The bells on the door dinged as we stepped out into the snowy air. It wasn’t a blizzard like the previous night, but the white stuff was starting to stick.

“Where are you parked?”

“There were no spots on the road, so I had to park in the small lot behind the diner. It’s for employees only. Hopefully, they didn’t ticket me.”

He led me down a hill to the rear of the building. Jake’s Mustang sat in the back of the lot next to a dumpster. The aluminum rims gleamed in the darkness.

It was desolate and quiet compared to the noise of the street.

He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for me. “Get in, baby.”

I was glad this day was over. My body buzzed just thinking about what he’d do to me later. The best type of sex with Jake was the make-up kind after we’d worked through a rough patch. It was always the most intense.

He stuck the key in the ignition and turned on the engine but stayed parked. “They’re all waiting to see you to make sure you’re okay. I sort of rushed out of the apartment like a bat out of hell. I don’t really feel like going home to a full house.”

“You just said bat and full house in the same sentence. You realize that, right?”

“Old habits die hard.”

I laughed. “I don’t want to go back there, either.”

Jake turned the knob to blast the heat. Flurries stuck to the windshield, obstructing the view.

“You know what this reminds me of?” he asked. “That first year we met, before you had to go upstate for Christmas when we stayed out in the snow after coming home from our Chicago trip. Remember?”

“Yeah. How could I forget?”

“I was so in love with you that night, but I couldn’t tell you.” He reached over for my hand. “You know what I spent today doing? Recalling the entire story of how we got together to Mitch and Skylar. Mitch never realized a lot of the shit we went through. I swear, going over everything made me fall in love with you all over again. At the same time, I was petrified because I didn’t know what happened with you today. Yet, there I was, reminiscing and more certain than ever that my life would be nothing without you.”

“Today was enlightening for both of us. But that was the first and last time you’ll ever see me walk out on you like that.”

“You can walk out anytime you need to as long as you come back to me. Sometimes, you need to step away to realize you can’t really walk away from something that’s a part of you.”

“We’ve had our ups and downs, Jake. But every single time we go through something, I feel even closer to you after.”

“Adversity only strengthens the kind of love we have. When you’re with the person you’re meant to be with, that’s what happens. Ultimately, every experience, even horrible stuff, binds us tighter. It’s all a test. The ones who let it tear them apart find out they were never really in love at all.”

“We’re damn lucky.”

“What it really comes down to is a much simpler concept, actually.”

“What’s that?”

He wiggled his brows. “Less fighting, more fucking.”

“Is that your motto?”

“I think it’s gonna have to be now.”

I shivered.

“You cold, baby?”

My teeth chattered. “A little.”

His mouth curved into a crooked smile. “You want me to warm you up?”

Everything was still, except for the sound of the car running.

My lips parted as my visible breath met his in the cold air.

“Yeah, I do.”

His gaze travelled slowly downward and up again. The look on his face was a bit devious, and his eyes turned deliciously dark.

I knew that look.

That was the exact look he gave me when he was about to fuck me, no matter the time nor place. It was why he hadn’t moved the car yet. My entire body quivered in anticipation once it hit me where this was going. I felt myself getting wet as he continued to give me the look.

He licked slowly across his bottom lip. Jesus. Nine years. Nine years, and that tongue ring still drove me wild.

The muscles in between my legs tightened, and more wetness pooled there. These hormones had me in a frenzy.

“Take off your boots.”

I slipped the Uggs off, leaving my black leggings.

“What if someone sees us?”

Jake unbuckled his belt. “Honestly, I don’t really give a shit. I hope they enjoy the show. I need you now. We can try to be discreet.”

He unzipped his jeans, and his beautiful thick shaft stood at full attention.

Wetting my lips, I said, “That doesn’t look very discreet to me.” I couldn’t help leaning over, slowly and teasingly licking his wet crown. I loved his taste.

He pushed back against the headrest and hissed, “Stop. Seriously…stop.”

I listened, sensing he’d lose it if I didn’t.

He slid his seat back as far as it would go and tugged at my leggings. “Take those off and come sit on me.”

I pulled them off, tossing them inside out and climbed on top off him. Keeping my knees bent, I wrapped my legs around his waist. I unzipped his jacket and slipped my hands under his shirt. The skin beneath was surprisingly warm as I rubbed over his solid chest. He made an unintelligible sound as I started to nibble on his neck. Then, he grabbed my chin and pulled me toward him into a ravenous kiss, swirling his tongue ring along the inside of my mouth while he moaned down my throat.