Page 39 of One Hundred Merry Memories

At Trevi’s, they found themselves lost in an intimate world of their own. The mouth-watering steak mingled with the sweet scent of burning wood, enveloping them in a cocoon of comfort. Their conversation flowed as easy as a mountain stream.

A shared dish of creamy mashed potatoes led to their hands brushing against each other. The contact was electric, a charge that coursed through them, leaving a lingering sense of connection and want.

Throughout their meal, a sense of heightened awareness persisted. Each word Jackson said was laced with a gentle innuendo that pulled her in like a magnet, their words filled with subtle hints and secret winks.

The thought of sharing dessert, a creamy, decadent chocolate mousse, promised more than just a sweet finish to their meal. Each glance exchanged over the shared treat spoke volumes, a silent understanding sealed with every taste savored from their spoons.

The taste of the bittersweet and rich mousse was nothing compared to the charged atmosphere between them. The way Jackson’s eyes tracked her as she savored the dessert was more intoxicating than the wine. And when he licked his spoon, a hint of chocolate on his lips, it was all she could do to remain seated.

Under the table, his foot brushed against hers. It was accidental, just a shift of his weight, but the connection sent jolts up her spine that pooled in her core. The touch hinted at what was to come, a temptation that urged her to explore further.

The drive back was pure torture. Every shared glance, every unspoken word, was filled with promise. Their interaction at dinner had shifted something and altered the chemistry between them. As they pulled up to the cabin, both knew they were on the cusp of something electric, an exploration of longing as sweet as the mousse they had shared.

The moment the truck parked, a breathless silence took over. A moment suspended in time strung between what was and what would be.

Jackson turned off the engine, but neither moved. They remained seated in the warm cab, the sounds of the night seeping in through the closed windows. The rustling of the wind through the trees, the hoot of an owl somewhere in the distance, and the occasional crunch of leaves under the feet of night critters.

Without uttering a word, he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch lingered, tracing the curve of her ear, trailing down to rest on her shoulder. Her breath hitched. She could feel the heat of his palm through her sweater, a comforting pressure that was at once grounding and exhilarating.

In the privacy of the truck, away from the world’s prying eyes, she turned toward him. Their faces were close. She could see the flecks of gold in his eyes.

His hand moved from her shoulder, trailing down her arm to catch her hand in his. He lifted it, pressing a soft kiss on her knuckles. It was a simple gesture, but it left heat coursing through her veins, leaving her breathless.

“Let’s go inside,” he suggested in a whisper, as if afraid to break the enchanting spell woven around them.

Nodding, she followed him out of the truck, up the steps, and into the cabin.

Inside, their shared space seemed different. Every corner was laden with a new meaning and a feeling of expectation. The living room where they’d shared countless conversations now seemed to hold a different purpose altogether. The couch, their bedrooms—all paled in significance to what was about to happen.

Jackson was the first to break the silence. “Amanda,” he whispered, his voice rough with a raw need mirroring her own. The sound of her name on his lips was a sweet melody, sending shivers down her spine. He reached out to her, pulling her closer, his eyes never leaving hers.

When their lips met, it was like the culmination of every shared smile, every stolen glance, every innuendo-filled conversation. The kiss was a delicious exploration, a slow dance that swept them off their feet.

He pulled back. “More?”

She wasn’t sure if it was a question or a request, and it didn’t matter. All she could do was nod.

Seconds later, they found themselves in her bedroom, their clothes discarded in a trail that led to her bed. The heat of his flesh against hers was like liquid fire, filling her with a desire that stretched through her body. Her nipples hardened, and a deep longing settled between her legs.

His lips traveled down the length of her neck, finding the sensitive spots that made her moan out loud. She lifted to meet his tongue as he explored further—kissing and licking every inch of her body until she trembled beneath him.

He seemed to know every place to touch that took her closer and closer to the edge.

She gasped at the new sensation and arched into him as his fingers caressed and teased until she could no longer take it. “Please,” she begged.

He responded by pushing himself deep inside her—thrusting slowly and steadily into the depths of her being until all thought fell away, and they moved together as one. Every movement heightened their pleasure until it reached its peak with an explosion of light and ecstasy that left them both trembling in its wake.

Jackson’s deep voice reverberated through the quiet room as they lay entangled in the soft linen sheets. “I’m glad I found you,” he murmured, his fingers tracing patterns on her back.

A chuckle bubbled from her throat. Her voice was tired yet playful. “Oh, you found me? If I recall correctly, I was already at the cabin when you showed up.”

Jackson’s low laugh echoed in the dark room, making her heart flutter. “Fair point,” he conceded, his tone light and teasing. “Then we can agree that it’s good we found each other.”

A comfortable silence settled around them, filled only by their soft breaths and the beating of two hearts drawing closer in the quiet darkness. It was a declaration of more than just shared desire; it was an acknowledgment of a bond that had formed, a bond that was beginning to feel a lot like love.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

Days had passed since that blissful night, a series of sunrises and sunsets. Each day, they woke in each other’s arms, pulling them closer together. He’d rise before her to feed the animals and make coffee. She’d get up shortly after to help make breakfast. They’d sit together and discuss their day, with him tackling a project in the cabin before he went to work at the brewhouse. Amanda had a cup of coffee or two before she’d sit at the desk by the window and marvel at how perfect that tree in her yard was, but days ago, she stopped calling it her yard and started to refer to it as theirs which always filled him to the brim with joy.

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