by Jane Anthony
Somewhere in the distance, church bells chimed once. Our time together was up, but she squeezed her legs tighter around me making it incredibly hard to break away. “Jillian,” I said on her lips. “I have to get back.”
One hour just wasn’t enough time. I was nowhere near done with my exploration of her body, but duty called and I had to go. “But you haven’t even eaten yet,” she said, looking as disappointed as I felt. Believe it or not, that question was innocent.
I dragged my mind up from the gutter with a smirk. Her concern for my wellbeing was sweet. “It’s fine, cutie. I’ll live.” My lips found hers again before picking up my shirt to go back to work.
Jill rested on her hand, her lips swollen and her skin flushed with arousal. “I could open the office early tomorrow. If you want.”
“Definitely,” I said and jogged back to my car.
Chapter Twelve
JILLIAN
How the hell was I expected to go back to work after that? My entire body felt like it was about to burst into flames. A cold shower, ice cream, snow … My mind flipped through a catalog of frozen things trying to extinguish the burning inside me as I ran around the kitchen making AJ a sandwich.
Settling back at my desk to finish out the day, a folded slip of paper stuck out from under my phone and caught my eye. The tiny cursive letters inside made my heart race instantly.
To be continued, 8 a.m. tomorrow
I couldn’t help the smile that crept onto my face. Every place his lips touched was practically thrumming with delight. I finished the afternoon in a blur, unable to think about anything besides Jameson’s lips and hands, getting very little accomplished.
By seven the next morning, I was awake, dressed, and watching the clock. As hilarious as it was watching him struggle with my tee shirt, I opted to just leave it long for now. I wondered how long it was going to last. Would Jameson get tired of all this sneaking around and move on? Was I prepared to deal with that when it eventually happened?
I felt like there was a possibility that I’d wanted him from the moment I saw him. Not just this last month, but years ago when we first met as kids in my garage. I had a silly little crush on him then, but it was just kid stuff. He’d make a joke, and I’d giggle like a fool. I was stupid and immature, self-conscious and unsure of my own feelings. Maybe he was the reason I never even considered being with anyone else. Jameson took my world by storm the moment I laid eyes on him all those years ago.
It took his return for me to realize that Jameson Tate had been in the back of my mind all this time.
Five years he was gone. Had he not returned, I might never have met another man who made me feel the way he does. The thought of him leaving again terrified me. Even worse than that, the idea that he’d eventually get bored with me tore me open and left me feeling gutted.
The Budweiser clock on the office wall said seven fifty-five. Jameson would be here any minute. Anxious and nervous, I sat on the couch and waited. My knee bounced to the beat of my heart, and I had to cross my legs to stop it. I twirled my hair so many times that morning with anticipation that I was about to become bald, my inexperience making me feel vulnerable.
What if I didn't know how to please him?
As usual, I heard him coming before he came into sight. The roar of the engine excited me, and I sat up straighter, aroused and eager to see him. He walked through the door and smiled, his lopsided grin easing my anxiety. The morning light sliced through the door and lit his green eyes up like brilliant gemstones. His face was freshly shaven and his damp hair was combed back out of his eyes. My already racing heart thundered in my chest. I stood to greet him at the door. “Hey, friend,” I said, reiterating his greeting from the previous morning.
“Oh, I think we’re way past that, cutie.” He grinned wickedly and wrapped his arms around me. My face was even with his chest and I squeezed him to me, inhaling his clean scent before sitting back down on the worn leather sofa.
With both arms resting along the back of the couch, I crossed my legs in my best attempt at a Sharon Stone impersonation. “So you have me here now. What ever will you do with me?” I said, batting my eyelashes with a dramatic flair of innocence.
The way he licked his lips and peered down at me caused a small family of butterflies to flutter around in my stomach. “Oh, I’m sure I can think of a few things.” He lowered himself onto his knees in front of me and dropped his mouth to mine. I parted my lips, granting his minty tongue entry. “That was certainly a good start.”
