by Sierra Rose
He skimmed his fingers through my hair and wrapped his arms around my body. I stared up, barely able to hold his gaze, as his lips lowered ever so gently against me in a soft touch, growing stronger as sparks flew. His breath felt hot on my skin, and heat rushed to my cheeks. I still couldn’t fathom how anyone could be so irresistible.
Afterward, I shared my heart, and we shared this deep emotional connection. We talked about everything, from the day we’d met to our new life. I stared into his beautiful blue eyes and ran a hand through his dark, black hair. He smiled. I knew we were going to last forever and that no one would ever tear us apart.
I trusted Jake and let him into my heart. I told him about my greatest accomplishments and deepest fears. My beautiful lover held me, kissed me, and cherished me. Our hearts and souls were intertwined as one. He wasn’t just the most passionate lover I’d ever had, but he was also my best friend, and having him back in my life was priceless.
I propped my head on Jake’s chest, using it as a pillow, and he wrapped an arm around me. I could hear his heartbeat, and I loved being this close to him. My hair spilled across his chest, and he began to toy with the loose strands, curling it around his finger and smiling down at me whenever I looked at him.
Chapter 16
Jake and I traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii. After checking in and unpacking, we went straight on our scenic lava hike. We both could hardly contain our excitement as we walked through the lush Hawaiian forest, trails zigzagging past rugged lava flows and active craters. It was weird not to see any trees, just undulating layers of black rock everywhere. I was glad I didn’t opt for flip-flops.
My heart skipped a beat when lightning lit up the sky followed by a crash of thunder.
“It’s going to rain,” Jake said. “We’ll never get those pictures.”
I walked over the jagged moonscape of black rock. “We can always come back tomorrow.”
“But we’re almost there,” our photographer said, brushing the dark hair from her face. “And I didn’t carry this tripod all this way for nothing.”
“That’s okay,” Jake said. “Let’s just go with the flow.”
I laughed at his pun as I stared at the lava river edged with silvery and black chunks below.
The narrow way broadened into a wide area a few feet away, stretching to the left and right, as far as I could see. Taking a deep breath, I reached the ledge, planting my feet in the ground inches from the abyss below, and stared down at the lava lake. The hissing gases snaked into the air, carrying with them an overpowering sulfur smell and bitter fumes that almost made me gag. I covered my mouth with my hand and leaned forward to peer into the lava that spewed fifty feet into the air. Crackles and pops echoed from the impenetrable stony walls as the ferocious lava simmered like a pot of boiling-hot water. Earth trembled beneath its surface. I held my breath as I dared a glance down at the huge clouds of steam that hovered over the red, boiling lake below.
Jake smiled. “It’s amazing! This is definitely the highlight of our trip.”
“Breathtaking,” I said, feeling the intense heat on my face.
Our photographer set up her equipment. Dazzling streaks of lightning crisscrossed the night sky, quickly followed by a howling wind. Lifting my hands, I felt light droplets on my skin. I peered through the rain and my photographer reassured me that this was going to be the best picture ever. She directed us where to stand, and after a few shots she stopped and smiled.
“Why don’t you two kiss?” she asked, wiping the water out of her eyes.
Jake dipped me as his lips crashed into mine. I was sure this was the most romantic kiss I’d ever had. What more can a girl ask for? I thought. We stood on a volcanic landscape, with a fiery inferno as our backdrop, glorious rain poured down, and the man of my dreams was passionately kissing me.
“Okay, I got it,” our photographer yelled. “I don’t want to brag, but this is the most beautiful photograph I’ve ever captured. I’ve got a handsome man dipping his girlfriend as they kiss in the rain, with the stunning lava lake in the background. And the lighting is superb. I darkened the background some, making the lava really stand out in the picture. It’s my best work ever. Mind if I have a copy for my studio?”
“Definitely!” When I walked over, she proudly showed me the viewfinder. “The rain…the fire…us…it’s amazing!” I squealed. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. “And it means a lot that you love it, coming from one photographer to another. You’ve definitely have to frame it.”
