The fear, terror, and trepidation that had gripped me then returned with a vengeance. My only thought was that I was about to lose another loved one, just like I did two years ago when I watched Suzy and our children die. The fear was so intense that I felt like I was going to watch a repeat of that tragic night.
But then, as I glided my tongue through Jasamina's mouth and used it to mate with hers, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. For a brief moment, the horror of the past was forgotten, and all that mattered was the present. I rolled her lower lips into my mouth and sucked softly, relishing the soft gasp that escaped her mouth.
However, my moment of bliss was short-lived. Two noises brought me back to awareness again. The horns of several vehicles and a whimper from Jaime, who was tired of being sandwiched between two adults like a sardine.
Jasamina looked up then, and her cheeks heated when she realized what had just happened and where. She quickly stepped away, diverting her gaze to her sleeping baby.
"You scared me," I couldn't help but groan. The memory of Suzy and my children dying in that car accident came rushing back, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had almost lost Jasamina and Jaimie in the same way.
Jasamina's gaze skidded to my face, and she flushed even more. "I'm sorry. I scared myself too. That truck came right out of nowhere..."
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have left you to cross the road carrying the baby," I said, feeling guilty.
"No, no, no, it's not your fault at all. I didn't look very well," Jasamina quickly countered. "I should have been more careful."
A small smile tugged at my lips. "Let's not cast blame. We should get going. People have seen enough."
Jasamina's eyes darted around, and she took in the way people looked at us. Some with a secret smile on their faces seeing married couples kiss on the road after escaping a near-death experience.
"Y-You're right. Let's start going," she said, already on the move, flushing all the way to the root of her hair.
But as we walked away, unbidden memories of Suzy flooded my mind. She was just like Jasamina, always taking the blame for everything, even things that weren't her fault. We would end up arguing about who was at fault, every damn time.
The memory brought pain with it, and I felt a lump form in my throat. Suzy was twenty-seven when she died, and heavily pregnant with our second child. I missed her every day, and the thought of losing Jasamina and Jaimie was too much to bear.
"Tanner...?" Jasamina's voice dragged me out of my trance, and I realized that I was still standing rooted to the spot, lost in memory, while she had walked several long feet away.
"I'm coming," I replied, and started walking towards her. I buried the memory deep inside the part of me where it had always been, but I knew that it would never truly go away.
JASAMINA
My heart was beating fast, like a trapped bird in a cage. I couldn't believe what had just happened. Tanner kissed me, and it felt like my entire world had shifted on its axis. I closed my eyes and let the thought sink in as the taxi drove us home. The taste of his lips lingered on mine, and I couldn't help but lick them, relishing the memory of the kiss.
It was a feeling I had never experienced before. A single kiss from Tanner had the power to make me tremble with excitement, to make me feel like I was on top of the world. I never knew a kiss could be so intense and powerful, but Tanner's had rocked me to my core.
The contrast between Tanner's kiss and Dale's was stark. Dale's kisses were always rough and left my lips hurting, with too much saliva and biting. I hated them, and I despised him for it. But Tanner's kiss was different. It was heavenly, despite the beard that had tickled my skin.
As the taxi hit a bump, I jolted back to reality and held my baby close to me. I rocked him softly in my arms, trying to calm him down. The close call on the road had shaken me to the core. It was a reminder of how fragile life was, and how easily it could be snatched away.
Back home, I quickly ran a warm bath for Jaimie. Watching him play in the water, his little legs splashing and his innocent eyes glistening with joy, made my heart swell with love. He was my reason for living, and I couldn't imagine life without him.
But the memory of the accident still haunted me. What if we hadn't been so lucky? What if the truck had hit us head-on? The thought made my heart race with fear. I had escaped Dale's cruelty only to die with my baby in my arms. It was a terrifying thought, and tears streamed down my face as I watched Jaimie play.
I hugged Jaimie tightly, thanking God for sparing our lives and for bringing Tanner into my life.