Page 90 of No Place Like Home

Damn, I wished I had known. But that was like Jess. She might hate making a fuss for herself, but she would always be there for her sister.

I made my way around the party greeting everyone. After getting a one-on-one with Rosie, I made a few calls. Now I was shooting the shit with the guys. I stayed on the far end because Cubbie was here, and it was no secret we didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye.

“The key to a happy marriage is observing your wife,” Mr. Carson went on.

I wasn’t married, so I didn’t know why I was part of this conversation.

“Listen to me, boys.” He looked at Cubbie and me. “A woman will never tell you what it is she wants. Don’t make assumptions. That leads to trouble. Instead, just observe her daily. Know her tells, read her expressions; that’s the key to a happy life.”

“Then why did Ma get mad that one time you didn’t save her from talking to Old Man Richardson?” Clark questioned, and we all laughed.

Everyone started to leave, and I nodded for Jess to come with me. She didn’t look at anyone as she made her way toward me. If people were aware of us, they pretended they weren’t.

“I’m taking Simba home,” I told her.

She slowly nodded.

“Come after you’re done here,” I said.

Jess bit her lip and tilted her head just a bit. Yeah, we both knew that she was getting fucked if she did.

* * *

Jess camewhen everyone else had left. I saw her figure walking in the dark. I had been in my backyard waiting for her.

Simba rushed to her side so she wouldn’t walk alone in the dark. I stood up and made my way down the stairs before she could climb up.

“Hi,” she whispered as she put a strand of hair behind her ear.

Without thinking, I reached out and brought her into my arms. The comfort she gave me was unlike anything I had felt before. I tilted her chin, and then I kissed her.

“You weren’t going to tell me it was your birthday?” I questioned as I pulled back.

She turned away from me and stared at the lake. “It’s not important.”

That shit pissed me off. How many years had we worked together? I never knew. How often had we worked together on her birthday, and she’d acted like it was just another day? It wasn’t that I was mad at her, but at myself. If I could have turned back time, I would have done things differently with her.

“Come with me,” I said as I took her hand.

Since I didn’t want everyone at the party to know my business, I waited for it to get dark enough so the company I had hired could come set up. My lakeside was more secluded, and the pines covered my neighbor’s view.

“Is that yours?” Jess pointed to the slide.

“A little birdie said you loved water slides, and it seemed fun.”

I started to walk away as I removed my shirt. Having had time, I’d changed into trunks. The moon was high enough that it was clear. I could feel Jess's dark gaze on me. I wasn’t being cocky; I knew I looked good. I worked hard for my body and took care of myself, but when it came to her, I didn’t know where I stood.

“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” Jess said, her voice losing some of the excitement.

“Come on. Live a little, Jessamine. Take off your clothes.”

She seemed to think on it for a bit. Then she removed her clothes. My throat clogged, and I swallowed. I’d seen more than my fair share of women get naked for me. All of them did it in a way meant to seduce me. Not Jess. She did it for herself and not for me.

“Fuck,” I whispered.

Jess was all about black and plain clothes on the outside, but her undergarments were another story. She had on a lilac bra with matching panties. They were simple satin, but they looked like a work of art on her body.

I usually went for girls who were more in touch with their sexuality, but there was something about a woman who seduced you without even trying.

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