Previously: Chapter 2 – Undeniable Attraction
As the golden desert sun ascended over the shimmering neon skyline, Lila stirred awake in the tangled sheets, a languid smile on her lips. She rolled over to find Jake already awake, propped up on one elbow and watching her with an adoring gleam in his cerulean eyes.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, tracing a fingertip along the delicate line of her cheekbone. “Sleep well?”
Lila stretched like a contented cat, the sweet soreness in her muscles a pleasant reminder of their passionate lovemaking the night before. “Mmmm… best sleep of my life. Someone really wore me out last night,” she teased, eyes sparkling with mirth.
Jake grinned wolfishly, unrepentant. “Well, I aim to please. And you, my love, are extremely pleasurable.” He ducked his head to nuzzle into the silky skin of her throat, nipping playfully.
Lila giggled and halfheartedly swatted at him. “Incorrigible,” she scolded without heat. “What am I going to do with you?”
Jake waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I have some ideas…” His hand slid purposefully down her body, igniting sparks in its wake.
Lila’s breath hitched, arousal already licking through her veins. But she forced herself to capture his wandering hand, lacing their fingers instead. “Hold that thought, mister. As much as I’d love a repeat of last night, we can’t spend ALL day in bed.”
Jake heaved an exaggerated sigh but obliged, dropping a quick peck on her nose before rolling out of bed. “As you wish. But I’m holding you to a rain check on that!” He ambled off to the bathroom, whistling cheerfully.
Lila took a moment to stretch again before rising herself, not bothering with a robe as she padded over to the window. She smiled as she took in the view of early morning Vegas – the empty streets, the bright blue sky, the glittering pyramid of the Luxor in the distance. It all still felt a bit surreal, being here in this crazy wonderful city, falling head over heels for a man she’d known less than a week.
But god, what a week it had been. Lila felt like she had lived more, felt more, in these past few days than in the past few years combined. Jake had swept into her life like a desert whirlwind, stirring up excitement and passion and joy she hadn’t even realized was lying dormant within her.
She knew it was fast, knew from the outside their whirlwind romance probably looked like a recipe for heartbreak. But Lila had never been more sure of anything in her life. What she felt for Jake, what they shared together…it was once in a lifetime. Fate, destiny, two souls recognizing their other half. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt it deep in her bones.
Strong arms slid around her waist from behind, Jake’s damp chest pressing against her back as he dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder. “Penny for your thoughts,” he murmured, propping his chin on her shoulder to take in the view as well.
Lila leaned back into him, savoring his clean scent and solid warmth. “Just thinking how grateful I am. For this trip, for meeting you, for everything. I feel like I’m living in a dream and I never want to wake up.”
Jake turned her gently in his arms so he could look into her eyes, his thumbs stroking over her hipbones. “It’s not a dream, Lila. This, us…it’s real. The realest thing I’ve ever known.” His gaze was so open and earnest it made Lila’s heart clench. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but I’ve never been more certain of anything. You’re it for me. My forever.”
Tears pricked Lila’s eyes at his heartfelt declaration. “Oh Jake…you’re my forever too. I love you so much.”
“I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything.” He sealed the words with a tender kiss, full of love and promise.
They eventually managed to untangle themselves and get ready for the day, trading intimate touches and soft smiles as they moved around each other. Lila felt giddy, effervescent with joy, her cheeks aching from the sheer breadth of her grin.
Over a room service breakfast of fluffy waffles and fresh fruit on the balcony, they planned out their day between sips of rich coffee and sweet, syrupy kisses. Jake suggested they check out some of the themed hotels and attractions, wanting to be a “cheesy tourist” with her.
“We can ride the gondolas at the Venetian, see the Eiffel Tower at Paris, even visit ancient Rome at Caesars Palace,” he proposed with a boyish grin. “I want to experience all the silly Vegas things with you.”
“That sounds perfect,” Lila readily agreed. The idea of playing tourist with Jake, making goofy memories together, filled her with warmth. “Lead the way!”
They set out hand in hand, giggling like a couple of teenagers playing hooky as they explored the Strip. They snapped selfies in front of the famed Bellagio fountains, gasping in delight when the jets started their choreographed dance as if on cue. Jake pulled Lila in for a dramatic kiss as the water leapt and twirled around them, not caring a whit about the hoots and hollers from passersby.
