Page 53 of When We Are Complete

There’s something else in her eyes—a flicker of concern she’s not voicing yet. “Did you get a chance to talk to Jenny about Adele? About… keeping an eye on her?”

I rub the back of my neck. “Not yet, but I will. The most important thing is that Adele knows she’s got a steady foundation. We’ve always made sure of that, you know? Whatever teenage stuff she’s going through, we’ll get through it.”

There’s so much I can’t control. But what I can control is making sure I’m there for my daughter.

Kelly bites her lip, clearly not entirely convinced. “What about your dad? It’s a shame he couldn’t make it.”

I stiffen for a second, my fingers squeezing just a little around her waist. “He was working, you know. Won’t retire, no matter how much I try to talk him into it. He’s always trying to make up for the past, for when we almost lost the house. But I don’t really want to talk about that.” My voice drops, and I close the space between us, leaning in to kiss her.

The second my lips meet hers, everything else fades—there are no Adele worries, no dad issues, just Kelly. I pull her closer, my hands sliding around her back as the kiss deepens. It’s slow at first, tender, but there’s an urgency beneath it, a need that’s been building all week, since that day we spent together at the cabin in the Pine Barrens.

She melts into me, her fingers curling in my shirt, and all I can think is that I don’t want to let her go ever again. I break the kiss, just enough to rest my forehead against hers. “You have no idea how much I’ve been thinking about you.”

She doesn’t respond with words, just kisses me again, and we’re picking up exactly where we left off all those years ago. I hold her, savoring it, the closeness. The truth is right there,rising to the surface, pressing against everything I’d promised myself about going slow, about giving her space. And right now, with her in my arms, it’s impossible to keep the words in any longer.

“Kelly,” I say, my hand sliding up to cup her cheek, my thumb brushing the soft skin just to the side of her mouth. “I know we’re taking this slow, and I don’t want to push you. But I need you to know… I love you. I always have. And if that’s too much right now, I understand. But it’s the truth, and I can’t keep it to myself any longer.”

She looks at me, her eyes widening, and for a heartbeat, I worry I might’ve gone too far. But then a soft smile spreads across her face, and her eyes shine just a little brighter, her hand slipping around to rest on the back of my neck.

“It’s not too much,” she says, her voice barely a whisper. “It’s exactly what I needed to hear.” Her fingers tighten slightly. “I love you too, Jake. I think I always have… and maybe I always will.”

The words hit me in a rush, filling every part of me with this fierce need to hold her close and make up for all the time we lost. I kiss her again, deeply, letting every emotion I’ve kept buried come to the surface. It’s not a question anymore—it’s a promise. We’ve come full circle, but this time, neither of us is going anywhere.

She pulls back just slightly, still close enough for our lips to brush. “So, what now?” she asks.

“Now?” My fingers trace along her jaw. “Now I’m going to give you the most intense orgasm of your life. Whatever else life throws at us, we face it together.”

She laughs. “All of that sounds pretty good.”

Chapter 30

Jake

Kelly’s lipsslant against mine with an intensity that tells me she’s got the same kind of need coursing through me.

It’s just Kelly and me, finding our rhythm again.

“God, Kelly,” I murmur against her mouth, my hands roaming over her back, pulling her closer until she’s damn near sitting on my hips.

Her soft moan is music, drowning out the nagging voices of responsibility that usually takes up residence in my head. For once, I want to forget about being the dutiful dad, the reliable friend, the guy who keeps his head down and business afloat. I want to remember reckless, wild-hearted Jake who doesn’t always play it safe, who takes what he wants.

And what I want is right here, legs swinging off the edge of my kitchen bench.

“Come with me.” My voice is low, urgent, as I slide my hands under her thighs and lift. Her legs lock around my waist and she clings to me as though she’s afraid I’ll drop her, but that’s notgonna happen. Not tonight. Not ever again if I have anything to say about it.

We navigate through the silent house—a path I’ve walked a million times, but never like this, with Kelly against my chest—and into the bedroom that’s seen too many lonely nights. Gently, I lay her down on the bed.

“Jake...” Her voice is a whisper.

“Shh,” I soothe, leaning down to press kisses along her collarbone, taking my sweet time with each button on her blouse, revealing a white tank top underneath. I pull it up and over her head to find a simple white cotton bra and more of the pale, creamy skin I’ve been dreaming of. “Let me take care of you.”

Her breath hitches when I roll her gently to the side and unclip her bra, before pulling it off her and casting it aside, hungry eyes drinking in the perfect sight of her. I lower my head, tasting the valley between her breasts, before my tongue lazily strokes each nipple to a pebbled peak. Slowly, I slide the rest of her clothes off with a patience I didn’t know I possessed. There’s reverence in each touch—I’m worshiping every part of her.

“Tell me what you want, Kel,” I rasp against her skin, the rough of my stubbled cheek scraping against the inside of her thighs as my mouth hovers just near her pussy, my breath hot and wanting.

“Your mouth,” she gasps, and that’s all I need.

I move my head up and trail kisses across her stomach, lower and lower, until I reach the place where she’s wet and waiting. The first flick of my tongue has her arching off the bed, her fingers tangling in my hair, guiding me, silently begging me to keep going.

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