I just dry-humped Jesse King until I came, and I think I may have made him come in his pants.
More importantly, it was hands down the hottest sexual experience of my goddamn life.
“Like high school, huh?” I say with a laugh, and he lets out one of his own. “If I knew that was an option, I would have been doing that every night.”
He shakes his head. “That can’t happen again, Hallie.”
I pull back as my face falls, panic filling me. “Was it?—”
“It was fucking phenomenal, and after you agree you’re mine, and after you agree to take a chance on this, on us, I’ll let you do that every fucking night if it’s what you want. You want to make me blow in my sweats like I’m fifteen? Have at it, so long as you make those pretty noises again.”
I just came harder than I ever have, and yet, my pussy tightens. He senses it, like he has some kind of sixth sense of Hallie’s pussy, and a wicked, boyish grin spreads on his lips.
“But until you’re ready to move forward with this. To be an us, to tell Wren and Madden and my parents, and eventually, my daughter, then no. We’re not doing this. We’re not muddying the waters.”
I try to move, to get away, but his arm is on my back, holding me close to him. It forces me to face my thoughts and fears head-on. I don’t know if it’s the calm brought on by the killer orgasm or his closeness or something different altogether, but for some reason, I drop my head into his neck and whisper to him.
“I’m not ready for that,” I confess, then add, “yet.”
His hand comes to my jaw, cupping it and lifting my face so he can press his on mine. “I can wait, Hallie.” He kisses me again, and with the gentle press, the lingering panic recedes, leaving warmth and tenderness in its wake. “Now, I’m gonna go clean this up, if you don’t mind.”
I smile, grateful for the break in heaviness.
“What, you don’t want to sit in it?”
He lets out a bark of laughter, lifting me with ease and tossing me onto the couch. I sit as he stands and stare at the damp spot in his sweats with a strange pride. But when I look at the clock and see it’s nearly eleven, I sigh.
“I should actually head out,” I say with regret, and a moment passes before he pulls me up and into him, holding me tight.
“Spend the night,” he whispers against my lips.
“Jesse—” I start because that’s precisely the opposite oftaking things slow.
“I’ll set an alarm.” I tip my head, and his face goes so sincere, so soft before he speaks. “We can stay on the couch if you want. I just want to fucking hold you, Hallie.”
It’s a similar plea to the one from the night after Emma’s party.
“Promise you’ll wake me up before she wakes up?” He nods fervently, like a little kid promising to clean up his room in exchange for ice cream. I let out a small laugh and shake my head. “I don’t want to sleep on the couch.” I stood, and disappointment crossed his face. “Let’s go to bed, Jesse.”
And then I take his hand and lead him to his room.
TWENTY-EIGHT
On Friday, Wren takes a half day at work, and we pile into two cars to head up to Vermont, Madden and Adam both driving. I was confused that Jesse chose not to drive, but it made more sense when he sat in the back with me, Madden, and Nat in the front, since Nat gets car sick in the back. The entire drive, he finds excuses to brush against me.
We get to the lodge by four, and after settling into the hotel room Adam so graciously paid for, Wren begs me and Nat to come over to their room to get dressed and do our makeup for dinner and a night at the bar at the lodge. It’s fun and silly, the three of us laughing and giggling as we get dressed. Nat leaves to answer a call from the salon, and a bit later, Adam returns to the room.
“You look gorgeous,” he says, pulling Wren into his arms after taking in her tight burgundy dress. He presses his lips to hers, and a blush burns on my best friend’s cheeks as she pushes on his chest.
“Adam!” she says with a giggle. “You’re going to mess my makeup up!”
“I’m okay with that,” he murmurs, and her eyes go wide.
“Hallie is here!” she says under her breath, and I laugh, taking a hint and standing.
“Okay, on that note, I’m going to head down to the lobby.”
“We’ll meet you down there in ten,” Wren says, biting her lip.
