by Sarah Peis
He leaned down and kissed me in response. The kiss was soft and over too soon, leaving me wanting more.
“Then I will,” he said simply.
I sat up and put my beer on the table. Jameson watched my every move, probably questioning my sudden activity after my bout of lethargy. I turned back to him and lifted a leg over his lap so I was facing him. My hands found their way into his T-shirt, pulling it over his head.
“Thank you for your help today.” I should have said this earlier, but my pride wouldn’t let me. But his unwavering support was overwhelming. Sure, I had my friends who I knew would drop everything and come to my rescue if I had asked. But somehow it felt different with Jameson. He seemed ready for whatever curveball I threw at him. He seemed to wait for it and was ready to catch it when I needed him to.
“I’ll pay you back the money. This time I’ll be actually working it off. I’m sorry I got mad at you.”
A smile hovered on his lips. “How sorry?”
I kissed him, deep and long, wanting him to know how much he meant to me. I pushed closer, the feel of his body on mine almost too much. He was perfection in a muscly, huge package. He tugged my shirt up, and I broke the kiss to pull it off. “Very sorry.”
Once my shirt was gone, I leaned back in, but Jameson stopped me, brushing his lips to mine. “I want you to know that this is so much more to me than just sex. You turned my world upside down, and I never want it the right way up again.” I felt his lips moving with every word, the slight brush sending tingles from my lips all the way to my toes.
Damn, I must be a good kisser if that was his reaction. His words invaded my heart and settled deep, taking root. “Good thing I kind of like you then,” I responded.
The smile that broke out on his face was a thing of beauty, an image I wanted to engrave on my brain and never forget. He didn’t let me stare at him for long but instead stood up, holding me in his arms. “Bedroom?”
I pointed to one of the two doors in my small apartment. One bedroom, one bathroom, big enough to not feel like I was living in a sardine can.
He pushed the door open and dropped me on the bed, following close behind, bracing his fall with his hands on either side of my pliable body. I snort-giggled at him, the sound echoing through the room, and I slapped a hand over my face to stop the noise from escaping.
He peeled my hand away from my face, holding it. “Don’t hide who you are from me.”
I knew he didn’t just mean the failed giggle slash snort, and I fell a little more for him. I hoped there was a soft landing at the bottom, because this girl was going down fast.
Jameson made quick work of my shirt and pants, leaving me only in my underwear. I’d love to be able to say it was black lace, but in reality I had on a bright pink bra with white hearts and purple boy shorts with a handprint on the back. He grinned when he saw my choice of underwear and trailed kisses from my neck down, paying close attention to the area not covered by my bra.
I shivered every time his mouth made contact with my skin. Goose bumps were taking permanent residence over my whole body, and I shivered. “You cold?” he asked, stopping his ministrations and lifting his head.
“Not at all,” I replied, breathless.
Satisfied with my response, he continued his task, raining kisses on my chest, paying special attention to my nipples, making me squirm on the bed. He stopped my movements by placing his big hands on each side of my torso, brushing his thumbs along the side of my breasts.
“You are beautiful,” he said, and brushed his lips against the corner of my mouth. “And mine. Don’t ever forget that.” Another brush of his lips, this time behind my ear. “I take care of what’s mine.”
And boy, did he ever. I guess the whole ban on licking him was now moot and dead. There would definitely be licking in his future.
The blaring of my alarm ripped me out of the warm cocoon Jameson’s body created. My hand emerged from under the sheets, blindly slapping at my phone.
“Too early.” Jameson’s voice was muffled since he insisted on burying his head in my boobs. I tried to wiggle out from underneath him, but his arms tightened, and he complained, “Not yet.”
I brushed my hand through his thick hair, enjoying the soft feel of it. “I have to go to work. You have to find another pillow.”
“There really is no better pillow than your boobs.” He nuzzled his face into the valley between my breasts, and I arched into him like a cat.
“I’m running late.”
“So what’s a few more minutes?”
His mouth travelled down my stomach, and I squirmed underneath him. “A few minutes?”
