I knew he meant mentally, but thoughts of just how open he had me in the past toyed with my memory bank. The dark intensity in his eyes when he watched me with Jase nearly set my skin on fire. I remembered how he would watch from a distance, brooding as Jase flirted and kissed all over me until I was dripping wet, then snatch me up and fuck me into a daze. We had this dynamic where Jase ignited the fire inside me, then JoJo would tend to it with loving care while I basked in the warmth of both of them. Back then, it worked.
“Jase should have taken me home where he got me from.”
“He has to be up at four in the morning for a surgery. I told him I would continue the night for him.”
“If he had a surgery, he shouldn’t have agreed to come.”
“When an opportunity arises, it’s best to seize it. Who knows when the opportunity would present itself again.”
“We’ve been in the woods for a while. Where are you taking me, Jordy?” I asked as we turned onto a gravely path.
“You don’t remember this place?” he asked, turning to me with a coy grin.
“Should I?”
I squinted as his car rolled to a stop in front of a gazebo covered with string lights. There were burgundy cushions covering the floor, surrounding something I couldn’t see yet.
“Isn’t this your grandparent’s house?” I asked him.
“They downsized to an apartment at an assisted living facility in Florida. Since they already planned to leave me and Jase the house, they decided to give it to us early. I moved back to live in it after I did some remodeling. I made sure they restored the gazebo.”
“I used to love spending time out here.”
“Trying to take advantage of my scary ass.”
“Oh wow.” I giggled.
“You know how bad you turned me out. I’m still fucked up to this day.”
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Tell me you still love ice cream,” he said, as his car rolled to a stop.
I took a deep breath as Jordy stepped out of the car. I tracked each of his long strides as he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for me to step out. I allowed my eyes to find his face as I put my hand in his and let him help me out of the car. The quiet cadence of crickets in the background reminded me of how far in the woods we were.
I took my focus off Jordy and put it on the strings of lights strategically wrapped around the gazebo. It was adorable. I wanted to ask JoJo if he put them up, but I didn’t want him to know how impressed I was with the simple gesture. My throat burned as I recalled the first time he did this very same thing.
The lights, the pillows, the blankets, I had seen this before. Our first time was out here. He set it up just like this, and his tender care made an otherwise awkward time sweet and memorable. I took a shuddered breath, wondering if I could getthrough this in one piece. Jordy wasn’t giving me much of a choice. He had put in so much effort. It wassohim.
Still, I was practically shaking. If I didn’t need the air so bad, I would have run back to the car. I should’ve run. I should have made Jordy take me home. The huge part of me that had been longing for him for almost eight years wouldn’t allow me to run. Instead, it kept my hand in place inside his as I followed him to the steps of the gazebo.
“JoJo.” I gasped, pulling my hand out of his as I fell into a fit of giggles. “Butter pecan ice cream and plain potato chips?”
“That used to be your guilty pleasure. I know you’ve changed a lot, but I was banking on some things staying the same.”
He was right. I didn’t respond to what he said though. My favorite late-night snack was not going to be enough to redeem him for breaking my heart into a million pieces. It was enough to get me to stay though. I left JoJo behind, walking deeper into the gazebo and getting comfortable on the mounds of pillow.
“Champagne too?” I noted as I sank down onto one of the oversized pillows.
Jordy didn’t speak as he moved closer. It was sick that I already missed the warmth of his body. Watching him crawl over to me created a fire of its own. I was grateful that he cozied up right next to me as he grabbed the bottle of champagne and popped the cork.
“Consider it a welcome home gift,” he said as he picked up an empty glass and filled it with the champagne.
I accepted the glass and took a sip, letting the dry concoction coat my tongue. I had already drunk half a bottle of wine, but I could use a little more liquid courage.
“Eat your ice cream before it melts, baby,” Jordy encouraged.
“You’re supposed to remember that I like it melty.”
