Page 64 of No Place Like Home

Was it even the walk of shame if he was in my bed? Was I even ashamed?

That didn’t matter. I needed to focus on what did matter right now, and my state of shame wasn’t on the list.

As I came to the living room, I came to a halt when I heard footsteps. Fuck. I was so fucked. Was Cubbie suddenly back?

Simba strutted his way to me, tongue sticking out and tail wagging. Shit I forgot about him for a second. He looked at me with that adorable face and I lost it.

“This is all your fault,” I hissed.

He clearly didn’t understand me because his tail wagged even more. Ignoring him since I didn’t want his human to catch me in the act of leaving, I walked out the door without petting him.

I thanked the heavens for having a driveway that went downhill for the first time. I put the key in and switched it to neutral and just let the car do its thing, and once I was far enough, I turned on the engine. I couldn’t take any chances on him coming out right now.

Without thinking, I made my way to Juliet and Jake’s house. It was early, but they were early risers since they ran the store and made sure Rosie got ready for school. Unlike the rest of us, she wasn’t an early riser.

I parked my car and used the key they gave me, but I had never used before, and let myself inside.

“Morning!” I yelled, walking in as a warning that someone had walked in, because I really didn’t want to see Jake and Juliet going at it this early in the morning.

“You’re here,” Jake said in surprise as he walked towards me with a mug of coffee.

Without thinking, I took it from him and chugged it.He just stared at me as I downed the whole thing with one gulp.

“Is everything okay?” he asked as he brought his hand up and scratched behind his head. His very naked arm.

That was when I realized he was only wearing pajama bottoms.

“Why are you naked?!” I screeched.

I had seen enough naked males this morning.

Jake looked down at himself, then back at me.

“Youarethe one who barged into the house this early.”

As if that was answer enough.

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied, handing him the empty mug. “I…can…I use your shower?”

He watched me closely, those baby blues taking everything I was doing. I didn’t like it one bit.

“You know you don’t have to ask, but what’s wrong with yours?”

“it’s not working…I don’t know,” I told him as I made my way to the bathroom.

My shower was scalding. As if that would erase the fact that I did the bow-chick-a-wow-wow with Quincy Hardwell from existence.

Hard fucking pass. One did not forget the best sex they’d ever had.

I mean, it wasn’t the best, right? I was just inexperienced.

Once I was scrubbed and had changed again to the clothes I had grabbed this morning, I walked out with the towel wrapped around my head.

Juliet was in the kitchen, with Rosie and Scottie, and Paisley was in a high chair.

“Morning!”

“Jess.” Rosie smiled as she got up from her chair and flew towards me.

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