Page 44 of When We Are Complete

“Sorry,” he chuckled nervously, tearing the packet with careful precision. “It’s just I want this to be perfect for you.”

It was endearing, really, how that confident, no-nonsense guy had turned into a bundle of nerves over a condom.

“Jake, it’s already perfect,” I assured him, reaching up to touch his lips.

As he positioned himself, his expression was more vulnerable than I’d ever seen. He pushed inside me slowly, and it was a collision of new sensations—a sharp intake of breath, the sting of pain mingled with pleasure. His brow furrowed, eyes locked on mine, seeking silent reassurance.

“Is it okay?” he asked, every ounce of him focused on my responses.

“Okay? It’s great,” I managed between shallow breaths.

It was clumsy, yes, and over far quicker than either of us would have liked. But in that brief moment, our first time together, there was a sense of rightness, of pieces falling into place.

Jake had collapsed beside me and we lay there in the tangled sheets, closer than we had ever been. He turned to me, his expression sheepish. “We’ll get better at it,” he promised, kissing my forehead.

“Practice makes perfect,” I teased, snuggling into his side, the soft of his skin against mine. He looked at me then, really looked at me, like I was the single best person he’d ever met, then he leaned in and kissed me on the side of the face, tracing the line of my jaw.

Even though so much has changed since then, some things are etched into the fabric of who we are. And lying here now, with the memory of that first time lingering, and the solid heat of him next to me… some threads are too strong to ever fully unravel.

Chapter 25

Jake

The dayafter that perfect fucking day in the Pine Barrens with Kelly, I wake to the sound of rain still hammering against the roof. But no storm or rain will bring me down: I’m grinning like a fool as I jump out of bed, on top of the world as I get ready for work. Adele’s sleeping at Jenny’s, so it’s just me and Tiger.

I’ve got a lot to do today: some hours at the workshop, paperwork that seems to multiply overnight, and errands after work—Adele’s birthday bash is this weekend and I’ve got to get everything squared away.Fourteen. Jesus, where does the time go? I’m determined to make it perfect for her. After all, isn’t that what dads do?

And so far, her good mood about her birthday has continued. I’m hoping this is a turning point, that we can put her school issues behind us. But even the thought of everything we’ve been going through with Adele can’t dampen my good mood. Not today.

“Busy day today, bud,” I tell Tiger as I head to the kitchen and scarf down some cereal. He comes closer, probably figuring I’m talking about extra treats. “And guess what? Things are finally looking up with Kelly Charleston. Can you believe that?” Tiger just blinks, unimpressed, but I grin away, a bounce in my step.

Done with breakfast, I check my watch. I’ve got twenty minutes or so before I need to leave, and I stretch out on the sofa for a brief, indulgent moment, replaying everything that happened yesterday, my mind spinning in circles. I feel so bad for Kelly that she lost her mom. Really truly bad. But being with her… God, it just felt so good. So right.

It’s ridiculous, but I’m like a damn teenager all over again—restless, heart racing, every thought filled with her.Kelly Charleston.

I won’t get time to call her until late tonight, and I can’t wait that long to hear her voice, so I grab my phone and bring up her name, not even caring if I look too eager. It’s early, but Kelly’s up at dawn—she’s got that driven streak in her, can’t sit still for too long. Me? I’m restless for an entirely different reason.

“Hey, are you awake?” I ask when she picks up, trying to keep my voice casual, even though my heart’s doing somersaults.

“Jake? Yeah, I’m up. Is everything okay?”

I hesitate for a second. “I just wanted to check on you. See how you are after, you know, yesterday? It was kind of unexpected for both of us.”

There’s a pause. Long enough to make me think I’ve said the wrong thing, called too soon, let the big emotions I have for her get in the way of my common sense.

“I had a great time with you yesterday. A really good time, actually, but we’re still working together, and we can’t let things get complicated.”

“We’ll take it slow. Whatever you need.” I swallow, my throat dry. “Look, I screwed up before. I get that. But things aredifferent now. I’ve changed. I wouldn’t hurt you again. I swear. I just want to take care of you, be there for you, which you deserve.”

Another pause, but this time it’s shorter. “Okay,” she says, softer now.

“I don’t expect you to trust me right away,” I say, settling back against the cushion behind my head. “I just want an opportunity to show you I mean what I say. We don’t have to rush anything, but I’m all in. There is no one else and there can never be anyone else when you’re here.” You’re theonlywoman for me. From now until always.

She’s quiet for a moment, and I can almost hear her thinking. “There’s no one else for me, either Jake, and I want this, too. I just need to keep things in perspective, you know? We’ve got work to do, and I can’t let emotions cloud that. But I do want to give this a chance. We just both need to respect the ground rules. Okay? When we’re at work, it’s just work. And we’re honest with each other. About everything.”

She wants to give things between us a chance! A proper chance. Fuck yeah!

“Okay,” I say, trying to sound casual. “That all sounds great and I agree with the rules. So, when can I see you again? Are you free later tonight?”

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