My pie assembly line is running pretty smoothly. I look around the counter area and see pie dishes in every available spot. The empty pans move from one person to another, ending up in the oven. Once they’re ready, they move to the multi-tiered cooling rack.

Jack is still on vegetable duty. The high schoolers swarm him, flirting outrageously without any bit of shame at all. He nods and smiles, never making eye contact with any of them. His focus is solely on carrots and onions. Until he lifts his gaze and meets mine. The heat of his stare singes my insides, even from across the room. He always had that power over me. My breath hitches when he straightens up and pulls off his gloves, his eyes never straying from mine.

“Excuse me, ladies.” He eases himself around them, leaving them speechless. And drooling in his wake.

I want to laugh, but I don’t dare. Not when he’s walking toward me with that hungry look in his eye. A loud thudding in my chest drowns out all thought. I can’t move. I can barely breathe. I am a complete hot mess right now because the reality is, I’ve never gotten over this man.

Seeing him now makes me realize I never will.

He closes the space between us until we’re toe to toe. The noxious smell of raw onion clings to him, assaulting my nostrils, and yet I still wouldn’t hesitate to jump him right here, right now. He leans in close and my breath stilts.

“I miss your pies,” he murmurs, peering over my shoulder at the one I’m preparing.

“You know it’s all about the secret ingredient.”

He nods. “I remember. It made them almost as irresistible as you.”

I smile and dangle the can of whipped cream in front of him. “Well, some things never change.”

“You’re right. You’re still damn irresistible.”

I nudge him in the shoulder since my hands are still covered in latex. “I meant the whipped cream.”

“Sure you did.” He pulls on another pair of gloves and claps his hands together. “Now give me another job, please. I could use some protection.”

“I don’t know,” I say lightly. “Seems like you handled them pretty well on your own. But now they probably think you’re just playing hard to get.”

“I’d like to tell them I’m already gotten.” He grabs a few apples and starts peeling them.

I swallow hard, not quite sure how to respond. “I, um…”

“Consider it my Christmas wish.” He winks. “But I’m a big boy. I know they don’t always come true.”

“Jack, I—”

A loud crash comes from the other side of the kitchen, and I drop the can of whipped cream and rush over to see one of our trays of stuffing is now covering a corner of the floor. “Oh, no! What happened?”

“I’m so sorry, Cam,” one of the older women, Aggie, said, a tearful look in her eyes. “Darn arthritis. My fingers just don’t work as well as they used to and the tray slipped off the cooling rack. I’ll start on another one right away.”

I pull off a glove and give her a quick hug. “Don’t give it a second thought, Aggie. We have plenty of helpers who’d love to help you make another tray. Why don’t you take a break up front for a bit? Grab some hot chocolate and rest those fingers.”

She smiles at me. “You’re an angel, Cam. A real angel. I only need a few minutes, and I’ll be back to work!”

I watch her hobble toward the front, our makeshift breakroom. I grab a broom and a mop, handing them to a couple of younger guys working at the sink. “Guys, do me a favor and clean this up, okay? And make sure the floor is dry. We don’t want anyone to slip and get hurt.”

I turn back around to find Jack with his fan club. He’s carrying an armful of vegetables and his crew is adoringly following him to the chopping station. He salutes at me and the chopping commences. God only knows what he promised to get them working again instead of standing around, staring at their phones.

My own phone vibrates in my pocket and I jog into the office to take the call.

“Cammy, what’s up? How is everything going so far? Did we get you enough volunteers?”

“Tessa!” I collapse into the chair, unable to keep the giddiness out of my voice. “You won’t believe what’s going to happen tonight!”

“Ohh, tell me!”

“Jack called a friend of his who’s a news reporter. He’s coming tonight to do a story on Feedn Time!”

“You’re kidding!”

“No! It’s true!”

“And is the news reporter the only reason why you sound more happy and excited than you have in as long as I can remember?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play coy with me. You’re this charged up about new coverage for Feedn Time when you won’t even entertain working here? Are you sure it’s not something…or someone…else that rocketed you to Cloud Nine?”

I draw in a sharp breath. “Excuse me for being excited for you guys. And, oh, by the way, are you going to make an appearance here at some point, seeing as how it’s your place and your company?”

“I wanted to give you alone time to bond with your crew.”

“You’re full of crap. Are you out getting your nails done?”

Tessa snickers. “Maybe. But don’t worry, I’ll be there soon enough.”

“I’d hate for you to mess up your manicure.”

