Jordan’s kiss had been tender and sensual. He cautiously would wait for me to accept him on my own terms. After a moment, I opened to him. He continued his slow pace, sneaking his tongue in for small licks that probably tasted of coffee and chocolate from our shared dessert. He slipped out from me as quickly as he’d come, then completed the exchange with three feather-light kisses on my lips before moving to place a final one on the tip of my nose. A smile that could halt the earth’s rotation crept on his face in pure joy of the moment. He took my hand in his, turning back to face a stunned Grant and Leslie.
“Grant, you need to step it up a notch and kiss me like that!” Leslie teased before kissing his cheek.
I couldn’t believe I had just kissed Jordan. I liked Bryant — I did — but I liked Jordan, too. With him, things felt easy and natural, less forced and chaotic. Jordan settled the check and then slid out of the booth. He reached for my hand to help me. Once I stood, he swooped in for another quick kiss. We walked to the truck so we could head to Leslie’s house for a movie.
We’d narrowed it down between P.S. I Love You and The Guardian. The boys were voting for the latter and were trying to use the little love story mingled in to pawn it off as a chick flick.
Leslie and I deployed full on puppy-dog eyes and pouty faces to get our way and the boys gave up. In moments, Gerard Butler was filling our TV screen with his Irish accent, and we quoted the movie line by line.
Jordan snuggled me next to him and covered us with a blanket. My eyes were getting heavier by the minute and, with Jordan gently rubbing my back, within seconds I was fast asleep in his arms.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I woke up the next morning, legs entangled with Jordan’s, feeling overheated from the skin-to-skin contact. Just as I began to stretch out my aching muscles, his lips came down swiftly, kissing my forehead before following a trail to my lips. I felt the weight of the bed shift as he moved to roll me on top of him and cradled me in his arms.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Jordan crooned in my ear. “I could happily wake up to you every day of my life.”
Blushing red, I turned my head to tuck my face into the curve of his neck. Brushing my lips against his collarbone, I placed an innocent kiss on the hollow of his neck and breathed in the smell of his citrus bodywash. After a few moments of snuggling, I moved to stand up.
Jordan held on to me tightly as he kissed me once more before letting me get to my feet.
I found Leslie in her large bathroom, grinning at me with a wicked foamy smile. Done brushing her teeth, she leaned against the counter, apparently waiting for me to spill the beans.
Determined to avoid her, I grabbed up my toothbrush and start scrubbing.
Seeming to knowing I wasn’t ready to talk, Leslie just shook her head.
I finished up, and then we both walked down to the kitchen to start the day. The aroma of sizzling bacon and fresh buttermilk pancakes filling the air made our stomachs grumble. Turning the corner, we found the boys finishing a breakfast spread that would put any restaurant to shame.
I crossed to sit beside Jordan, while Leslie sat next to Grant. After we each fixed our plates, we began chowing down on the delicious feast.
Grant paused from scarfing down breakfast. “So what are we doing today, ladies?”
Leslie and I looked at one another, telepathically trying to come up with our plans. I knew we both needed to get a ride in.
Jordan leaned in and nuzzled my neck, sending my nerves into a frenzy with goose bumps. “Yeah, because we aren’t leaving you girls till we have to. So tell us where we are going,” he declared then kissed my cheek to seal his promise.
“Well, we have to go ride first. Then we were thinking of going to the beach, since it’s finally warming up again,” Leslie spouted off mischievously with a wink at me.
Oh God, she is up to something!
“You girls in bikinis? Yeah, we’re there!” Grant exclaimed a bit too excitedly. “We’ve got to run to the apartment first and grab our swim trunks. We’ll catch back up with you ladies at the barn ASAP.”
With that, the guys stood and Leslie offered Grant her cheek to kiss goodbye.
Grant’s eyes sparked with a challenge. He scooped her up and started enthusiastically kissing her.
I nervously giggled at the steamy exchange, while a blush warmed my cheeks.
Jordan looked their direction and then came close to my ear to whisper, “Let’s give them a run for their money.”
