“I have no idea how it got mixed up with my laundry.”
“You’re a lousy liar.”
I bit back a smile. If he thought I was ever giving the shirt back, he was dreaming. “That’s not a nice thing to say.”
“You want nice,” he asked, voice dropping in all the sexy ways. “I can be nice.”
“I know you can be.”
“I didn’t think when I saw Dean. You were right, I get jealous.” He quietly cursed, still toying with the hem of my shirt. His thumb tucked beneath the shirt and stroked over the bare skin of my belly. It was the sweetest, most ticklish of sensations. Booty call, just as I’d suspected, and shame on me for not minding. My momma should shout at me for being so easy.
I stopped breathing for a moment. When it came to him, I just was that silly.
“Talk to me,” he said, voice soft.
“About what?” I asked, just as softly.
“Anything.”
What to say? I turned to face him. His head lay on the next pillow over, neither too close nor too far away. The perfect distance for touch or talk. How great it would be to have him as the last thing I saw each night. To wake up to him every morning, lying by my side.
“Want me to go down on you again?” More fingertips traced over my stomach, making everything down low wake right the hell up. Much more of this and the state of my panties would be a disgrace. He went up on one elbow, a move I felt more than saw. “Lena? You still mad at me about Dean?”
“No, I’m not. Though I wish you hadn’t felt the need to do that. We have to stop fighting all the time, it’s wearing me out.”
His hand grasped my hip. “You mean I need to stop fucking up.”
“I mean we both need to figure out a way to not constantly be getting butt-hurt over everything the other does.”
“Hmm.” The flat of his hand glided over my hip, easing between me and the bed to grab at a cheek. So subtle. “I’ve got something that’ll make your ass feel better.”
“I highly doubt that given your size.”
He snickered.
“I’m serious, Jimmy. We need to learn to live in some sort of peace and harmony before we accidentally on purpose kill each other one of these days.” I reached out, touching his hair. As per the usual, he stiffened. But then he relaxed again, allowing it. It was like dealing with a wild animal, you never knew when the teeth might come out. Fingers kneaded my ass cheek, keeping up a firm grip.
“We’ve both got tempers,” he said. “But I gotta say, you hold a mean grudge.”
“You left me panty-less sitting on the kitchen table. Getting down from there with this stupid boot on was not easy.”
“I’m sorry. That was an asshole thing for me to do.” Straight out, no hesitation. Maybe there was hope for him yet.
“Thank you, you’re forgiven. So, what?” I asked. “You just got bored in your room?”
“Something like that.” The big shadow of him leaned over me.
“Or did you want something in particular?” My hand slid down to his neck, testing the hard muscles there. His skin felt so fine, smooth and warm. Maybe if I asked really nicely he’d take his T-shirt off? No, bad hand! Making me think all kinds of unwanted thoughts.
“I didn’t want to go to sleep without talking to you,” he said. “Shit was busy today. Then you went to bed early.”
“You miss me?”
He huffed out a breath, gave a terse nod.
“That’s good. A girl likes to be missed.” The pad of my thumb trailed over the prickle of his stubbled jawline. He caught the digit between his teeth, nipping gently, surprising me. Jimmy wasn’t someone I’d ever have pegged as being playful. His teeth did not release. I wiggled my hand, trying to get free.
“You’re an animal.” I laughed, finally tugging my thumb free. Enough of this nonsense, I wanted sex. Despite what my brain wanted, my tummy was wound tight and my thigh muscles clenched. I sat up and Jimmy shifted back, keeping the same distance between us.
“Kiss me,” I said.
He gave my hip a squeeze. “Spread your legs, let me eat you out.”
“First I want a kiss.”
“I’ll kiss your sweet pussy.” Another squeeze, of my thigh this time. “C’mon, Lena, spread.”
And I liked that idea, I really honest to god did because you’d have to be a certified idiot not to. But something more was going on here. My hand fumbled for my glasses on the bedside table.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You’ve never kissed me.”
Jimmy laughed. He looked beautifully disheveled at the end of long day, hair all messy. “We’ve only done it once.”