“Come up here with me.” I tugged at his body pulling him onto the couch next to me. “That’s better.” Our lips met again, and he lowered my back to the rich warm leather. His large body covered my smaller one. Those bothersome butterflies flapped around in my gut, whirling and churning things deep within. I was in over my head. Hardness poked through his jeans, a thick rigid bulge that ground into me as his hands hooked under my knees and wrapped my legs around him.
Lust flowed through me like a river of lava threatening to burn me to ash. His taste, his smell, and that delicious thing he did with his tongue caused my pelvis to move with a mind of its own. His hand slithered between our bodies cupping my mound and teasing me through the thick fabric of my jeans. “Jesus Jill, you’re on fire,” he said, undoing my pants and slipping his hand inside.
The feeling of his calloused fingers on my bare flesh was new and thrilling. My hips bucked into his hand, but he pulled it out too soon, sitting up and sliding my arousal between the tips of his middle finger and thumb.
The look on his face was downright villainous. He tugged at my jeans, vigorously pulling both them and my underwear down my legs at the same time, dropping them on the dirty tile. A rush of cool air blew across my hot center as he pushed my knees apart, his eyes darkening as he looked at my naked bottom half.
AJ's words fluttered into my mind. You're an Italian buffet, and he wants to eat you. Nerves gripped hold of my body as he kissed my calf and trailed his way down, stopping to nip at my thigh. His tongue flicked the sensitive flesh between my legs and I sucked in a breath, scooting backward from the shocking sensation. “Relax, cutie, I’ll take care of you.”
Unable to form actual sentences, I nodded. He gripped my hips and pulled me toward him with a gentle force that assured me he was a man of his word. He tasted me again, softer this time, slow and languid. I breathed out a long, slow breath, and my head fell to the side
He dipped between my folds, and I whimpered. My hand shot to my mouth, embarrassed over my own breathy noise. His licks got more intense, harder and rougher. He exhaled a hot breath teasing the nub with the tip of his tongue causing me to bite down hard on my bottom lip.
Splayed out like this, the couch was too small for us both to fit. He slumped off the side, bringing one of my legs with him over his shoulder, the other remaining bent at the knee, foot flat on the cushion.
Stretched to capacity, he tongue fucked me mercilessly. Pressure erupted down below as his thick finger slid inside me knuckle deep. A loud moan catapulted out of my mouth. I bit down on the throw pillow some old customer made with our family's name on it to drown out the unavoidable sounds vibrating out of my chest. My fingernails bit into the arms of the couch above my head, making crescent shaped divots in the old beat up leather. His tongue continued its heavenly whirl around my throbbing clit, and my hips moved with the same delectable rhythm of it. A rhythm that was so fucking spot on, I was seconds from spontaneously combusting from the sheer pleasure of it. “That’s it, Jill. Let it go.”
Jameson's finger stroked me from the inside, scraping the calloused tip along my inner walls with precise accuracy. The soundtrack was a duet of heavy breathing, squeaks, and squeals as his mouth slurped and groaned. I felt like he was eating me alive. I was so close it was agonizing.
He sucked hard, and my back vaulted off the couch violently as I came. Holy shit, I came hard. Pops of light flashed behind my eyelids, and a vulgar stream of expletives ripped from the back
of my throat. His fingers dug into my hips to keep me from flying off the couch. He licked me gently as I floated back down from the most intense experience of my life.
“Fuck, you’re delicious.” My lashes fluttered open and locked on a set of emeralds shining with carnivorous greed. He sucked his finger into his mouth, the one covered in me, and licked his lips. “I want to eat you for breakfast every morning,” he mumbled.