He winked before lifting me from the chair, wrapping me around him, and pinning my body against the wall in the blink of an eye. He ravished my lips with a searing passion that I felt all the way through my body that was draped around his. His hands explored and caressed, finding their way under the hem of my shirt and up toward the bottom of my lace bra.
Heat pooled in my core when he moved to suck on my earlobe and then back down my neck to the dip of my collarbone, sending me into a whirl. I was burning up with desire with the affection and unwavering attention he was giving me, needing to bring our bodies as close together as possible. Angling to try to bring my breast closer to his mouth, I desperately wanted Jordan to tame the inner turmoil I was feeling.
Apparently, Jordan had read my mind, as always. He moved his tantalizing mouth slowly to my breasts, pushing them up from the bottom with his hands until they met in the middle.
Leslie cleared her throat, bringing me back to the moment, registering the fact we were in her kitchen, and she and Grant were watching our little escapade. Oh my goodness!
“Jeez, Jordan, at that rate we may need to pick up some condoms, too!” Grant chortled, earning him a smack from Leslie.
Jordan gently placed me back on my feet and turned toward Grant, sending a dagger-shooting glare his direction.
I tried to hide behind him in embarrassment, clinging to his shirt and wishing I could retain my senses around these men. The look Jordan was giving Grant had to be burning a hole through him.
Jordan took a moment to rein in his temper, and I could feel him slowly relax his tense muscles beneath my hand. “Sorry, Rose.” He let out a deep breath of air, turning to face me and rub his thumb softly over my bottom lip I was nervously chewing on. He made his way toward the door, calling out as he opened it, “See you soon, girls. Grant, let’s go.”
The moment the door closed, I let out a whoosh of air, and Leslie began jumping up and down, squealing.
“It is so nice to see you lighting up and living again! Look at us, landing two hot guys the same weekend my parents are out of town!”
“Yeah, good thing my mom considers your house a safe zone. I just wish she’d loosen up a bit on the school parties and events.”
I chewed my bottom lip, thinking of that night two years ago and the impact it had had on my life. My mom felt guilty for trusting Daren and always pushing me toward him, not giving a second thought to where we’d said we were going. Nowadays, she demanded I check in and let her know where I was so she could remain blissfully in her bubble of pretending to care.
Leslie quickly grabbed me and dragged me from my wayward thoughts upstairs to rifle through her drawer of teeny tiny triangle-shaped fabric, also known as bikinis. In true Leslie-fashion, she decided on the two skimpiest ones she owned. I looked on in horror, trying to figure out how I’d get that to cover me adequately. We dressed for the barn and tucked the suits and beach gear into our hot-pink polka-dot beach bag so we could change clothes after our ride.
Pulling up to the barn, I was instantly aware of the absence of Bryant’s truck. What the hell is wrong with me? I just woke up in Jordan’s arms and spent the morning letting him kiss me senseless, and now I’m looking for Bryant? I shook my head to clear my thoughts and went to get my ride in so we could head for the beach.
When Leslie and I finished our ride, we went to the bathroom attached to the tack room to change our clothes. We laughed as we stripped down and put on the suits to get ready for a day soaking up the Florida sun. I knew
it was just what I needed to clear my mind.
“Shoot! I didn’t grab my cover-up from the bag. I’ll just meet you out there, Les. Jordan just texted me saying they were pulling in, so get moving.”
I opened the door, grabbed my jeans and shirt, and tossed them in the extra bag we’d brought for our dirty clothes. Mid-stride, I came to a sudden halt after slamming right into a warm and inviting body and being knocked off-balance. Strong sturdy arms wrapped around me, sending an electric current through me as I inhaled the masculine woodsy scent of my savior. My skin came alive with awareness of the hands on my nearly naked body, terrifying and thrilling me all at once. I tilted my head back to look into the chocolate eyes that had brought me both joy and pain.
Bryant, apparently realizing my current state of undress, sucked in air through clenched teeth as his hands clung to me even tighter and pulled me into his body. Tilting his head, he leaned down to me and nuzzled my hair, breathing me in, making my heart skip a beat.
