Jackson-

"I don't want to wait anymore." Her words shock and thrill me at the same time before her lips suddenly crashed into mine.

At first, the very idea that she had finally made her move shocked me to the core, to the point where I'd been made completely immobile. Her luscious pink lips brushed against mine, inducing a soft humming vibration to radiate through me and while my lips responded in their usual way, my head and heart struggled to catch up.

It wasn't until her fingers thread carefully through my hair, sending a shockwave down my spine, that I finally awoke from my stupor.

My arms react immediately, and they're quickly found wrapped around her waist frantically pulling her in closer. The slim fabric of her dirty yellow dress glides gently on her skin and my reckless mind reminds me of how easily it could be slipped right over her head and off her entirely.

The thought of her undressed mixed with the familiar taste of cherry chapstick creates a desperate craving for more and my jeans tighten and constrict below her.

My appetite grows as she parts her lips, allowing me to taste her.  The familiar flavor sends waves of electricity through my chest, causing my heart to race and tempting my hands to drift just a bit lower. 

She's so fucking intoxicating to me.

Her neck slowly angles back allowing my lips to feverishly trail down her neck and I quickly reach her collar bone.  A soft moan escapes her lips and it's as if an untamed beast unravels within me, any thoughts of slowing or stopping disappear and my cravings deepen.

A bright light shines in our eyes and although it physically pains me to interrupt our moment I turn to face the prick who's disturbed us.

The bastard security guard stands there cockily with his hand on his hip smirking at us, clearly enjoying the show.  The urge to deck him strongly prods at my brain but I'm distracted when Maggie slides off my lap embarrassed.

"Sorry sir we were just-" A flustered Maggie breathes as she attempts to straighten up.

"Loitering?" I help, earning a scowl as we both hop out of the stagecoach.

"We'll be going now." Maggie states simply as she grabs my hand to drag me back to the car and the security guard narrowly escapes a beating.

"Loitering? Really?" She asks. "You  couldn't have helped me out with something else?"

I don't answer, instead, I pull her into a kiss hushing her words. 

I couldn't give two fucks about the security guard or anyone other than us in this moment.  I've waited so long for her to finally see me for me, that the whole world around us could spontaneously combust and I wouldn't mind.  I'd rather be distracted by her lips than worry about what anyone else thinks.

Maggie effortlessly leans into the kiss and a sense of comfort blankets me. My hands are eager and before I can properly think it through I've already gripped her ass, causing her to jump in surprise.

I can't help the low chuckle that escapes my lips before I pull away and her hand reaches for mine.

I glance down at our entwined fingers and realize just how natural it feels, as if the accident never caused a rift between us in the first place.

"Where to Miss Carpenter?" I tease.

"Back on the road to adventure, Mr. Porter." She announces, pulling me back to the car.

Electricity flows through the air between us as we drive down the narrow road.  The temptation to pull her back info my lap is incredibly strong, but the twists and turns in the road remind me to concentrate on driving.

The streetlights have long since disappeared, leaving my headlights to hazily glow on our path and the nearby desert.  I'd bet if we could see anything past the lit-up few feet in front of us we might actually notice some wildlife around us. 

My mind wanders to Maggie and I debate how she would feel about it.  Rattlers, javelina, tarantulas, owls, we've invaded their home here in the desert. I'm sure she's aware as an Arizona native, but then again she wasn't aware this landscape was even in her own backyard so she might be oblivious. 

The road winds around steep cliffs on either side as we climb ever higher and I watch Maggie's knuckles turn white as she grips the side door.  Her ocean eyes are wide open as she stares out the passenger side window as if she's anxiously anticipating we'll fly right off. 

"Afraid we'll end up a pile of rubble?" I tease and she briefly shoots me an irritated look.

"No, I'm just not confident in your driving skills." She counters and I do my best to imitate a proper shock.

"My driving skills?" I'm slightly offended. "I seem to recall you reversing on the on-ramp to the freeway and you're worried about my skills?"

"If I don't remember it, it didn't happen." She jokes, making light of the fact that that's another memory she's lost completely.

I can't help but laugh at the aggressive look she's attempting.

"I'm a great driver, it must be your memory that's faulty." She says knowing full well the irony.

I attempt to hide a smirk as I slightly tilt the wheel and pull over.

"What are you doing?" She asks, voice a little frantic.

"Maybe you're right, my mind is muddled from that kiss you gave me earlier." I tease. "If you're such a superior driver, I'd love for you to spark my memory."

Maggie's face falls in shock, "You'd let me drive your fancy car?"