I smiled at Jake. “I plan too!”
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. “We’ll put it right above the couch.”
“Definitely.”
Hawaii was fantastic and we only stayed a few days. I vowed to come back and stay a little longer. One of my favorite moments on this entire trip was when Jake and I made out at one of the most famous ‘black sand’ beaches in Hawaii. I let out a long sigh. We had so many wonderful moments on this trip. Our vacation didn’t start off good, but now that Jake and I had made up, everything was going perfectly. We were having the dream vacation that we’d always planned. Did I deserve happiness like this? Yes, I did. And I think my mother would be happy, knowing that I was this happy. She always told me that’s all she ever wanted. My mom knew how much I loved Jake. She put aside all her grudges for true love and I didn’t know what was more amazing than that. I think this trip was her final gift. She knew Jake and I would fall in love all over again. She’d nailed it perfectly. And I couldn’t stop smiling!
Chapter 17
We had checked into Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells Resort and Spa, and we were both ecstatic to be on our last leg of the journey. To fulfill the photo requirement, we would have to take a tram with our tour group to the top of San Jacinto Mountain the next day, and we would camp halfway down when we stopped for the night.
I unpinned my tight bun and shook out my hair, then took out my small gold hoop earrings. While Jake locked the hotel door, I set my suitcase down and felt the king-sized bed to see how comfortable it was; I was delighted with the soft, pillow-top mattress. The accommodations also offered a balcony and a nice-sized bathroom with dual sinks and a large marble vanity that I hoped would solve the War of the Toiletries when it came to shared space.
Since we were both dying of thirst, I hurried to the vending machine I’d seen on the way in and bought two ice-cold Pepsis for us. I grabbed two plastic champagne glasses from beside the ice bucket and poured the soda into them, then handed one to Jake. “Hasn’t it been fun traveling around the world? I think it’s been everything we’ve dreamt about and more.”
“Cheers,” he said, clinking his glass against mine.
“A toast…to our future.”
“Yeah. To a glorious and happy future,” he said.
I sipped the pop as he grinned. I felt sad that it was all ending. On our trip, we had no responsibilities, except to take the pictures, and we could be as carefree as we wanted. I wondered if Jake and I, reunited as a couple, could possibly make it in the real world, through the everyday struggles. I really hoped we could. I knew now that Jake was the love of my life, and finding him again had proven to be a dream come true.
“I can’t wait to see your photo album,” he said, turning on the air conditioning. “You took some amazing shots.”
I chuckled, thinking about the naked pic I had taken. “I know. I can’t believe this is the end.”
Jake closed his hands on my waist, drawing me ever close. “It’s not, Ashly. It’s only the beginning.”
I stared up into his eyes, and the look on his face made me believe every word he said. “I love you so much.”
“I love you more than anything,” he said with heartfelt sincerity.
He brushed across my lips, and I felt the jolt of electricity as our lips connected in a tender kiss. His hands slid down my body. Angling his head, he deepened the soft, sensual kiss, sliding his tongue between my lips
. I coiled my arms around him as our tongues intertwined in that old, familiar dance. I could feel his heart hammering against his chest. Nobody could turn me on the way Jake could. I felt his lips press against my neck as he tangled his hands in my hair. I ripped off his shirt for him, then trailed my fingers across his rippled chest.
“Lift up your arms,” he purred in my ear.
Letting out a soft moan, I did as he asked. He slipped my blouse off, then unhooked my bra, allowing my ample breasts to spill out. He unzipped my pants. I kicked off my shoes and unbuckled his belt.
I couldn’t deny the hot ache between my legs. “I need you inside me right now,” I said, panting.
“Not yet,” he whispered, lowering me slowly to the bed. “Just a little longer.”