“Hey, baby, you guys ready to go? Grant and I are loaded up and brought lunch, too,” Jordan announced, walking in the tack room. He came to an abrupt stop as his eyes narrowed in on Bryant’s hands. Clenching his fists, Jordan moved his murderous gaze up my body then to Bryant’s, the look of rage filling his eyes, making me tremble.
“Jordan! Hey! Yep, just waiting on Leslie,” I soothed, removing myself from Bryant’s hold and wrapping my arms around my body to shield me from two pairs of eyes raking over my body.
“Wow, Rose! You look ah-mazing. I’m going to have my hands full, beating back the worthless guys trying to steal you from me,” Jordan said, cracking his knuckles, tossing a look back at Bryant.
He reached out for my hand, and I quickly took it, letting him pull me closer to him. I’d chosen Jordan, and he made it well-known, sealing his mouth to mine, kissing me on the lips, claiming me as his.
Leslie chose that moment to walk out, most likely having listened to everything while in the bathroom. It was not like the walls were soundproof.
“Bryant. Jordan. Wow… umm are you two ready to get going?” Leslie looked between the three of us, trying to conceal the smirk tilting her lips. I would swear she lived to put me in awkward situations.
“Yep, we’re ready. I was just telling Rose we fixed you girls’ lunch, too,” Jordan said, trying to break the tension.
Desperate to escape the sinking ship that was my life, I headed for the door, but Leslie’s words broke through the chaos in my mind.
“Wow, first you guys cook breakfast for us this morning — and now lunch. You guys are definitely keepers!”
Oh. My. God. I’m going to kill her. String her up by her pedicured toes and kill her! I quickly turned to look at Bryant.
His eyes burst into flames as he looked from Jordan to me.
I squirmed with guilt and nervousness as my brain worked to rationalize that it was his fault; he’d pushed me to Jordan. He only wanted me when it suited him, and I deserved better than that.
“So you guys are heading to the beach? Funny, I was planning to go today, too. You guys don’t mind if I tag along, do you?” Bryant said a bit too smugly.
Leslie had the audacity to look contrite.
We all looked at one another, and I tried to figure out what to say. I finally worked up the courage to bite the bullet and speak up. “It’s kind of a double-date,” I mumbled softly, trying to figure out how I’d become the bad guy in this ordeal.
“No worries, I don’t mind being the odd man out. Just want to catch some waves. I’ll see you guys there. Got a few things to wrap up here still.” He turned and strutted out of the tack room, leaving us stunned in his wake, our jaws on the floor.
In the truck, I clenched and unclenched the steering wheel with all my might, knuckles turning white with the intensity of my grip.
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Leslie was still trying to back-pedal from her slip about us all spending the night together, but I knew I couldn’t open my mouth without going ballistic just yet.
The tires grinded again the gravel as I pulled in at the beach next to the guys. I put the truck in park and shut off the ignition. Looking over at them, I could see Jordan giving a recap of the drama as Grant laughed. It seemed we were both the aim of our friend’s torture. I inhaled a deep breath to tame my nerves then let it out slowly. “Les, forget it. Bryant made his choice, and I wasn’t it. Jordan makes me feel… special. If that bothers Bryant, oh freaking well. I would’ve preferred the slumber party and breakfast not to come out like that, but it is what it is. They’re friends, so I’m sure he would have heard about it sooner or later.” Honestly, I wasn’t sure who I was ultimately reassuring, Leslie or me.
Jordan opened my door with a genuine smile on his face, making me remember we were there for a day of fun and relaxation. I hopped out so we could head down to the surf line to set up our spot and start enjoying our day. As we neared the water, I quickly kicked off my flip-flops. The waves slammed the shoreline, the ocean breeze picking up the salty mist and coating my skin. I closed my eyes a minute, squishing the sand in my toes. I could feel the day improving. Leslie and I laid out our sheet and towels, creating our own little haven in the soft sugar-sand. We removed our cover-ups to allow the sun to kiss our bodies all over until we were golden tanned.
