lips, and moved back to kiss my neck, his hand reached for my hair, tugging it over to one side so it fell over my shoulder. The move surprised and thrilled me. I let out a soft moan.

‘That sound,’ Jake breathed into my ear, ‘might be my downfall.’

‘Jake,’ I breathed as he pulled my earlobe into his mouth and gave it a little suck. ‘Everyone can see us,’ I said, even though I wasn’t sure I actually minded one little bit.

‘Sorry, you’re right, I’ll stop.’ Jake pulled away and looked at me. ‘Shall we go somewhere else?’ He stroked my hair. ‘Anywhere you like?’

‘Anywhere?’ I asked, trying to focus my thoughts on his question but it wasn’t easy with my chest rising and falling with ragged breaths and my whole body humming with desire.

‘Hmm. Anywhere you want,’ he replied, giving me another soft kiss on my lips, staying close to me as his eyes searched mine. ‘What do you want to do, Freya?’

I thought about earlier when I wondered if he was going to suggest our hotel as our next destination. The words bubbled up and I couldn’t stop them. I craved Jake. My body was desperate for more of his kisses and touches. I mean, it had been a long time since it had had any and I needed more. ‘Let’s go back to our hotel,’ I said in a rush. My cheeks turned pink but I held his gaze as confidently as I could. I didn’t think I was at all seductive but I hoped Jake wanted this as much as I did.

Jake’s eyes darkened as he looked back at me, his eyes dropping to my mouth then back up to my eyes again. ‘That’s what you really want?’ he asked slowly.

I nodded.

‘But I know you were worried about what I’d overheard in your office: that I thought you might be easy…’

‘I’ll never really know if that made you think of me in that way more than you ever would have otherwise,’ I said. ‘But these kisses aren’t enough. I want more. I need more.’

‘You know I feel the same,’ he said in a low voice.

‘We don’t have long left in New York…’ I had no idea if there was even a possibility that this sudden and unexpected fire between us could continue past this trip and if not, would I regret not doing more than just kissing Jake? The answer was a resounding yes. ‘We should make the most of it.’

‘I feel like I never know what you will say or do next,’ Jake said, shaking his head. ‘And it’s addictive.’

‘So, yes to going back to our hotel?’ I bit my lip, hoping he wouldn’t reject me.

‘It was always a yes,’ he said. ‘I just wanted to be sure you were sure. We do whatever you want, okay? You just want a kiss and a cuddle, that’s more than enough for me…’ He held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me easily up off the bench with him. Then he put his fingers under my chin, tilting my face up towards his. ‘Okay?’

I nodded. ‘Anything I want.’ My mind was alive with delicious possibilities. It had been a long time since I felt this kind of desire for a man. It was heady. Exhilarating and terrifying. But one that I knew I would be forever pissed at myself if I ignored. ‘Maybe we should get a taxi,’ I added impatiently.

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