Panting like a dog, I laid on the couch unable to move. I felt dizzy and brainless. My limbs were Jell-O and I swear to Christ my toes were numb. Jameson slid my underwear on first while I was still lying down, and then pulled me to a standing position so I could get my jeans on. His face wore a triumphant grin as I stumbled on shaky legs like a baby deer, trying to pull up pants that were probably too tight to begin with, a side effect from having to shop from the children’s rack. I slid my sneakers back on, thankful that I never actually tied the laces as AJ came in through the back door. I opened my mouth to say hello but all that came out was a squeaky noise.
“What’s with you?” he asked, looking at me puzzled.
“Huh?” I said stupidly.
“You’re white as a ghost. You all right?”
I was still reeling from the sensation of Jameson's head between my thighs and couldn’t get my brain to function. “Oh, Jillian saw a spider. Big sucker. Scared the shit out of her.” The lie seemed to tumble out of Jameson’s mouth so easily. His calm exterior was surprising for someone whose face was buried in my goodies just five minutes ago.
“Girls,” AJ snorted. “I bet you rescued the damn thing like a pussy too, instead of just squashing it.” Embarrassment actually flashed on Jameson’s face.
“Whatever, dude,” he said flipping AJ the bird before turning his attention back to me. “If you need anything else, Miss Morello, you just let me know.” From the corner of my eye, I saw him suck his lips into his mouth again as he went back toward the shop and a chill spread through me.
“He rescues bugs?” I asked AJ, starting to regain the feeling in my lower extremities.
“He always used to. I killed a moth once and he freaked out. He’s an interesting fellow indeed.” My heart melted. I hated bugs, but the fact that a big, strong guy like him took the time to save them was probably the cutest thing I’d ever heard.
AJ started cluelessly tinkering with the percolator. Amazing, this guy can rebuild a transmission with his bare hands, but he can’t seem to figure out how to brew a simple cup of coffee.
“I got it, go work.” I gave him a playful little push and set out to start my day.
JAMESON
Jillian and I met every morning that week. Sometimes, we messed around on the couch, and other times, we just sat together and shot the shit. My favorite were the times we did both.
I loved talking to her. She was funny and cute and had the best laugh I’d ever heard in my life. It had started to become routine, one I looked forward to all day long. She was a better wakeup call than any cup of coffee. The only thing better would be waking up with her in my bed. Someday, I told myself, I’d have the kind of place I could bring her to. One where we could be alone. Preferably not one where I shared a communal bathroom with a bunch of dirty vagrants. I was still working on that one.
When I pulled into the office that rainy Saturday, she was waiting for me as she’d been all week. Her hair was damp from her run to the shop, and I thought back to Fourth of July weekend when she walked out of the bathroom in her towel.
I flopped onto the couch bringing her down on my lap, her petite frame tucked under my arm. My fingers burrowed through the dark curtain of her hair and ran up and down the creamy smoothness of her neck. It was so natural, sitting on the couch wrapped in each other’s embrace as if we belonged together. “I love how soft your skin is.” She sighed and snuggled in closer. “And I love the way your body fits against mine.”
She sat up and kicked her leg out, straddling me face to face. “What else?” she asked with a playful grin.
Our lips met in a soft kiss. “I love how sweet your lips are.” My mouth pressed against her collarbone next and I swiped my nose back and forth against it like an Eskimo. “And how delicious you always smell,” I continued, slipping my hands down the length of her. “And definitely how sexy your body is.” My fingertip ran between her legs, and she giggled. “How burning hot you always are.” It slid up her stomach and between her breasts, stopping in the center of her chest. “But I love this the most.”
“What’s that?” she asked with a slight tilt of her head.
“Your heart.” I pulled her in and placed a kiss over it.
“My heart?” she said with an arched brow, surprised by my answer.
“Yep. Of course, I appreciate the pretty wrapping, but I also know the real gift is what’s inside.” I rested my palm over her heart. Its rapid-fire beating matched my own. “Every morning, I see you waiting here for me, and I feel honored. Not only because you let me tear open the beautiful paper but also because I’m able to get a glimpse of the unique gift that is you.”
