Jake thought about my question for a couple of seconds. ‘Yeah, I do wish we could freeze moments sometimes but then if we could, would they stay special in our memories? Or are they special because they are fleeting and we never know when we’re going to have one or how long the moment will last? Maybe that makes us hang on tightly and enjoy it for as long as we are in it, right?’

I nodded slowly. ‘It’s true. I thought I’d like to keep this moment going for a long time but you’re right; it’s special because I know it has to end soon. And I need to make sure I remember it.’

‘I’m honoured this is a moment you want to remember.’

I tore my gaze from his eyes and looked back out at the Statue of Liberty. ‘I don’t often feel calm or at peace. I’m thinking at a hundred miles an hour most of the time. And talking at it too, as you know. But I felt it then. I feel it now.’

Jake exhaled loudly. ‘The fact that you feel calm with me… God, I want to kiss you again.’

I turned back to him. ‘Why don’t you?’ I challenged.

He smiled and leaned in to brush my lips with his. Then he kissed my cheek and slid down to my jaw, moving to kiss me under my ear and then down the side of my neck, making me sigh. He kissed back up my neck to my ear then leaned in to whisper, ‘Do you have any idea the hold you have over me already?’

I shivered with pleasure. I wanted to believe every sweet thing he said. He sounded so sincere. He made me feel so good. I could feel myself wanting to get carried away too. I had been looking for kisses and touches and moments like I had read about in romance novels. And now finally, here they were. How could I stop myself now?

His lips found mine again and this time, this kiss was even more passionate than it had been on the Bridge. Our lips met in a frenzy and I didn’t think I’d ever kissed a man with such abandon in public. But there was a magnetic pull between us and I was helpless to resist it. His lips pressed harder against me, his tongue searched for mine and his arms held me snug against him. I moved closer, wishing I could climb onto his lap and maybe I would have done if we had been in private. His tongue massaging mine turned me on more than I could have imagined.

When Jake broke from my lips, and moved back to kiss my neck, his hand reached for my hair, tugging it over to one side so it fell over my shoulder. The move surprised and thrilled me. I let out a soft moan.