“It’s a gel manicure, so no problem. Very durable.”

“I’m glad you were able to slot that in, today of all days.”

“Well, now that I found out we’re going to be on television, I am, too!”

I roll my eyes and they land on Jack’s still-delicious-after-all-this-time ass. Good Lord, I’ve got some serious issues. I want to despise him for what he put me through. And dammit, I hate that I let him have that control over me for so long. But now, today, it’s just…different. Comfortable. Familiar. The way we used to be. I mean, I wanted to claw that girl Mandy’s eyes out when I saw her standing so close to him. How ridiculous is that when I don’t have a single claim to him and insist that I never plan to again?

And his intentions…how am I supposed to take his comments seriously? He’s got his big career, the one he’d always wanted and worked so hard for. So he utters a few innuendoes, and I’m supposed to believe that he’ll throw it all away the second time around because he flashes that insanely adorable dimple?

I drum my fingertips on the desk, frowning at the chipped polish on my nails. I could have used a gel manicure myself. “Just hurry up and get here. Everyone is working like dogs, and it would be nice for the company owners to show up sometime today.”

I click off the phone and stick it in my pocket, stretching my arms overhead. I walk back into the kitchen and clap my hands. “Okay, guys! Let’s take a ten-minute break! We have coffee and donuts up front, so help yourselves. And thank you so much for all of your hard work today! We’d never have been able to do this without you!”

Volunteers shuffle past, helping themselves to sweets and caffeine, chatting with one another, laughing, and relaxing. One community. One common goal. And a heck of a lot of sacrifice.

My heart swells, and I can’t keep the smile from spreading across my face. I’d wanted to leave Cringle Cove so badly to escape the hurt, but today, I finally feel like it’s been replaced by something more impactful. Love, camaraderie, and goodwill. It’s the new memory I needed to make, the one which has just made a very important decision for me.

I grab a cup and fill it with coffee. I grab a few creamers and sugars and twist my head around to look for Aggie. I see her coifed gray hair in a corner and head toward her, stopping short when I see she isn’t alone. Jack is there, sitting on a chair next to her, showing her something on his phone. He looks up as I approach, winking at me. “I was just checking on Aggie. Seems like she’s good as new.”

Aggie turns around and beams at me. “Your friend Jack was just showing me pictures of London. I’ve always wanted to see Buckingham Palace and Big Ben!”

I set the coffee down in front of her. “London, huh?”

“Yes, it looks like such a delightful place!”

Jack smiles and sticks his phone back in his pocket. “It’s great for fish and chips.”

“Do you go there often?” I ask, cracking my knuckles under the table. I don’t even know why I ask. It shouldn’t matter. I should just stay far away from him and any conversation pertaining to a future. But I guess I just love the self-torture.

“Every few weeks. But most of my work is done out of the California office.”

I furrow my brow. “You’re in California?”

“Yeah, Tessa didn’t mention that? We have a satellite in Palo Alto.”

“I’m there, too.” I shake my head. “How crazy is it that we never ran into each other?”

“Would you even have acknowledged me if we did?”

The question hangs in the air until Aggie clears her throat and pushes back her chair. “If you two would excuse me, I think I’ll get another donut.” She winks at me and whispers in a not-so-low voice, “This one’s a keeper, dear. Hang on to him, especially if you’re headed back to the same place.”

My throat tightens. But we’re not. At least, I wasn’t planning to. Knowing he’d be so close and that there might be something between us…argh! No! I can’t follow him back to California and give up on my future. Not again.

“You know you belong here, don’t you?” Jack asks, his voice low. “Is what you’re doing in California so important that you’d miss out on living your dream?”

“I didn’t think I’d feel so connected to this place after such a short time.” I shake my head. “It feels so right, and everyone is excited and enthusiastic for what’s to come. The energy is intoxicating. I absolutely love it.”

“So why don’t you just stay? Are you that happy in California?”

“I haven’t been this happy in a long time. I want to keep this feeling and spread it around.”

“That’s exactly what you’re doing, Cam. Look at this place. You’ve inspired all of these people to give up the holidays with their families to help people in need and give them a merry Christmas. The world needs more people like you in it. You give hope and security and comfort. Why not share that gift? It’s the best one you can offer.”

I lean my head in my hand and smile. “Tessa has been trying to get me back out here since I graduated.”

“And knowing Tessa, she won’t stop trying. You may as well just give in now. She’s pretty relentless. It’s why she’s such a good businesswoman.”

I giggle. “Can I tell you something?”

He nods. “Anything.”