At the Venetian, they cuddled in a gondola as their striped-shirted gondolier crooned Italian love songs, the replica of the Grand Canal winding through the opulent halls. Lila rested her head on Jake’s shoulder, mesmerized by the trompe l’oeil blue sky and fluffy clouds painted on the arched ceilings.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Jake murmured playfully in her ear. “Thou art more lovely and more temperate…”
Lila smiled up at him. “You know your Shakespeare. I’m impressed.”
“I’m a man of many talents,” Jake replied with a wink. “Stick with me, kid, and I’ll show you the world.”
Lila poked him in the ribs. “Quoting Aladdin now? You’re just a regular poetry mashup.”
Jake laughed and hugged her close. “What can I say? You inspire me to new levels of romantic cheesiness.”
They disembarked still chuckling together, thanking their gondolier who bid them “ciao” with a knowing smile. Wandering through the St. Marks Square section of the hotel, they browsed the quaint shops, oohing and aahing over delicate Murano glass and handcrafted Venetian masquerade masks.
In one boutique, Jake plucked a glittering mask adorned with peacock feathers off the wall and held it up to Lila’s face with a grin. “What do you think? Ready for Carnevale?”
Lila struck a coquettish pose, fluttering her lashes exaggeratedly behind the mask. “But of course! We must keep our identities secret as we engage in dangerous intrigues and forbidden liaisons.” She dropped her voice to a throaty purr. “Meet me at midnight on the Ponte dei Sospiri for a passionate tryst, my masked lothario.”
Jake groaned, eyes darkening. “Keep talking like that and I’m going to drag you into the nearest gondola for a ‘tryst’ right now, secret identities be damned.”
Lila lowered the mask with a throaty laugh. “Down boy. The night is young and so are we. Plenty of time for intrigues later.” She replaced the mask and tugged him out of the shop. “Come on, Casanova. Show me more of this Venice of yours.”
They continued their tour of the fanciful hotel, snapping more photos and stealing sweet kisses. It was the most carefree Lila had felt in ages, all her usual worries and burdens left far behind in the real world. Here in this glittering fantasy land with Jake, she could just be a girl in love, giddy and smitten and stupidly happy.
Their stomachs started rumbling as afternoon crept in, the scent of pizza wafting from a little trattoria making their mouths water. Grabbing a table on the faux cobblestone patio, they gorged themselves on thin crust Margherita pizza and a bottle of Chianti until they were pleasantly stuffed and tipsy.
“Mmmm…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat Dominos again after this,” Lila groaned, patting her tummy. “I’m officially spoiled for pizza now.”
“Just wait until I take you to Italy for real,” Jake promised, eyes glinting over the rim of his wine glass. “We’ll eat our way up and down the boot, get fat on gelato and pasta and truffles…”
Lila’s heart stuttered at the casual ease of his words, the assumption of a shared future. The “until”, not “if”. She loved that Jake seemed to take it as a given that they would travel the world together, build a life together. It was everything she wanted too, so badly she could taste it.
“I can’t wait,” she said softly, reaching over to lace her fingers with his. “I want to experience everything with you. The whole world.”
Jake lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “Buckle up, buttercup. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.”
Pleasantly wine-flushed and love-drunk, they meandered back out into the bright afternoon sun. They were just debating between the High Roller observation wheel or catching an early showing of Cirque du Soleil when a high, girlish squeal pierced the air.
“Oh. My. GOD! Jakey?? Is that you?!”
Jake stiffened as a whirl of hot pink and bleached blonde came barreling towards them, launching herself at Jake and nearly knocking him over with the force of her hug. Lila stumbled back a step, blinking in shock at the sudden appearance of the tiny spandex-clad stranger currently clinging to her boyfriend like a neon barnacle.
“Uh, hey…Amber,” Jake greeted weakly, clearly flustered as he tried to disentangle himself from the energetic blonde’s octopus arms. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Amber repeated with a shrill laugh, finally releasing Jake only to swat him playfully on the chest. “I practically LIVE here, silly! You know I’m the reigning queen of the pole at Spearmint Rhino!” She executed a little shimmy, her ample cleavage threatening to spill out of her plunging crop top.