He lifted his head to look at me. “I’ll take what I can get. Even a minute with you is more than I ever hoped for.”
Heart. Melted. He sure was laying it on thick this morning. “You don’t have to butter me up to get laid. I’m already giving you free access.”
“Free access? I like the sound of that.” He lowered his head again, and I liked the way this morning was going.
The ringing of my alarm ripped me out of my happy thoughts and back into reality. I couldn’t let Rayna down, and I would already be late.
“I’m sorry, Jameson.” I sat up, and he did the same. I moved my feet to the side, but he stopped my movements by taking my hand. “Just promise not to disappear on me again.”
I looked back over my shoulder at him and raised a brow. “I won’t. Promise.”
He kissed my shoulder. “You know I’ll just come after you. Now that I know how good things can be, I won’t just let go.”
I shook my head and gave his hand a squeeze before pulling away and getting up. The task of sifting through my clothes for something that didn’t smell like grease or batter took longer than anticipated. I missed laundry day again.
“If you get hungry, there might be some Cocoa Puffs in the cupboard, but I’m out of coffee. And milk,” I said, walking to the bathroom.
I sped through my shower and pulled on the clothes I’d taken from the stack in my room. Jeans and T-shirt would have to do for now. My wet hair was piled on top of my head in a messy bun, and I forwent the makeup. Again.
Jameson was fast asleep when I got back to my room. The sheet was draped around his middle, and I reached out and pulled it down further. Just one little peek and I’d go. Yup, definitely worth it. I kissed his delectable ass, and his eyes opened.
“How are you going to get to work?” he asked in a raspy voice, heavy with sleep.
“Bus.” Since I didn’t have my car or bike anymore, it was my only option.
His eyes opened all the way, and he jumped out of bed. All I could do was stare and maybe drool a little. I mean, it was Jameson naked. One should never so much as miss a second by blinking when faced with such a glorious sight.
“I’ll drive you. Just give me a minute.” He could have more than a minute. What? Wait, I had to go. No more extra minutes.
He was dressed and standing in front of me before I had a chance to finish my thought or close my mouth. He pushed my jaw up and tilted my head in the process. “Eyes up here.” He kissed me and took my hand. “Let’s go. Might as well get a run in before work since you got me up in the middle of the night.”
We left my apartment, and fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in front of Sweet Dreams. Jameson got out and opened my door before I had a chance to even lift a finger. He kissed me softly, his lips lingering. “Message me when you’re done, and I’ll come pick you up.”
I nodded and stole one more kiss. “Thanks for the lift.”
I shuffled into the store, my sights set on the coffee machine. “Sorry I’m late,” I called out to Rayna, who was bent over a ginormous house-shaped cake.
“As if I haven’t heard that one before,” she muttered.
I hugged her side, careful not to jostle her too much and screw up the cake. “Is that for the Fosters’ housewarming?”
“It sure is. A cake that looks exactly like their house.” Sh
e snorted under her breath. “They even insisted on the rosebushes.”
I grabbed a cup and poured coffee, added a dash of milk, and leaned over her shoulder. The rose bushes looked amazing. She even added little thorns. “You did all that? Without calling me?”
“I have to grow up sometime. I know you won’t be here forever. Who wants to work at their aunt’s tiny little bakery for the rest of their lives?”
“Rayna.” I waited for her to turn around and look at me. “I love working here, and I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me. If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be living underneath Fitzroy Bridge with Bernie. I’d happily spend the rest of my life working for you if you finally give me that pay raise that you promised.”
She scoffed at me. “You’d never be homeless. And Bernie is a sweetheart. He’d let you share his sleeping bag I’m sure.” Her eyes were glassy, and she pulled me into an air-stealing hug. “I love you. You’re the only family I have left. I might be a bit biased, but you are one of the smartest people I know. And you have the biggest heart. Don’t ever change.”
