We’re laying by the fire, holding onto one another because it’s so cold by the lake. It’s the only place we can sneak off to be alone lately. I told my mom I’m leaving Polar Bear, and to say she’s pissed is an understatement. Everywhere I go, I’m questioned by someone, and I’m tired of it all. The only peace I get is when I’m with my girl.

  I kiss beneath her ear and feel her smile. “Tell me your dreams, baby,” I whisper.

  She squeezes my hand as she stares at the fire. “My dreams aren’t as big as yours, Jase.”

  “Doesn’t mean they are any less important.”

  She sighs and glances up at me. I see the uncertainty in her beautiful green eyes. “I want to be married, have babies, build gingerbread houses while we all sit around a big table. I want to be surrounded by my family and friends. I want to be here, in Polar Bear, living happily ever after.” She shakes her head and looks back toward the fire. “It’s stupid and childish.”

  I grab her chin and force her to look at me. “There is nothing stupid or childish about that. You want what my parents had. What your parents have. I get that, and we’ll get there. I just don’t want to have any regrets. I need to see this through, but I need you to do it with me,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to her frozen lips.

  “I know you do,” she whispers with tears in her eyes. “Your dreams are huge, Jase. Mine are simple.”

  “Baby, together we can have it all.” I search her eyes and grab onto her face. “You believe me, don’t you? I can’t do this without you, Bri.”

  “I believe you,” she whispers.

  I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly to my chest. My erratic heart begins to calm, and I breathe her in. Together, I know we can have it all. Together, we’re unstoppable.

  “Jase.” My mom’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

  Normally, I’m at Bri’s house, but I had to come here to get ready because my suit is here. I grab my jacket off the bed and walk into the kitchen, draping it over a chair.

  “What’s up, Mom?”

  She turns around, and a huge smile spreads across her face. “Well, don’t you look amazing? I haven’t seen you in a suit since your cousin’s wedding.”

  I grin as I straighten my black tie. “I’m taking Bri out tonight.”

  “Is that right? Is there an engagement ring in that pocket?” she asks, raising her eyebrows.

  I laugh as I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge. “Nope, just my wallet.”

  “What’s your plan here, Jase?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, sipping the water.

  She checks her watch and crosses the kitchen, taking a box of cookies out of the cabinet. “It means exactly what I said. What are your plans? Are you staying? Are you planning to marry that girl? Are you leaving again? What exactly are your plans?”

  I laugh as I kiss her cheek. “My plans don’t include telling anyone anything. Bri and I are figuring things out. When I know, you’ll probably be about the fifth person I tell.”

  She throws a plastic cup at me as I duck and laugh. “Jase Weston, you’re driving me crazy.”

  I chuckle as I pick up my jacket. “What did you need?”

  “Oh, I almost forgot. The festival is almost here. We’d like a list of songs you intend to sing,” she says.

  “We?” I ask.

  As if on cue, Evelyn and Sophia walk in the door. I should’ve known.

  “Jase, you look so handsome,” Sophia says, kissing my cheek.

  “You look great. Brielle is a very lucky girl,” Evelyn says.

  Abigail served Tommy with divorce papers, and he left. Not before I paid him a visit, though. I wanted him to know that when he was asked to leave, it would be best for him that he did. He didn’t like my threat but liked my left hook even less. I didn’t tell anyone, not even Bri. I didn’t do it for the recognition. I did it because Abigail deserves so much better, and he needed a reminder that she has backup.

  “Well, ladies, I need to go pick up my girl. So, if you’ll excuse me,” I say, kissing my mom’s cheek.

  “Have fun,” she says, smiling.

  I slip on my jacket and wink at them. “I always do.”

  Evelyn and Sophia laugh, but my mom tells me to be respectful. I laugh as I make my way to the car. I’ve been looking forward to doing something out of Polar Bear, and I’m so glad Bri finally agreed.

  When I pull up to her house, I grab the lilies from the back seat. I open the door and step inside. “Hey, baby, I’m here,” I yell out.

