Page 47 of Hometown Heart

"Thank you," I said. "For helping clean up."

Jack nodded, taking a step closer. "Seemed like the right thing to do."

"You didn't have to stay. I'm sure you've got better things to do on a Friday night."

"No." His response was immediate. "I don't."

My fingers gripped the edge of the counter behind me, seeking something solid. He was on his own for the rest of the evening.

Jack took another step forward. "That was a good poem that you read."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Another step. "Brave."

A brittle laugh escaped me. "I'm not feeling brave."

"No? Putting your feelings out there for everyone to hear seems pretty brave to me."

I swallowed hard, caught between an impulse to run and the desperate need to stay exactly where I was and see what would happen between the two of us. So many words on the tip of my tongue…

Jack stared into my eyes, unflinching. "That was about me, wasn't it?"

He waited and gave me plenty of space to answer.

"Yeah."

The single word was the simple truth.

Jack nodded once as if that word was all he'd been waiting for. He raised his right hand, hesitating for a moment before resting it against the side of my neck, his thumb brushing lightly along my jaw.

"I wanted to be sure."

"And now?"

Instead of answering, Jack closed the remaining distance between us. His lips found mine in a kiss that held nothing back. It didn't raise any more questions. It was a clear, unmistakable answer.

His mouth was warm, tasting faintly of coffee. My hands found their way to his shoulders, clutching the soft wool of his sweater as the world around us disappeared.

The kiss deepened, slow but certain. My back pressed against the counter as Jack's fingers raked into my hair, cradling the back of my head. Years of holding back and watching from the sidelines dissolved in the heat between us.

When we finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Jack stared into my eyes. "I've wanted to kiss like this since you handed me that first cup of coffee."

"Should've done it sooner."

He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "You weren't ready."

"Has that changed?"

"Yes." He brushed his thumb across my bottom lip, a gentle barely-there touch. "Now, I think maybe we're both ready."

Outside, the snow fell harder, dancing in swirls that matched the emotions inside me. Main Street had emptied, the familiar storefronts dark and shuttered against the night. It was just us, suspended in an inevitable moment.

"Cody's at Tyler's," Jack said quietly, his eyes never leaving mine. "For the night."

His implication was clear. There was no rush to get home and no reason to part ways.

My breath was shaky when I spoke. "My place is upstairs."

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