We stood there, me holding her, not speaking, her breathing into my chest as I ran my hand through her hair, my fingers getting caught in the curls.
I wasn’t sure how long we stayed liked that until James said, “Do you want pancakes?” Her voice cracked with emotion, but those four words gave me hope.
“Pancakes?” I leaned back so I could see her. “That’s what you’re thinking about?” With our bodies so close, there was no guesswork in what I was thinking about.
“Yeah. I figured since you’re seeing me at my worst…my most hideous state…we may as well eat some calories and splurge on carbs.”
“You’re not hideous.” I allowed my palm to travel the length of her cheek.
“Please, I look like Medusa’s evil cousin. But you love me, and I’m going with that,” she said sidestepping me before yanking down mixing bowls.
“I do love you, and I’m kind of hungry now that I think about it.”
Which was how we ended up sitting at the counter eating pancakes from the same plate, drinking more coffee I’d made, and filling one another in on the last week and a half.
“You make great coffee,” James said, sipping from her mug. “I could get used to this…”
“Good,” I told her, taking the mug and setting it aside before kissing her. Closed-mouthed and gentle, taking my time, savoring every touch of our lips.
“She must be furious,” James later teased about Bella being put in her place.
After her stunt, I’d refused to talk with her. I wouldn’t even listen to her apology. I had my assistant, Ryan, explain her role moving forward and I made sure she knew I wasn’t going to be on set in LA.
“Ryan told her I was heading east to fix the mess she made. She tried to suck up to him. Told him to make sure I don’t badmouth her to other producers. He told her I would never do that because I need to finish the movie and move on. Period.” I stuck a bite of pancake in my mouth, watching James half smile.
“I don’t want to be happy in her misery, but she got what she deserved.”
“She did. Now, let’s talk about you. What’s happening with the gala? And when can you get away for a few days on the West Coast?”
“Ha, I think that’s more about you. Me coming to visit?”
“Got me,” I declared, setting my fork down and kissing her again. This time a bit stronger, more telling of my intentions. “How about we go to bed and then discuss the visit? Maybe I’ll change your mind?”
She raised an eyebrow but stood to go, and I didn’t dare argue.
James
With our bellies full and my hair still a wild mess, we raced toward my bedroom. I wasn’t going to lie—I’d been sitting there with my entire body humming as soon as Ford entered my house. When he declared he wanted to apply for the position of being my lifelong love, I nearly jumped his bones. Of course, my heart was still sad over what happened, but I’d known Ford long enough to understand the situations that befell him. What I needed to believe was he wouldn’t run anymore.
As soon as we crossed the threshold to my room, I turned toward him and said, “I need to know you’re planting roots with me. Your feet need to be next to me—not literally, but overall with me—not running away from us.” I had to be my advocate before he brought me to orgasm. Because when that happened, all reason flew out the window.
“I’m right with you,” was all he said before picking me up and laying me down on the bed.
With one knee on the mattress, his body loomed over mine as his hand reached down to my robe, loosening the tie. His hand feathered under the flaps, sliding them open as if they were silk curtains, revealing my naked torso My breasts felt heavy on my chest as I pumped air in and out of my lungs.
Breathe, Jamie, breathe.
Ford gently lifted one shoulder and then the next, removing the robe completely. He stayed as he was for a beat or three, knee on the bed, his worn jeans in stark contrast with the white comforter. Our eyes met and held one another until he leaned over and found my mouth with his. At first he was tender, and then he wasn’t. He enveloped me, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth, toying with my own. His jeans dug into the soft pajama pants I had underneath my robe and I urged him to dig deeper, lifting my hips, beckoning the friction.
“James,” he said softly as my hand came up to run through his hair, making its way to his shirt, tugging on the Henley, wanting it off.
He stood and yanked it over his head, unbuttoning his pants and kicking off one leg after the other. He crawled back up me, ghosting the side of my body with his hand, until he made it to my side cleavage, where he rounded my breast and pinched my nipple. It came as a very welcome surprise, and I yelped and moaned at the same time.
I could feel myself getting wetter by the second, and the urge to rub my thighs together was excruciating. I had to—until Ford said, “Uh-uh. That’s for me.”
He stopped paying attention to my nipple and wandered down the bed until his knees were on my floor, which was happening all too often.Woosh, my pajama pants went flying off before I could inhale and exhale. In a delicious assault, I felt Ford’s finger enter me, and then another. He wasn’t tender or gentle but made quick work of finding my spot and putting the right amount of pressure there to have me erupting in seconds. I didn’t have time to ride the high and come down because Ford’s mouth was on me…
“Fuck, I missed this,” he grumbled against my most sensitive spot and a chill ran down my spine.