As I tossed my cover-up to the pile, I felt Jordan’s arms encircle me from behind, his hands splaying across my stomach and cradling me against his hips. I swayed with him, happily content for a moment.
Leslie tossed me some sunscreen to put on, ending the sweet interlude.
Jordan swiped it from the air, winking at me. “Please. Allow me!” he requested very enthusiastically.
I nodded, smiling back at him, assuming how much he wanted to put his hands on me to erase where Bryant’s had been.
With a squeeze, the bottle squirted out some sunscreen in his hand. Jordan began rubbing my skin from head to toe. He took his time applying it to every inch of me, moving his hands slowly over every curve and dip of my body. He turned me to face him and kissed me ever so softly.
I melted under his affection. Declaring myself safe from the sun, I smiled, taking my place beside Leslie on our towels. I leaned back on my elbows, and my breath faltered as I admired the guys now tending to themselves.
Jordan pulled his shirt over his head and flexed his biceps and abs, making my mouth water in appreciation of his body. Lotioned up, he walked out into the water. He dipped himself just below the surface and came back out, glistening with salt water. He ran his hand through his hair then wrung the water out of his blond locks. Hair now wet and slicked back, catching the sun’s rays, it was an even more brilliant shade of gold. His sculpted body, combined with the droplets of water tracing the lines of his lean muscles, he looked like Poseidon reincarnate.
As if he could feel my eyes on him, he looked up, catching me openly gawking at him. He flashed me a smile.
Unashamed, I continued staring at the masterpiece before me.
Grant ran up to him with the surfboards, breaking the spell we held on one another. He urged Jordan back to the water to catch some waves.
With the show over, I stuck my earbuds in, turned over, and closed my eyes to escape in the music.
Lying there daydreaming, I was giddy with anticipation for my quickly approaching graduation. I let myself get excited for the new adventures with Leslie and appreciated the slice of heaven my life had become.
I flipped over to my back and peeked out to see Jordan and Grant pretty far out, enjoying the waves. Jordan paddled out to catch one and rode it in most of the way before it closed in on him, forcing him under the white foam of the breaking surf. I sat up straight in panic, breath held, until I saw him pop back up, laughing. Deciding against giving myself a stroke, I lay back down and closed my eyes to shield them from the sun, swiftly sinking back into relaxation-mode.
Feeling a droplet of cold water fall on my stomach and pool in my navel, goose bumps rose to the surfa
ce of my skin. Figuring Jordan was just trying to get a rise out of me, I tried to conceal my smile. More cold ocean water dropped onto me. Apparently, ignoring him wasn’t going to work. I smiled and squinted, trying to see him, but the sun was so bright all I saw was a gorgeous silhouette.
“God, I could get used to seeing you like this,” I boldly said to him, letting my tongue peek out to moisten my lips, hoping to continue kissing where we had left off that morning.
I could see his cheeks rise as he smiled in return.
Shutting my eyes, I hoped he would take it as an open invitation.
His knee brushed the side my leg as he straddled me, the coolness of his wet body chilling me as he closed the space between us. My body shivered with the chill of the water on my heated skin, and I hoped he’d start warming me up soon.
Apparently reading my mind, he skimmed his lips over my collarbone, moving his hands to my hips and running them along my sides. Tilting my chin to bring my lips closer to his, aching for his kiss, I was happily rewarded as he moved up my neck to my jaw and finally connected with my lips. His kiss was filled with passion and heat, and I tasted the saltiness of the ocean water on his lips. I opened my mouth, greedily accepting his tongue. He flattened his body out over mine completely, sending more chills down my spine at the split temperatures my body was dealing with. I melted into him more, wrapping my arms around his waist, bringing him tighter against my body. With the passionate kiss going on, I was so happy I’d picked Jordan.
Suddenly he was off me, and I jumped up, startled at the quick disappearance of the warmth of his body.
“You son of a bitch!” Jordan roared.
Two bodies came together in a violent rage, fists flying left and right. Grant came running up to my side, as I screamed at the two barbarians to stop.
“What the hell happened?” Leslie said to my right.
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