Fresh Meet

by Miller, Jasmin

  “And you love him, Jace. I see that every time you’re with him, and that alone is worth more than parenting the correct way every minute of every day. If you expect perfection when it comes to parenting, you’re trying to achieve something impossible and only set yourself up for failure.”

  Her thumb brushes over my hand. “You were both thrown into this situation without warning, and from where I’m standing, you’ve been doing a good job. Just keep loving him, Jace.”

  Her voice breaks during those last words and I look into her watery eyes.

  Shit. I didn’t even think about what nerve this must hit, and my heart breaks into a million pieces for her.

  Unable to hold back, I slip my hand out of hers and cradle her face. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to make you sad.”

  She shakes her head and pulls back. “I know.”

  “I screwed up. Not just with Tanner but also with you. I wasn’t thinking straight. It was selfish of me to disappear for days. I’m sorry.” My voice cracks, and the same wave of regret I experienced with Tanner rushes through me. Just like earlier, I want to fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness.

  I swallow a few times. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but it’s the right thing to do. Both Tanner and Em deserve my apologies, and so much more.

  “I called you.” Her voice is barely a whisper. “I messaged you.”

  I close my eyes and shake my head. “I know. And I should have answered. I’m so sorry, baby. Neither you nor Tanner deserved that treatment. I swear, I won’t ever ignore you again. I can’t even explain why I went into hiding. Saying I’m a sore loser sounds so lame.”

  “No one likes to lose.”

  Typical Em. I make a mistake, and she’s trying to make it easier for me.

  My brows draw together. “Probably, but I handled it poorly. I was so upset because I should have won that race.”

  The tension in my voice is undeniable, but I don’t try and hide it from Em. I want to be honest with her.

  She tilts her head to the side, her features soft. “What happened?”

  I laugh but there’s no humor in my voice. I don’t think I’ll get over it anytime soon. “Stupid beginner’s mistake, which makes the whole thing even worse.”

  She stares at me, probably no clue what I’m talking about, but how could she?

  I sigh, replaying the scene in my head. “I lifted my head a few feet before the wall. That rookie mistake cost me my win.” I have no idea why I did it either, which is what has pissed me off the most. I. Know. Not. To. Do. That.

  A second, or even millisecond, can make or break your win. And I know that.

  This time, I lost.

  “That must be so much pressure.” She squeezes my hands.

  “It is, but that’s no excuse for the way I acted. I should have come back and explained what was going on instead of hiding away and feeling sorry for myself. I should have talked to you.”

  “It’s okay. Thanks for explaining what happened.”

  I don’t deserve her, but I want her so badly. “Will you forgive me?”

  She nods. “Just talk to me next time, okay?”

  Her shoulders go up the tiniest bit, and I have to touch her.

  Without warning, I grab her and pull her in my arms. “I promise I will. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” Her voice is muffled against my shirt.

  My heart speeds up. Exhilarated. Relieved. Happy.

  When Em moves around to get more comfortable and puts her arms around my waist, digging her fingers into my back before grasping fistfuls of my shirt, I know I’m in trouble.

  I meant it when I said I missed her, and my body seems to be playing catch-up now that she’s in my arms.

  Holding her, feeling her warmth on my fingertips, her delicious scent invading my senses.

  I pull back, wanting to see her.

  Needing to fix this between us in every possible way.

  Her eyes are big and filled with emotions as she stares at me. So beautiful.

  I wait, wanting her to take the first step.

  Her gaze flickers back and forth between my eyes and my mouth.

  When she licks her lips, I groan, unable to control myself as my fingers dig into her waist.

  And then she kisses me.

  Pulling at my hair, pressing her breasts against me, grinding on my already-hard dick. Her flesh is soft underneath my hands, her warmth seeps into my lap, her taste undeniably sweet on my tongue.

  She’s absolutely intoxicating, and I’ve never felt like this about anyone else before.

