“Jack?” I blink rapidly, trying to get my eyes to adjust. It’s pitch black, and with the clouds covering the moon and stars, there’s nothing for them to adjust to.

“I’ll come to you.”

I hold out my arm, listening to him move off the couch. His fingers find mine and he wraps them around my wrist, leading me back to the couch.

“Stay here.”

I sit, feeling Charlie’s fur brush my arm. He weasels his way into my lap. Jack walks into the kitchen, where he finds his phone and uses it as a flashlight. I watch him go to the fireplace, and in no time at all, he has a fire going. Light and warmth fill the room.

“That was impressive,” I say when he joins me.

“Not really. It has a gas start.” He puts his arm around me.

“Oh, I thought maybe you gained some mad woodsman skills living out here alone.”

“Well, I have, but I didn’t want to rub it in. We both know it would earn me way more cool points and it wouldn’t be fair.”

“Please. Like you could ever be cooler than me.”

“I told you I buy Charlie a birthday cake, but what I didn’t tell you is I sing him happy birthday before he eats it. I’m the coolest.”

I laugh, folding my legs up against him. “How is it possible for you to be insanely hot and incredibly adorable at the same time?”

“I’m very talented.”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “Yeah you are.”

The fire cracks and pops. “It’s going to get hot in here,” Jack says. “Once the rain lets up I can open the windows.”

“Do you leave them open at night?”

“Only if I’m down here. Which I usually am. When I can’t sleep, I draw or make manipulations on the computer. I have a feeling I’m going to sleep well tonight.”

“Me too.”

Jack combs my hair with his fingers, and I stare into the fire. So many times I imagined myself back in Jack’s arms, feeling just as much in love as we were before. I would have given anything to be exactly where I am, and now that I’m here, I’m terrified.

Because when things seem too good to be true, they usually are.

I lay there, wrapped in the arms of my first love, the man I want to be my last love, and wish more than anything this moment will last. It’s going to tear my heart open all over again when I go back to my apartment. A weird emptiness fell over me the day I graduated. Working toward my degree kept me busy. It gave me a goal to strive for. A purpose.

I’ve accomplished it, and while I am relieved and proud, it made it harder to ignore the void in my heart. School didn’t fill it, but put a temporary patch over the wound, pulling the edges together just enough to keep me going.

Jack fills the void. He mends all the cracks and stitches up the little tears. I needed him before I wanted him, and the moment he walked into my life I knew there would never be another. I’m going to miss him so fucking much.

But I don’t have to.

Jack said it perfectly: we can’t go back, but we can start over. Slowly. Carefully. Acting like we’re in a brand-new relationship and we’re just getting to know each other. In ways we are, but in more ways, we already know each other like lovers do.

I sit up, sliding my hand from Jack’s waist to his shoulders, and look into his deep eyes. There’s so much I want to say to him. I love him. I want to try again. I want just you and me.

Charlie gets up, pacing back and forth and then goes to the back door. He hits a bell hanging from a string from the knob.

“Is he ringing that bell on purpose?” I ask.

“Yeah. It means he has to go out. Charlie,” he calls to the dog. “It’s raining. Just wait, buddy.”

Charlie rings the bell again. And again.

“He does usually go out after he eats.” Jack gets up and goes to the back door leading to the patio. “It’s raining,” he tells Charlie. “Go out and get back in fast, okay?”

Charlie wags his tail and darts outside as soon as the door opens. Firelight casts long shadows throughout the house. I shake out the blanket we had on the porch and lazily fold it. It’s getting warm in here already.

When Jack goes outside, I assume he’s cooling off. Then thunder crackles and I hear him shout Charlie’s name. I spring to my feet, heart in my throat, and race to the patio. I can’t see much in the dark, and I walk into a table not even two yards out onto the patio.

“Charlie!” Jack calls again. “Get back here!”

I hold my hands out in front of me, blinking the rain out of my eyes. I move slow, getting drenched by the second. It’s dark and stormy, and it’s almost bear season in the mountains. The thought of a bear going after Charlie makes panic rise inside of me, making it hard to breathe.

I trip over something and fall, scraping my palms on the rough stone of the patio. Whatever I walked into falls to the ground with a clank. Thunder rumbles overhead again, quieter than the last.

Something big draws near and a wet nose presses against my cheek.

“Charlie?” I extend my hand and grab him by the collar.

“Nora?” Jack’s shadow is overhead. “What are you doing?” He helps me to my feet and ushers Charlie inside.

“I was going to help you look for Charlie. I thought he ran away, and I was scared.”

Jack closes the door behind me. We’re both wet from the rain and chilled from the wind.

“I love that dog,” I say, and look into Jack’s eyes. “Just like I love you.”

Jack’s eyes widen, and he stares at me, unblinking. “Are you sure? About me and not Charlie, I mean.”

I laugh. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I never stopped loving you, Jack. I’m scared of getting hurt again. But the thought of not even trying scares me even more.”

He looks at me, almost in disbelief, then pulls me into an embrace. We stand there, dripping wet, cold, and shivering, but in love.

“I promise you, Nora, I will love you every single day for the rest of my life. All I’ve ever wanted was to make you happy.”

Tears form in the corners of my eyes, and this time, I don’t try and force them away. “I want to make you happy, too.”

“You do. Without even doing anything, you do.” He kisses me, and I shiver. “Are you cold?”

“Yeah. Wet hair always makes me cold.”

“I’ll get dry clothes. Sit by the fire and stay warm.” We break apart and he calls Charlie upstairs with him so he can towel him off. I sit with my back to the fire, shaking water drops from my hair. I change into a white T-shirt and boxers and cuddle up with Jack on the couch.

“Tired?” he asks when I yawn.

“Yeah. It’s been an eventful day.”

“It has.”

I smooth back his damp hair. “I’ve never had sex twice in one day before. I didn’t realize it would be so exhausting. I’ve only been with you, remember?”

“Oh, I remember. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to be your first and now your last.”

“You are pretty lucky. Don’t ever forget it.”

His lips go to mine. “I won’t.”