“Nobody else knows yet, but I just decided that I’m going to relocate back here after all.” I bite my lower lip, watching his expression for any hint of disappointment but it remains impassive. There’s no glimmer of hope in his eyes or wistful look on his face. Maybe I misread everything that’s transpired between us in the past two days.

He places his hand over mine. “I think you made the right decision. This is the place for you. It always has been, and I’m sorry I ever drove you away from it.” His eyes fall to the floor. “I’m just glad you’re finally going to see your dreams become a reality. You deserve it, Cammy.”

A larger-than-life lump forms in my throat, and I try to swallow past it. Part of me wants to hug him, the other part wants to scream and slap him silly. He was part of my dream! He still is, much as I hate to admit it.

But this is Jack, and he’d never tell me to give up on something I so desperately want. He always encouraged me to go to Stanford, but I was the one who decided against it when he left for London. I can’t put my life on hold anymore, not for anyone.

He squeezes my hand, his gaze lifting to my face. A pang assaults my chest when I see the loss reflected in his deep-set eyes. “This is what you were meant to do. You’re an amazing woman.”

“Thanks,” I whisper.

“Well, merry Christmas to you guys!” Tessa’s booming voice startles me, and Jack drops my hand like it’s a hot potato. “Looks like you’ve got everything under control here.”

“No thanks to you,” I say in a sing-song voice.

Jack springs up from his chair. “I’m heading back into the kitchen. Cam, let me know if you need anything.”

Tessa nods at Jack’s retreating back. “I didn’t know he’d be here so bright and early.”

“He was the first one to report for duty this morning.” I push back my chair and link arms with her. “Come on, let me show you around.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to take him up on his offer? Do you need anything, Cammy?”

“Shut up,” I grumble, pulling her into the kitchen.

“Who’s the trampy chick in the short skirt? She’s about to jump your guy!” Tessa hisses.

“He’s not my guy.”

“That’s only because you haven’t taken the bull by the horns and claimed him.”

“What the heck are you even talking about? It’s not like he’s offered anything. Besides, I’m not about to take that plunge again.”

“It’s obvious he still has feelings for you. And you clearly have them for him. So why not stop doing this stupid dance and just grab the reins?”

“It’s complicated.”

“How so? He’s hot, you’re hot. You have a history. You both live in the same city, which I just found out from Ian yesterday. I can’t believe you forgot to mention that little detail. Seems pretty cut and dried to me.”

“I’m not going back to California.” I cover my face with my hands.

“Come again?”

I let out a deep sigh. “I’m taking you up on your offer and staying to run Feedn Time.”

Tessa squeals and throws her arms around my neck. “Oh my God! Cammy! You’re staying! I can’t believe it!”

I pull out of her tight grip so I can draw in the oxygen to speak. “I realized today that this is where I’m meant to be. And I told Jack my decision.”

“Okay…and why don’t you look happy about that realization?”

I twist the ends of my hair around my finger. “Jack agreed that it’s the right place for me. That I can do so much good here. That I deserve to have my dream come true.”

“And that’s bad because…”

I toss my hands in the air. “He said this is the right place for me, Tess! Not back in California with him! There is no future for us. There might have been, but…” I shoot her a glare. “Thanks to you, that kind of went up in smoke a long time ago.”

“Hey, hey, hey.” She holds up a hand. “I admit, it wasn’t my brightest move, but number one, we were concerned about you. And number two, he could have come back, called, anything to see if it was true, and if you really were finished with him. He didn’t do any of those things! That should not be on me!”

I flop into a chair. “You’re right,” I mutter. “I can’t really blame you. Ultimately, he made the decision to flip the switch on things.”

“But now, you have a second chance!” She kneels down in front of me. “Whatever happened in the past is just that. Your future is bright, sweetie. Don’t throw it all away because he wants what is clearly best for you.”

“He doesn’t think he’s best for me, though.” I cover my face with my hands and groan. “How stupid am I? I’m a total hot mess right now. I thought I hated him so much, yet here I am, wishing he’d want to see me again. And again and again! How ridiculous is that? How can I be so pathetic?”

“It’s not pathetic, Cam. It’s love.” Tessa pulls my hands away from my face and smiles up at me. “You never really got over him. I know it, Mom and Dad know it. I know you know it.”

“I basically told him there’s no future for us.”

“What? You mean, he asked?” Tessa’s eyes pop open wide.

“Well, not outright, but he dropped plenty of hints. I guess he wanted to see if there was a shot.”