  “Hold on, baby.” Standing up with her, I walk us into the bedroom.

  Wanting to feel her.

  Needing to feel her.

  I’m finally home.

  Twenty-Seven

  Emilia

  Jace shuts the door behind us, leaving the baby monitor on the dresser. I didn’t even realize he took it.

  I’m glad he doesn’t break our connection when he walks us toward the bed. After sitting on the edge, he starts kissing his way down my neck, and I’m ready to melt on the spot. His mouth is warm, and my pulse throbs against his lips as I let out a breathy moan.

  So sensitive.

  I’ve missed his touch so much. Maybe I should feel ashamed, but I was ready to jump him when he came out of Tanner’s room. I know his murmured words were for his son and not for me, but I heard them anyway.

  And not just that. I felt them. Deep in my heart. The pain and regret was so tangible that I felt like crying.

  Yes, his behavior was a bit clouded this week, but at the same time, I see him learning from it. I also really appreciated his honesty, and that he allowed himself to be vulnerable with me. A lot of men think they can't, or rather shouldn’t, but it was important to allow us to move past this.

  When his pelvis pushes against mine, lust overtakes my thoughts, and I push back against his hard length.

  Impatience is burning a hot path through my body, and I need to be with him. I need to re-establish our connection in every possible way.

  “Take off your clothes, Jace.”

  After staring at me for a moment, he grins and flips us over. “Yes, ma’am.”

  It takes him less than a minute before he stands in front of me in all his naked glory. Gorgeous, gorgeous man. All tight skin over lean muscles. That proud erection between his legs.

  I grow wet at the sight of it, and Jace must have caught my impatience. Before I know what’s happening, he’s pulled me off the bed and my dress goes flying. My underwear is next and then we stand naked in front of each other, our breathing labored even though we aren’t touching.

  Then he grabs me by the waist and throws me back on the bed.

  My breasts bounce with the movement, but I barely notice it because I’m still shocked he just did that. No one’s ever done anything like that before, and it’s oddly exhilarating. So primal and hot.

  Jace crawls over me, grabbing my boobs and squeezing them before devouring them with his mouth.

  His movements get sloppy and his pupils darken. He looks as desperate as I feel. My body is out of control, and I’m trembling underneath Jace’s touch. Pulling his hair. Scratching his back.

  My silent begging reaches its limit when my hips shoot upward and I start rubbing, grinding, pushing. Whatever contact is possible, I make it.

  Jace finally takes pity on me and kisses me. He devours my mouth like he might never get to kiss me again, and it’s beautiful.

  His emotions are laced into this kiss, seeping into my essence, to the exact part of my soul that was starving for it.

  I pull back, my lip popping free from his as a whimper escapes my lips. “Jace, please.”

  He blinks several times as if to clear his head. “What do you want, baby? I need you to say it.”

  “I want you.”

  “You already got me, baby. I’m so into you, I can’t even think straight sometimes.”

  “
I need you inside of me.” My voice is shaking like the rest of my body.

  Thankfully, I don’t need to tell him twice, and he’s got a condom on in record time.

  The heat that started between my legs continues to spread throughout my whole body, the flames licking at my insides and threatening to consume me.

  I’ve never been this ready for someone. Heck, I don’t think I’ve ever been this wet in my life.

  Nothing and no one has turned me on as much as this.

  When I think he might just push inside, he pauses and stares at me. Then he captures my mouth, his lips moving with mine like they were meant for each other. He sucks on my lower lip, and my hips buck up on their own accord, my body reacting to everything he does.

  “Now, Jace.” I don’t care how often I have to beg.

  And boy, am I deep in this. So much deeper than I ever thought I would be.

  My thoughts evaporate when he grips his hard length and rubs it along my entrance. Back and forth over my swollen flesh until I’m ready to lose my mind.

  Pushing up, I brush against him. Any inhibition or embarrassment about my wants and needs have definitely flown out the window.