But I wanted him right then, right there—everything he had to give me. My body ached for him. We finished fumbling with each other’s clothing as we hungrily kissed. I ran my hands across his body and felt his strong, powerful, muscles rippling beneath my fingertips. Jake had awakened a passion in me that I hadn’t felt in so many long years. My stomach fluttered as I enjoyed his gentle, teasing touches all over my heated skin. His fingers traveled down my body and grazed my hips as he left a long trail of sweet kisses on my naval. Every nerve ending in my body was literally on fire. His hands slid upward and cupped my breasts; he gently caressed them, then suckled, causing me to emit a long moan. I’d never been so turned on. He sucked harder, and I could barely contain myself as pleasure washed over me like a tidal wave. My kiss grew desperate, and I devoured his mouth, practically begging him to put out the scorching fire.
We made mad, passionate love. In his strong arms, I felt so safe and secure, and I smiled contentedly as I drifted off into slumber.
* * *
When morning came, we were ready to explore southern California’s second-highest peak, 10,804 feet, with a fantastic restaurant and bar at the top. I dressed in layers so I could peel them off if I got too hot. I wore jeans and hiking boots and pulled my hair back in a tight ponytail. Jake wore jeans, layers, and hiking boots too. We filled our backpacks with everything we’d need.
The tram sped from the desert floor up to the top of San Jacinto Mountain in just ten minutes.
At the top, our tour guide took plenty of pictures with the spectacular backdrop. “Okay, you two can stop kissing now,” he said with a laugh.
I laughed as well, because it really was funny. When we’d first started the trip, I had wanted no part of him, but now we were lip-locked.
“You must be honeymooners,” the tour guide said. Our guide, Albie Summings, was really nice and knowledgeable. He had thinning white hair and a long beard.
Jake and I exchanged glances and smiled.
“Just reunited lovers,” I said.
“How sweet.”
We had an hour to kill and decided to take a little walk on our own. Tourists spread out everywhere. The view from the top was amazing, and I took lots of pictures. It was so beautiful, and the birds chirped happily, serenading us as we made our way down one of the trails.
I leaned up against a tree to rest for a minute, but I couldn’t stop staring at each and every hard, well-defined muscle bulging from Jake’s arms and chest. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I was in complete lust with my beautiful Jake. He stared back at me, and I smiled widely. Jake kissed me once again, and his hot breath sent chills through my entire body. I flung my arms around him as his lips trailed down my neck, then back up to my mouth.
“I’ve never forgotten how good your kisses feel,” I said.
“Me neither,” he said. “I wanted to kiss you when I saw you at the attorney’s office, but I didn’t dare. You were looking at me like you hated me.”
I playfully poked him in the side. “Well, I had every reason to be furious with you.”
He gazed deeply into my eyes. “I know, and now I’m gonna spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
I laughed. “Damn straight you are.”
We made every touch, every kiss, and every second count.
He stroked the top of my hand with his thumb. “Thanks for giving me another chance.”
I pushed the black hair from his face, threading my fingers through it. “I couldn’t help myself. You’re so…irresistible.”
His smile eased into a broad grin, and he gently caressed my face as he softly kissed me. I had never felt more loved than I did at that moment, staring into his eyes. I studied every detail of his masculine face, from his high cheekbones and strong jawline to his full lips, his sapphire-blue eyes, and his night-dark hair. The man literally stole my breath away.
I touched his face and slowly kissed his lips. “I love you so much.”
“You know I love you more than life itself.” He pressed his lips to mine gently and tangled his fingers in my hair as emotion consumed us.
With a big smile, he gripped my hand, and we continued.
I peered around me and noticed patches of snow on the ground. I picked some up, packed it into a ball, and threw it at him. He laughed and launched one of his own back at me, hitting me in the arm.
After our little snowball fight, we headed back to meet with our guide for a day trip. I adjusted my backpack and headed down the trail.
On the way, Albie told us all about the surrounding nature and enlightened us about many mountain facts. When we reached the place that he said would be the best camping spot for the night, we pitched our tent, made a fire, and had dinner.
When Albie snapped more photos of us, I smiled more widely than I had in quite a while, reveling in the fact that we had done it. I would get my inheritance, and finally I would learn my mother’s real reason for sending me on a trip around the globe. I squealed in delight. “That’s it. The last picture we need,” I said.