“So what the hell are you doing in here?” Tessa leaps to her feet and pulls me up from the chair. “Cammy, things are never easy. And sometimes the best things can’t ever be planned. Who knows why he ended up here as a potential partner or why your paths have crossed in the strangest way possible? The point is, it happened! And you have to see where it goes. You owe it to yourself.”

“Why should I torture myself again? The long-distance thing didn’t work for us five years ago, so why should it now?”

“Because maybe you both realize that absence really does make the heart grow fonder.”

“That is so insanely cliché. I can’t believe you just said it.”

“Well, I did.” She smacks me on the ass. “I have a great idea. Why don’t you guys get out of here and talk? Without all of the distractions? Just take a breath before things get crazy. Try to figure out what’s going on in his head. I think it’ll be good for both of you.”

“Tessa, look around! How the heck can I leave now? There is way too much to d—"

She opens the office door and shoves me out into the hallway. “I have it under control. The next group of volunteers is on the way, and we have hours to go! You’ve already got everything in the ovens or on cooling racks. Everyone just needs to keep cooking and using the same recipes you gave them.” She nudges me forward with each word so that I’m practically on top of Jack. “So, like I was saying, I think you guys should just take off for a little while, get cleaned up, and come back ready to work!”

Jack furrows his brow and looks around. “I think they need all the hands they can get, Tessa. I don’t know if it’s such a great idea to leave right now.”

“That’s exactly what I said!” I throw my hands up in the air.

“You don’t give me any credit at all.” She tsk-tsks and shakes her head. “Trust me, guys. I’m on it.” She waggles her bright red fingernails in front of my face. “See? Gel! Nothing will chip these babies! I’m ready to jump in the deep end now!”

I roll my eyes at Jack. “She doesn’t believe that you were leading the stuffing brigade.”

His mouth drops in mock horror. “I’m offended at that. I can make this stuffing while standing on my head. I’m just that good.”

She flashes a wicked grin at me. “Well, then. I think it’s time for you guys to find some other things you might be good at. Somewhere else. Away from here.”

My cheeks burn, and the hot flush creeps down my neck, heating my insides.

Damn her!

But, good God, do I adore my big sister.

I sneak a look over at Jack, who is grinning back at me. “I could use a change, especially if that reporter friend of yours is coming with cameras. I’d like to look somewhat human.”

“You look gorgeous,” he murmurs while Tessa pretends, not very convincingly, to be occupied with an apple pie work in progress. “But I’ll do whatever you want.”

I have to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from squealing out loud. I’ll just do it in my head. I give a quick nod. “Let’s go.” I turn to Tessa, whose eyes have taken on a mischievous glimmer. “We’ll be back soon. Very soon, okay? Call me if you need anything at all, got it? Don’t wait to ask questions because we might not have enough—”

“Stop!” She pushes both of us to the front door. “You’re giving me a headache! I’ve got it! I’ll call if there’s a problem, which there won’t be!” With a quick shove, we’re outside on the sidewalk. She waves and saunters back to the kitchen.

I shiver in the cold air, hugging my arms tight around myself. “Um, we probably should figure out where we’re going before we freeze into ice sculptures.”

“Would be a nice welcoming touch for people coming in later. So human, but kind of impaired.” Jack smirks. “Do you want to grab coffee somewhere, or…?”

My pulse throbs against my neck. It’s the ‘or’ that I want to submit to right now. I have so many ideas about how to finish his question, and none of them involve coffee. Jesus, it’s almost lunchtime, and my lust-filled mind can’t think about anything other than climbing on top of this man right at this moment. I open my mouth to speak but close it right away. I’m afraid my sex-starved alter ego might become my mouthpiece.

So I just stare. How very seductive.

Jack furrows his brow. “Is your mouth frozen shut? Did the transformation actually start?”

I shake my head quickly, pulling my knit cap down over my ears. “No,” I manage to squeak out. “Coffee is fine.”

“Is there something you’d prefer that’s more than just ‘fine’?” His lips curl into a wide grin, that dimple taunting me.

The spell he’s cast could quite literally have me on my knees on this frigid concrete in seconds if I don’t force my eyes away.

“I’d like to get inside somewhere warm.” My teeth chatter from more than just the cold snaking through my heavy winter coat, and the double meaning almost makes me choke as the words tumble out. “And I smell like apple pie, so I could probably use a shower.”

Oh God. I had to go there, didn’t I? Is he going to think I’m implying we should shower together?

I clench my fists.

Would that be such a bad thing, especially if he wanted to take me up on it?

