things I can change, and that begins the second I’m free of my sentence.”
“Why do you have to wait until your sentence is complete?”
I shrug. “I just want to be free of all constraints before I take the next step.”
“Am I a constraint?”
The question surprises me. “Why would you ask that?”
“I don’t know. Do I hold you back from moving forward? Do you feel like being with me is some kind of purgatory or penance or transition from who you were to who you want to be? Albert mentioned your working for Building Buddies is restoration, both physically and mentally. Do you feel you have something to make up to me?”
My brows crease, wondering where all this is coming from, and I slowly stand to round the island. “Sweet, I’m the same man I was before prison. Maybe a little bitter. Maybe a lot hardened, but I’m still me. Inside.” I point at my chest. “I still feel things, want things. I want to be trusted, and I want you. If I started that fire. If I had a hand in your Ian dying, I might feel I had to make something up to you, but I’m confident in my innocence. And you and I have nothing to do with my past. You’re like some freak of luck that’s finally come my way in seven years.”
“It’s not just a seven-year itch?”
Taking the knife from Rita’s hand, I place it on the counter. I lift her hand, still holding a sweet strawberry, and suck it out of her grasp. “Why would you say such a thing? What’s going on in that smart head of yours?”
“I just don’t understand why you’d be with me. What are we doing?” Her voice softens, and doubt crosses her face.
“We’re enjoying one another,” I state, lowering to kiss her. I don’t want to keep talking, and I definitely don’t want her to start overthinking. We’re still on tender ground, letting go of what we’ve learned and stepping forward to learn more about one another.
Quickly, the kiss turns more intense. My lips slip to her jaw and then her throat as my hands slide into her hair. Eventually, I tug at the hem of her T-shirt, dragging it up and over her head, breaking the kiss only long enough to note the color of her bra.
“No purple?” I pout.
“I thought I’d change it up.” She laughs.
I smile, tugging one cup downward to expose her full breast. Her breath hitches as I lower for her nipple, my tongue circling the tightening nub before I pull back with an idea. I reach into the bowl of berries and place a sliced strawberry atop her nipple, perching it on the peak.
“What are you doing?” She chuckles as I lower to nip both the fruit and her sensitive skin.
“Tasting how sweet you are,” I tease. “Almost as sweet as this berry.”
“Is that why you call me sweet instead of sweetheart?”
“I call you sweet because you said you weren’t my sweetheart. As soon as you give me your heart, I’m happy to change the word, although I’ve become partial to sweet.”
Her eyes widen before her smile grows. “You have my heart, Jake.” Her hands wrap around my neck, and fingertips rub through my hair.
“Do I, Rita? Do I have your heart yet?”
“Hypothetically speaking, it’s getting there,” she says, chewing the corner of her lip, fighting a grin.
“And not hypothetically speaking . . .” I whisper, lowering my lips to hers but not giving in to the kiss I want to give.
“It’s already yours.”
Unable to fight a grin, the corner of my mouth curls upward, and I finalize the distance to kiss her as I wish.
“You have mine as well. Of course,” I tease.
“Of course.” She laughs again, and I capture the sweet sound with another kiss. “Now, can I show you how well I use my hands?”
“That ego. Your head is so big.” Rita continues to laugh and adds, “Please, show me how skilled your hands are, handsome.”
I catch one of hers with mine and reach around her for the bowl of berries before tugging her forward. “What are you doing with that fruit?”
“I’m also going to show you how skilled I am at getting drunk off berries lined along your body.”
“Oh my.” Rita chuckles.
Oh my, indeed.
21
Rita
When the law school graduation arrives, Jake sits in the audience with his brother while I sit among the other alumni present. While I’d typically pass on this event, I’m honored to attend because Jake wanted