Page 43 of Protecting Jess

Oh, who was she kidding? From the moment she’d met him, it had always been Finn for her.

Her orgasm built as his strokes got faster and faster. She hooked her legs around his waist, meeting his thrusts easily.

“I’m so close, Jess. I need you to come.”

As if his words were the trigger she needed, her release slammed into her, and she called out his name as he shouted out hers.

Her body throbbed in a delicious way. A way she wanted it to always do.

Finn tightened his arms around her, rolling them so they were on their sides, facing each other. Their harsh, ragged breaths filled the room.

Jess placed her hand on his chest, over his heart, the organ thumping rapidly beneath her fingers. There were words she wanted to say. Tell him how she felt in that moment. But she kept them locked down. Words weren’t needed. Everything she wanted to say could be said later.

She wanted to live in this moment. Treasure it.

Bring it out when they were apart.

Now that she’d had him once, she didn’t want to go on without him. But how could a future work between them? She lived on the other side of the country. Her job required her to travel with her dance company, and his took him to hostile places all over the world.

“What are you thinking so hard about, popsicle?”

His use of her nickname should’ve had her smiling, like it usually did, but this time, it didn’t. It only brought her heartache. “What are we doing, Finn?”

Fifteen

The troubled look in Jess’s eyes wasn’t the one Finn wanted to see, especially after what they’d just shared together.

His heart was still racing from the strength of his orgasm. From the reality of finally having her in his arms. Her body pressed up against his.

As much as he wanted to ignore her question, he couldn’t.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I don’t know where this is going to take us. All I know is, I don’t want us to have the same distance between us we’ve had over the last few years.”

Jess scooted back a little, putting distance between them now that he didn’t like.

Or want. But he wasn’t going to force her close to him. If she needed space, then he’d give it to her.

“We’re going to have distance between us, no matter what we do. You know that,” she whispered. She sounded so damn sad.

Finn sighed. “I do. You have your dance company. I’m a SEAL.”

“Which is a dangerous job on any given day.”

“That, too.” He reached for her, needing her closer.

When she came without complaint, he sighed in contentment.

He closed his eyes as he tucked her close to him, relishing the feel of her arms around him. His body stirred, ready for another round, but he willed it to settle down. “What do you want?”

For endless moments, Jess remained quiet and still in his arms.

Her gaze wouldn’t meet his, and with every passing second that she didn’t say a word, the hope and happiness that had consumed Finn began to fade, leaving nothing but an emptiness he wanted to reject, like she was about to reject him.

“You,” Jess said quietly. “I want you.”

“Then we’ll find a way to make it work, because I can’t bear the thought of not having you, Jess.” He lowered his head and captured her lips with his, pouring everything he felt and wanted into the kiss. Telling her, without saying the words, that he loved her. That he wanted her to stay.

To stay forever, but he knew he couldn’t ask that of her.

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