“Most people kiss before they do it. It’s actually kind of a tradition. You know, even this afternoon, when you were doing your manly statement thing to Dean you didn’t kiss me. You just pressed your cheek to my forehead.”
“The shirt looks damn good on you,” he said, giving my perky nipples their due. Which was nice of him to notice but completely beside the point.
“You don’t, do you?” I watched him look here there and everywhere, anywhere that wasn’t me. “Touching you’re sort of okay with if I take it slow. But actual kissing is a definite issue.”
He shook his head, withdrew his hand from my leg. “Lena—”
“I’ve got to say, diving head first beneath a girl’s skirt is an excellent method of avoiding her mouth. Full marks, Jimmy, that’s a genius plan.”
The man actually had the good grace to look sheepish then.
“It’s too personal, isn’t it?”
He snorted. “That’s fucking crazy, how can it be too personal? I’m happy to lick your pussy, so why I would be afraid of your face?”
“You tell me.”
Apparently, he decided not to, for his lips stayed firmly shut.
“I want to kiss you, Jimmy. I’ve wanted to for forever. Kiss me?”
Brows drawn down, he gave me a frown instead.
“Come here, it’s okay.” I grabbed the front of his T-shirt, pulling him forward. “It’s just me.”
He gave a bare inch or two. “I’m just not that into it. It’s not a big deal, everyone likes different shit, you know?”
“I know.” I drew him a little closer. “I just, I need to know what your lips taste like.”
“The other girls never cared. It’s not like I left them wanting, I made sure they came.”
“That’s good.” And a bit closer.
“I just … you know, I don’t want to be getting in someone’s face, getting all up close to them. I don’t like it. I’ve kissed girls before. I have done it, just never really got into it.”
“Okay.” Slowly, I dragged him in until our noses were close to bumping. Let me tell you, he was one unhappy camper. “We’ll just kiss a little bit. It’s not a big deal.”
“No, I know.” He pouted.
“And if you really don’t like it, I’ll stop.”
A hesitant nod.
Sweetly, softly, I pressed my lips against the edge of his mouth. Both of us kept our eyes open the entire time. He licked his lips and let out a breath. When he made no immediate move to launch himself off of the bed and escape, I dared try again. A single kiss against his beautiful bottom lip. He flinched, but didn’t retreat.
I tilted my head, kissing this point once more, giving him greater contact this time care of the angle.
“How was that?” I asked, feeling his breath warm my lips.
A shrug. “Not too bad. I didn’t mind it.”
“Did you want to try one more?”
“All right. One more.”
“Will you open a little for me this time?”
His lips opened slightly and he held himself rigid, letting me take the lead. The hesitant expression on his face calmed to curiosity, his eyes gradually closing.
“Thanks.” I brushed my lips over his, taking it easy. “You have such a beautiful mouth, Jimmy, and your lips are so warm, soft.”
He made a noise in his threat. I think it was good.
“I’ve been dying to kiss you.”
Our noses bumped and I smiled, changed the tilt of my chin and went back for more. I opened my lips a little, kissing his top lip over and over. The feel of his breath against my face, his stubble against my skin. I wanted to sink straight into him, know him inside and out. I wanted to protect him and cherish him, encourage him and love him. Ever so slowly he leaned in, getting closer, meeting me half way. When I flicked his bottom lip with the tip of my tongue he sucked in a breath, eyelids fluttering opening.
“Would you rather no tongue?” I asked.
“Tongue’s okay.” His eyes were dazed, pupils dilated.
“Open your mouth a little wider for me?”
He nodded, doing as told. His hand slid up my leg, strong fingers kneading my thigh. This time when I leaned in, he came toward me too. Hell yes, success! Sweet euphoria coursed through my veins. He wanted this. I canted my head and gently covered his mouth with mine, skirting my tongue over the edge of his teeth, exploring. He exhaled and I inhaled.
Timidly, his tongue reached for mine. A quick touch and it was gone again. I continued on, sliding over his teeth, toying with his lips, tempting him to go further. He tasted so damn good I couldn’t say. Then again, his tongue touched mine, rubbing against it, making me moan. The kiss went deeper, harder, as Jimmy got more into it, our tongues tangling, time and again. When he finally broke it off, we both sat their panting, staring at the other.