Page 76 of The Chance

Something light brushes over my cheekbone and I crack an eye open with a softening smile to find Jordan staring down at me. He’s wearing that endearing as fuck almost grin tipping the corner of his lips.

My gut explodes in tingling flutters and I turn into the warmth of his touch.

“Orange suits you, Vida.”

Pressing a smiling kiss to his palm, I reach for his hips and tug until he’s standing between my spread knees. The height of the barstool I’m on puts his chest right in my face.

The moment feels so delicate as I wrap my arms around his ass and plant kisses along his abs, but there’s a question burning into my subconscious. An answer I need to know, though I can’t explainwhy, considering all the things Ishouldbe asking him after what has happened in the last few hours.

Things like:How would you rate your experience here today,and more importantly,where the fuck do we go from here?

I sigh against his skin when my mind threatens to shatter the bubble we’ve planted ourselves in and rest my chin on his sternum to look up at him.

“Can I ask you something?”

He tips his chin and cups my face, his calloused thumbs brushing over my cheeks. “Sure.”

“What … were you dreaming about?”

He stiffens against me, his features hardening.

“I … my …”

His throat bobs with a swallow and my chest tightens as his eyes glaze over.

“Never mind,” I rush out and squeeze him to me, flattening my cheek against him. “You don’t have to say anything.”

Hands to my shoulders, he gives me a squeeze right back. “You deserve an explanation.”

A lump forms in my throat.

Is this where the bubble pops?

Please tell me I didn’t just fuck everything up.

He sighs something deep and pulls back, taking the tranquility of the moment with him as my hold breaks.

That peace I held onto snaps when Jordan steps back.

“Mac,” he mutters, and I shake my head.

“Forget I said anything.”

What have I done?

Heat rises in my chest, curling up in a ball of regret and hurt and just when I think he’s going to leave …

He kneels in front of me.

“Vida.”

I can’t look at him. My heart too heavy, my love too deep for a rejection to come so soon.

I slept with him. Fucking fuck, what did I do?

“Hey, hey, hey, look at me.”

Jordan cups my face again and draws my sight up, up, up until it crashes with his.

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