Page 91 of No Place Like Home

I shook my head, ridding myself of those thoughts. This was Jess. Just Jess. A good friend and my current fuck buddy, nothing more.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she said with an excited tone she couldn’t hide.

Jess took off running to the edge of the dock, and I was mesmerized by her. It took me a few seconds to follow. My leg was better, so I could run faster, and I caught up with her in an instant just as she got to the edge. When I grabbed her waist, she shrieked.

“Put me down!”

“You asked for it,” I said, then threw us in the water.

It was better to get submerged all in one go. The day had been nice, but the lake was still cold. Years of ice baths were what kept me from freezing.

Jess, having been caught off guard, had gone under for longer. She came up gasping for air.

“You asshole!” She threw water at me, but she was laughing.

This was a rare side of her, but it was becoming addicting to watch. It made something in me ache. My family hadn’t had much growing up, but they’d tried to give me everything within their reach. But Jess…what did she have?

I’d had many achievements, but none of them made me feel like I did at this moment. I’d made Jess laugh. I’d made her smile. Even if it was for a moment, I’d made her happy.

I watched her get up the slide. When she sat down, she turned down to look at me and fuck me.

At that moment, I knew that if I let her in, she might never leave.

Jess, my gloomy girl, my wildflower, smiled down at me, and that right there was everything. I felt my chest go heavy, but I shook that feeling off and went after her.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

My itty bittieswere going to freeze and fall off, and it would all be Quincy’s fault. The water was cold, but I couldn't deny that I was having fun. This had turned out to be the best birthday celebration ever, but like hell if I’d ever admit it aloud.

It was darker now than when we first had gone in the water. The temperature had gone down. I was sitting on the edge of the inflatable slide with my teeth clanking. I was probably going to get sick, but it would be worth it.

Quincy was climbing the stairs, ready to slide down again. The moon was bright enough that I could see most of his profile as he sat down, ready to come toward me. Unlike me, he was wearing swimming trunks, while I was in my favorite set of panties. His body was pure muscular perfection. I could make out the drips of water that glided through the ridges on his body whenever he was close to me, and it was distracting.

I felt his warmth the second he made it down. His hands came to my waist, and I knew the shivers that spread through my body had nothing to do with the cold.

“You had enough?” he asked as he kissed the crook of my neck.

I opened my mouth to answer, but my teeth started to clank louder, and I could feel his smile pressing against my skin.

“Let’s get you warmed up,” Quincy said as he moved us toward the house, holding onto me.

Simba was already there as soon as we made it to the back sliding door, going crazy. Quincy reached with one hand to slide the door open while firmly holding my waist with the other. Simba wasted no time in throwing himself at me.

I was sandwiched between beast and master.

“Hi, boy,” I said, reaching down to play with his fur.

Now that Quincy had kept up with his grooming, he looked as put together as ever.

“Sorry, boy. She’s all mine right now,” Quincy told his dog as he moved us inside the house.

My belly dipped at his words. Suddenly I wasn’t so cold anymore.

“Where are we going?” It was a rhetorical question, since he clearly took us toward his room. I just needed it not to be so silent.

Quincy didn’t speak until we got to his room. He closed the door behind us so Simba wouldn’t get in, because it was weird to have sex and have a puppy watch you getting it on.

The look on Quincy’s face was intense, and I couldn’t help but take a step back.

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