Page 54 of The House on Blueberry Lane

She opened her door to find Jaye with several bags. “Come in, Jaye.”

“Thanks. Do I get to join you?”

“Join me?”

“Yes, eat with you. Share this meal with you?”

Since he had been kind enough to bring her food, the least she could do was share dinner with him. “Sure.”

Velvet headed toward the kitchen, and as he followed, she swore she could feel the heat of his gaze on her backside. He’d always said he loved every part of her body but liked her ass the best. “What would you like to drink, Jaye?” She opened the refrigerator.

“Iced tea will be fine.”

She peered over her shoulder at him. “When did you become an iced-tea drinker?”

“After you left.”

Lifting her brow, she turned to face him. “It took me leaving for you to try iced tea?”

“No, it took you leaving for me to realize all the things I resisted were probably good, as well as good for me.”

Velvet honestly didn’t know what to say to that. She turned back to the refrigerator and grabbed the pitcher of tea. It sounded like he had regrets. Unfortunately, it was too late and didn’t change a thing.

Placing the pitcher on the counter, she leaned up on tiptoes to grab glasses from the top cabinet. Usually, she would use plastic cups but felt the least she could do was service him tea from a glass.

“I can get that for you,” he said, and suddenly she felt the heat of Jaye’s breath on her neck and the front of him resting against her rear end.

She eased off her tiptoes and immediately wished she hadn’t. Doing so made her backside fit more snugly against him and she had to take deep breaths to calm her raging hormones.

“Are you okay, Velvet?”

Velvet could tell him that no, she was not okay and that being this close to him, inhaling his scent and feeling his erection were doing all kinds of salacious things to her. That wasn’t good, considering the unfinished dream she’d had last night.

When he took a step back, she could no longer feel him, but she still felt his heat. “Yes, I’m okay.” She concentrated on filling the glasses with iced tea while trying to get her mind and body under control.

When she finally turned around with both glasses in her hands, she saw he was standing at the kitchen window and gazing out. Apparently, he’d needed to get his mind and body under control as well. Without saying anything, she walked over to the table and started pulling the food containers out of the bags.

“The food smells good,” she said.

That’s when he turned around and his gaze locked on hers. At other times whenever he’d looked at her that way, he would cross the room, sweep her into his arms and carry her to the nearest bedroom...or table or floor. Whenever the urge hit to make love, they did it. All over the place.

“Where can I wash my hands?” he asked, breaking the stretching silence.

“The hall bath.” There was no need telling him where it was since he had passed it that night when he’d taken her to her bedroom.

“Okay. I’ll be back in a minute.”

And then he was gone, and she hoped by the time he returned that she would have pulled herself together.

JAYE LEANED AGAINST the closed bathroom door and drew in a deep breath. No help there because her scent was even in here. She loved jasmine and this bathroom with the scented candles placed on the vanity smelled like her. Except when they made love. During those times, her pheromones dominated and intermingled with the scent of them making love.

He knew Velvet and the one thing he was certain about was that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Desire was something she could never hide from him. Nor him from her. For three years, it had ruled his mind and his senses, which was why he was in the predicament he was now.

Regardless how much he wanted her, he would not make love to her. If they made love again, it would be because she wanted it and asked for it. Hell, he wouldn’t have a problem if she seduced him. Bottom line, like he’d told her, he was no longer into sex-only relationships. His only relationship would be with her, and if she felt the need to have her desires filled, then it would be up to her to let him know.

Moments later after washing his hands, he returned to find the table set in the dining room. Velvet had removed the food from the containers and arranged it on plates that looked like costly dinnerware. How easily he had forgotten how she liked to do things formal at times. He had gotten used to it and after she left, like so many other things, he had missed it.

“Food is still hot,” she said, not looking at him.

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