Page 55 of Always You

“You heard my voice, and you stopped,” he whispered into another kiss. Then, he walked me back to the bed, and we lay down, wrapped in each other’s arms.

And love and support began to turn into something else.

Need.

Want.

Now.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Alex

The kisses deepened,each more urgent than the last. Long ago, I might have taken these moments with Jazz for granted, but now, each one was precious. I savored every contact, determined never to overlook these seconds we shared.

“Wait!” Jazz broke the connection. As he moved off me, he left me off-balance, and I scrambled to get off the bed.

“Fuck, I didn't mean to push,” I said, my voice laden with guilt at how I was messing up. I respected Jazz's boundaries and would never overstep, and I'd promised myself I would take everything slow and get back to being best friends before I even imagined a next step.

“No, wait,” Jazz responded. He walked over to the bedroom door and clicked the lock. Then, he checked the patio door, ensuring it was also locked, before pulling the drapes shut. As the room grew dark, he flicked on a lamp, filling it with light.

Then, he turned to face me, and in that gentle illumination, he was beautiful. Gone was the boy I'd loved. This was a grown man, and I wanted every inch of him. His hair was tousled,falling onto his forehead, and his shirt outlined the more muscular lines of his body since he'd been eating well and using the basement gym. His beard was bushy and soft; I couldn't imagine him without it now.

“I didn't ask you to go,” he said, his voice soft, yet firm.

I closed the distance between us, drawn by the certainty in his voice. “I know. I just… I don't want to assume, to push for more than you're ready for.”

“Iwantthis,” he assured me, his eyes holding mine with a clear invitation.

Jazz reached out, his hands finding mine, and pulled me toward him. Our bodies met, aligning effortlessly, and he was still hard, and my body reacted. “You're nottakinganything,” he said, “please.”

The room's soft lighting enveloped us, causing everything outside to fade away. He kissed me again, and the world vanished. I allowed myself to become lost in the moment as he pulled me back to the bed and laid me down. This was where I belonged.

He settled between my legs, propped himself up on his elbows, cradling my face, and he smiled.

“Do you remember the first time we made love?” he asked.

I couldn't help but smile back, the memory vivid. “After school at my house, we were racing against the clock with my parents due home any minute.”

Jazz chuckled, his hand squeezing mine. “We were so daring back then. I remember sneaking into your room, both of us listening for the sound of a car in the driveway.”

“Your idea, as I recall,” I teased, nudging him with my elbow. “You were always the brave one.”

“It seemed like a good plan at the time,” Jazz admitted. “We barely got through the door before you pulled me in for a kiss.”

The thrill of that afternoon rushed back to me. We had thrown our school bags down anywhere, our teenage nerves on edge, buzzing with excitement and fear. The house was quiet, without a sign of either housekeeper or parents, making every sound we made louder and every touch more intense.

“And then, there was the mad dash to hide when we heard the garage door,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief at how bold we had been.

Jazz laughed, the sound warm and resonant. “I've never fixed my shirt that fast in my life. You shoved me into your closet when you heard your mom say she'd forgotten her purse.”

“We thought we were so busted.”

“It was terrifying. Exhilarating all at the same time,” Jazz said. “After she left again, I remember how you looked at me with this wild grin and knew we had to keep going.”

The risk of getting caught had somehow intensified the whole experience. We were clumsy and inexperienced, but it was everything we wanted.

“Even if we had to hide you in my closet, it was worth every second. That afternoon might have been reckless, but it was also when I knew I was completely in love with you,” I said, my voice soft with the weight of the memory.

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