We snuggled on the blanket until orange hues spread across the evening sky, and the sun cast its last rays on the lake water.

Jim cupped my jaw with both hands and leaned in. His mouth covered mine, and my lips parted so my tongue could meet his. He was driving me crazy. Not only with his kisses and caresses but also with his attention and tenderness. It was as if I floated on the fluffy cloud of his affection, thrilled to soar but terrified of crumbling to the ground at the same time. 

We broke apart when the need for more threatened to make us forget we weren't alone — a couple of families were in the vicinity, enjoying the summer day. 

"Wanna head back?" Jim kissed my forehead.

"Yeah," I said, scrambling to my feet. We folded the blanket and walked to the car, holding hands. 

Jim's hand hardly left my knee on the drive to his parents'. He probably thought I needed reassurance after what I'd told him. I never felt misunderstood or judged when I shared stuff with him, but it didn't mean I liked seeming weak. Despite that, my vulnerable side always showed itself in Jim's presence.

When we parked and entered the house, Jim's mom was in the kitchen.

"How was the sunset?" she asked, smiling.

Jim hugged me from behind and planted a kiss on my shoulder. "Amazing. Right, Ava?"

"The place is beautiful. Do you need help?"

Aria shook her head. "It's all ready. We're gonna try the things Jimmy brought." She nodded toward the charcuterie board. "Take that to the living room and choose some wine, will you, Jim?"

He winked. "Sure. On it."

As soon as we were alone, Aria turned to me. "He's head over heels for you."

Heat engulfed my cheeks. I wished she'd given me something to busy myself with so I'd feel less awkward.

"I—"

"I know my son, Ava. I'm so happy he's in love. That lifestyle of his can be very demanding and lonely. He's not one to complain, but he was under too much stress. It had me questioning whether all of it was worth it."

"Jimmy loves what he does," I said. 

Aria beamed. "Oh, I know. I'm just happy he has more than his career now. I want my son to be happy, and even the little time we spent together was enough for me to see he's happy with you. So, thank you."

I wanted to say I did nothing, but Jim walked into the kitchen. His green eyes darted between his mom and me. "Everything okay?"

"I was telling Ava about your pet snake," Aria said, winking at me.

"It was a cute snake, Beautiful." Jim kissed the top of my head and went to the kitchen cabinet. "Mom couldn't appreciate its wild, natural beauty."

A giggle flew out of my mouth. Jim paused, holding four wine glasses. "I'm not kidding. We might have a picture. Right, Mom?"

Aria clapped her hands. "Oh my God, of course, we do. Ava needs to see how cute of a little boy you were."

"But I haven't seen her childhood photos yet." Jim wiggled his brows. "I know what I'll ask your dad for, baby."

Please don't. What girl wanted the guy she was crazy about to see her pimples, pigtails, and questionable fashion choices? I cringed at the memory of my school years. I was shy and way more awkward back then. If it hadn't been for the girls, I would've spent all the time with my nose in a book. Boys avoided me like the plague, maybe because I never sounded coherent in their presence. 

"I'll help you," I blurted out to divert Jim's attention to something else and grabbed two goblets from his hands.

Jim led the way to the living room. The lights were dim, and a rock ballad played in the background. Jim's dad, Axel, was humming to the music as he opened a bottle of red wine. His chin-length hair was loose, and he was wearing some jeans and a tee like his older son.

Aria looked beautiful in a sundress with her dark hair in a ponytail. Jim's parents made a lovely couple. I could see who he got his looks from.

"Ava." Axel smiled. "You like red wine, don't you?"

"We love it." Jim plopped down on the couch and tugged at my hand, making me land on his lap. I attempted to sit beside him, but he wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me in place.

Axel looked over at us, chuckling. "He won't let you go, girl. We, the O'Brien men, can be stubborn as hell. When we want a lady, there ain't stop signs on the road."

Jim kissed the exposed skin of my back. "What he said."

