Crossing the line

25: Everything In Place

Jake

It was strange, standing in Ava's apartment, knowing that this moment was real. That everything I'd been holding back, everything I'd wanted for so long, was finally happening. She was here with me, and we didn't have to pretend anymore. The tension and the uncertainty that had built between us for years had dissolved, leaving only the quiet, easy connection we'd always had.

Ava leaned against the kitchen counter, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched me rummage through her cabinets, trying to find something to cook. "You're the guest," she teased. "I should be the one making dinner."

I shot her a grin. "Nah. Let me do it. I owe you after all these years."

She raised an eyebrow. "Owe me? For what?"

"For making me wait this long," I said, half-joking, but the look in her eyes told me she knew there was some truth to it. I found a box of pasta and some ingredients for a quick sauce and got to work, the familiar rhythm of being around her settling in.

We cooked side by side, talking easily about everything and nothing at the same time. It felt like we had slipped back into the easy comfort we'd always shared, but now, there was something more-something deeper. The stolen glances, the way her hand would occasionally brush against mine as we worked. It was simple, but it felt like the most important moment in the world.

When dinner was ready, we settled on the couch with bowls of pasta and a bottle of wine. Ava grabbed the remote, scrolling through her movies, and I smiled when I saw the one she landed on.

"Really? That's the one you want to watch?" I asked, amused.

She gave me a playful look. "What? We used to watch it all the time in high school."

She was right. It was one of those movies we could both quote by heart, one of the few things we'd always agreed on. We'd watched it more times than I could count, and each time, it brought back a flood of memories-good ones.

"Alright, let's do it," I said, settling in beside her.

The movie started, and soon enough, we were both laughing at all the same parts we always had. It felt so natural, so right, sitting here with her. Like we were picking up where we left off all those years ago, only now, everything had changed. My arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she leaned into me without hesitation, her head resting against my chest.

As the movie played on, I couldn't help but glance down at her. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face, and the way she looked so comfortable, so at peace in my arms, made my heart ache in the best way possible. I'd been waiting for this moment for so long, and now that it was here, I realized just how much I'd needed it.

When the credits finally rolled, neither of us moved. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of the movie's score playing in the background, but the silence between us wasn't awkward. It was full, filled with the weight of everything we hadn't said yet.

I shifted slightly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Ava looked up at me, her eyes soft and full of something I'd never been able to name but always felt when I was around her. I leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to pull away if she wanted to-but she didn't. Instead, she tilted her head up, closing the small distance between us, and our lips met in a slow, gentle kiss.

It wasn't hurried, wasn't rushed. It was soft and sweet, like we had all the time in the world. And for once, it felt like we did.

Ava's hands slid up my arms, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as the kiss deepened. There was nothing tentative about it now. It was full of the passion we'd been holding back for so long, and I couldn't help but get lost in it.

I pulled her closer, feeling the warmth of her body against mine, and it was like everything else faded away. There was only Ava-her lips, her touch, the way she fit so perfectly in my arms. I'd waited years for this, and now that it was happening, I didn't want it to end.

We stood up, our hands never leaving each other, and somehow we found our way to her bedroom. The door closed behind us, and in the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the window, everything between us shifted.

The passion from our kiss carried over, slow and intense, and as we undressed, there was a quiet understanding between us. This wasn't just some moment we'd forget in the morning. This was the start of something more-something real.

We made love slowly, savoring every touch, every kiss, like we were making up for all the time we'd spent apart, all the time we'd spent denying this. And when it was over, we lay there together, wrapped up in each other, the weight of everything finally lifting.

Ava rested her head on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on my skin, and I tightened my arms around her, pulling her close.

"I love you," I whispered, the words coming out before I could stop them. But I didn't want to stop them. Not anymore.

She looked up at me, her eyes shining in the soft light. "I love you too, Jake."

And just like that, everything fell into place.

I just love them so much!!!!!<3