Chapter 1074



Her half-hearted struggle only made Jake tighten his hold, as though fearful she might vanish if he allowed even an inch of space.

“Don’t move,” he murmured, voice low, his words as much a plea as a command.

Heat rushed through Kallie, turning her cheeks, then her whole body, feverish. Her voice quivered when she finally managed to speak.

“Jake… You’ve been drinking. You understand what’s happening, right?”

His eyes, still hazy with exhaustion and regret, didn’t waver.

“I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Gently, he threaded his fingers through hers. The subtle pressure said everything he didn’t put into words. He understood what this moment meant—or, at least, he knew that he wanted it, consequences be damned.

That quiet assurance set Kallie’s heart off-kilter. If he truly knew, then what did this mean for them? Did he actually feel something… something real for her? She couldn’t deny that she cared for him, that he held an undeniable gravity in her life. But she was still stumbling through the darkness of forgotten memories, uncertain how Clayton—her supposed husband—fit into the puzzle. This uncertainty hovered between them, refusing to be ignored. It wouldn’t be fair to draw Jake deeper into her chaos while she remained trapped in amnesia’s shadow.

Summoning her courage, Kallie tried to pull back, forcing herself to confront reality and not lose herself in the warmth of Jake’s arms.

“Mr. Reeves, you’ve been drinking. Do you even know who I am? I don’t want us to regret this.”

There was a fragility in her tone, a quiet plea for him to stop and reconsider.

But Jake didn’t waver. Her words, soft as they were, seemed distant, unable to penetrate the storm that had been building inside him for years. Whether emboldened by alcohol or driven by unguarded emotion, he refused to let go of the closeness he had long denied himself.

Kallie tried again, her protests faltering under the weight of his intense gaze.

Jake’s patience, thin and frayed, finally snapped. His grip on her wrist tightened ever so slightly, not in anger but in silent determination. Then, without warning, he leaned in, capturing her lips with his.

The kiss stole Kallie’s breath, rendering her speechless. Her eyes widened in shock, her body stiffening as her mind scrambled to process the moment. Should she pull away? Should she push him back? But her hands, trapped in the heat of his embrace, refused to obey.

Jake’s scent surrounded her. It was disarming, intoxicating in its own right. Her head swam, the world narrowing to the space between them. Her resistance melted like snow under a rising sun.

Kallie’s heartbeat thundered in her ears, drowning out her doubts. Slowly, she gave in, letting the moment consume her. When Jake finally pulled back, his lips brushed her ear as he exhaled, his breath warm and unsteady.

A shiver ran through Kallie as the cold leather of the sofa pressed against her bare back, drawing her back to reality.

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