Jim's dad poured wine into our glasses. We clinked them and took a sip. 

"Mmm. Delicious," Jim said. "Come on, Mom, bring in the embarrassment before I'm buzzed."

Aria laughed, picking up a stack of albums from the coffee table.

I leaned against Jim as he flipped the first album open. "Okay, I must say I was a cute toddler. Done. Next one." He slammed the book shut.

"No way." I laughed, snatching the album from his hands. 

My grin took up my entire face for sure when I looked at Jim's baby pictures. He had the cutest smile as a toddler. Still did, except now there was the sharp jaw and his slight stubble. And his lips.

"Don't get turned on," Jim said in my ear.

My mouth opened, but then I spotted another album he was handing me. It was full of images of Jim the teen. 

"Your hair was long." I gasped. Not that long—it reached Jim's chin—but he looked different. Handsome, but different.

"Acne, oily skin, ever heard of that?" I mumbled, tracing the candid shot of Jim's breathtaking face with my fingertip. He seemed to have always been carrying his guitar, and of course, lots of photos with girls dotted the pages. "Your groupies must've been crazy about you."

Jim snorted into his wine glass. "Fangirls. And I don't know. I was too busy practicing my guitar skills. Besides, the hottest girl is on my lap. I haven't looked at anyone since she gave me a cup of coffee."

"Aw, that was how you met?" 

My head snapped up at the sound of Aria's voice.

"Yeah," Jim said. "She had no idea who I was and gave me a cup of coffee at the hospital. I stared into her beautiful eyes like a starstruck idiot. Thank God I remembered to ask for her number."

Jim ran his palm over my arm. I studied a picture of him and Brian because if I met Jim's gaze, I'd want to kiss him, and I'd rather we were alone for that.

Jim had his mom's eyes, but his brother took after their dad. His hair was also a couple of shades darker. Jim had his arm around Brian. They were by the same lake where Jim took me.

"Brian's sixteen in this one," Jim said. "He was moving away the next day, and we spent time together. Quality sibling time, I guess."

I covered Jim's hand with mine. He brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it.

He showed me the photos of his first gigs, and then the pictures from when he got signed, and his family and friends threw him a party. I recognized Nick and Jason in some images. 

"Nick grew up here too," Jim said. "Jay replaced Kennedy when Aiden moved away."

I smiled. "But what about the snake?"

Jim groaned and reached for something behind his back.

"You hid it from me!" I gave his leg a playful smack. 

"Nah. I was saving the best for later," he said, showing me the photograph in his hands. Jim and Brian were holding a big snake, grinning. Mud covered their faces and clothes, making it hard to see what color they were.

I dissolved into a fit of laughter. Aria joined me. "See? If Jimmy and you have boys one day, you know what to expect," she said.

I swallowed, and Jim moved my hair to the side. "Lots of practice first, right?" he murmured, grazing my earlobe with his lips. Why did even the smallest innocent touch make me ache for him?

Luckily, his parents didn't hear him. They told me more stories about Jim's childhood adventures. Almost two hours later, we wished them good night and went upstairs, leaving them to have another glass of wine.

I felt light-headed and a bit dizzy. Jim kept his arm around me right until we entered his room. As soon as we stepped over the threshold, he locked the door and pressed me up against it.

Wet mouth latched onto my neck. I gripped his shoulders, closing my eyes when he sucked at my skin.

"Jimmy."

Jim yanked the straps of my dress down, exposing my chest in a lace bra. A hot, wet tongue licked me through the fabric. Letting out a frustrated groan, Jim freed my breasts. Wet heat engulfed my nipple and he toyed with it, biting and suckling, caressing the other one with his thumb simultaneously. 

"Baby, your parents," I choked out, gripping his hair.

"Downstairs. I'm so fucking hard for you."

I lifted my leg, curling it around Jim's hip. His hardness hit my core, and I bit back a moan when a jolt of pleasure zipped through me.

