Page 95 of Second Chance Vacation

“—how in love with you I am.”

She says it so nonchalantly, but the moment the words leave her mouth, my eyes instantly dart to hers. There is no way I heard her right.

“What?”

I’m in utter disbelief that I heard her correctly. My palms are drenched in sweat as I fight the urge to pull my hand from hers and wipe it on my dress pants.

“I love you, Jackson,” Gen says as she clears her throat, stopping mid-dance to stare at me, but she doesn’t move away from me or the dance floor. “I’m sorry it took me so long to get there. I think I’ve always been there—always loved you, I mean. I was just scared.”

She’s saying everything I’ve ever wanted to hear, but all I can think about is how I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’m stuck here, waiting with bated breath for the ‘but’ of her sentence.

“—but…”

I cringe at the sound of the word until I realize it came from my mouth. As if my response unsteadies her, a single tear falls down Gen’s cheek, leaving me instinctively catching it with my thumb.

“I’m so sorry, Jackson.” Gen’s voice cracks, and without a second thought, I move forward, melding my lips to her own. Somehow, despite everything, I’m reminded that I am thoroughly incapable of not giving in to her.

My arms wrap around her waist as I pull her to me, not caring at all that we’re in a room filled with people, people who are here to celebrate our best friends’ marriage, not watch us make out in the middle of the dance floor.

“Got something for dancing, Thatcher-Miles?” Gen smirks as she pulls away to look at me.

“With you…definitely.”

The sound of a throat clearly jerks our attention to Wes and Savannah, both of which are staring at us with shit-eating grins on their faces.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.” Savannah laughs, looking to Wes, then back to Gen and me. “Just that I was right…and that Gen now owes me fifty bucks.”

Gen’s head jerks to look directly at Savannah.

“That is wildly out of context.”

“Not really. I mean, you said you and Jackson wouldn’t happen. I said wanna bet on it…you said sure, why not, and now you owe me fifty bucks.”

I roll my eyes as I reach into my wallet, grab a fifty and slap it in Savannah’s open palm.

“There, now leave us alone.”

Grabbing Gen’s hand, I lead her across the dance floor and out into the hallway, Savannah’s maniacal laugh following us away from the hall. The moment we find an empty room, I’m pushing her inside and lifting her onto the table directly by the door.

“What if someone see—”

Muffling her question with my mouth, I feel her melt into me on contact, her words dying in thin air. I trail my lips down her neck, swirling my tongue as I go. This causes a soft moan to leave her lips, causing a grin to spread across my face.

“I want to hear it again…”

“Hear what?”

“You know what…”

Gen looks at me, perplexed, and I watch the moment she realizes what I mean.

“Oh—” she quietly whispers to herself, a smile appearing on her lips. She tilts her head up, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. “I love you…”

She kisses my cheek. “I love you…”

She kisses my neck. “I love you…”

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