  “Be right out,” she calls.

  I stand in the living room like a nervous teenager, holding flowers as I wait for her. When she walks into the living room, my heart rate picks up. She’s wearing a short, strapless black dress. It hugs her perfect body, pulling my attention to her tits. Her heels are clicking against the floor, and give her a bit more height. Shining green eyes sparkle as she looks at me. The curls in her hair bounce as she walks, and I shake my head in disbelief that this woman is mine.

  When she reaches me, I grab her in a tight hug and lift her off the floor. My pulse picks up as my cock hardens.

  I place a sweet kiss on the corner of her mouth as I return her to her feet. “You take my damn breath away, Bri.”

  She runs her hand down my blue button-up shirt and smiles up at me. “Right back at ya,” she says.

  I hand her the flowers and she thanks me, quickly placing them in some water. “Sometimes, it amazes me that you remember little things like my favorite flower,” she whispers.

  “I remember everything, baby.” I grab her hand and kiss her knuckles. “Ready?”

  The drive is long but comfortable. She’s impressed with my car and keeps asking what all the buttons do. Once I give her control of the radio, she finds a station and one of my songs comes on.

  She looks over at me and smiles. “How does it feel listening to yourself?”

  I laugh as I glance at her. “I normally change the station.”

  She turns up the volume and leans back in her seat. I reach over, threading my fingers with hers. “I love listening to you.”

  “Have you listened to my music?”

  She squeezes my fingers, turning to look out the window. “I avoided it for a long time, but one day a song came on the radio and I kept it on. I felt for the first time in a long time that I was close to you again,” she whispers.

  “Baby,” I whisper, peeking at her.

  “After that, I listened to you often. Some songs were harder to listen to than others,” she says.

  I know without asking she’s talking about my earlier songs. They were all about her. Every single one. Once I lost her, I lost the inspiration to write my own music. I was no longer singing what I wanted, I was singing what I was told to sing. The songs no longer held any meaning.

  “Those were the songs I loved singing the most,” I say.

  “You know, I almost came to see you in concert once,” she admits.

  My eyes widen as I glance her way. “You did?”

  “Yeah, but I knew it would be too hard.”

  “I wish you would’ve. I looked for you often,” I confess.

  She’s quiet until we are almost to the restaurant. After I park the car, she turns in her seat to look at me. “We wasted ten years,” she whispers.

  Her eyes are shining with tears and I lean over, kissing her full lips. “No, baby, we waited ten years.”

  She’s impressed with the restaurant, just like I knew she would be. She hasn’t stopped talking about the view and the romantic atmosphere. We’ve just finished eating, and even though we’ve had a constant flow of conversation, there’s so much more to be said.

  I reach over, taking her hand in mine. “Bri, we need to talk.”

  Her smile slips, and I rub my thumb against her hand. “What?”

  “I came back to Polar Bear because I wanted you back. The fear of coming here and finding out you were married with a family made the trip here the most agonizing thing I’ve ever done. When I saw you at the bar that first night, I swear my heart started beating again. I didn’t even realize it had stopped, but it did until I saw you.” I lift her hand and kiss her palm. “I asked you when we were just kids what your dreams were and you told me they were simple compared to mine. You wanted to get married, have kids, and live in Polar Bear. You wanted a happily ever after.”

  She nods her head, catching a tear with her napkin. “You remember,” she whispers.

  I grin as I continue. “I told you that we could have it all, that together we were unstoppable, and I still believe that. I have to continue making music because that’s who I am, but I want to do it as your husband. I want to rest my hand on your pregnant belly. I want to sing our babies to sleep. I want to take care of you, provide for you, support your dreams, and love you until I take my last breath.”

  “Jase,” she says, unable to control her tears.

  “I talked with the label, and I told them that I will only be touring once a year, and only for a month. I also told them that I will be relocating to Polar Bear. I’ll still need to go to LA a couple of times a month when I’m working on a new album. But I’d like to build a new house for us in Polar Bear. One that has a recording studio in the basement. That way I can work from home and only need to leave when absolutely necessary. I’d like to make your dreams come true now, Bri. So, I need to know, are you all in?”

