We were friends who understood each other, who were attracted to each other and had too much to lose for it to be anything more. That was it.
This would be my first time closing up the café, and while I didn’t want to confirm Jonah’s worries about me walking home alone at midnight, I was really glad he was there with me.
“Sure you don’t need any help? I don’t mind.” He wore his backpack as I finished mopping.
“I’m almost done.” I moved back and forth a few more steps, making sure to clean up all the crumbs and grime that collected over the day before I wrung out the mop in the bucket. “Let me go dump this.”
I picked it up and disposed of the gross water outside before coming back in and placing everything in order. The cash from the register was stored in a safe inside locked cabinets, so I had to make sure the doors to the library were shut and secured.
“You look proud of yourself,” Jonah said, his voice softer than normal. I caught him staring at me with a half-smile, and it released a flurry of butterflies in my stomach.
“I am.” I beamed back at him. “This was my first time closing up, and it makes me feel like I can do this. I can support myself on my own and not have to go to my brother for anything.”
His brows came down in a hard line, like the mere mention of Michael snapped whatever warmth he had for me. “Why wouldn’t you think you could? You seem persistent and tough.”
“Thanks, J.D.,” I fired back, unsure why his question annoyed me.
“I meant that as a compliment.” He frowned harder and ran his fingers through his hair. “You got a new place and a job all without him, so I guess I don’t see why you doubt yourself.”
That made better sense. I nodded as I scooped up the tips I earned on top of the base pay and put the forty dollars into my pocket. I motioned Jonah to leave through the main entrance doors, and once we were both outside, I locked up and triple checked. “When my parents died, Michael took over my life for me for a bit. I was… a mess. Seventeen years old. Senior year of high school with no parents and having to live alone in a huge house for a few months to graduate…I refused to face reality. I didn’t pay attention to money or how to be an adult on my own. I grieved.”
“As you should’ve. I can’t even imagine how hard it was, or is.”
We walked side by side, our hands accidently brushing every few steps, and the sounds of nighttime greeted us. The bugs, the subtle laughter of a party from a few blocks over, and the utter quiet that came with this time of day. I loved it. My parents always let us sit on the back porch once the sun went down, and watch the stars after a bad day. And the memory hit me right in the chest.
“I miss the little things the most. You know, when I was upset about something trivial like girl drama or a crush, my dad would let me stay up late and we’d sit in the backyard and stargaze. We’d never talk unless I wanted to, but that silence, that moment… those collected into a million moments, and I miss them so much it’s hard to breathe sometimes.”
Wow. The words flowed out of me, surprising me how good it felt to open up to him, to tell him all that. My heart beat fast at the confession, and instead of wanting to bolt, I wanted to keep going.
Jonah took my hand in his, wrapping his strong fingers around mine and rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand. It was gentle, sweet, and exactly what I needed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
All those touches and shoulder squeezes made me cringe when people offered comfort, but this… this handholding felt like a warm blanket, and the feeling was addicting. I squeezed his hand back, and instead of letting go, he seemed to tighten his grip for the rest of the walk.
“Do you, uh…need help with finances?” he asked, right before we headed up the stairs to our front door. “I got pretty good at assisting my dad and can show you my spreadsheet or help you with one. I don’t know. Only if you want.”
My throat got tight again, and I nodded. “That’d be great, Jonah. Thank you.”
He looked at the ground for a second, and the streetlight put a soft glow on his handsome face. The strong jaw, the great cheekbones, the full lips that rarely curved up. My pulse raced knowing how those lips felt against mine, and it would be crazy to kiss him right now, outside. It was inappropriate…right?
He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before he jutted his chin toward the stairs. “Come on, we can work on it tomorrow. You need to rest your foot after being on it for so long.”
He let go of my hand and placed his on my lower back, keeping it there the entire walk up the stairs. His heat spread through my shirt and onto my skin, and my emotions played a dangerous game.
The feelings-free zone was the safest, smartest route to take, but gentle touches from Jonah that had nothing to do with sex were slowly taking down each wall guarding my heart. It wasn’t complete destruction though, just a subtle removal of a piece here and there. I had to be careful.
We got inside our place, and despite how badly I wanted to kiss him, I needed more distance.
“Thank you for the walk home,” I said, walking straight toward my room as the day wore on me. I was tired.
“Let me know when you work late again. I can always study there and walk back with you.” He took off his shoes and placed them neatly on the doormat before staring at me. “Deal?”
“Yeah, sure.” I gulped and hated the shift in the air. I never got nervous around guys, not like this, and suddenly, I had no idea what to do or say. “Well, good night.”
“Good night, Ryann.” He gave me another half-smile before heading into his room and shutting the door. I should’ve been thankful that he made the decision to go to bed before I did because the sweet side of Jonah made my brain funny. I sighed and went to the fridge for a water when his door flew open.
“Do you want to hang out with me and my dad tomorrow?”
“Wait, what?”
“He wants to stop by, and we usually get pizza or something. He’s looking forward to meeting you, so I figured you could come with us.” He spoke too fast, and his eyes were intense again, like he was watching an old game and taking notes.