  With Jace, I feel like I can be me. I don’t have to uphold any strange idealistic idea of how I should behave. He’s not trying to make me someone I’m not.

  The way he makes me feel right now—out of control and desired—makes the back of my eyes burn. It’s powerful and feels . . . freeing.

  “Eyes on me, beautiful.” Jace’s voice is sharp and tight, like he’s ready to lose his control soon.

  The fluttery sensations in my chest and stomach intensify when he pushes my knees toward my chest. Positioning himself once more, he pushes his tip inside, immediately closing his eyes and exhaling harshly.

  My insides stretch and adjust as he slowly comes into my body. Eventually, he stops when he’s in to the hilt. It’s intense, and I need a moment to get used to the new sensation, not remembering ever feeling this full.

  Jace lifts one hand, his gaze focused on our joined spot, rubbing my swollen bundle of nerves with a precision that brings tears to my eyes. I reach for him, almost blindly, wanting to feel more of him. Wanting him to move. Wanting him to kiss me. To touch me. All of it.

  I want everything he has to offer.

  His hand goes up to my breast before going back to my hip, his touch possessive and intense as he slowly starts to pull out and push back in. In and out, the rhythm so blindingly seductive, I’m lost in it.

  When he finally leans down and covers my body with his, I wrap my legs around him and push into his butt with all my might, unable to get enough. Chasing an orgasm I know will be even more intense than the last one I had with him.

  “Oh gosh,” I gasp as he changes angles, hitting a spot that magnifies everything.

  “I could watch you all day long.” Jace kisses me so hard, I know I’ll feel him on my lips hours from now.

  But I give back just as much, utterly lost in the sensations, never wanting this to end. His movements get faster, the friction so powerful, I feel the sparks all the way down to my toes.

  The air is filled with skin slapping against skin and our harsh breathing. My boobs bounce between us as Jace leans back and pinches my nipples.

  I can’t hold on any longer, letting go, flying over the edge so hard, I stop breathing for a moment. My body is flooded with the most intense pleasure I’ve ever experienced. It’s blinding, making me see stars as the buzz continues to travel through my body.

  The shudders of pleasure continue until Jace stills, growing even larger inside me as he opens his mouth and lets out an almost animalistic growl. “Oh, fuck.”

  I stare at him. Holy crap, that was sexy.

  The air rushes out of my lungs in one big whoosh when he collapses on top of me.

  “Shit, sorry.” He pushes up on his elbows and stares into my eyes, his strong arms enclosing me like a cage. “Just give me one more moment to stay right here, allowing me to memorize the way you look right now.”

  Despite everything we just did, heat travels up my neck, and I chuckle. “Stop it.”

  He grabs a hold of my waist and rolls off me, pulling me to the side with him.

  We face each other, only inches apart, and Jace grabs my hands, pulling them up to his lips to give each fingertip a kiss. “You are absolutely perfect, from top to bottom, and I doubt I’ll ever get enough of you. Ever.”

  My cheeks are blazing now.

  This moment is absolutely perfect, and I want to shield it from everything, unwilling to let anything in this bubble, afraid to ruin this moment because I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy, this satisfied.

  “I feel the same way.” I’m hyperaware of all the places we touch. Our hands, our knees, one shoulder, our feet.

  Jace leans in.

  Our noses.

  He comes closer.

  Our mouths.

  It feels like our hearts are touching too, and for some reason, it makes me want to cry.

  This feels so good.

  Almost too good, and that scares me.

  I savor the kiss, not ready to let go of this happiness.

  Jace pulls back, suddenly squirming as he lets go of my hands. “Crap. Sorry, babe. The condom.”

  “Oh.” I totally forgot about that.

  He takes care of it and gives me one hell of a show when he walks to the bathroom naked before coming back to bed and pulling the bedding over us.

  This time, he grabs my hands and puts them on his chest, allowing me to feel his steady heartbeat. It’s accelerated, and I wonder if it’s because of the sex or if there’s a different reason.

