Page 61 of From Nowhere

You have terrific bases.

“Anytime. It was my pleasure,” Maren says.

“Clearly,” I mutter under my breath.

She teed it up. How could I not take a swing?

“Did you say something, Ozzy?” Maren crosses her arms, flipping out her hip.

I cave, giving her the quickest of glances, tongue poking into my cheek to disguise my lucky-bastard (smug) grin.

“Bye, Maren.” Lola walks her bike past the Bronco in the driveway.

“Later, Lola.”

I don’t wait for a farewell because I don’t think Maren’s offering one to me. I love that she’s on the defensive over an orgasm. A little bit of guilt never hurt anyone. I follow Lola instead of telling Maren that I’m headed home for a cold shower while she changes her underwear.

Chapter Fifteen

Maren

The following day, I wake too early to a text.

Ozzy: Good morning

Maren: Morning. What’s up?

Ozzy: Just saying good morning

I smile at my phone screen as I descend the stairs. The heavenly aroma of coffee and banana bread makes me drool.

“Will said you were getting felt up yesterday after we left,” Jamie says. She’s sitting on Fitz’s lap at the kitchen table. They have two coffees and one plate of buttered banana bread. I’ll miss this level of sweetness when they move out, but I’ll miss Jamie’s baking more.

“Will saw nothing.” I yawn, going straight for the coffee. “What are you still doing here, Fitz?”

Fitz doesn’t look at me but smirks while staying focused on his phone. “I’m at the bottom of the jump list, so I let Jamie talk me into staying for breakfast.”

I’m sure her idea of talking him into staying for breakfast involved very little talking.

“Will said it was all over your face.” Jamie slides out of Fitz’s hold and rests her forearms on the island. “What if his daughter had caught you?” she asks, as if it would have been an exciting event.

“It wouldn’t have been as bad as her catching us in the shed after she came in the house to use the bathroom.”

“I’m out of here.” Fitz stands and kisses Jamie on the back of her neck, on her tattoo. “Love you.” He pockets his phone and carries his YETI and banana bread to the door.

Jamie giggles, glancing over her shoulder. “Love you, too, babe.” When Fitz shuts the door, she returns her attention to me. “Okay. Spill. What happened in the shed? Surely you didn’t have sex while his daughter took a bathroom break.”

I can’t look at her, so I focus on cutting a slice of banana bread. “No. Of course not.”

“Then what happened? You don’t have to tell me. It’s your business. But seriously, what happened?”

I chuckle before taking a bite of bread. “I like him so much, and I like his daughter. But navigating our living situations, his transportation limitations, and his daughter isa lot. So we get these stolen moments, but they’re never the right moments to go ...” I slowly shake my head without finishing.

“The distance?” Jamie asks.

“Yeah.”

Again, my phone vibrates with a text.

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