Stopping at the library with Noah quickly. Dropping him off after that, then I’ll be there. Do you need anything before I head over?
JJ:
All good here.
I plug my phone into the car charger and drive to the library. Noah gets stuck choosing between two books, so we get both. They have some of the same experiments, but different ones too, so it’ll give us more to choose from.
We hit a little traffic on the way home, which adds on another twenty minutes. I’m growing antsy. I just want to see JJ.
I walk Noah inside, hurrying him along.
“You’re not staying?” Audrey asks.
“Got plans.”
“With JJ?”
“Maybe?”
She puts her hand on her hip. “What’s going on with you two? Are youtogetheryet?”
“We don’t need a label.”
Sighing, she walks toward me. “Don’t let this be a repeat, Miles.”
“Audrey, stop worrying.”
“No,” she says firmly. “You weren’t okay for a long time after Derek.”
“JJ isn’t Derek,” I say, my hands clenching into fists. I hate thinking about him—anything to do with him. I don’t even like hearing his name.
“No, but it doesn’t mean he isn’t the same.”
“He’s not,” I say harshly.
“I like him. He’s nice. Thoughtful. Good with my kid. But you two are—”
“Audrey,” I warn.
Audrey holds her hands up. “Fine.”
“I’ll see you later,” I say, turning toward the door. “Bye, Noah!”
I knock on JJ’s door, and he pulls it open a moment later.
“H—” The word isn’t even out of my mouth before he yanks me toward him with an arm around my waist.
The door slams shut behind me, and JJ’s mouth is on mine. My back is pressed against the wall, his body firm against my front.
“I missed you,” he whispers, as his lips trail across my jaw to my neck, kissing that spot beneath my ear that he often pays attention to.
“I missed you too,” I breathe out, reaching for his waist, wanting to touch him. It always feels good to have my hands on him.
“Can I fuck you?” he asks, grinding against me and letting me feel how hard he is.
“Please…”
He steps back, then picks me up and throws me over his shoulder.