Gah!

“I don’t know, the way you smell makes me pretty damn hungry.” My breath hitches. More double meanings? I can only pray. Jack winks and pulls out his keys. “Come on, I’ll drop you off at your house so you can freshen up for later. But I, ah, think I’ll just pick you up when you’re done. I don’t think your parents would be too excited to see me in their house again. With you. After…everything.”

No, no, no! “Um, well, it would be nice to talk for a little while. Unwind. You know. It’s been a pretty long morning, and my parents’ house will be crazy with preparation for the holidays. I don’t…it’s not…” I let out a loud sigh. “I’d rather not deal with the Inquisition.”

Jack leads me around the corner to a parking lot where his rental sits. “I understand. And I’m sorry if me being here puts you in a tough spot. I never…” He rakes a hand through his hair, clicking the car alarm and pulling open the passenger side door for me. I slide inside, and still, he doesn’t finish his thought. He never what?

He opens the driver’s side door and flops into the seat. I tuck a stray strand of hair into my hat and clear my throat. “You, um, were saying?”

His hand holds onto the key stuck in the ignition and he takes a deep breath before looking at me. “I never expected to feel this way, seeing you again, being back here after all of this time. It’s not like I had a lot of time to prepare since I only found out once we’d landed where Feedn Time is located and who runs it.”

I want to get back to the part about him never expecting to feel this way again, but I have to ask. “How did you not know? Weren’t you involved with the research process? You must have—”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t. I’d literally gotten off a plane from London two hours before Ian barged into my house and told me we were going to make a visit. He shoved me into a car with an informational packet and back to the airport we went. I didn’t even shower until we’d gotten to the hotel yesterday morning.” He looks at me with a half-smirk on his lips. “I fell asleep on the plane, right after I’d finished page one of his hundred-page report. I didn’t know until we’d landed who or where we were meeting.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“I couldn’t either.” He drops the key into his lap and pushes his hair back, letting out a sigh. “And now that I’m here…I don’t know, it’s weird. Natural, almost. Comfortable. Familiar.” He turns toward me. “Is that weird?”

I shake my head. “I feel the same way. I didn’t think it would be possible. The few times I’d come home while I was in college were really hard. I probably shouldn’t admit that, but it’s true. I felt displaced, like I was visiting some foreign land. Things that were familiar all carried memories that were too painful to remember. I started to dread making the visit until I just stopped. I know it bothered my family, and that’s when they started coming out west.”

“How ironic. Away from each other for so long only to end up in the same city and not even knowing it.”

“Well, that’s not exactly true. When you work for Google, that compound becomes the city you live in.” A soft giggle escapes my lips.

Jack’s eyes take on a heated, carnal glow that I haven’t seen in so long…in person, anyway. I’m pretty sure I dreamt about it last night, in the ten minutes of real sleep I may actually have gotten. “But it took years and a serious oversight on my part to bring us back here. Together. At Christmas, of all times.”

“Yes,” I whisper, my throat so tight, I can barely breathe.

He leans closer, his gaze hungry. His fingertips caress the side of my face as he closes the space between us. My heart is thundering in my chest with such force that any doubts my mind is screaming at me are drowned out by the sheer intensity.

His breath is warm, fluttering against my cheeks like soft feathers. My eyes drift closed, my lips beckoning—

Rap! Rap! Rap!

I recoil, peering out the steamed-up window, wishing that a morning flurry had left a dusting of snow on the windows, shading us from prying eyes.

Jack sticks the key into the ignition, and I lower the window enough to see my sister’s jaw on the pavement. “Well, well.” Tessa hugs her arms around her. “I figured you’d left already, but imagine my surprise when one of the volunteers came in and said she saw two people canoodling in the parking lot. And here you still are, all cozy in Jack’s rental.”

I groan. “What’s up? Is everything okay? Or did you want to torment me a little bit more?”

Tessa cocks an eyebrow. “Very nice. I actually just got a call from Mom, and she and Dad are on their way over here. I came out here to make sure you’d left because, let’s face it, I’d rather not have Dad go at it with Jack again with our volunteers as a captive audience. But…” She flashes a wicked smile. “Here you are. I suggest you zip out of this parking lot before someone else comes rapping at your window. And if it’s Dad, he may just attack the car with a pipe. Just saying. Buh-bye!” She waves and spins around on her heel in the direction of Feedn Time.

