Page 63 of Stay for Me
“You know that the rumors are going to fly about us now.” Jacob leans back, his arm going behind me.
“They already are.”
“The perks of a small town.”
I grip the bar in front of me to keep from nestling myself against him. I want to. Oh, how much I want it, but I need to know what this is before we go down any road.
“What are we doing, Jacob?”
“Riding the Ferris wheel.”
I laugh softly. “You know that’s not what I’m asking.”
“I’m not sure,” he admits and then leans up, taking my hands in his before locking his gaze with mine. “I promised myself that I wouldn’t feel this way. I have talked to my brothers and my publicist about how I know that my feelings for you are unfair. I’m leaving in a few months. I have a contract and a ridiculous filming schedule. The press. Crazy fans who are delusional about the amount of say they have in my life. None of that is fair to you. I’m able to live a very quiet existence in Sugarloaf because this town isn’t impressed with me. The rest of the world thinks I’m hiding away in Canada. When I step back into the life I have, all the fucked-up shit comes with it. So, I’m not sure what we’re doing, but I like you. I want to kiss you, touch you, be around you, and hear your voice. I wanted to direct a play just to make you and your kid happy. Whatever we’re doing is up to you.”
With my heart pounding so hard it might leave my chest, I lean forward and press my lips to his.
Chapter Sixteen
Jacob
The second her lips touch mine, it’s like I become someone else. My hand cups her face, tilting it so I can get a better angle. I kiss her like I’m a man who has gone without seeing the sun and is getting his first glimpse of the light. Her hands rest on my chest, and she lets out a breathy moan. I feel us move up a little higher, and I hope the view of us is obstructed enough that the entire town can’t see me kissing her.
I’m not sure I would care if they could, though, since I never want this kiss to stop.
As we glide around, I feel us starting to descend and pull back. “Brenna.”
Her lips are a little swollen, and her chest is heaving. “I’m . . .”
“Don’t say sorry. I’m only sorry we’re on a ride and about to go back down where too many people might see. Including your kids.”
That causes her to move farther back, hand on those lips I just kissed. “Oh my God.”
I look around, seeing we’re still not that close to the bottom. No one seems to be staring, which is either very good or they’re trying not to appear like they saw. We go back around again, the wheel moving swiftly past the loading and unloading ramp since I bought five seats on the ride.
I watch the people and see the kids below, waving frantically. I lift my hand back to them and smile.
“I think we’re fine,” I tell her.
“I kissed you.”
I raise a brow. “That you did, beautiful.”
“I-I kissed you. Like, I just . . . kissed you.”
“Brenna . . .”
She sits back, her eyes wide as she looks straight ahead. “I don’t know what to say.”
“This is the first time I’ve ever had someone react this way,” I admit. “I’m not sure if I should be flattered my kiss left you a mess or worried.”
“It was a good kiss,” she admits.
“Yes, it was.”
“I am just shocked that I did that.”
I lean close, so she can feel the honesty in my words. “I liked it, and I’d very much like to kiss you again.”