Lila just stared, trying to process this bizarre turn of events. Who the hell was this girl and how did Jake know her? Why did she seem so…familiar with him? A sour little tendril of something that felt uncomfortably like jealousy unfurled in her stomach.
Jake shot Lila an apologetic grimace before turning back to Amber, gently but firmly establishing some distance between them. “Right, of course. Well, it was great running into you but we were actually just…”
“Oh where are my manners!” Amber cut him off, finally seeming to notice Lila. She thrust out a hand tipped with neon talons. “I’m Amber! Jake and I go waaaay back. And you are?”
Lila accepted the proffered hand gingerly, trying not to wince at Amber’s crushing grip. “I’m Lila. Jake’s girlfriend.” She emphasized the last word, not caring if it made her sound possessive.
Amber’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline as her gaze ping-ponged between Jake and Lila. “Girlfriend??? Well, well, well…never thought I’d see the day!” She elbowed Jake in the ribs with a saucy wink. “Guess you finally got tired of playing the field, huh Jakey?”
Jake rubbed the back of his neck, a dull flush rising on his cheeks. “Amber…” he said warningly.
But Amber was on a roll, oblivious to the rising tension. “Did Jakey tell you about the time we…”
“Welp, we should get going!” Jake cut in desperately, grabbing Lila’s hand and starting to tug her away. “Great seeing you Amber, say hi to the girls for me, bye!”
“Wait, you have to come see my show while you’re in town!” Amber insisted, scurrying after them on her sky-high lucite heels. “I’ll get you VIP seats, drinks on the house! Bring your girl, I’ll even pop a bottle of champagne for you!”
“Sounds great, we’ll let you know,” Jake called over his shoulder, walking faster.
They finally managed to lose Amber in the crowd, Jake expertly weaving them through the throngs until they popped out in a quieter spot behind a bank of slot machines. He turned to face Lila, apology written all over his face.
“Lila, I’m so sorry about that. Amber is…a lot.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “We knew each other back in the day but I swear there’s nothing going on between us now. Ancient history.”
Lila crossed her arms over her chest, hating the niggle of doubt and insecurity squirming in her gut. “Seems like quite the ancient history,” she muttered, wincing internally at the petty jealousy in her tone. She sighed. “I’m sorry. I know it’s stupid to be jealous of your ex. I just…I guess it caught me off guard.”
Jake cupped her face in his big hands, his eyes searingly earnest as they bored into hers. “Lila, you have nothing to be jealous of. Amber and I…it was never serious. Just blowing off steam. But you?” His thumbs stroked reverently over her cheekbones. “You’re everything. The only woman I want, now and forever. Please believe that.”
Lila searched his gaze and found only raw honesty and love shining back at her. Her silly jealousy melted away in the face of his pure, unwavering devotion. “I do,” she said softly, rising up on her toes to feather a kiss to his lips. “I believe you. I’m sorry I got weird.”
Jake hugged her close, dropping a kiss to her hair. “You never have to apologize for how you feel. I’m just sorry my past came barreling in like that. But it’s you and me now, sweetheart. That’s all that matters.”
Lila snuggled into his strong chest, breathing in his comforting scent. “You and me,” she echoed contentedly. “I like the sound of that.”
The rest of the day passed in a happy blur of more cheesy tourist fun. They rode the roller coaster at New York New York, screaming and laughing as they whipped through the faux cityscape. They ambled through the lush gardens of the Bellagio, stealing sweet kisses among the riotous blooms. They caught the early showing of Cirque du Soleil’s “O”, both agreeing it was the most spectacular thing they had ever seen.
By the time they returned to their hotel room, flushed and glowing from the warm desert night, Lila was so full of joy she thought she might burst with it. She felt giddy, almost drunk on love and happiness, wanting to bottle this perfect feeling and keep it forever.
As if reading her thoughts, Jake wrapped her in his arms as soon as the door closed behind them, his eyes glowing with adoration in the intimate dimness. “Have I told you today how crazy in love with you I am? How being with you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me?”