I sneak a look at Jack to find his half-hooded gaze still smoldering. Mmm… Even Tessa’s unceremonious blitzkrieg couldn’t temper it. That has to mean something, right? “Should we, ah, get going?”

A few seconds pass, and I’m not so sure he heard my question. His eyes are still locked on my face, his expression one of pure carnal lust.

“Um, Jack?” I press my lips together, silently willing him to say something. I know what I want him to say, and it sure looks like he’s in the same place as me, but I need to hear it from him.

I’ve already fallen in deep…too deep, despite all of my excuses and apprehensions. He has such a tight a grip on my heart, and I’ve never been able to reclaim it.

He blinks a few times, breaking his trance-like stare. “I’m sorry, Cam. I know what you said about keeping focus on the holiday prep, and I don’t want to put you in a bad spot with your parents. I get that they’re looking out for your best interests. If I’d have done a better job of that years ago, things would be really different right now,” he mutters, throwing the car into reverse and zooming out of the parking lot.

I swallow hard. Jesus, I guess I was pretty convincing. How fantastic. What am I supposed to do now? Tell him I changed my mind, that I want him desperately, that I never got over him and never want to?

But there’s still a flicker of doubt deep in my soul. I know what he’s said over the past couple of days, and I damn well know what I feel. Now I have a direction, a plan for myself. I made a decision that’s going to uproot me from my life in California and bring me home after all of this time. I found my purpose.. and Jack…well, he’s already on his own path with different plans.

Can they even cross at this point?

And if he tells me they can, am I supposed to believe him? Again?

“Did you volunteer out in California at all?” Jack’s voice silences the conflicting thoughts and emotions battling inside of me.

“Yes. Different places throughout college. There are so many worthy causes to contribute time to out there, and I met some incredible people. I wish I had time to do more now, but with my job, it’s impossible. If I have spare time, I usually sleep.”

“I never pictured you in that kind of place. I mean, Google is a great place to work, don’t get me wrong, but sitting behind a computer…that’s not you.”

I nod and stare out the window. “I know. I think it’s why I’ve felt a little displaced lately. The rewards of running a volunteer organization are so different than a cushy, full-time job at Google, but money has never been my driver.”

“So this was a test run, to see if it’s something you’d want to do permanently?” Jack slowly turns the steering wheel so the tires don’t skid on the icy pavement. “Was that the plan?”

“That’s what everyone was hoping, but I never committed. I said I’d run things for the holidays and decide from there. But there’s so much good to be done. That’s why I decided to stay. I don’t want to miss out on a great opportunity to help people because I couldn’t get past my own issues.” I pick a piece of lint off of my coat. “I guess I got the closure I needed to make a change.” I really did get it. I just don’t want it anymore. I want him. I glance at Jack out of the corner of my eye. His jaw is set, fingertips gripped tight around the wheel.

He pulls in front of my parents’ house, still looking forward, still silent.

“Thanks,” I whisper, my hand gripping the door handle. “Should I—?”

“I’d never want to be the reason why you stayed away from here for so long.” He turns to look at me, and the hope I’d seen in his gaze today has been replaced by hurt. Loss. Rejection.

Kind of reminds me of the things I’d been carrying deep inside my heart for so long.

I swallow hard. “I had to come to terms with things in my own time. It’s not your fault.”

“No, it’s my fault you had to deal with any of it at all.” He rakes a hand through his hair, the dark strands now a tangled mess I’d love to sweep my finger through. “But Cam, I don’t want to be a painful memory in your past. Seeing you, being with you like this, it feels right. I’m whole again, the way I was when I had you in my life. My past…” He shakes his head. “It was so dark until you came along. You lit me up, and that light flickered out when I pushed you away. Everything I’d been working toward — money, status, a career — none of it is worth a damn without someone to share it with. I didn’t realize how lost I really was until I saw you yesterday, and every second we spend together convinces me more and more that I don’t want my old life anymore. Not unless you have a place in it.” He lets out a sigh. “I’m screwing things up, I know. You told me you don’t want anything from me, you told me your focus is on Feedn Time and your own plans, but I can’t hold this back anymore. And I won’t mention any of it again. I just needed to get it out, to let you know what I’m feeling. Because life without you hurts like hell, Cam. And I’ll go back to it because I made my bed, but I just need you to know how I feel, that I never stopped feeling.”

I clench and unclench my gloved fists, trying to piece together the right words, but they tumble from my lips in such a jumble, even I’m shocked by them. “I’m still in love with you, Jack,” I blurt out because, why the hell not? It is Christmas, after all, and if you can’t find it in your heart to forgive people at the holidays, when can you?

