Page 28 of One Hundred Merry Memories

"Amanda," Jackson said, his voice heavy with emotion. He reached up and guided her chin toward him until their eyes met. "Stop cooking for now and look at me."

She stared into his eyes—pools of hazel lit by fiery flecks of amber. She didn't see dismissal in them. She didn't see anything but affection.

"You know, when a person says we need to talk, it—"

Jackson growled before he wrapped his hand around the back of her head, and in one swift motion, his lips didn't land on her cheek like earlier but landed on her lips. The kiss was quick and passionate, and her heart stuttered in surprise. His lips were cool from the outside but quickly heated as they moved against hers in a gentle rhythm.

She snaked her arms around his neck as if by instinct and leaned into him with a sigh of contentment. Jackson deepened the kiss, exploring every corner of her mouth. She could feel the tension leaving her body as she allowed herself to enjoy the moment without fear or worry about what he wanted to discuss. At this moment, nothing else mattered except for them.

Jackson broke away with a satisfied smile before pulling back to look into Amanda's eyes again. He leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her forehead before speaking.

"The hell with talking," he whispered into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She smiled up at him before burying her face into his chest in embarrassment, and dismissing the idea that Jackson wanted to end their budding relationship over a kiss.

He chuckled lightly before bringing his hands up to stroke her hair, and they stood there, enjoying each other's presence, and allowing all worries to slip away once more.

Amanda leaned back from Jackson's embrace to look up at him, her cheeks flushed. She was rarely at a loss for words, but that kiss had left her speechless.

"I thought you were going to tell me that..." She trailed off, unsure how to finish her sentence.

Jackson smiled down at her. His eyes were alight with emotion. He shook his head before leaning forward and placing another gentle kiss on her forehead.

“No, I wasn't planning to share anything except how much I like you." His voice was full of sincerity. "But I didn't know if you were experiencing the same pull."

She grinned. "And now that we've kissed?"

Jackson's eyes gleamed as he looked down at her, a gentle smile on his lips. "Now I know you feel it too." He trailed his fingers across her cheek, adding, "You know what they say, show, don't tell."

Being a writer, she lived by those words. "Now what?"

He looked over her shoulder at the baked ziti warming on the stovetop. "We eat," he said with a grin.

Amanda laughed and stepped away from him, feeling light-hearted and truly happy. She scooped out two plates full of ziti and handed one to Jackson before leading him into the living room, where they settled onto the couch together.

As they ate their dinner in comfortable silence, Amanda knew something special was happening between them, something that would last much longer than the evening's meal or tonight's conversation.

After they finished eating, Jackson stood up and returned both plates to the kitchen, where he cleaned them and put them away. He returned to take her hand and walk her to her room. At her door, her heart thudded. Was he expecting more? Did she want more?

He smiled at her and kissed her lips before stepping back. "Goodnight," he said.

She looked up at him, heat rising to her cheeks as she nodded in response before quietly opening the door and slipping inside. He turned away and strode down the hallway, his broad shoulders seeming even wider in the narrow hall.

Amanda closed her door and leaned against it. She breathed deeply, allowing the evening's events to sink in before changing out of her clothes and climbing into bed. She lay there for what seemed like hours, feeling every emotion that had coursed through her during that kiss—fear that it would end all too soon, then excitement when it seemed like it would never end—as if all things were possible at that moment.

Amanda lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Despite her exhaustion, sleep seemed like a distant dream. All she could think about was that kiss as she replayed the moment repeatedly.

She removed her blankets and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She knew exactly who she wanted to talk to—Meg. She quickly punched out a single line of text before hitting send.

I kissed him.

Within seconds, Amanda's phone lit up with a response.

Holy cow! Details!!

Amanda chuckled at her best friend's eagerness. She swiftly tapped her fingers on the keys, moving them across the keyboard.

Amanda's response was filled with playful exaggeration and comedic flair.

Prepare yourself for the epic tale, my dear Meg. It was like a scene out of a romance novel, complete with a swoon-worthy hero, a kitchen transformed by his domestic prowess, and a kiss that made me question if gravity still applied.

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