Page 65 of Before We Were Us

“That’s actually very sweet,” I say, grabbing a breadstick and tearing it in half.

“To us it was cheesy, and he’d love to make all us kids whine about not needing to hear the details. Now looking back I’d give anything to have him right here telling you the same stories.” Jensen offers me a smile while taking the other half. “I have no doubt he would have loved you.”

“Oh yeah,” I challenge him with a smile.

“Definitely, he loved strong, confident, take no shit kind of women.”

I shrug, as I take a bite and look around the room. Hearing the bucket scoot against the floor I look back just in time to see Jensen slide in close reaching out to grip my legs he pulls me closer. “I’m really happy you stopped by.”

I hold his stare, noting dry paint in his hair, and smeared on the side of his neck. He’s wearing a sleeveless shirt showing off his strong arms and a pair ofbasketball shorts that are all equally covered with dry paint.

“I took off the next week so I can get things done around here, so feel free to do these pop ins any time, day or night.” Jensen wags his brows making me laugh.

I lift my hand, drag the tips of my fingers over his jaw and brush my lips over his. “So if I wanted to show up wearing a long coat, with lots of silk and lace beneath.”

“I wouldn’t complain,” he interrupts me, taking the chance to kiss me. “In fact do that, please.”

I smile, when he attempts to pull back I fist his hair and hold him closer. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I got the beer.” Connor holds up two twelve packs as he steps up onto the curb.

“And we brought the pizza,” Marco announces when he and Taylor join Connor and I.

I’d gathered them all, asking if they wanted to spend their evening painting. Connor is the only one that complained but Taylor took over and fifteen minutes later he told me that he’d be there with the drinks.

I don’t want to know what it took, I shiver at the thought.

We climb the front steps to Jensen’s place and I knock.

A few minutes later he pulls open the door, looking pretty much the same as I’d seen him earlier, only now he’d gotten rid of the shirt.

“Damn,” Marco whispers from over my left shoulder and I can’t even laugh because I’m thinking the exact same thing.

“We’re here for the painting party,” Connor announces, breaking the trance and barges through. The guy is a menace.

Slowly everyone piles in, carrying the food and drinks, leaving me and Jensen behind. I can hear both Taylor and Marco going on and on about the beauty of the house.

“Babe.” Jensen steps closer, closing the door behind me and kissing the space just below my ear. Pausing there his hot breath fans over my neck. “You said lace and silk, this isn’t what I had in mind.”

Turning my face enough that it brings my lips only inches from his, I tell him, “I’ll show you later what I have on underneath these clothes.” He growls, I laugh and without kissing him I step past him and offer him a little wink.

forty-one

. . .

Jensen

It was well after midnight when Marco and Taylor left. Connor was close behind, telling me that the place was starting to look like mine again. I’d gotten rid of everything that wasn’t mine prior to Chrissy. When she moved in she took over and changed the decor of everything. Frilly shit everywhere, plush pillow and rugs, flowing curtains and way too much pink. It was like walking into a Barbie movie set.

I went back to the neutral colors, bringing back the home's original charm.

I closed the door behind them and locked the door hoping that I’d be able to convince Brynn to stay over. The air mattress I’d been sleeping on wasn’t the greatest thing, but it worked. Until I moved everything back in it would have to do.

The deeper I got into the house the louder the water became. The sound of the shower running, with the bathroom door cracked. Immediately I start to undress, tossing my clothes to the floor along the way. Pausing, I carefully push open the door and see her silhouette moving behind the curtain.

My body reacting to hers, I walk closer and pull back the curtain.

Stepping in beneath the water, Brynn turns to face me.

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