It’s not worth losing out on a lifetime of precious moments that you’d never have been able to experience if you hadn’t taken the plunge.

So, I did. I plunged.

Now to find out if there’s anything to cushion my fall…

He slides a hand over my head, pulling off my cap, and tangling his fingers in my hair. My eyes float closed, my head dipping backward as his soft hands caress the slope of my neck. When his lips graze mine, my heart leaps to attention, thumping with intensity. He leans over the center console, pressing himself against me. His arms wrap around me, squeezing me tight. I drink him in, tasting him, consuming him, and letting him infuse my whole being. Heat radiates from deep within my core, tingling sensations tickling every last nerve. This soulful kiss…it’s not just lust. It’s not just latent desire.

It's love, a lost love that has been rekindled in the most unlikely of circumstances, a passionate love that has flickered over time, waiting for the moment in which it would ignite.

It’s love of the truest kind.

Breathless, he pulls slightly away, pulling me away from the door and the handle digging into my back. He doesn’t let me go, though.

Yet.

But will he? He’s made promises before…promises he didn’t keep.

I swallow hard, waiting for him to speak. With a slow, sexy grin, he leans his forehead against mine. His heart beats fast against my own, his eyes glittering with the same hope I’d seen when we were in the boathouse yesterday.

“Five years ago, I made the worst mistake of my life, Cam. I’m not about to make it again. I want you. I want this. I want us. I was too damn stubborn before and missed out on the greatest thing in my life.” He sweeps a fingertip over my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine. “I love you, Camryn. I always will.”

Tears spring to my eyes. “I want to believe you, Jack, I really do. But we’ve gone down this path before and couldn’t handle the distance. What makes you think this time will be any different?”

He cups my face in his warm hands. “Because I know what I gave up. And I know how hard it was to move on. And most of all, I know how empty my life is without you in it. I can do my job from anywhere. But I can’t find another Camryn Ellis.”

I nibble the inside of my mouth, afraid to press, but if I’m hearing him right…

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Cam,” Jack murmurs against my lips, gently placing kisses all around my mouth. “To the moon and back if that’s your plan. And if Feedn Time is really your passion, I’ll move back to Cringle Cove and support you the best way that I can.”

I giggle-hiccup, trying to choke back a sob. “It may be a conflict of interest if my Dad decides to work with you guys.”

“I’ll quit.” He cups my face, our noses touching. “No job is worth losing you. Never again.”

“That may make my dad more willing to work with Ian,” I snicker, swiping the tears from my eyes.

“Ian is shit when it comes to promotion. He’d sink without me.” Jack’s eyes darken with lust. “But I don’t want to think about Ian right now. I have more pressing concerns, like how much longer are you going to wait before taking me inside and ravaging me?”

A smirk lifts my lips. “I know how much you love apple pie.”

“Do you want me to beg for a taste? Because I will. And just beware, I’m a starving man.”

“Well, then I’d be a horrible hostess if I kept you waiting any longer.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” He jumps out of the car and jogs over to my side, pulling open my door. He offers me a hand and I take it, sailing toward the front door as if I’m floating on the puffiest of clouds. My fingers fumble with the key as Jack’s lips trail a devious path down the side of my neck. Thank God my parents aren’t home right now.

I try to stick the key into the lock once, twice, three times, and my knees buckle when his lips hit the spot behind my ear. “Ohhhh, you’re so bad. Aren’t you cold? Don’t you want me to get this door open?”

“Sorry, my body has a mind of its own. I can’t really control it right now,” he breathes against my skin, causing the tiny hairs to prickle.

I finally jam the key into the lock, and a second later we’re inside, flinging off coats, scarves, gloves, hats, and shoes. The foyer looks like a ransacked outerwear department, but I don’t give it a second glance. I pull off Jack’s sweatshirt, my fingers toying with the button on his jeans. More clothes go flying through the air…t-shirts, belts, and socks pool at our feet until we’re facing each other — me in my bra and panties, Jack in his boxers.

Thank God mine match.

He takes a few steps backward, his eyes drinking me in like he’s been wandering around in the desert for days without a drop of water. “God, you’re fucking gorgeous,” he murmurs, grazing the slope of my neck and cupping my breasts, one at a time. “You’ve never been so beautiful to me.”

I shiver at his touch, goosebumps popping up my arms and down my legs. With a pounding heart, I leap into his arms and crush my lips against his, our tongues tangling and coiling together. Strong hands caress my back and ass as Jack backs me into the guest room right off the foyer. His cock thickens against the soft lace of my panties, pressing against my clit, and I swallow a gasp as the tingles explode in my core with the slightest touch.