Jake spun me around. “We did it, babe!”
His lips claimed mine in a long, deep kiss. We had taken all the pictures that were requested, and now all we had to do was take them back to my lawyer’s office. I’d made sure to send backup photos, a copy of each, so we would have them in case something crazy happened, like a croc eating our camera or an elephant trampling it.
* * *
In our tent, Jake and I snuggled up together. It had to be around twenty below zero.
“This whole trip has been amazing,” I said. “Not to sound all cliché and corny and Dirty Dancing or anything, but I’ve had the time of my life.”
“Me too.”
He gazed into my eyes. “I’m so glad you’re sleeping with me and not on the other side of the tent, like back in Africa,” he said.
“I did take it a little bit too far, huh?”
He pulled me close and kissed my lips. “All that matters is that we’re together now.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
* * *
The next day, we continued down the mountain. Hours into the hike, our guide’s eyes fluttered shut, and he crashed to the ground.
I felt his neck. “Albie doesn’t have a pulse, Jake!”
Jake initiated CPR, but it was to no avail, because poor Albie had passed away. I knew we needed to get help immediately. We said a prayer and spread our picnic blanket over him. I didn’t know him well, but he was a nice man, and I grieved over his loss.
“I’m no doctor, but I’d say he had a heart attack or a stroke,” Jake said. “We should head back the way we came.”
“Let’s go!” I said, my nerves frazzled.
Walking down the steep slope, I pressed through the tangle of weeds and tried not to slip on the gravel. Every time we tried a different way, we kept bumping into impassable boulders. Since we couldn’t jump over them, we’d had to double back and try a different route. The journey began to test every bit of courage I had, not to mention the treads on my shoes.
Without our guide to lead us, we couldn’t find the right trail, and before long, we were hopelessly lost. The merciless sun beat down on my neck and shoulders, heating my skin to unbearable temp
eratures as we traversed the mountainous incline.
I gasped for air, partly because of the climb and partly because of the thinning oxygen at that high altitude. I rested for a minute and leaned back against a giant rock slab, then moved on again. My throat was parched, and I longed for a drink of water. “We’re lost,” I finally admitted.
“Then let’s just head down to the desert floor. If we just head down, we’ll get off the mountain eventually,” Jake said.
“I agree. We can’t get lost that way.” I heaved myself through a narrow opening in the leafy ferns and bent over, bracing my hands on my knees as I fought to catch my breath.
“You’re doing fantastic,” Jake said between breaths.
“We’ll get to the bottom,” I managed to squeak, my stomach in a tangled mess of knots.
“You better believe it,” Jake said, the determination in his voice coaxing me onward.
“Then let’s go,” he said sternly. “I know you’re tired, but we can’t stop.”
I nodded, my brown hair damp with sweat.
We climbed down a steep slope, and rocks continued slipping and tumbling beneath our feet. I stopped at a steep drop-off and tried to gauge how far of a jump it actually was. I figured it to be about twenty feet, but we could climb down the vines instead.
Jake gripped a vine tightly, till his knuckles turned white. He gave it a hard yank, then turned to face me. “It’ll hold you,” he assured me. When my lips pressed together in a grim line, he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “You can do this, Ashly. I believe in you.”
I nodded, then gripped the vine and gave it a tug. “So we just climb down the vines?”
He took a few steps forward, peering downward. “That’s the plan.”
I took a deep breath. “I’ve never done this kind of thing. Being a city girl and all, I’d probably wipe my butt with poison ivy and eat the deadliest mushroom.”
He smirked. “That doesn’t matter. We’re gonna make it, and I’ll be sure to steer you clear of poison ivy.”
A slow rumble echoed all around me. It didn’t sound good at all. I could hear the panic in Jake’s voice, even through my racing pulse that was drumming in my ears. As I glanced up, I saw a huge boulder rolling down toward us. I couldn’t jump to the left or right because it was so steep, and there was nothing to hold on to to keep me from tumbling down the mountain.
