Page 143 of Stay with Me

“Couldn’t that have been Isaiah?” I asked.

Jax flipped the mass of hair over my shoulder. “I don’t think so. He’s cleaner than that. And he’s smart. He’s not going to drop a body in the daylight on a front porch. He’s more of the going for a cement swim type of guy.”

I shuddered. “How well do you know Isaiah?”

“As well as I want to and nothing more.” His hand flattened along the curve of my behind and stayed there. “He’s been in Mona’s a few times. I think checking the place out.”

“That’s kind of creepy.”

“He’s Isaiah.” He patted my behind. “Anyway, if Mack’s gone to ground, there’s a good chance you’re done with this shit.”

That’s what Detective Anders had said, too, but it really didn’t make me feel like I should go traipsing down Main Street or anything. “Have they found Ike?”

“Nope.”

“Do you think ... something happened to him, too?”

“I don’t know. The kind of life these people live, it’s not odd that they disappear. Could have nothing to do with any of this.”

I hoped so. Well, I hoped whoever the Ike guy was, he wasn’t missing in a bad way. I didn’t know him, never even seen him, but still, a human life was a human life.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said as he gently untangled his fingers from my hair. “When you head back to Shepherd, you’re staying in a dorm, right?”

I nodded. “I’m in the Printz apartments this year. Or I had approval before. I guess I still do, but Printz is a dorm with two- to three-bedroom apartments in them.”

“So privacy?”

“Yes. Just like a normal apartment building, but nicer.” I laughed.

“This is good, because we’re going to need the privacy.”

I bit down on my lower lip, but it didn’t stop my smile from spreading. “We do?”

“Honey, I don’t want to be naked in bed with you with some chick in another bed a couple fucking feet away from us.”

“Good point.” I giggled.

Actually fucking giggled. I was so dumb.

“If I keep my schedule like it is, I could come down on Sunday and stay with you for a few days.” He caught a strand of my hair again and tucked it back. “And maybe when your schoolwork isn’t too heavy, you can come up on the weekend.”

Lifting my head, I met his gaze.

“Of course, to work, that is.”

I laughed at that, and he grinned. “I can do that.” His grin turned into a smile and I said, “I think you like me, Jackson James.”

He raised a brow. “Wow. Are you finally getting it?”

I pushed my hand at his chest, and he chuckled. “No. I think youreallylike me.”

“Like I said, you’re finally just getting it?”

“Whatever.”

He kissed the corner of my lip. “It’s a good thing you have such a sweet ass.”

I smacked his pec for that, but then he caught my wrist and lifted my hand to his mouth. He kissed the center of my palm. “Yeah, babe, Ireallylike you.”

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