"Well your wonderful driving wrecked yours to bloody shit, so we can't possibly take yours now can we?." I tease and her surprise is quickly replaced with an aggressive determination as she climbs out of the passenger seat.

I step out onto the street and notice the first early rays of the sun peeking out in the sky.

After a quick stretch, we both walk around the car and before I can snatch her for another kiss she's already storming passed me and sitting in the driver's seat.

At times, her stubbornness can drive me absolutely nutty, but in moments like these, I can't help but appreciate her gumption.

"Buckle up." She orders as I sit in the passenger seat.

I do as she asks while looking out to the steep cliff on my side and briefly wonder if I've made the right decision. Before I can back out, I watch her finger press the red start button and feel the engine rev beneath us.

I look around at our surroundings which are now faintly lit by the orange streams of the sunrise.  Cream-colored sands surround the mountainous area and cacti are scattered as far as the eye can see.

A desert mouse scurries quickly past and I'm about to point it out the wildlife until I turn and notice Maggie's complexion has paled and she's frozen in place.

"Maggie?" I ask, watching beads of sweat protrude on her forehead and her chest rapidly shifting up and down with shallow breaths.

She stares straight ahead, eyes latched to the road and arms locked on the steering wheel. I glance in the same direction, expecting to find some ungodly sight but notice nothing other than the empty road and desert landscape ahead of us.

"Maggie what's going on?" I ask, watching fingers grip the wheel so tighter so that her knuckles turn a pale white and her arms lock into place.

"Maggie, Love." My concern heightens with every unanswered plea until her wide ocean eyes meet mine.

"I can't." She whispers, her voice shaking in fear.

"You can't what Love?" But I know the answer the moment the question leaves my lips.

The accident.

How could I be so foolish, teasing her about driving when she so freshly recovered from the crash that stole her memories?

"It's alright." I whisper as I unbuckle her seatbelt and attempt to loosen her grip on the wheel before I pull her into my arms. "You don't have to."

I expect her to sob, to fall into me, and release more tears but she simply lowers her head to my shoulder and takes a deep calming breath. Although the idea of driving again still terrifies her, she's growing tougher.

"I saw it." She whispers, her breaths are ragged and her hand presses on her heart as if she's attempting to calm them.

"Saw what?" I ask, confused.

"The accident." Her words echo in my head and a lump immediately rises in my chest then catches in my throat as I realize what this means.

If she remembers the accident, does she know I'm the cause? That I'm the whole fucking reason she lost her memory in the first place?

"What all do you remember?" I ask, clearing my throat and trying desperately not to sound suspicious.

I know she has to find out sooner or later that the woman in her dreams is the same one she found in our apartment the night of her accident, but I was waiting for the right time to tell her everything. I was hoping that right time would reveal itself to me down the line but the longer I hold on to this secret the more malicious the stupid fucking white lie seems to grow.

Julie, Alex, her father, the deceitful way we started our relationship, what does she remember?

"Maggie?" My voice shakes and she doesn't fail to notice. I'm half expecting her to push me away, to scream at me and tell me to take her home and never speak to her again.

I'm going to lose her all over again.

Maggie's head lifts from my shoulder and her brows pull together in worry as she examines my face.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to worry you." She notices the lack of color in my face and her fingertips brush against my cheek before her ocean eyes lower. "It's just fragmented. It's raining and I'm driving down a dark street. I'm reaching for my phone and then suddenly I'm panicked and upside down."

Relief floods from me, the vice that was gripping my chest is released and I take a deep breath of fresh air, realizing I'd been holding my breath anxiously awaiting her response.

"Are you okay?" Maggie asks and I shake my head in disbelief.

"You just relived a traumatic memory and you're wondering if I'm okay?" She blows me away.

"Well you looked like you'd seen a ghost."

"I was worried for you that's all, but this is a good thing right? It means your memories could come back." A mixture of emotions cloud my mind.

All I've wanted since the accident was for her to remember me, but the thought of her gaining her memories back and leaving for good hadn't dawned on me until now. 

The night she stormed out, she was ready to give up on me forever and leave me behind.  We would have been over, done for good.  She gave no thought to listening to what I had to say despite how desperately I needed her to hear what really happened. She gave up on us completely.

Yet now we've started fresh and I've worked tirelessly to have her in my arms after acquiring her trust all over again. We could have a great life, I'd be everything she needed and we wouldn't have to start with deceit again.

A part of me hidden in the depths of my soul is terrified of her remembering everything.  Remembering all that we've gone through and the fact that I've already relinquished my final chance to be with her.

So the elusive question taunts the back of mind despite the truth, that it's ridiculously selfish.

Do I really want her to get her memories back?