I haven’t done this in a while.

Ten months, to be exact.

Way too freaking long.

Jack kicks the door closed and swivels so my back is toward the bed. With one arm, he balances me and manages to pull down the comforter with his other one. He lays me in the center of the cool sheets and links his thumbs into the waistband of my panties, sliding them off one leg at a time. He flings it to the floor and reaches around my back to unhook my bra. I barely blink, and it’s already joined my panties on the floor. It always amazed me how fast he could work those clasps.

I grit my teeth, trying not to think about the fact that he’s not at all rusty.

He slides his boxers off and edges closer to the bed. He slowly runs a hand down my torso, his lips taking over before long, scorching a path over my sensitized skin. Our gazes are locked together, his face a beautiful mess of emotion — anticipation, desire, and pure adoration etched into his features.

Never have I felt so wanted.

Never have I felt so alive.

“Jack,” I murmur, reaching out to caress his muscular thighs. My legs fall open, beckoning him to ignite the flames deep within me. Much as I’d tried to extinguish them, the embers still flickered for the love that I thought I’d lost forever.

I want those flames to rage through me, to awaken my body and soul, incinerating the pain and loss that consumed my heart for the past five years.

He bends down next to the bed, gripping my ass and linking his arms under my legs. I fist the bedsheets, his tongue tickling the insides of my thighs before nipping at my swollen clit. He lifts my hips, giving himself leverage to drink in every drop of desire that I offer his greedy mouth. He sweeps his tongue over my clit, slow at first, until my body writhes in his grasp, begging for more. He plunders my core, delving into my wet heat, nipping and suckling until white spots dance in front of my eyes. I thrust my hips against his lips, and he rewards me…over and over until my screams become deafening.

Oh. My. God.

Short, sharp gasps shudder my body, my heart galloping like a horse at a polo match. Jack rises to his full height, slowly crawling onto the bed, his mouth hot against my skin. He takes one of my breasts into his mouth, flicking my nipple with his teeth before kneading it with his tongue.

I lick the palm of my hand and grasp his hard cock. Holy cow, it is even bigger than I remember? Sweet Lord, I need this. I need him.

He lets out a low groan, his lips vibrating against my nipple, making my hips buck. I stroke his length as it thickens in my grip. I sweep my thumb over his slit, precum gathering on the tip. I slide my hand down the sides of his cock, squeezing and tugging until he lets out a yelp.

“Fuck, Cam. Nobody does that better than you. You know just how to touch me, babe.” He digs his fingers into my hips, lowering himself over me, the head of his cock grazing my opening. “Your pussy is so wet for me. God, I love you so much,” he grunts, sliding against my clit before pulling away. “Dammit!”

I lean up on my elbows. “What’s wrong?” I gasp.

“I don’t have a condom.” He scrubs a hand down the front of his face. “I didn’t think this would ever happen in a million years, so I’ve got no protection.”

I flop back on the mattress, a testing smile lifting my lips. I push the small of his back toward me. “Lucky for us, I’m on the pill.”

He grins. “Thank fuck.”

“You can say that again. Now do that thing again where you drive me freaking insane with that ridiculously hot body.”

“It’ll be my pleasure…and yours.” He wraps his arms around me, blanketing me in his delicious warmth as his cock coaxes itself inside of me. He trembles when my lips find the spot on his neck that always made him crazy, his stubble-peppered face tickling my face. Our bodies reconnect, falling back into the comfortable rhythm as if not a day had gone by. My body draws him deep until he is an extension of me. A soft mewl escapes my lips as he thrusts in and out, sliding against my clit each time. It’s such delicious agony when he draws me to the brink of euphoria and then drags me away. I clench around him, locking my ankles around his waist, forcing him farther into me…into my body, into my soul.

He drives into me, gripping my ass, until the explosion erupts deep inside of me and shoots out to my fingers and toes. I squeeze my eyes shut, screaming for God as he plunges deeper, hitting just the right spot. I dig my fingernails into his back, clenching my muscles and thrusting against him. The swirl of euphoria consumes me, leaving me gasping for air.

I can barely breathe, but I’ve never felt so alive.

Jack collapses next to me, nudging my shoulder with his nose.

“That was amazing,” I pant.

“Incredible. Just like you.” He traces a finger down the underside of my arm, making me squeal.

Just like him.

Just like us.