  She is crying and laughing as she shakes her head. “Yes, oh, my God, yes, Jase. I’m all in,” she says.

  I get up and pull her out of her seat, crashing my lips to hers. I don’t care that we’re in a fancy restaurant with prying eyes all around. This stunningly gorgeous woman is all mine, she always has been.

  She moans as my hands move down to her ass and I quickly break the kiss. “I need you, baby.”

  “Check,” she yells amongst my laughter.

  It’s not a want, it’s a need. I need to fuck Bri. I need to feel her wrapped around me. I need to show her how thankful I am that we made it back to each other with my body.

  We rush out to my car and get in. I drive up the coast, but my hand on her bare thigh is making driving more difficult. The need is burning inside me. I drive up a bit more and spot a secluded area off the side of the road. I quickly turn in and shut off my lights.

  “What are you doing?” she asks, turning to look at me.

  There is just enough moonlight shining through that I can see her, but not enough that anyone passing by would notice us. She’s beautiful, stunning, staring at me with those deep green eyes. I push my seat back as far as possible and pull her onto my lap.

  “I can’t wait, I need you now,” I say, crashing my lips to hers.

  She doesn’t protest and melts into me. My hands run over her body as her hips begin to move against my hard cock. My tongue trails down her neck and chest to the top of her tits. I yank the top of her dress down and her tits pop out to me. She’s not wearing a bra which makes my cock even harder if that’s possible. I suck on a hard nipple and pinch the other. She moans out her pleasure as I bite down. I pay the same attention to each nipple while I push my dick against her. She’s sucking and biting on my neck as she unbuttons my shirt.

  Once my shirt is open, I push her dress up and literally rip her panties off of her. I toss them behind me and quickly get my pants undone. I lift my hips slightly to slide them down until my cock springs free. My fingers dig into her hips keeping her hovering over me. I go back to sucking and biting on her tits. She’s fighting me, trying to sink down onto me, but I want to tease her a little longer. I want her to feel the burning need I feel.

  She lets out a whimper, and I look up at her. “Do you want me?”

  “Yes,” she moans.

  “Tell me.”

  She searches my eyes, her heated greens intense with need. “I want you, Jase,” she breathes.

  “Do you need me?”

  That question has so many meanings, and I hope she understands them all. I want her to need me, and not just at this moment. It’s selfish, but I don’t give a shit. I want it.

  “Yes, fuck, yes, I need you, Jase,” she cries out.

  I allow her hips to slip through my fingers and she sinks down onto my waiting dick. Momentarily, I close my eyes at the feel of having her wrapped around me. Her tight, wet pussy is like my salvation.

  I snap my eyes open and push her hair out of her face as she looks down at me. “Ride me, Bri. Take what you need.”

  She grabs onto my shoulders and begins to move. It’s slow at first, but she quickly picks up her pace. I pull her hair as I start to move with her. We are both breathing heavily, moaning our pleasure. Her tits are bouncing and I lean forward, licking them before sucking her hard nipples. My hands move to her ass and I dig my fingers in, hard. Nothing about this is slow or sweet. This is pure need. I move a finger to her tight ass and press against it. She doesn’t miss a beat, so I push my finger inside.

  “Fuck!” she yells.

  We’re frantic now. My cock deep inside her while she rides me, my finger fucking her ass, and my mouth attacking her tits. Her nails scratch me, digging into my shoulders and down my chest. It’s a pain that turns me on, a pain that ensures pleasure. I can feel her pussy tighten around me and I know she’s close.

  “Come on me,” I growl.

  Her moans are now screams as her orgasm starts to take over. Her body begins to shake and I keep fucking her ass with my finger as my cock keeps slamming deep into her. Her back arches as she shouts my name. I can’t hold back, my orgasm chases right behind her as she collapses against me.

