Page 100 of Love Wells Kept

The lineup at the espresso cart is long, which, though annoying, probably means it’s some damn good coffee. And I need that after a night with little sleep. After the hot springs, we showered together, went to sleep with his dick inside me, and woke up for more sleepy sex as the sun rose.

I roll my neck, stretching and yawning, and tip my head to watch the slow movement of swirly, fluffy clouds across the light blue sky. The sun’s hot on my head, even hotter when I smooth my hand down my dark hair. And by the time it’s my turn to order, I’m nearly asleep where I stand.

Nothing a giant vanilla latte with an extra shot can’t fix. Instead of sleeping, I’ll be vibrating for the entire drive home. And probably needing to pee a hundred times. It’s fine.

Cradling the cardboard cup like it’s my most prized possession, I saunter through the market, and when Jackson’s not at the agreed-upon meeting spot, I continue toward the distant, bright yellow lemonade stand.

“Hey, handsome.” I sidle up next to him in line, slipping my hand into the back pocket of his jeans. “What’s taking so long? It’s lemon juice and water.”

“My fault. I got distracted by something on the way here.”

“Oh?” I lift an eyebrow.

His smile borders on smirking, smug and secretive. “I’ll show you after I order.”

“I do love a good surprise.”

“Yeah? I think this is a damn good surprise.”

I stay attached to his butt while he places his order, giving it a little squeeze that makes him jump. He laughs under his breath and shifts his weight, shooting me a look that’s half scandalized, half delighted.

He taps his card and accepts the lemonade from the vendor. “You’re lucky I’m still recovering, or I’d throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here.”

“I’d like to see you try,” I say, bumping his hip.

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s go sit and enjoy the fresh air for a minute before we have to leave.”

Jackson leads me off the path toward a quiet patch of grass under a wide old oak. He sits on the edge of a low stone wall and waits for me to settle beside him. Our knees brush, kicking my heart into overdrive the way it always does. He takes a long sip of lemonade, making a small noise of delight in the back of his throat.

“Oh, this is good.” He lifts the cup in front of his eyes to inspect it with an impressed look. “Not too lemony. You should try it.”

If I’m going to try what he’s drinking, I only want to taste it from his lips. In a cool, refreshing, perfectly lemony kiss, I do exactly that. Sweeping my tongue across his, relishing the cold and the sweetness on his breath.

Pulling away, he looks at me—really looks. The sun picks up every freckle on his creamy skin. Normally by early June, he’d have a deep tan and overlapping freckles despite my insistence on wearing sunscreen every day. Free hand combing through his wavy hair, he’s as gorgeous as ever backdropped by green gardens and a crisp blue sky.

“So, there’s something I want to say.” He glances down at the plastic cup in his hands.

I straighten a little, pulse skipping. “Okay…”

“I bought this while you were getting coffee.” Reaching into the front pocket of his jeans, he pulls out a simple burnt-orange cloth bag. “From the silversmith booth—the one we saw with the fancy belt buckles you liked.”

I nod, curious. The bag is nowhere near large enough to fit a buckle.

With shaky hands, he works to untie the knotted string holding the bag closed, and spills a simple silver ring into his palm—brushed, slightly uneven, clearly hand-forged. It gleams in the sunlight, not flashy, not perfect. But it looks solid. Made to last.

My heart sits in the back of my throat, watching him twist the ring around in his fingers.

“You’ve never made a big deal about me not having a wedding ring anymore, but I hated it.” He hastily works down a swallow. “I’m not the same guy who put on the first one, but I’m still yours. I want to belong to each other, Kate. I want our family…and, even though you said it was unnecessary, I needed something on my hand to show that. Something to show you I’m staying forever.”

The silver band glints in the sun as he slides it onto his left ring finger with quiet finality. It fits perfectly in place, sinking into the grooves in his flesh like it’s meant to be there.

His rough hands move to caress my face, the cold metal of the ring pressed to my jaw, securing me in place. As if I had any intention of going anywhere. Watching his face is enthralling, and I could let myself get lost in his eyes forever.

“I love you.”

It’s everything I needed to hear, and everything I was terrified to admit I needed.

“Jackson…” The tears come fast, hot, and silent.