Page 50 of Gross Misconduct

“I was.” I stopped, and so did he, staring at me intently. Chloe was looking up at me too. “I know we are faking dating, and now fake-engaged. I also know that we are real friends, right?”

“Sure,” he said, trying to track where I was going with this.

“So why does this feel like a date?”

“Oh,” he said. “I don’t know. Does it?” He paused as he thought about it. “I guess it does. Do you want it to be?”

I had no idea how to answer. I couldn’t tell from the tone of his voice what he wanted, and so it made it harder for me to be honest. But before I could stop myself, my lips started moving. “Yes, I think I do.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Jeremy

“Then it’s a date.”

I’d said that to Jill in Stanley Park and nothing more, because she hadn’t said anything more. It hit me then how awkward she was on dates. A woman who was so in control and didn’t waver from what she wanted, was a bit of a mess on a date. And I couldn’t help but think how cute it was.

We’d gotten back to the condo, and Chloe was finally tired. She reluctantly ate her dinner before settling on the couch and passing out. We’d finally worn her out. Jill was taking a shower, and I planned to do the same. With all the walking and hiking, I’d built up a sweat and who wanted a sweaty dude around?

While she showered, I put together dinner. Nothing fancy. I’d marinated some chicken before we’d left and planned to make some rice pilaf along with a salad. We’d picked up a pie from a bakery nearby, one Jill had wanted to try for a while. She’d also picked up some dinner rolls that smelled amazing.

She wandered into the kitchen, her hair wet from her shower, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. She had on an oversizedT-shirt and a pair of tights. She didn’t have a stitch of makeup on, and it hit me how gorgeous she was. I’d been ignoring it for a long time because part of me thought she couldn’t be bothered with me, but now I saw it: her flawless skin with a hint of color, her blue eyes that followed my every move, and her hot body that she pretended not to have. The one she covered in sweaters and blazers.

“What are you doing?” she asked, peering over my shoulder.

“I was throwing dinner together. It’s still a bit early, but I thought I would prep.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Sure. I’m making brown rice. Do you mind watching over it while I shower? You could also cut up some veggies for the salad if you don’t mind.”

She smiled. “You bet.”

I took a shower and got into fresh clothes. Even though it had been a nice day, I still felt damp, a feeling that seemed to follow me on the warmest, driest days in Vancouver. I headed back to the kitchen, and Jill was humming a tune and swinging her hips as she cut a tomato for the salad. She then moved over to check the rice, bopping along to silent music. She turned and caught me watching, then let out a laugh.

“I didn’t see you there.”

“I’m stealthlike that way.”

She rolled her eyes and moved back to cutting vegetables, this time a cucumber. I wanted to kiss her, more than at any other moment in my life. Every other time had been spontaneous, and I hadn’t thought much of doing it, but now I wanted to kiss every part of her. When I didn’t move from where I was standing, she arched a brow.

“Now you seem to be the one lost in thought.” She giggled at her little joke.

“I am. I’m thinking that now would be an excellent time to kiss you.”

“Oh,” she said with a squeak.

“Unless you don’t want me to.”

A shyness overcame her, but then she grinned. “I think I’d like you to. Didn’t we say this was a date?”

I strode over to her with purpose and didn’t give her a chance to change her mind. I pulled her close and kissed her, her soft lips kissing me back. I suddenly didn’t care about dinner because my thoughts were on Jill. I pulled her close and cupped her firm ass, something I’d wanted to do for ages. She pushed into me, no doubt feeling my hardening cock. I had no idea how far we were going to take this, but I hoped it was damn far.

“I’m not on the pill,” she murmured between kisses.

Okay, we were going to take it that far.

“I have condoms,” I said, breaking the kiss. A guy always came prepared. I shut off the rice, not caring what point it was at. I then scooped her up into my arms and carried her toward the bedrooms. She yelped and laughed when I did that. “Which bedroom?”

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