this would be easier though. No one warned me that it could be hard.”
Tanned, rough, calloused hands covered mine. Warm lips kissed my forehead. “I will make this right. Us. Our family. Everything you need, I will provide for you. I’m here. I am always here. Forever.”
“You better,” I whispered, repeating his words.
Jaron smirked, ran his hand to the back of my head and crushed his mouth to mine.
Snaking my arms around his shoulders, I pulled him closer and held on. So many things still needed to be said. So many truths needed to be revealed. But for the moment, instead, I just held on and breathed him in.
The minty taste mixed on his tongue.
The scent of his cologne that mixed with the scent of him. Everything that made up him.
“Stop thinking,” he murmured, his voice low. He held my hand between us, leaning his forehead against mine.
“I was just thinking how good you taste and smell.” I tilted my head back, grazing my fingers through his beard. “That’s all.”
“Good. Enough with this heavy shit.” His brows dropped, a deep vee settling in his forehead. “We’ll work through this because I refuse to have it any other way.” He paused. “I’m scheduling our date.”
I leaned back. “You are?”
“Yes.” He paused. “You said that we hardly know anything about each other. I want to get to know you more. I want to know your hobbies, what you want to do for a living, whether you like horror movies or romance movies. What music you like. I want to know all of your quirks, Piper.”
“I want to know that about you too.”
“Good, I’ll make us a reservation.”
“Thank you.” I pulled him closer.
He gave my bottom lip a gentle nip. “No thanks needed because I wasn’t taking no for an answer anyway.” He released me and gave me a wink before joining the guys and our daughter out in the backyard. As soon as he shut the door behind him, he stood there, staring at me.
Something changed between us and I couldn’t wait to explore more of whatever it was with him.
Jaron
My parents were dragging me to Uncle Coby and Aunt Brogan’s place. It had been something we did quite often when I was younger, but we had skipped the past couple of summers for whatever reason. Adults were too damn busy all the time if you ask me.
“We’re almost there.” Mom turned to me with a wide smile on her face. “Are you excited? You get to see your friends again.”
“I am.” And that was the truth. We talked on the phone, texted, chatted on Facebook, and so on, but I hadn’t seen them face-to-face in over a year. We lived a couple of hours away in a large house that held more than its fair share of people. I loved my cousins who lived with us, but they weren’t blood. Not that it ever mattered of course but it still wasn’t the same. They were also older and living their lives while I was stuck in school and trying to graduate without pummeling my fists through the other kids’ faces just for being annoying half the time.
“I know Zach is looking forward to seeing you,” Dad said, meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror.
I nodded, leaning my head against the back seat and watching the world fly past us. Half an hour later and we were pulling into Angel and Jay’s driveway. I had come to understand that their house was the biggest, so that was why they always had everyone over. Their backyard was my favorite too. I would have the same one day. With a giant pool as well.
“Alright, let’s go before your sister rips my face off for keeping her boys away from her.” Mom laughed, leaving the car. Just as she shut the door behind her, Aunt Brogan came running from the backyard. She threw her arms around my mom, which was funny in a way seeing as she was so short.
Mom’s body shook with laughter as she returned the hug.
Dad chuckled. “Let’s go, Jaron.”
I left the car as everyone else came from the backyard to greet us.
As we gave hugs, said hi, carried on like we had only seen each other the day before, I couldn’t help but notice…her.
Piper stood off to the side. She was chatting with Gigi and Luna, other girls we had grown up with.
She laughed. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. She wore a red tank top