  I push her hair out of her face and kiss her temple as we wait to be able to move. It’s a profound moment when we both hold each other tightly. I will do everything in my power to make her happy. I’ll fight for her - fight for us. I will never allow her to feel pain at my expense again. She’s my world, and I will make sure everyone knows soon.

  After what feels like hours, she sits up, looking down at me. I grin and tuck her hair behind her ear.

  “I will always need you,” she whispers.

  I dig my fingers into her sides and rest my head against her chest. “I’ll always need you, too.”

  We share a slow, passionate kiss. I help her back into her dress and she buttons my shirt for me while I fix my pants. She slides back into her seat and we look around and start laughing.

  “Looks like a bunch of high school kids fogged up the windows,” she says.

  I give her a wink and laugh. “Not the first time for us.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Brielle

  It’s the night of the school play and as always I’m equal parts excited and nervous. These kids have worked so hard, and I want them to have a great experience. The activity backstage is bustling, and you can feel the electricity in the air.

  Seeing that everything is going well, I push the curtain open and stand on the stage. The auditorium is empty, so I take a second to look out. The spotlight is shining, and I smile thinking about Jase up on stage. I’m nervous just standing here with no one looking at me. I have no idea how he does it with thousands of people staring at him. Thinking about it gives me a sense of pride. He’s my world, and even though I need to share him with the world, I have his heart.

  He put his house on the market in LA, and after the holidays I’m going with him to help pack it up. He’s already in talks with someone to draw up plans for our house. Our house. It still gets my heart racing. My dreams are coming true.

  “Miss Crawford.”

  I’m startled from my thoughts and spin around quickly. So quickly, that I knock into the huge gingerbread house that I’ve been working on for weeks. I watch in disbelief as part of the roof sinks in.

  “No!” I yell, trying to save it. The more I try to save it, the more it starts to crumble.

  I’m standing with icing and gingerbread covering my hands and tears in my eyes. It’s ruined.

  “Bri, shit, what happened?” Jase asks, walking toward the stage.

  I look out at him and when his blue eyes hit mine, a tear falls. “I broke it.”

  He jumps up on stage and surveys the damage. His eyes lift to my hands and trail up to my face. He runs a hand down his mouth and I realize he’s trying not to laugh.

  “It’s not funny, Jase. It’s ruined. It’s supposed to be part of the decorations for the play. Which starts soon,” I whine.

  He smiles and holds onto my wrists. He leans forward and sucks one of my fingers into his mouth. While he licks and sucks it clean, his eyes stay locked on mine. I shouldn’t be getting turned on after this disaster, but I am. The way his tongue is swirling around my finger, and the mischievous look in his eyes. It’s pretty damn hot.

  He pulls off my finger and licks his lips. “I’ve only tasted one other thing more delicious,” he whispers as his eyes bounce between mine.

  “Oh, yeah, what’s that?” I breathe.

  “You, baby,” he says, pressing his lips to mine. He pulls back and smiles. “It can still be up here on stage. I’ve had worse backgrounds.” He laughs as I narrow my eyes. “Don’t be upset, Bri. It’s broken, but something can be broken and still be beautiful. I still see the beauty in it.”

  How he’s capable of always finding the right words is beyond me. Maybe it’s because he’s a songwriter, or maybe it’s because he just loves me so much that it’s easy for him. He is able to calm me immediately in any situation and make me smile. That’s some serious love.

  “Thank you, Jase. I was having a mini-meltdown, but as always, you saved me,” I say, pushing up on my toes to kiss him.

  He kisses me quickly and backs up, laughing. “I love you, baby, but this is a nice shirt.”

  I shake my head, grabbing the towel he hands me. “Asshole.”

  We are almost to the final act and it’s all going so well. After the gingerbread collapse of 2021, things flowed perfectly. The kids have all done such an amazing job, and the audience is loving it.

  Charlotte sits next to me and smiles. “This is the part Jase helped with, right?”

 

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