Lila wound her arms around his neck, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. “Mmmm…you might have mentioned it a time or two. But I never get tired of hearing it.” She pressed a smiling kiss to his lips. “I’m crazy in love with you too, Jake. So much it almost scares me sometimes.”
Jake’s arms tightened around her. “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. I’ve got you. I’ll always catch you when you fall.”
“Promise?” Lila breathed, suddenly overcome with emotion.
“Cross my heart,” Jake vowed solemnly. “You’re stuck with me now, Lila Brenner. I’m not going anywhere.”
He sealed the promise with a searing kiss and Lila surrendered to the heat and hunger of it, the rest of the world falling away until there was only the two of them, lost in love. They made their way to the bed in a tangle of seeking hands and fevered kisses, shedding clothes haphazardly along the way.
They came together with the urgency of two souls desperate to merge into one, skin on skin, heart to heart. Jake worshipped Lila’s body with hands and mouth, driving her wild with his ardent dedication to her pleasure. She returned the favor ardently, pouring every ounce of love and passion she felt into her touches and kisses until he was trembling and gasping her name like a prayer.
When he finally slid home, joining their bodies in the most intimate embrace, Lila felt tears spring to her eyes at the sheer perfection of it. Of them, two puzzle pieces clicking into place. She had never felt so cherished, so utterly consumed by another person. It was thrilling and terrifying and the closest thing to heaven she had ever known.
They moved together in harmony, the push and pull of their bodies a mirror to the twinning of their hearts. Murmured words of love and longing spilled from their lips between panting breaths and keening moans, secret oaths whispered into sweat-damp skin. Release crashed over them in shattering waves when it came, their cries of mutual ecstasy swallowed by fervent kisses.
In the warm afterglow, Jake gathered Lila close, tucking her into the curve of his body as if he couldn’t bear a single point of separation. Lila burrowed into him eagerly, savoring the slowing thud of his heart under her cheek and the salty musk of his skin filling her senses. She had never felt so safe, so utterly at peace. If she could freeze this moment and live in it forever, she would without hesitation.
“I love you,” she murmured drowsily, the words muffled against his throat. “So much.”
She felt Jake’s lips curve into a smile against her hair. “I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything.”
Cocooned in love and sated bliss, they drifted off to sleep tangled up in each other, twin smiles of contentment on their lips. The future stretched out before them, glittering with promise and possibility, an endless honeymoon ripe for the taking.
If only Lila had known then how quickly the shimmer could tarnish, how easily the fantasy could fracture. If only she had known the secrets Jake still kept close to his heart, the demons nipping at his heels even in his sunniest moments.
But in that perfect, shining instant, Lila knew only love. And for that one brief, beautiful moment in time, love was enough. Love was everything.
The next morning dawned bright and cloudless, the sunlight filtering through the curtains and gilding their tangled limbs in golden light as they slowly blinked awake.
“Morning, beautiful,” Jake rasped, his voice husky with sleep. He nuzzled into Lila’s neck, dropping a scratchy kiss to the sensitive spot behind her ear that never failed to make her shiver.
“Mmm…morning,” Lila sighed happily, arching into his touch. “I love waking up with you.”
Jake’s wandering hands and lips were just starting to spark tingles of arousal across her skin when his phone trilled loudly from the nightstand. He groaned, burying his face in her hair.
“Ignore it,” Lila murmured, threading her fingers through his hair to hold him close. “It can wait.”
But the phone kept ringing insistently. With a muttered curse, Jake rolled over and snatched it up, glaring at the screen. Something flickered across his face, there and gone too quickly for Lila to catch. “Sorry, sweetheart, I gotta take this. Business thing. Two seconds, I promise.”
He slid out of bed, pulling on a pair of discarded boxers as he padded out of the room, phone already pressed to his ear.
Lila flopped back against the pillows, trying not to let disappointment sour her mood. It was just a phone call, no big deal. Jake was an important businessman, of course he had to take calls sometimes. It didn’t mean anything.
She resisted the urge to strain her ears, to try to catch snippets of his conversation. She trusted Jake. Whatever it was, he’d tell her if she needed to know. No point in being that crazy girlfriend who snooped and eavesdropped.
