Free More Than Memories by Kristen James Page B

walks here. Blackberry
briars grew on one side of the path with new green leaves while cattails stuck
up out of the water on the other side. Bushes were covered in buds, promises of
things to come, and small spring flowers were blooming in clumps.
    “Red winged black birds.” Molly’s eyes looked
above them where the small birds flew, trying to catch the red under their
wings. “I haven’t heard them in a while. They sound so pretty.”
    “Have you remembered anything else?” He didn’t add besides the kiss. He didn’t want to mention the word ‘kiss’ to her.
    She huffed out a breath, a signature Molly sign of
frustration. “No, but I think I’ve been trying too hard. When I remembered the
flowers, I wasn’t trying at all. It just was suddenly in my head, like I knew
about it all along.”
    Their slow pace stopped altogether and they stood
facing each other. Her brown eyes shone as she looked up into his face, her
lips slightly parted. Her eyes had always been so expressive, usually holding
laughter and a joy of life, and sometimes turning darker with anger or hurt. He
especially loved her curious look that somehow appeared mischievous at the same
time. Now her eyes searched his, looked over his face, lingered on his mouth,
and returned to his eyes asking him an unspoken question.
    Her roaming eyes sent heat throughout him. He felt
the need to dance around as if he stood on hot coals. His hand went to her
face, his fingertips touching her cheekbone and his palm holding her jaw, where
he always thought his hand molded perfectly. She leaned into his hand, her
eyelids fluttering, but she kept her eyes open to look at him. She had such
long, sweeping eyelashes.
    “Mol,” he whispered. He thought maybe she was
going to whisper his name back, but he leaned down to her and brought their
lips together. Just a touch at first, then they lingered there, brushing lips
as if to say ‘hello’ again after all this time. He felt as if an epic quest had
come to completion. Before long, however, she kissed first his top lip, then
his bottom like she used to, and they were kissing like they always had. Wow. He wanted so much more, wanted things to pick up right where they’d left off.
But he’d waited all this time for her to return and he’d wait as long as he had
to.
    Her arms slid up his shoulders and around his
neck. He thought she needed him close just like he needed her. He’d been alone
since losing her and wondered if this was also her first kiss since then. Her
lips were the same sensual lips he remembered that seemed to be designed for
kissing his mouth only. He briefly remembered
Alicia telling him a good old fashioned kiss might bring Molly’s memory back,
but he didn’t dwell on that thought long. How could he with Molly in his arms
again? He sank his fingers into her curls, messing them up probably, but found
her hair as soft as before. His Molly, here again.
    She pressed against him, emitting a soft sound of
need. It sounded like she needed comfort, to be held and reassured. She pulled
back, her swollen lips smiling.
    She laughed, though not a nervous laugh, and
stepped back without moving her hands away from Trent’s arms. He didn’t let go of
her, either, not wanting to acknowledge the moment was ending. He wanted to
feel her in his arms and have that reassurance as well.
    “Am I rushing you?” he asked.
    “No.” She was out of breath. “Rushing isn’t the
word.”
    Was she confused? Scared? He searched her face,
her eyes, taking her head in his hands so she looked at him. She didn’t speak
but kissed him again. His mind went blank except to smell and feel her. Leaning
close, he rested his lips on her forehead.
    A minute later, she leaned back and asked, “Are
you going to take me to your house today?”
    “Alright. You got me.” They strolled bac k, holding hands again. This had been a special
place to them and now they would visit another. Trent wondered the entire way
to the truck and his