Page 56 of When We Are Complete

We make our way across the field toward the lighthouse, the setting sun stretching our shadows long and thin. The sky’s ablaze with purples and oranges, and the harbor has been whipped into a frenzy with the wind. With the stark white of the lighthouse rising up in front of us, it’s the kind of view that makes me think of cozy winter fires and fluffy blankets. I glance at Jake, picturing the two of us wrapped up under a soft cable knit throw.

“It’s getting cold.” My breath fogs in front of me as we near the parking lot.

“Here,” Jake says, voice all low and close as he grabs my hand and tugs me toward the lighthouse, out of sight from the bustling crew. Then his arms are around me, shielding me from the wind’s bite, a human fortress. And just like that, the cold’s got nothing on me.

“Better?” he asks, and I can only nod, caught up in him, the solid presence of Jake Tanner reminding me of all the reasons I let myself fall for him once upon a time. And why I’ve fallen for him now.

“Good.” He leans forward, his lips crashing against mine, and the world doesn’t just blur—it spins. There’s a ferocity in his kiss that tells me how much he wants me, while his arms, strong and reassuring, wrap around me.

“God, Kelly,” he breathes against my mouth, and I shiver—not from the cold. “I’ve been thinking about this, about you, every damn day since the weekend.”

“Me too,” I confess, and it’s true—every night, after spending too long exchanging sexy text messages with Jake—I close my eyes and there he is, taking up space in my head.

He leans in again, kissing me, his calloused hands everywhere, reminding me that this man works, builds, creates. Our kiss deepens. He’s trying to make up for lost time, and I’m right there with him.

In the tiny pause when we come up for air, his voice rumbles low, sending vibrations through my core. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself on the weekend when Adele’s at her mom’s.” The words are laced with longing, and I feel them deep in my bones.

“Me too.”

He kisses me again, and for once, I’m not planning or controlling—I’m just living in the raw edge of the moment with him.

“Let’s make it unforgettable,” he says. “I’m going to spend the entire night making you feel good. We’re not leaving the bedroom for any reason, so make sure you’re well hydrated before you come over.”

“You’re not even going to let me drink water?”

His hand moves between my legs, skimming the outside of my jeans. “Only if you’re a very good girl.”

We linger, kissing and copping touches through our winter clothing, breathing each other. We’re both about to be underwater for a long time, and oxygen is scarce. Then he pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, his forehead resting against mine, both of us catching our breath.

“I just had a good idea.” His voice is a little hoarse. “How about you have lunch with me and Adele on Saturday before she goes to her mom’s?”

I blink, the idea catching me off guard. “You sure about that? Do you think Adele’s ready for that? I mean, what are you gonna introduce me as? Just a friend, or...?”

Jake laughs softly, running a thumb across my cheek in that way that makes my heart trip over itself. “I’m introducing you as my girlfriend. Because that’s what you are, right?”

It’s ridiculous how much my stomach flips at that word.Girlfriend. Like I’m back in high school or something. But I don’t care. It makes me stupidly happy. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

He pulls me closer. “You are,” he says firmly. “And it’s gonna be fine. Adele’s a smart kid, and she knows I’m always gonna be here for her. She’s secure in that. She won’t be threatened.”

I can tell how much he believes it. “Have you introduced lots of girlfriends to her?” My tone’s light, teasing, but there’s a little flicker of curiosity, maybe even doubt, beneath it.

Jake laughs, shaking his head. “No. You’re the first.”

That throws me for a second. “The first?”

His expression softens into something more serious. “Yeah. But this isn’t some new thing. We’ve known each other for a long time, Kel. I know how I feel about you. How I never stopped feeling about you.”

He’s right, I realize. This isn’t just some fling. We’ve got history, years of it. And maybe that’s why having lunch with his daughter isn’t that big a deal, especially after everything went so well at her party.

I rest my head against his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat grounding me. “Yeah. You’re right.”

Jake tilts my chin up with a finger, brushing a kiss across my lips. “It’s gonna work out.”

I believe him more than I thought I would. Jake’s lips graze mine one final time before I pull back. The sun’s dipping lower, the light fading. “I better go.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.” His eyes are locked onto mine, dark, intense, full of things unsaid because Jake Tanner isn’t a man of many words—unless they’re about wood grains or the right way to hammer a nail.

We walk back to my car, where his hand slides to the curve of my hip, his fingers tracing small, lazy circles that send a shiver through me, a gentle touch that’s somehow more intoxicating than any kiss.

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