Still, a tiny worm of unease curled in her belly. Something about his expression when he saw the caller ID, the sudden tension in his body…it didn’t sit right. But Lila firmly pushed the feeling down. She was just being silly. Letting Amber’s surprise appearance yesterday get in her head.
To distract herself, she rolled out of bed and started the shower, turning the water as hot as she could stand. She was just stepping under the steaming spray when she heard the room door open and close. A minute later, Jake slipped into the shower behind her, his arms coming around her waist.
“Sorry about that,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her wet shoulder. “Just a little hiccup with a deal I’m working on. Nothing to worry about.”
Lila turned in his arms, looping her arms around his neck with a coy smile. “Already forgotten. Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”
Jake grinned, his eyes darkening as his hands slid down to cup her bottom. “I believe I was just about to show you the benefits of an extra steamy shower…”
All other thoughts flew out of Lila’s head as Jake proceeded to demonstrate those benefits very thoroughly and very, very satisfyingly against the slick tile wall. By the time they stumbled out of the bathroom, flushed and wrinkled and deliciously weak-kneed, the strange phone call was the last thing on her mind.
They ordered a decadent room service breakfast and ate on the balcony in their fluffy robes, feeding each other bites of eggs Benedict and strawberries in between sips of mimosa and coffee. Jake seemed relaxed and present, the earlier tension drained away. Lila chalked it up to the magic of shared orgasms and pushed her niggling worries to the back of her mind.
“So, I was thinking,” Jake said casually, licking a smear of hollandaise off his thumb. “What would you say to extending this little getaway of ours? Maybe head up to Tahoe for a couple days, do some hiking and swimming, get a little one on one time with Mother Nature?” His eyes danced with mischief. “Clothing optional, of course.”
Lila’s heart leapt at the idea of more uninterrupted time with Jake, just the two of them. It sounded beyond heavenly. But reality came crashing back a second later and her face fell. “Oh Jake…I would love that more than anything. But I’m supposed to head back tomorrow, remember? I have to get back to work…”
Jake captured her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “I know, I know. But what’s a couple more days? Can’t you call in sick or something? Tell them you ate some bad shrimp and have been worshipping the porcelain god?” His eyes turned pleading and beguiling. “I’m just not ready for this to end yet. For us to go back to reality. I want more time with you, Lila. Just us.”
Lila warred with herself, responsibility and spontaneity battling it out. She had never been one to shirk her duties, to flake out on commitments. But the thought of saying goodbye to Jake, of going back to her regular humdrum life without him…it made her stomach cramp worse than a case of food poisoning.
“Okay,” she blurted impulsively. “Yes. Let’s do it. I’ll call work, tell them I need a few more days to…recuperate.” Her lips curved impishly. “And then you can take me off to the wilderness and have your wicked way with me, you scoundrel.”
Jake’s grin was blinding, making Lila’s heart pinball around her chest. “Yes! You won’t regret this, sweetheart. We’re going to have the best time, I promise you.”
He bolted up from his chair to scoop her into a giddy hug, twirling her around until she was giggling breathlessly. When he finally set her back on her feet, he framed her face in his hands, his eyes blazing with emotion. “I love you so damn much, Lila. You have no idea how happy you make me.”
Lila thought her cheeks might split from the force of her smile. “I think I have some idea,” she murmured, rising on her toes to brush a soft kiss over his lips. “Because you make me happier than I even knew was possible. I love you too, Jake. So much it almost hurts.”
They held each other close, foreheads tipped together, just breathing each other in. Lila felt so full of love and joy she thought she might burst from it. This was really happening. She was taking a chance, following her heart, leaping into the unknown with this amazing man.
She knew it was crazy, reckless even. That’s what made it so thrilling. For once in her cautious, always-coloring-inside-the-lines life, she was throwing caution to the wind and just…living. Consequences be damned.
They packed up their bags and checked out of the hotel in a giddy rush, hand in hand and riding an exhilarated high. Jake picked up a rental car and they set off with the top down, the hot desert wind whipping through their hair as they sped north towards the mountains and pine trees of Lake Tahoe.
Lila cranked up the radio, belting out cheesy pop songs at the top of her lungs and laughing when Jake joined in, just as off-key and enthusiastic. She felt young and wild and free, like she could do anything, be anyone. Like the whole world was theirs for the taking.
