“I did tell you once before, you know,” he reminded her.
“Yeah, but this time I don’t feel guilty. Or bad about loving you back.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you love me?”
“You know I do.”
“Say it.”
“I love you, Jackson Parks.”
“It’s about time.” He brushed at her hair and traced her bottom lip with his thumb. “Now stop talking.” He pulled her close and his mouth found hers, hungry with desire.
“I’m never going to get tired of doing that.” Jackson’s eyes turned dark and he held her tightly.
“I’m counting on it,” Caroline replied, her grip on him equally as strong.
Their mouths came together again, pulled in by some unexplainable force. Driven by desire, lust, and passion, they lost themselves in each another, content to finally be together, where they belonged.
Chapter Twenty-One
…Six Weeks Later…
“I can’t believe you’re really leaving.” Bailey pouted from the couch.
Caroline sat on the floor and continued to wrap her framed photos, nestling them carefully in the open cardboard box in front of her. “Yes, you can,” she said, without looking up.
Bailey chuckled, “Yeah. I can.”
Bailey’s living room was crowded with stacks of boxes and suitcases, all filled with Caroline’s belongings. Only a few boxes remained unsealed, and Caroline crouched in front of one, tucking in the last item before she picked up her tape gun to seal it closed.
“It’s funny how things work out, huh?” Bailey picked up a sweatshirt from the pile of clothing on the couch, folded it, and handed it down to Caroline.
“How do you mean?” Caroline asked as she leaned over the box.
“Well, for starters, Mr. Walters is letting you transfer to the New York office, so you already have a kick-ass job.” Bailey’s face screamed “You’re Welcome” as she continued. “And…one of your best friends lives in the city, so you already have a place to live…”
“All true,” Caroline cut in.
Bailey’s eyes narrowed impatiently. “Hey! I wasn’t done yet!”
Caroline leaned back and threw her hands up in the air. “Whoa.”
Bailey cleared her throat. “As I was saying…kick-ass job, place to live, oh yeah, did I mention the boyfriend?”
“Uh, no. I don’t think you did. Is there one?” Caroline teased. The word boyfriend conjured up images of Jackson’s eyes in Caroline’s mind and she suddenly felt as though she was drowning in a sea of blue…only she didn’t mind.
Bailey brought her finger to her lips and bit at it seductively. “Ooooh, is there ever.”
Caroline burst out laughing. “You’re such a nut! This is why I love you.”
“It’s funny how things fall into place when you’re on the right path.” Bailey’s eyes twinkled with delight and Caroline’s entire face was aglow. “Remind me again why you’re not moving in with Jackson?” Bailey picked up a pair of jeans and aligned the legs before folding them.
When a chuckle came out mixed with an exasperated breath, Caroline coughed. “I’ve told you this, like what? A million times already?”
Bailey huffed. “Just tell me once more.”
“You writing a book or something?”
“Ha! You wish. Just tell me why, after everything that has happened between the two of you, you aren’t seizing every moment like it could be your last?”
“I didn’t want to rush things.”
Bailey handed down the jeans. “Didn’t want to rush things? Why should you? I mean, you only called off your wedding for the guy…and he only almost died.”
Caroline grabbed the jeans and smacked Bailey’s arm with them. “Shut up. Seriously, this is a huge step. I just want to be smart about it.”
“No, you’re right, he’ll probably be sick of you in a week anyway.”
“You’re pretty much the worst friend ever.”
“Yay right! You know I’m kidding.” Bailey nudged Caroline’s ribs with her foot.
“I know. But that thought does linger in the back of my mind,” Caroline admitted.
“What thought? That he’ll get sick of you?”
“Not that, necessarily. But what if it doesn’t work out between us?”
“Do you really think it won’t?” Bailey asked with surprise.
“No, but you never know. I mean, things happened really fast since his accident. I don’t want to be careless. So until we’re sure, I’m living with Tracey.”
“Makes sense.” Bailey nodded with approval.
Caroline folded the last box top and ran tape across it before wiping the dust off her hands on the leg of her jeans. “All done.”
“Should we start loading them into your car?”
“Yeah. We need to get on the road soon.” Caroline glanced at her watch.
“Will it really take us six whole days to get there?” Bailey whined and let out an annoyed breath.
“I don’t know,” Caroline admitted. “I’ve never driven to New York from San Francisco before.”
“I was just asking, jeez.”
“I swear if you annoy me, I will ditch your ass in the middle of Nebraska or something,” Caroline warned, wagging her finger.