I felt like a fraud and crumbled like a leaf at her words. “I’m not really. I kicked Dad out of my apartment yesterday. Told him I don’t want anything to do with him.” And I still felt like a horrible, horrible person about it.
Rayna pulled back, eyes big. “And now you just confirmed why I think you’re awesome. I’ve been waiting for this day since you picked him up from the Humptulips police station for the first time.”
“You really think I did the right thing?” I knew Rayna wasn’t Dad’s biggest fan, but I never realized how far her contempt went.
“He is forty-eight years old and more than capable of standing on his own two feet. Don’t you dare feel bad about telling him to take care of his own shit.”
I nodded and pushed the uneasy feeling aside. He would be fine. “I’ll try. Now tell me what cakes are on the agenda today so I can make up for being late.”
By the time Jameson picked me up, I was one cup of coffee away from a heart attack and covered in bits of cake and icing. “Will, lover boy is here,” Rayna called through the shop as Jameson came inside. I was still cleaning up the kitchen from an earlier caramel sauce experiment gone wrong.
I dumped the ruined pot into the trash and finished wiping down the counter. After I washed the worst of the chocolate off my hands, I hung my apron on its hook next to the door. I emerged from the kitchen to find Rayna and Jameson engaged in a hushed conversation.
I feared for the worst. Rayna was a master meddler and closet romantic. She might have given up on her own love life, but that didn’t mean she didn’t take every opportunity to find me my happily ever after.
Jameson looked up when I approached, and the gleam in his eyes told me he didn’t mind the mess I was at all. He covered the few steps we were still apart with his long strides and pulled me to him, ignoring the stains I would leave on his shirt.
Rayna winked at me when we walked past, and I made a cutting motion across my throat. She knew better than to play fairy and sprinkle her gold dust around.
“Have fun, kids. And remember: safe sex is good sex.”
We made it outside to the tune of her laughter.
We settled inside the car, and Jameson pulled away from the curb. “You’re going the wrong way,” I said when I noticed that we passed the gas station, which was definitely nowhere near my neighborhood.
“I have to get back to the garage, and I’m taking you with me now because I can’t pick you up later. You can take a nap and clean up in my apartment.”
I had a few hours left before I was due to start, thanks to the reduced hours we had negotiated. A nap sounded like heaven. A shower even better, but I didn’t bring a change of clothes with me.
“I can get to the garage myself. I know how to take the bus. Learned it a while ago.”
“Smart-ass. I know you can get there yourself, but I don’t want you to have to take the bus when I can just take you with me now.”
“I don’t have a change of clothes, and I definitely need to get changed.” A gaze down my shirt confirmed that it was a mess of flour, icing, and unidentifiable brown goo.
“No problem, I’ll wash your clothes while you’re in the shower.”
Of course he would. Because he was perfect. And nice. I was waiting for the bubble to burst.
“Fine. Take me with you then.”
“That’s the plan.”
He took my hand and placed it on his thigh as if he’d done the very same thing a million times before. My heart was full of Jameson, and he buried himself deeper with every little gesture.
We arrived, and Jameson went to the shop, and I went to his apartment. The shower was heaven and the nap just what I needed. I loved his bed. The mattress was a fluffy cloud, the sheets felt silky against my skin, and the bed smelled like Jameson. Heaven.
I borrowed one of Jameson’s T-shirts, the long material hanging down to my knees. I could honestly say that so far my day was going well. No arrests, no debts to pay off that weren’t my own, and I had just woken up in a fluffy cloud, surrounded by all that was Jameson without him actually being there.
I was busy rummaging through his fridge for something to eat when the front door opened. “Where has all your food gone?” I said.
“Jameson has an aversion to grocery stores.”
I shot up at the female voice. That was definitely not Jameson. Nope, the woman in front of me did look a lot like him though. Except for her clothes. And perfectly coiffed hair. Not a strand out of place. Where Jameson’s wardrobe seemed to exclusively consist of jeans and T-shirts, she looked like she just came from a meeting with the queen.
I was to meet his mother, dressed in a shirt that wasn’t mine, rummaging through a fridge that definitely didn’t belong to me. And the day had been going so well.