Jim rained wet kisses over my breasts while his hands sneaked under my dress. Gripping the band of my panties, he yanked them down my legs, releasing my nipple to rid me of them and the dress.

I shivered from the light breeze blowing through the open window, cold against the exposed skin Jim wet with his kisses. It was him and me in the dark, and I  struggled to inhale deeply. All I managed were shallow pants.

"Undress me." Jim's breath fanned over my neck. He braced his forearms on either side of my head and kissed the tender flesh. 

I removed his tee and fumbled with the buttons of his jeans. Pushing the pants and the boxers down his hips, I stilled, admiring his hard length that sprung free, no longer contained by the clothes. 

I touched the swollen head, rubbing the bead of moisture over it with my thumb.

Jim moaned against my collarbone. "Ava."

My hand wrapped around him, moving up and down. Jim's mouth sought mine. He kissed me deeply, our tongues playing with each other, the sounds of pleasure trapped in our throats.

Jim dropped his hands and grabbed my backside, squeezing before he hoisted me up. 

Footsteps and his parent's voices echoed through the hallway. The door to the bedroom next to ours creaked open.

We halted. Me, still gripping Jim, and him with his fingertips digging into my bum, our lips joined.

"Gotta be quiet." He broke the kiss. "Let's test the mattress."

I clamped a palm over my mouth not to giggle out loud. Jim bit my neck and carried me to his bed. He yanked the bedspread off it and laid me down on the white sheets, hovering over me.

"Please don't squeak." Jim kneeled and folded his hands under his chin in a prayer. He shifted his weight on the mattress and rocked back and forth, but nothing happened. It was quiet.

With a triumphant grin, Jim flopped onto his back, stretching. I squeezed my thighs at the sight of him in his naked glory. 

"Wanna be on top?"

I straddled his lap, making sure my sex touched his erection. It'd get one movement to pull him into me. 

Leaning down, I rubbed my thumb across Jim's bottom lip. He gripped my hand and sucked my fingers into his mouth, his eyes darkening.

I kissed his jaw and descended, stopping at the spot below his ear. With soft nips and licks, I caressed his neck and chest, sucking on his nipples.

"Fuck, baby." Jim moaned. Panicked, I pressed a palm to his lips. "Quiet."

He nodded. When my lips caressed his stomach, Jim covered his mouth with his forearm, probably to stifle another sound.

I rocked my hips, and my soaked core slid over his rock-hard cock, eliciting a groan from deep within Jim's chest.

"Fucking torture," he rasped. "Come here."

He yanked at my hand, and I fell on top of him. My sensitive nipples brushed against Jim's chest. It was my turn to struggle to be quiet.

Jim flipped us over. The familiar weight of his body covered mine like the warmest of blankets. I clung to him, wrapping my legs around his hips.

"I felt how wet you were," he whispered in my ear and peered into my eyes, stilling.
"I'm gonna make love to you now, 'kay, baby?"

I cupped his jaw. "Please."

He edged forward. The tip of his length grazed my opening. With a deep thrust, Jim was fully inside me. 

He blew out a rush of air. "God."

I tightened my hold on him, urging him to move. Our bodies glided against each other. Jim thrust into me slowly, kissing me every time a whimper threatened to break free. I tangled my fingers in his strands and tugged, bringing him to my chest. 

He sucked my nipples, halting his movements, and slammed into me when I dug my heels into the back of his thighs. 

"We're good at being quiet." Jim nuzzled my neck. "But I'm struggling. You feel so good. The hot little furnace is burning for my cock."

"Your sword of desire is so swollen I feel it getting bigger."

The corners of Jim's mouth lifted at our inside joke. He caressed my hair, letting his fingertips linger on my forehead. "I love you, baby. Bite me if it's too much."