I laid a hand on her face and her deep brown eyes filled with warmth. She kissed me again, and I wrapped my arms around her back as we lowered to the couch. Her legs lifted around my waist. It was instinct at this point. We were running out of time to do anything else, but I was more than happy to stay there for as long as I was able to.
It was late in the afternoon when Jillian poked her head out of the office door into the shop. “AJ! Phone!” She ran out the door and hopped around on the balls of her feet, stopping in front of AJ. “Some guy wants to discuss a restoration with you. ‘57 Corvette,” she said, beaming from ear to ear.
AJ and I both stopped working and looked up. “A ‘57 Corvette?” AJ looked back at me and raised an eyebrow. A restoration like that would mean big money to the shop, depending on how much work it needed. He jogged back toward the office and disappeared inside the door.
Jillian chewed on her thumbnail as she watched him go. “Do you think you guys will be able to do it?”
“Shit, Jill, I think we’ll have to make the time to do it, even if it’s off hours. This is big.”
She leaned against the car I was working on and looked at the ground. “My dad would have loved this job.” I lifted her chin until her eyes met mine. “He would have.”
AJ barreled out of the office, clapping his hands and howling. “We got it, sis. He’s bringing the car in next week so we can take a look at it.” He grabbed Jillian in a bear hug that lifted her feet off the ground and swung her in a circle before letting go. “It’s a huge job. We have to dismantle the engine completely. Fuel pump, carburetor, cylinder heads, and compressors — everything has to go. And that’s just the start.” He looked up at me with a huge smile. “You ready for this?”
“Definitely.” I nodded.
“We’re going out tonight. We gotta celebrate. It’s tradition. You with us, brother? I couldn’t have taken this job on without you.”
“Hell yeah, I am!” I put my hand up and AJ high-fived it.
“All right, man, let’s finish up and get the hell out of here.” We all scattered to get back to our jobs and finish out the day.
Chapter Thirteen
JILLIAN
We pulled into Rhythm and Brews around eight o’clock, which was the time we agreed to meet. It was a bittersweet celebration, as it was our first one without Dad. I missed him so much, but I knew that wherever he was, he’d be so proud of the way AJ handled that call today.
I’d taken my time getting ready because I wanted this night to be special. The unworn dress I’d bought on a whim seemed like a good choice. The retro-style black halter clung to my figure all the way to the knee. Squeezing my rack into it was an interesting feat of strength, but I managed. Being under five feet tall with a solid D-cup was a cruel twist of fate. I had porn star tits and a twelve-year-old's ass.
The only shoes I owned were the red heels I wore to prom. Considering how crazy I went to find
them, I was happy to be able to wear them a second time. Heels in my size were hard to come by, especially four inch ones. They were hard as hell to walk in, but they gave me a little height, so I didn’t look like a pip-squeak in all the photos. Plus, I felt super-hot in them.
As AJ and I made our way inside, my eyes scanned the parking lot for Jameson’s car, but I didn’t see it. The huge bar in the center of the restaurant was packed, and pretty much every table around it was full. The hostess said it would be a few minutes, and AJ gave her his name. “I’m going to wait on the bench outside. You wanna come?”
“Nah, I’ll stay here and wait,” said AJ eying up an empty spot at the bar. “I’m going to grab a beer.”
“Have fun. Call me when our table is ready.” The night outside was beautiful. The setting sun turned the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors. Purple, orange, yellow, and blue curled around each other beyond the busy highway ahead. The sun is a powerful thing. It has the capacity to make or break us but still graces us with enough beauty that we give it our trust anyway.
Unfortunately, the bench full of smokers didn't share my sense of whimsy as they polluted the air with their stank-ass habit. I walked to the edge of the restaurant and leaned against the wall to enjoy my sunset alone.
The Mustang rumbled into the parking lot and my stomach somersaulted at the sight and sound of it. I smoothed my hands down my front and pushed the hair off my shoulders suddenly feeling self-conscience. I was too much of a tomboy to pull this look off; I shouldn't have tried so hard.