And that was the moment that Reilly chose to come crashing down, splashing and thrashing into the pool along with us. He was a moment of clarity, somehow, breaking us apart and leaving us frustrated, but laughing. Maybe it was all for the best, anyway.

While Jason wrestled Reilly back under control, I slipped out of the water and back into my clothes. By the time I zipped my jacket and stuffed my undies into the pocket, my teeth were chattering. All the heat of the pool and Jason’s body hadn’t lasted long enough. He held the big, wet dog and watched me. I pulled my knit cap over my hair with shaking fingers.

“I should get home,” I mumbled, my eyes darting awkwardly as he climbed out of the water. “I didn’t think this out… I don’t have a blanket for Rye and he’s going to freeze if I don’t get him back to the truck…”

My gaze slid back without my permission and I watched, hypnotized, as Jason stepped out of the water. The mist allowed only teasing hints of muscled shoulders and long, lean hips. He stepped close, as if the cold couldn’t touch him. His cock was still huge, upright and giving off steam…

“I’m coming too,” he said, smiling in a way that threatened to unhinge me completely. His goddamned confidence irritated the hell out of me, but there were parts of my body that didn’t seem to care much. I felt a hot trickle of springwater and his seed flood the crotch of my jeans. Oh, fucking hell…

“I’ve got blankets in my rig,” he said easily, shaking his dripping head. “Stay there,” he ordered, pointing a finger at Rye. The dog whined lightly, but obeyed, a big, drippy smile on his face. Reilly would always do anything Jason asked of him… just like me. And he was so happy to have his daddy back home that he sat still, beating the water with his tail.

“And you,” he turned to me, “you can come help me with the blankets. We’ll dry him off best as we can, and I’ll drive you both home. It’s late, the road’ll be iced over by now.”

“I’m a damned good driver,” I shot back. But I followed him anyway. He reached back and took my hand and I felt warmer all over.

“This shouldn’t have happened, Jason,” I said firmly. My body was more than ready to argue with me, but I was just as prepared to dig my heels in. I stomped along beside him. “I’ve been working really hard to get on with my life…”

“And you couldn’t,” he said cockily, turning to face me when we reached the truck. He lifted my cold chin with his inexplicably, annoyingly warm hand. “Just like I never did, Ember.” He reached into the cab and pulled out a couple of thick folded blankets and thrust them into my arms. Then he kissed me again. Hard. By the time he finished, I was sweating in my clothes and he was smiling like a big cat sitting on a mouse and feeling it squirm. “Now let’s go get our dog before he comes looking for us and freezes to death. I’ll have you two home in no time, and get a good fire going to dry us all out.” He kissed me again, lingering long enough to tease my lower lip with his teeth. “The least you could do is cook a man some dinner for his trouble, babygirl.” He gave me a gentle slap on my ass and grinned a little wider. “I’m ravenous.”

He took one hand off the wheel to pull me closer. Reilly was more than happy to climb over my lap and look out the window at the lights going by. I curled into Jason’s side, but resisted leaning my head on his shoulder. A girl has to have some pride, after all, even if he did smell like warmth and safety, excitement and memories…

“I’m so sorry, Em.”

“Daddy’s been gone for more than a year already,” I replied, sounding more okay with it than I really was. “Mom couldn’t bear living at Cradle Creek anymore. She tried, god knows. But she’s older now… and it was getting too hard being out there alone after Dad was gone. She likes city life. So we traded. I gave her my condo in Aspen and she gave me the cabin. I thought it’d be a good place to finish the book,” I said, my head swimming. “It’s so isolated… fewer distractions…”

“And is the book done?” he asked, tucking his hand into the curve of my waistband.

“In progress,” I answered shortly. “Mom said she missed the old days too much. When the three of us were driving her crazy, and she could barely keep up with feeding all of us. You spent a lot of time at our place.”

“Three hungry men and a growing girl,” he said, and I could feel his eyes on me. “I’ve missed all of it. I haven’t talked to Randy since…” he broke off. “Well, since we stopped being us,” he finished. “It’s been a lot longer since I’ve seen Sarah.” He leaned his arm casually over the wheel. “She and Ray were more like family to me than my own; good, strong, down-to earth people.” He sighed. “I’ve missed that.”

He slowed and turned off at the dirt road. Rye had his paws on the dash and was eager for freedom and home. His fur was dry enough from the heater that I opened the door and let him out. A good run home would make sure he slept through the night. I glanced up at Jason and felt my heartbeat speed up. I’d woken up alone this morning, this day no different than all the rest. I’d thought the same thoughts, mulled the same memories. I hadn’t even bothered to wash my hair…

And now I was coming home with the only man in the world I’d ever loved. He was right beside me, and his hand was around my waist like he’d never been gone. Every instinct inside me that I’d fought so hard to push down had risen again, with one look… one touch… one word…

It was dark and bitterly cold, and the stars were shining like diamonds that had been thrown up into the sky. Jason would build a fire in the old cookstove and I would make his supper…

I leaned back and closed my eyes. Deep down, I was more afraid than I’d ever been in my whole life. Everything that had happened since I’d headed into town seemed impossible, unreal somehow. My heart was pounding away in my chest and panic was fluttering in the back of my throat…

But I couldn’t deny we were coming home. For better or for worse, together again, after so many years, Jason and I were actually coming home.