He shrugs. “I used to help Aunt Bea a lot when I was younger. She was working when she took us in, so sometimes I had to feed Dee and me.”
I feel my chest squeeze at the thought of a much tinier Jack making dinner for his little sister, and it does nothing to stanch the lingering horniness I feel as memories of last night continue to flutter through my thoughts.
“So what do you think?” he asks.
I pause with my fork midair. “What do I think about what?”
“Do you wanna come with me today?”
I hesitate. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“I think it could be fun,” he hedges. “Besides, what else do you have to do today? You don’t have class.”
“How do you know I don’t have class?”
He lifts a brow. “I pay attention?”
It’s a tiny detail, but it does things to me all the same, him noticing my schedule and remembering it.
I consider his offer. I know that being around Ian and Lila the day after Jack had his head between my legs is going to be awkward as hell, but Jack looks so eager with his big brown eyes allwide and hopeful, and I fear I may be developing some sort of inability to say no to him. Especially when he looks at me like that.
“I guess I can come with you,” I say finally.
Jack beams at me, and the force of it is so bright, I almost want to cover my eyes.
“Awesome,” he says, shoving a bite of eggs into his mouth. “We can shower after breakfast, and then we’ll go.” He smirks then. “Unless you want to shower together? You know, conserve water and all that.”
“Absolutely not,” I say immediately.
He shrugs again, looking unperturbed. “Suit yourself, but I look even better wet.”
I groan as I drop my head toward my plate, shaking it.
I may have inadvertently created a monster, but if the smile touching my lips is any indication…
I may not mind very much.
Sixteen
Jack
I’m trying to pay attentionto what Ian is saying to Kyle, but my eyes keep wandering over to the kitchen station, where Abby is laughing at something Dee has just said. It’s probably a little obvious that I’m distracted, but I can’t seem to stop looking their way.
“Great shot, Kyle!” Ian claps me on the shoulder, forcing my head to snap back to the net where Kyle has just sunk the puck. “Right, Jack?”
“Greatshot,” I stress, trying to seem like I actually saw it.
Kyle gives the both of us a toothy grin, and I have to admit, it does make me feel good to see it on him. I can remember what it was like being here, and being a part of this kid’s happiness is kind of thrilling. Even if I’m distracted as hell.
“How about we grab something to drink?” Ian asks Kyle. “You’ve been working really hard.”
Kyle nods enthusiastically. “Iamthirsty.”
“Well, let’s go take care of that,” Ian says, patting his head. “You’ve earned it.”
Kyle skates after Ian like a puppy, but I follow behind a little slower, allowing myself to take in Abby’s still-laughing form without fear of being noticed. This morning had been worrisome for a moment; it’s not unusual for me to put my foot in my mouth, but to make Abby think that last night was anything other than mind-blowingly good—not to mention making me almost feral to touch her again—was a new level of stupid, even for me. And not justbecauseit was mind-blowingly good, but also because it was justher.
I don’t think I ever allowed myself the daydream that Abby would let me touch her, and now that she has…it occurs to me that I might have wanted to do so long before last night. Maybe there was some part of me that knew she was too good for me; maybe that’s why I’ve hidden behind my teasing and my incessant jokes. But the more I think about it, the more I think that last night wasn’t just some fluke, no—
