His fingers lock with mine, and he slowly turns to face me. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” I tug him forward until we’re almost touching.
Then I kiss him.
And oh god, it’s every bit as good as I remember. Better even, because my memory from that night is a little hazy in places.
His lips are surprisingly soft, warm, and pliant under mine as I deepen the kiss to something wild and a little desperate. But to be fair, this has been building between us all day and Iamdesperate. I slide a hand around his neck and groan as he grips my waist and pulls me close. Close enough that I know I wasn’t the only one sporting a semi. Or a not-so-semi anymore, because now I’m straining against my jeans and, by the feel of him, so is Jerry.
I groan as his tongue flicks against mine, a tease more than anything and I want more. I’m about to chase after it, when a loud bark startles me into stumbling backwards. Only Jerry catching hold of my arms stops me from falling onto the sofa.
He laughs as he pulls me upright. “Sorry. I guess she needs to go out.” His expression softens. “Maybe it’s for the best.”
I open my mouth to object, but he cups my jaw, thumb rubbing my lower lip.
“Take tonight to think about if you want to take this further. I like you, Reed. I don’t want to do something you might regret tomorrow.”
“Pretty sure I wouldn’t regret doing anything with you.” But I yawn again, and fuck me, I’m knackered. But there’s no way I’m missing out on this. On what we were heading towards before Jen interrupted us. “Go let her out and do what you need to do down here. I’ll be in my bed. Naked,” I add, and he groans. “You’re welcome to join me if you want to.” I give him a look that I hope conveys exactly how much I want him to take me up on my offer, and then I edge past him and head upstairs.
JERRY
I take a deep,steadying breath as I watch Reed leave the room and then listen to him climb the stairs.
My heart beats a rapid rhythm and I’m hard.
Jesus.
I’d put Reed firmly in the friend box—well, IthoughtI had—but the idea of him waiting up there for me... naked...
I groan and run a hand through my hair before another insistent bark has me looking down at my dog. “You’re a gigantic cock block, you know that?”
She barks again, like she knows she is and doesn’t give a flying fuck either.
“Come on, then.” I give myself a quick adjustment and head through to the kitchen and the back door. There’s a chill in the air as I open it to let her out, the cool breeze raising goosebumps over my forearms, and I shiver. It’s dark out, the moon covered by heavy clouds and I quickly lose track of Jen as she runs down the garden.
Leaning against the door frame, I have nothing to do but think over the last few hours and everything Reed told me. It wasn’t the break-up story I’d been expecting, but no wonder it’s left him so devastated.
And no wonder he wasn’t in a place to start anything on New Year’s Eve.
Is he now?
We might be nine months down the line, but that doesn’t mean anything. And he still lives hours away... well, he does for now, anyway.
Not gonna lie, the idea of Reed moving to Sheffield didn’t really register at the time, but depending on where he ends up, he could be within a thirty-minute drive rather than the two and a half hours that he is now.
If he takes the job.
And if he’s interested in anything more than sex.
Am I?
So many questions rattle around in my mind, I’m going to get a headache at this rate. Why am I overcomplicating this? We’re both adults for fuck’s sake. Go upstairs, have hot, no-strings sex, and see where we are in the morning.
Easy.
The wind picks up and I shiver again. “Jen,” I hiss, peering out into the dark when I get no response. “Fuck’s sake.” Of all the nights for her to take her sweet-arse time going for a piss, she has to choose the one where I have a hot naked guy waiting upstairs for me.
Maybe it’s a sign.