“Yeah, pizza sounds great.”
He gave me the biggest smile I’d ever seen. “He’s going to like you.”
Well shit. This wasn’t a feelings-free zone anymore.
16
Jonah
The smell of cooking woke me from a dream that involved Ryann’s naked body. I yawned and adjusted myself in my shorts before getting out of bed and heading into the kitchen. Ryann wore tiny blue boxer shorts and a thin gray tank top—sans bra—and had a plate full of French toast and scrambled eggs on the counter.
Her hair was in two braids, and she swayed her hips back and forth as a pop song played on her phone. I stared as she danced and hummed way off-key.
She was so pretty, and I must’ve made a noise or something because she turned around and her lips parted in a perfect O shape. “Hey, morning.”
“Hi,” I said, moving to sit in the chair I always did. “Do you need help?”
“Nope. Almost done.” She sucked in a breath and ran her gaze down my bare chest. “Well, you could help me by putting a shirt on.”
“Nope,” I said, back, my mouth almost watering when her nipples hardened into points. Her chest heaved as she wet her bottom lip, and the room seemed three times smaller than it was a second before. I couldn’t remember why I went into my room last night instead of kissing her, and my body tightened with a frightening desperation.
She pushed her hair behind her ears and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. Ryann studied me with a look that made my lower belly hum with excitement. “You seem hungry.”
“I am.”
“You should eat.”
“I plan to,” I said, swallowing so hard it hurt. She cleared her throat and grabbed two plates from the shelf before filling each one with three pieces of French toast and scrambled eggs. Syrup sat in the middle of the table
, and she took her time setting the dish in front of me.
“Thank you. This looks great.”
She shrugged. “No big deal.”
I took a bite and groaned at the sweetness of the syrup. She ate her breakfast too, and we fell into a comfortable silence. Our gazes met every few seconds. There were so many things I wanted to ask her, but none of them came out. A bit of syrup dripped on her lip, and she used her thumb to wipe it, putting her finger into her mouth.
Any chance at getting my morning wood to settle down evaporated, and my pulse pounded with need. I shoved the food into my mouth, barely swallowing before finishing my plate and waiting for her to stop eating.
She pushed her plate to the center of the table and put a hand on her stomach with a grin. “You ate that so fast, Jonah.”
“Yeah. I’m motivated,” I said, my voice huskier than intended.
“Oh,” she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “For what?”
“Are you done eating?”
“Yes,” she said narrowing her eyes as a slight blush crept up her neck. “You’re giving me an intense look right now.”
“What I’m feeling right now is intense.”
She giggled, the light, magical sound making my chest hurt for a second. Ryann stood and picked up our plates. I trailed her every move as she rinsed the plates, water splattering her thin tank top, and she put each dish into the dishwasher.
“You should let me clean. You cooked.”
“By all means,” she said, scooting away from the sink and eyeing me as I got up, my bulge very obvious. Her gaze dropped to it for a beat, and her face lit up. Before I reached the sink though, she grabbed the nozzle and blasted me with water.
“What the hell?” I said, wincing at the temperature of the water, even though the cold didn’t last long. Ryann licked her lips as she stared at my chest dripping with water.
“Damn. I thought that would cool you down, not fluster me.”
“Are you flustered with me being wet?” I asked, taking a step closer to her. “I should return the favor, hmm?”
She almost panted, and I moved my hand closer to her, but instead of touching her, I got the nozzle and blasted her. She yelped and swatted at me. When her hand connected with my chest, I gripped her waist and yanked her against me. Her body was wet and hot, and I cupped the back of her neck, forcing her to look up at me. Her plump wet lips parted, her blue eyes blazing with want, and I moved my hand under her shirt to place it on her bare stomach.
“I’ve been thinking about doing this with you since Friday night.”
“Yeah?” She ran her fingers over my chest, and a shudder went through my body from her touch. “Me too.”
She stood on her tippy toes and brought her lips just a hair from mine, her sweet breath hitting my face, and I closed the distance. She moaned against my mouth as I held her tighter against me before picking her up and placing her on the counter. Her thighs parted, and I grinned against her, sliding my tongue into her mouth and kissing her deep.
“Damn, Jonah,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around my waist as I used one hand to lift the hem of her shirt. Our movements were frantic and messy as we slid the shirt over her head and tossed it onto the floor. Her perky tits were right in front of my face, and I bent my head low and took one nipple into my mouth. She arched her back, and I swirled my tongue around the point, alternating between sucking hard and soft. Her sounds got desperate, and I switched to the other.
“Yes, that feels good.”
“Did you wear that shirt to tease me, Ry?” I lifted my head and met her eyes before flicking her nipple in a slow, drawn-out movement. She trembled and grabbed my face, digging her nails into my jaw before she kissed me, hard. She propelled off the counter, making me fall back a few steps. Her aggressive reaction got me hotter. I moved her to the couch, set her down, and kneeled on the ground between her thighs. “God, you’re hot.”
She grinned and bit down on her swollen lip as I grabbed the waistband of her shorts and slid them down her long legs. She whimpered when I ran my nose along her thigh. She reached down and gripped my hair to the point it stung, but I wasn’t about to rush this. Her wet, tight body writhed beneath me, and I wanted it to last.
