Page 47 of Something that Could Last

“Thanks for the ride.” Tiff smacks her glossy lips against my cheek before bouncing out of the back seat. Abby giggles as I attempt to wipe the glittery, sticky residue off my face.

“Thank you for driving me around all day.” Abby reaches for the door, but I stop her, gently cupping her hand with mine. I pull her toward me and kiss her, stroking my thumb over her cheek. She’s got to quit trying to leave without kissing me goodbye. I know she's a little hesitant to initiate physical contact, but she must know by now how much my body is drawn to hers. I'm addicted to the feeling of her lips on mine, her skin against my skin.

“We'll be in later for dinner.” I brush a few rogue strands of hair from her face and gently press my lips to hers again, then to her forehead. “Goodbye, Abby.”

“Bye, Jacob.” Her breathy reply assures me that I still have the same effect on her that I did the first time we kissed. I leave her there, comforted by the fact that she’ll be safe and I’ll be back to get her soon.

A few hours later, I return with Luke. Being a Wednesday night, the restaurant isn't nearly as packed as the first time we came. The hostess beams at me when I ask to be seated in Abby's section. She has yet to notice us, so I silently observe her as she works. It's impossible for me to look elsewhere when her beautiful form sweeps past the bar and through the dining area. Watching her bring a tray full of drinks to a small group of teenagers, she balances it easily, moving with a lithe fluidity that must have taken months to master. Her genuine smile inspires my own and I grin like an enamored fool. That's the effect she has on people. You can't help but smile back at her. I find myself enjoying the moment, watching her without her knowing.

“Dude, stop creeping on her. You're practically stalking her with your eyes.” Luke's ugly mug enters my field of vision, breaking my line of sight.

“Like you don't eye-fuck Tiff every time you see her.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he admits. “But I don't look at her like I wanna get married and have her babies,” he teases.

Luke's comment stuns me. Is that really how it looks? That's certainly not what I have in mind. I'm twenty-three years old. Marriage and babies aren't even on my radar.

“You're insane,” I mutter as Abby approaches our table. She greets us warmly and takes our order. Throughout our meal, she stops by our table every chance she gets, as drawn to me as I am to her. Every cell in my body wants to invite her to spend the night with me, but it's not the right time yet. I know what will happen the next time she crawls into my bed.

Thankfully, the last hour of her shift goes by quickly, and at ten o’clock I get to whisk her away. She rides shotgun and Luke and Tiff slide into the back seat, as usual. Everything feels so natural now, the four of us hanging out.

“What time do I need to be there tomorrow?” Since I'll be helping Abby with yard work, I want to make sure I show up on time.

“I need to go for a run in the morning, so I probably won't get started 'til about nine-thirty or ten.”

“Would you like some company on your morning run?”

“Sure.” A huge grin splits her face. “If you think you can keep up,” she adds teasingly.

“Oh, I can keep up,” I assure her with a cocky grin. Unfortunately, that cocky grin is wiped off my smug face the next day when Abby’s morning run nearly kills me.

Abby

I LOOK BACKover my shoulder for the third time in as many minutes, just to make sure Jacob hasn’t collapsed on the side of the road. He straightens and gives me an enthusiastic thumbs up as he struggles to climb this formidable hill. I try to keep a steady pace without leaving him behind. Only a mile or so left to go and this will all be over.

I slow my pace to a leisurely jog and allow him to catch up to me. “How ya doin'?” I ask, nearly out of breath myself.

“Great,” he answers between gasps for air.

Typical guy. He doesn't want to show he's struggling or that he can’t keep up.

“One. More. Mile,” I tell him between breaths. Even I'm winded at this point. Keeping my sentences short and sweet is a necessity. “Almost there.” He gives me another thumbs up but avoids talking.

We finally crest the top of the hill and start our descent. I see my house in the distance and know we’re only a few minutes from our reprieve.

We coast into my gravel driveway on momentum alone, and I rest my arms on top of my head and try to calm my breathing. Jacob bends over with his hands on his knees, sucking in big gulps of air. He looks like he’s on the verge of puking his guts out, so I look away. Nobody wants to be seen like that.

A few minutes pass before he stands upright and walks over to me. Silently, he takes the water bottle from my hands and drains it in one long gulp. He finished his off two miles back.

“Damn, woman.” He's still trying to catch his breath but is no longer gasping for air. “Are you trying to kill me?” he teases, smiling as he shakes his head.

“Thought you said you could keep up?” I taunt playfully.

Jacob’s face grows serious and he leans his body into mine, his lips only a hair’s breadth away. “Oh, I can keep up.” His tongue darts out to wet his lips and my eyes move involuntarily to his mouth. “When it really counts.”

Oh, my.I think my whole body just melted into a pool of lust. Jacob wraps one arm around my waist and pulls me in tight, cupping my cheek with his free hand and just barely grazing my lips with his. The heat and moisture from his sweaty body melds with mine. I wish there were no clothes between us so our slick bodies could slide over each other freely. I’m tempted to lean up and lick the bead running down the side of his neck, the insatiable desire to taste the salty sweetness of his skin overwhelming my senses, but I refrain. We’re standing in front of my grandmother’s house, after all.

When he releases his hold on me, I step back and take a deep breath. I’ve got to get my head on straight or I won’t get anything done today.

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