Reality could wait a little longer. For now, she just wanted to stay suspended in this shimmering bubble with Jake, where everything was golden and glittering and nothing could touch them.
If only she knew how fragile that bubble truly was, how close they were skating to the edge of shattering.
But for now, she leaned her head back and let the sun kiss her face, Jake’s fingers tangled with hers over the center console. For now, she held on to the fairy tale with both hands and refused to let the shadows in.
Just for a little longer, she wanted to believe in happily ever after.
They arrived in South Lake Tahoe by late afternoon, the sapphire blue of the lake glittering enticingly under the summer sun. Jake had booked them a cozy cabin through some fancy membership club, tucked away on a secluded cove with its own private strip of beach.
Lila marveled at the rustic charm of it as they lugged their bags inside, all knotty pine and river rock, with a huge stone fireplace and a wall of windows overlooking the lake. It was like something out of a dream, a hidden haven just for two.
“Jake, this is incredible,” she gushed, turning to beam at him. “How did you find this place?”
He shrugged modestly but looked pleased. “I’ve got a few connections. Wanted to make sure our little getaway was perfect.” He wagged his eyebrows. “Especially since I plan on ravishing you in every single room. Possibly twice.”
Lila laughed and launched herself into his arms, peppering his face with kisses. “You sweet talker, you. Ravish away.”
They christened the plush king-sized bed first, of course, too impatient to make it any further. Then the buttery leather sofa in front of the massive picture windows, the late afternoon light gilding their twined bodies. The fluffy sheepskin rug by the fireplace was next, followed by a very slippery and giggly encounter in the oversized copper bathtub.
By the time they finally came up for air, the sun was sinking low over the Sierras, painting the sky in streaks of gold and pink. They threw together a simple dinner of pasta and salad, giggling and groping each other like teenagers as they moved around the cozy kitchen. Lila had never felt so comfortable with another person, so utterly at ease in her own skin.
After dinner, they took a bottle of wine and some blankets down to the little stretch of private beach, snuggling together on the sand to watch the sunset. Lila sighed happily and burrowed closer into Jake’s side, relishing the solid strength of him, the way she fit so perfectly under his arm.
“This is perfect,” she murmured, taking a sip of wine. “I wish we could stay here forever, just like this.”
Jake pressed a kiss to her temple, his voice low and intimate in the growing dusk. “I know what you mean. The real world can’t touch us here.” He paused, and Lila could hear him swallow. “I don’t want to lose this feeling. Of being so happy and at peace, just you and me. I never want to let you go, Lila.”
His sudden intensity made her shiver and she twisted to look up at him, cupping his stubbled jaw. “Hey. You’re not going to lose me, Jake. I’m not going anywhere. This, us…it’s real. It’s forever.”
He searched her eyes, his own glittering in the light of the rising moon. “Forever,” he echoed roughly. “I like the sound of that.”
He captured her lips in a searing kiss and Lila opened to him eagerly, the embers reigniting between them as if they hadn’t spent the entire afternoon making love. They sank back into the blankets and she lost herself once again in the heat of his touch, the devotion in his eyes, the promises whispered against her skin.
She fell asleep nestled against his chest under a canopy of stars, the lap of the lake against the shore and the thrum of crickets a soothing lullaby in her ears. Jake carried her back to the cabin and tucked her tenderly into bed, curling his big body around her like a protective shield.
“Love you,” she mumbled muzzily, already more than halfway to dreams.
“I love you too, sweetheart.” His deep voice was the last thing she heard as she drifted off, safe and cherished in his arms. “More than anything.”
The next three days passed in a glorious haze of sun-soaked adventure and starry-eyed romance, cocooned in their private little love nest. They spent their daylight hours hiking through the ponderosa pines, picnicking on rocky overlooks, and plunging into the bracing chill of the lake, shrieking and splashing each other like children.
Other times they just lounged on their little beach, reading trashy paperbacks and dozing on a double lounger, limbs tangled and skin sticky with SPF. Lila had never felt so blissfully disconnected from the stress and obligations of her regular life. Here in this little bubble with Jake, she could just be wholly herself, goofy and unguarded and deliriously in love.