“Jonah, please,” she begged, arching her hips toward my mouth so her bare pussy was an inch from my lips. I flicked her swollen clit with my tongue once. She made an agitated sound from the back of her throat, and I looked up at her—her blue eyes were on fire.
“You like this, Ry?” I licked her then, slow and without hurry, and she melted onto the cushion. Her eyes fluttered shut when I stroked her, trying out different rhythms until she let out the sexiest moan. That sound was like a shot of adrenaline, and I held her stomach down with my left hand while sliding two fingers into her with my other. When I curled up at the end, she slammed her head into the wall, and she bucked so hard I jerked back a few inches. “Oh, baby, I think you do.”
“Yes, I’m so close, please,” she begged again, her eyes half-opened with a crazed look on her face.
“What do you want?” I asked, speaking right against her. “I want you to say it.”
“Go harder.”
I grinned and waited for her to meet my gaze, then I increased the tempo with my fingers and tongue. Her thighs tightened around my head, her moans going deeper before she spasmed beneath me. It was fucking hot hearing her say my name with pleasure, and I didn’t stop stroking her clit with my tongue until she stilled.
“Holy shit.” She panted, sweat glistening along her midriff. I leaned forward, kissing up her lower stomach and teasing the little ring in her belly button. Her skin was salty, and I couldn’t get enough. “Jonah,” she said, the change of tone making me look up.
“Yeah?”
Her slack jaw and open expression caused my heart to stutter a moment before she pushed off the couch and switched our positions. “I need to feel you, see all of you.” She spoke fast, her face flushed and her full breasts jiggling around when she pulled my shorts and boxers right off my hips onto a pile on the floor.
Something dangerous and warm joined my bloodstream seeing her hands all over me with the same desperate look on her face. She wanted me just as much, and fuck if that wasn’t hot. She knelt before me, stroking my incredibly hard dick, and didn’t wait a second before taking me into her mouth. Shit. She sucked me deep and let out these tiny little hums that vibrated my whole body.
Her head bobbed as one hand ran up and down my abs, the other cupping my balls. The combination of her tongue, hands, and scent had me grasping for control. I leaned back onto the couch and closed my eyes.
Her mouth was so fucking warm, and the way she sucked… I gripped the cushions to either side of me, trying hard to hold on. She pulled on my balls a little bit, and the sensation made me buck, sending me further into her mouth. I was about to apologize, but she groaned and went faster.
“Ry, stop.”
She paused, met my eyes, and took her time releasing me from her mouth. Seeing her lips wet and her eyes wide snapped the little control I had.
“Get on the couch,” I demanded before storming into my room and snatching a condom from my shelf. She waited on the couch, her face heated and her body ready for me.
I ripped open the rubber and slid it on. I marched toward her to run my hands down her smooth neck and over the sides of her breasts before slamming my mouth on hers. She tasted like me, and fuck, it was sexy. Last time, I took her against a wall, and I wanted this to be better, but I didn’t have time to think about it. She shoved me onto the couch and straddled me.
“Fuck.”
She grinned at me with a smug expression as she slid down onto my cock, her face pinching a bit as she adjusted to my size. She rocked her hips slowly, her forehead tight, and I tweaked both nipples with my pointer and thumb. She groaned, and I did it again, harder.
“Yes,” she said, starting to rock faster against me. “You feel so damn good, Jonah.”
I
placed one hand on her hip and the other on her lower back to help us find a rhythm. It was insane how hot it was seeing her body move against mine, to watch her taking me in deep. The sight sent ripples of pleasure up and down my spine. Her movements were frantic, like she could barely hang on, and I reached in between us and swirled my thumb on her clit. Her breathing picked up as my gut tightened. She was close. I arched my hips, pushing even harder into her, and she trembled. Her nails dug into my shoulders as she came, her face going slack with her orgasm, and I captured her cries with my mouth.
Feeling her come on top of me was a living fantasy, and I dug my fingers into her ass, making her go faster. When she bit my neck, sucking the skin into her mouth, I lost it.
“Fuck, Ryann, god,” I moaned, the white hot pleasure making bright spots dance in my vision. The orgasm kept going to the point I couldn’t breathe.
When it stopped, she collapsed against me. Our chests stuck together with sweat, and her heart raced as hard as mine. My ears rang from the intensity of the pleasure. I closed my eyes, ran a hand up and down her bare spine, and sighed with absolute, utter satisfaction.
“I’ll make French toast every morning if we get to do that again,” she said after a few minutes of silence. She sat up while I was still inside her, and she smiled at me. “Damn, Jonah. Damn.”
I grinned lazily at her, my chest filling with pride at how pleased she looked. Rosy cheeks, clear blue eyes, no worries or concerns on her face. There weren’t enough words to describe what I was feeling. I wasn’t even sure myself. Cupping her chin, I ran my thumb over her bottom lip.
Her face softened at the gesture for one second before she slid off me, her face twisting as she slid onto the ground.
Holdout: A Moo U Hockey Romance Page 15