“No.”
“Have people been staring?”
He laughed fully again, his head tilting back. “Not for that reason.”
“Wow! Cocky much?” The laughter was a key sliding into a rusty lock, opening a mysterious door of possibility. Felt so freaking good. I wanted to stay here forever. “Jack, seriously. You have a few hairs. It’ll take me five seconds.”
He sighed through his smile, long and loud. “Fine.”
I bounded up the stairs to grab my tweezers.
He waited patiently for me as I settled in. I sat on my knees, facing him, nestling close. “Okay, now just relax.” I shoved his head onto the back of the couch. “I’ll be done in a flash.”
I turned his face toward me, and he closed his eyes a whisper of a smile stuck on his face. I plucked the few stray hairs in under twenty seconds. But I pretended there were lots. Tapped the tweezers on his brow at least a dozen times. Then his forehead, along the sides of his eyebrows, a couple on his cheeks…
He opened his eyes, laughter dancing in them as he chided me. “Miranda.” When I moved the tweezers under his nose, he snatched my wrist. “Stop that! What are you doing?”
I laughed, letting myself look into his eyes. The dark blue was enthralling, with white flecks like cresting waves. Huge mistake. I lost my cool as butterflies flooded my midsection. Suddenly the game had ended—the only reality left was him. His powerful body confidently spread on the couch before me, his heat, his unwavering gaze. I tried to smile. “Just messing with you. There were only like five.”
I brushed the few hairs off his brow and cheek. One had landed above his lip. I brushed it away with my thumb once. But it stuck.
His gorgeous lips. I couldn’t catch my breath. My chest felt hollow. My hand felt panicky as I reached to try again.
Finish and move. Hurry up. Hurry up.
When I swiped my thumb over his lip the second time,Jack caught my hand and pressed the pads of my fingers against his soft lips.
My insides unraveled. Warmth spread through my veins at the simple act of tenderness. A breathy whisper escaped my tight throat as I watched him kiss my fingers a second time. “Jack.”
His gaze was on my lips too.
Magnetic intensity existed between the two of us. And each second I resisted drained my reserve. At some point, I was going to give in to this man. The results would be explosive, catapulting the two of us back down the road we just traveled.
I tried to dig my heels in. Resist him.
But his hands came to rest on my hips, and he pulled.
Maybe I should’ve hopped up, walked away. Been done right then and there. Not let myself linger.
But desire to be held in safe arms melded me against his chest.
Every argument disintegrated.
My face landed in the curve of his neck, filling my senses with a scent I’d ached to inhale again. His hands splayed on my back almost spanning the entirety of it. We were pressed together, and it felt like home.
My eyes filled with tears as he dropped his lips to my hair. He kissed my head twice as his hands rubbed up and down my back.
We’d done this the night we fell asleep together. But this was different, more intimate. On the heels of an electric moment. We were closer than before. Our faces inches apart.
After a few deep breaths, my lips found his neck. Just one kiss to his neck and I would be done.
Or maybe two.
His voice was strangled. “Miranda.”
I kissed him again. I couldn’t help myself. It was that dangleg massage. I wanted to touch him. I drug my hands over his shoulders and onto his chest while my lips never left his neck.
I’ve missed you, Jack. So much.
