Page 70 of Just Like That

JP sighed and sat back on his heels. He flopped down beside me, putting his hand beneath his head as he stared at the ceiling. He smiled, and the tension was gone from his jaw. He looked younger. At ease.

I smiled to myself and carefully rolled, pulling tissues from the small bedside table, and handed some to him as I wiped between my boobs.

He stopped my hand. “Let me.”

Our eyes locked, and the room spun as JP shifted and started cleaning me up.

I knew how to handle JP when he was unbearable. I knew how to handle him when he was being a grumpy little bitch. It was when he looked at me with softness that threw me off-kilter. When he showed the bits of himself that were tender and sensitive, I lost my footing.

It poked something tender inside my heart and I had to look away. “Thank you.”

When he was finished, JP quietly exhaled and wiped at his stomach before he crawled off the bed. “I’m going to clean up ... make sure the fire is out and the bus is locked up.”

I rifled around the bed for my underwear as my cheeks heated. “Okay. Thanks. I’m going to clean up and turn in.”

JP nodded and slid open the door. He paused, his hand gripping the entryway like maybe he wanted to say something, but didn’t.

I waited, listening for him to finish in the bathroom and walk down the steps of the skoolie. Once he was gone, I sneaked into the bathroom, cleaned myself up, and got out a fresh pair of pajamas. In the bedroom, I gently pulled back the covers and slipped beneath them.

A few minutes later, I heard JP’s footsteps returning. I clamped my eyes closed and tried to level my breathing, pretending to sleep.

My heart thumped, and I was sure he could hear it. JP could have changed his mind and slept on the couch, but he came back. As he slid into bed beside me, I tried not to move.

Facing him, I kept my eyes closed and my breath steady. JP leaned in close and paused. Heat from his body was only inches away as he hovered over me.

“Thank you for the perfect day.” His lips whispered over my hair before a kiss brushed across my temple. My heart clenched, and I struggled to breathe.

JP shifted next to me and inhaled. “Sweet dreams, Hex.” He rolled over, and I listened to his heavy breathing even out until he fell asleep.

Tears pricked beneath my lashes.

Why, out of the four billion men in the world, did I have to develop a soft spot for the one man who was completely off-limits? Olive would never understand, and she wasn’t even there so I could explain myself. I clamped my hand over my mouth and nose to hide a silent sob.

What have I gotten myself into this time?

TWENTY-THREE

JP

If she could pretendto be asleep when I’d crawled into bed last night, then I could pretend I was unintentionally spooning her and wishing the sunrise would wait. Beside her, sated and warm, I slept better than I had in years.

My first thought upon waking wasn’t the laundry list of bullshit I had to deal with; it was her. Hazel’s rose gold hair was fanned across her shoulder, and my legs were hiked up behind her. My hand flexed on her hip as I breathed in the bright citrus of her scent.

She shifted and I clamped my eyes tighter, fighting the reality that our night was over. In my arms, she tensed as she started to wake. I kept my eyes closed as Hazel quietly slipped from beneath my hand.

I stifled a laugh when she bumped the bed and whisper-shouted, “Son of abiscuit!”

Through lowered lashes I watched as Hazel pulled on a pair of shorts. She whipped off her sleep shirt, and I enjoyed her perky little tits bouncing as she pulled a clean tank top over her head.

My cock surged to life, and I rolled to hide the fact that her mere presence had caught his attention.

When she slipped out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her, I rolled to my back with a groan. I was rock hard and tented the sheet. My brain was looping on how things could have gone had we been alone, or at my place, or in any other situation besides a thirty-five foot diesel school bus.

I could hear Hazel talking quietly with Teddy, so I sat up and scrubbed a hand over my face.

I wonder what her tarot would have to say about last night.

I smirked and pulled a fresh shirt from the duffel bag on the floor before going in search of Teddy and Hazel.

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