  He lifts his fingers and brushes his thumb over the bridge of my nose and down over one of my cheeks. “My beautiful ladybug.”

  I laugh at the term, remembering my embarrassing stunt in his living room last month. It feels like years ago instead of weeks.

  “I love your freckles.” He eliminates the space between our faces, kissing the path along my nose and cheeks he just traced with his finger.

  It’s oddly intimate, and my nerve endings tingle.

  “And your smile.” He peppers my lips with small kisses until I smile so big he’s kissing more teeth than lips. “You have no idea how happy you make me.”

  “Yeah?”

  He chuckles since it’s obvious I’m fishing for compliments and holds his thumb and pointer less than an inch apart. “A little.”

  My chest rises on a deep inhale. “I’m glad. You also make me a little happy.”

  Jace’s eyebrows rise in a challenge, and I don’t see the tickle attack coming until his hands are on both sides of my rib cage, knowing exactly where I’m ticklish.

  Within moments, I’m gasping for air.

  Jace seems to enjoy himself immensely, a huge grin on his face. “Only a little, huh?”

  I feel an impending side stitch forming and raise my hands in the air. “I surrender.”

  Jace pauses but doesn’t take his hands off my body. His hot skin makes mine feel like it’s on fire.

  Are all men like breathing and talking furnaces?

  “You surrender?” Jace puts his face right in front of mine, locking eyes with me.

  There’s something in his gaze that wasn’t there before. I can’t pinpoint what it is, but it’s intense. I’ve never been . . . watched like this. Seen.

  “Does that mean you like me more than just a little bit?”

  I gulp at the question. It’s unexpected, and a bit . . . scary.

  Is he asking me because he wants to say something to me but wants me to go first? Or is he simply curious to hear about my feelings but has no intention of telling me his?

  Neither changes anything about the way I feel about him of course, but one option certainly makes me more vulnerable than the other. And no one likes to have their feelings trampled on when they aren’t reciprocated.

  I decide to play the game some more to see if I can get a bet
ter feel of his intentions. “Maybe?”

  His expression is serious, determined, and I’m about to die of nervous curiosity. “I sure hope you do because I really like you. I like us. I like where this is going. Em, I’m—”

  His phone goes off somewhere in the room.

  “My mom.” Jace leans in and plants a kiss on my lips. “Just the person you want to talk to after having sex.”

  I shake my head and laugh. “Oh my gosh. Don’t say something like that.”

  “Better to say it to you than to her.”

  “Naughty.”

  He winks at me, and I watch him as he moves around the room to pick up our discarded clothes, throwing mine to me before getting dressed. It’s a sight to behold, and while I enjoy the hell out of it, my mind is still stuck on the last moment of our conversation.

  What was Jace about to tell me?

  It can’t be what I think it might have been, right?

  Or is it possible he feels the same way I do?

  Twenty-Eight

  Jace

  My almost slip feels like years ago, even though it was only last week. Talk about bad timing though. Not my mom’s. I’m actually grateful she interrupted me from spilling the beans to Em. In retrospect, I realized it might have not been the best timing to confess my love to her after I’d just ignored her for days.

  Not to mention after having sex with her for the first time. The last thing I need is to be accused of my love confession having any connection with that, because sex with Em . . . It was absolutely amazing. Better than my wildest dreams.

  The way we fit together, the way she made me feel . . . like she was meant for me. I can’t stop thinking about her.

  She makes me believe that I might be able to have everything I want after all. And who wouldn’t want the whole package? A job I love, an awesome boy, and a gorgeous and incredible woman by my side. Could I really have it all?

  Apart from the fact that I love spending time with her, I also can’t get enough of her. I won’t deny that getting her naked as often as possible is my new favorite thing, which isn’t nearly often enough when your hormones still think you’re a teenager. But there isn’t a lot of time with my schedule and an energetic toddler at home.