The only thing I could come up with at that moment was to hold out my hand. “Mrs. Drake. So nice to meet you. I’m Willa.”
She didn’t take my hand. Instead she stepped forward and embraced me in a hug. I didn’t move my arms at first, letting them dangle like useless logs at my side. Alternate universe. It had to be. Or I was still sleeping.
She released me and thankfully stepped back again. Personal space, people.
“I’ve heard so much about you,” she said.
“You have?” My voice sounded suspicious because if she’d heard about me, it would have been in connection with Dad.
“The boys talk about you all the time. I’m so glad to finally meet you. Are you coming for dinner on Sunday?”
I studied her face, looking for signs that she didn’t actually mean what she said. But she looked sincere, and I probably looked confused.
I didn’t know how Jameson felt about me meeting his family. He didn’t do girlfriends, and meeting everyone screamed girlfriend to the world. “Thank you for the invitation, but I already have plans on Sunday.”
She raised a delicate hand to stop me from talking. “Nonsense. You’re coming Sunday and that’s that.” She lifted up a hand, holding a container. “I made cake. Help yourself.” She put the container on the counter and waved to me. “I’ll see you Sunday.”
And she was gone, leaving me to wonder how to get out of what promised to be an awkward dinner. I gave up my quest for food and went in search of my clothes instead. They were already in the dryer, ready to be put back on. Jameson must have come in while I was sleeping.
When I finally made it back into the office, I was starving. I popped my head into the garage to see if anyone else wanted anything and was greeted with loud cursing.
“Fucking phone. Make it stop.” I heard a frustrated groan followed by a loud bang. “Mason, you’re the tech genius. Turn it off.”
I walked inside since I was pretty sure I knew why Landon was cursing up a storm. Payback was a bitch.
Mason was holding Landon’s phone, snickering at the screen. “Dude, why would you sign up for Celine Dion updates?
”
“I fucking didn’t,” Landon bellowed. “They just started popping up on my phone, and I don’t know how to unsubscribe. They sing every time I open them. Do something.”
“Who is hotmama666? She’s offering a blowjob that will blow your mind.” Mason started roaring with laughter. Landon lunged for him, trying to get his phone back, but Mason turned away and made a run for it.
“And how about somelikeitdirty who says she’s been naughty and wants you to spank her?” he said from the other end of the garage. All the guys were now listening, barely containing their laugher. This was going better than even I could have anticipated. Guess the dating profile I created did its job.
Landon’s face was red, and his eye twitched uncontrollably. I had definitely gotten payback and then some. I snorted when Mason continued reading the messages. My job here was done. I shouldn’t have made a noise because it drew Landon’s attention. Once his eyes snapped to me, they stuck like glue.
He mouthed to me, “You’re going down.”
I mouthed back, “Bring it on” and escaped to the safety of my office.
I hadn’t been sitting on my chair for more than five minutes when Jameson came in. “It was you, wasn’t it.” It wasn’t really a question. We both knew it was me. He plucked me out of my chair and sat down, placing me on his lap, drawing me close.
“What am I going to do with you?” He nuzzled my ear. “Landon smashed his phone after the last message. Something about a dominatrix.”
I laughed and snuggled closer. “I may have created an online dating profile for him.”
“Remind me to never get on your bad side.” He kissed my cheek, making me shiver.
“Just don’t dye my mouth a disgusting color, and you’re good.”
“I think I can manage that.”
I tilted my head back and wound my arms around his neck to look at him. I had to tell him that I talked to his mom and that I didn’t invite myself for dinner. I wasn’t that crazy. Yet. “So, your mom dropped by the apartment earlier. And she kind of invited me over for dinner on Sunday.”
He touched his lips to mine, once, twice, and his tongue sneaked out, and I welcomed him without question. His hand cupped my ass, pulling me closer, and I felt his hard erection. I loved that I could do that to him. He ended the kiss when we started pulling on each other’s clothes.