He pumped inside me faster, swiveling his hips. Jim's hand slid between us to rub my clit. His eyes never straying from mine, he gave it to me hard, touching me until I clamped around his length, my body shaking from pleasure, a sob of ecstasy dying in my throat.

"Shh," Jim soothed me, his lips millimeters from mine, his cock sliding in and out of me. "So hot. So hot and so sweet."

I was addicted to his words. His voice. Him. And I already knew him. I sensed the moment he was going to come and slanted my mouth over his, swallowing his sounds the way he swallowed mine.

Jim spilled himself inside me. His heart thrashed, reaching mine through both our chests. All of me was surrounded by all of him, basking in his warmth, drunk on our closeness.

We lay unmoving. The wind ruffled the curtain, and Jim pulled a sheet over us when goosebumps rose on my flesh.

"We're crazy," I said, kissing his neck. "Your parents are here, baby. What if-"

Jim's green eyes softened. "You're like a damn drug I can't resist. I went crazy downstairs, feeling you on my lap. Could've taken you to the bathroom and loved you right there."

"Loved or fucked?"

He sighed. "They're the same with you. You can fuck and still make love. And please don't worry. We were quiet. Plus, I doubt anyone thinks we're innocent. I'm an adult, so are you. This family is judgment-free. My parents wouldn't expect us to share the bed and watch the news on TV."

I giggled. "I like your family."

"And my family likes you. Dad told me not to screw up again."

I rubbed my cheek against Jim's pec. "I also like your dad. Thank you for today. I had lots of fun."

"Don't thank me. I'm happy you met my parents, baby."

We shared a sleepy, tender kiss. 

"Sweet dreams, my love," Jim said, cradling me to his chest.

☆☆☆

There was lots of kissing in my driveway when Jim dropped me off. So much that my chin was burning from his stubble.

"I should've shaved." Jim touched the red skin with his fingertips. "I'm sorry. Want me to kiss it better?"

I circled his neck with my arms, breathing in his cologne. "It's okay. You have to get ready for the interview, and I need to shower and dress for work. I'll use a cream or something."

"Eat something before you go, 'kay?"

I glanced at Jim's face. "Jimmy."

"Yeah?"

"You won't say anything just yet, will you? I mean on TV today."

An exhalation left Jim's mouth. "Baby. We're a team. I'll say nothing until we go through what we both want to share. And I don't want to let you go, like at all. How about I stop by tonight and tell you how the interview went? We could talk about it over dinner unless you want to spend the night at my place."

"I'm not sure I should. It's been two days, and Dad might be worried."

"Did you tell him we went to meet my family?"

"Yeah, of course. I just said I'd be home tonight."

"Okay. I'll stop by, then. Text me what you two want for dinner."

I pressed my lips to his. "I only want you."

"I'm already yours. Oh, and by the way, there's a new article a French magazine posted this morning. Jay and I spoke about Riveted, and I mentioned that a girl inspired Fire and Rain. I just wanted to give them something before we go public."

"Send me the link. I want to read it."

Tenderness flooded Jim's eyes. He brought me close and hugged me before letting go. "Love you. Talk to you soon."

My legs wobbled when I got out of the car. Once at home, I darted to the shower and let the warm water cascade over me as I reminisced about the weekend. Was this what happiness felt like? I felt weightless. Inspired. Thinking about squeezing in half an hour of writing, I threw on my comfy old shorts and a tank, gathered my hair in a messy bun on top of my head, and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.

The doorbell buzzed when my hand wrapped around the fridge handle. I padded to the hall and threw the door open, vaguely remembering Dad only had to see a couple of patients on Monday.

"Ava Morris," several voices shouted.

The air got trapped in my lungs. My mouth fell open as camera shutters clicked, and blinding bursts of light came at me from every direction.

I'll go hide, I guess. Theories?
Poor Ava...
I'm thinking about doing a little Q&A on my Instagram. Let me know if you'd like it. ❤
Hope you're having a great Friday!