The nights were spent worshipping each other, lost in sensation and honeyed words, sweat and sighs. They made love with playful abandon, no shyness or secrets between them. Just two bodies and two hearts, joined as one.
On their last evening, Jake built a bonfire on the beach, the leaping flames and shower of sparks impossibly romantic under the dome of the stars. He produced a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars with a bashful smile, admitting that s’mores were a childhood favorite.
They toasted the marshmallows to golden perfection, sandwiching the gooey treats between the crackers and chocolate. Lila had never tasted anything so sinfully delicious, or maybe that was just the effect of Jake’s kisses, flavored with sweetness and smoke.
“I don’t want to go back tomorrow,” she admitted in a small voice, licking a smear of chocolate off her thumb. “I know it’s silly but…I’m scared this will all disappear when we leave here. Like it was just some beautiful dream.”
Jake tipped her chin up with a gentle finger, his eyes molten in the firelight. “It’s not silly, sweetheart. I feel it too. This time with you…it’s been the happiest of my life. The thought of it ending, of losing this magic between us…it terrifies me.”
Lila framed his face in sticky hands, fierce in her conviction. “We won’t lose it. We won’t let it end. What we have, Jake…it’s too special to just fade away. We’ll find a way to keep this feeling, no matter where we are or what life throws at us.” She quirked a half-smile, trying to lighten the sudden intensity. “Besides, you can’t get rid of me that easily. I plan on sticking to you like marshmallow to the roof of your mouth.”
It surprised a laugh out of him and he hauled her into his lap, burying his face in her neck. “Is that a promise? Because I’m going to hold you to it.”
“Cross my heart,” Lila vowed, running her fingers through his hair. “You’re stuck with me, Jake Dalton. No take backs.”
He lifted his head to look at her, the love and hunger in his gaze stealing her breath. “I’ll never want to take it back. You’re my forever, Lila Brenner. My beginning, middle and end. My everything.”
She crashed her lips to his, the kiss salty with tears and sweet with devotion. They made love right there on the beach, heedless of the sand and the smoke, the rest of the world fading away until it was just the two of them, giving and taking, loving and promising.
Later, much later, they stumbled back to the cabin and into the shower, washing the sand and ash from their skin, stealing languid kisses under the warm spray. Clean and blissfully exhausted, they fell into bed, Jake spooning himself around Lila like a second skin.
“I love you,” she whispered into the dark, her fingers tangled with his over her heart. “No matter what happens when we leave here…that will never change.”
“I love you too,” he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re my light in the darkness, Lila. My safe harbor. I don’t know what I did to deserve you but I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of your love.”
Lila squeezed his fingers, overcome. “You already are. You’re everything I never knew I needed, Jake. Everything I’ve ever wanted.”
They held each other close as they drifted off to sleep, hearts and breaths aligned, twin souls finally complete.
When dawn broke, they packed up reluctantly, casting wistful looks around the cabin that had been their private paradise for the past three perfect days. Jake wrapped Lila in his arms as they stood on the porch to take one last lungful of crisp mountain air, one last eyeful of the glittering lake.
“Thank you for this,” he murmured into her hair. “For taking a chance on me, on us. For making me happier than I’ve ever been.”
Lila tipped her head back to meet his gaze, blinking back the sting of tears. “I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. No regrets. Just love.”
He kissed her softly, sealing the memory of this magical time, this golden bubble where nothing could touch them. When they climbed into the car and pulled away, Lila kept her eyes on the cabin in the rearview mirror until it disappeared from view, holding tight to Jake’s hand over the console.
She didn’t know what the future held, what challenges and obstacles they might face. But she knew one thing for certain – she would never let go of this love, this once in a lifetime connection.
Come what may, they would face it together. Forever and always.
If only she knew the storm that was brewing, the secrets that were about to shatter their newfound bliss. If only she knew how close they were skating to the edge of disaster.
But in that perfect, crystallized moment, all Lila knew was love. Vast, depthless, unshakable love.
And she would cling to that love through hell or high water. No matter what the cost.
Next – Chapter 4: Cracks in the Facade (Coming Soon)
