Page 85 of Ready to Score

“I won’t ever. Not if I can help it.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Franny said, pressing another kiss to Jade’s skin, this time in the warm space underneath her jaw.

“All these responsibilities.” Jade’s tone was light, dreamy almost. “I’d better not fail.”

“You won’t.”

“So sure, aren’t you?”

“Just as sure as you were about us winning going into tonight’s game.”

“We lost, though.”

“You know as well as I do that a single setback isn’t even close to meaning it’s over.”

Jade made a humming noise in the back of her throat. “I might need you to remind me, every now and again, that fucking up is a part of this.”

Franny laughed gently in her ear. “We’ll probably have to remind each other.”

Jade held out her pinkie, and Franny wound hers around it until they were tightly linked. “Promise.”

“Promise.”

Jade shuffled her body around then, all but forcing Franny to lean back on her hands as Jade climbed up over her, her thighs on either side of Franny’s, straddling her lap. Franny breathed in deeply. Jade still smelled like the soap she’d used in their tandem shower earlier in the day. Like the scent of her fruity lotion, whatever sunscreen was left on her skin, and faintly of grass clippings. No doubt the first thing they’d do when they got back to Jade’s was shower, but Franny quite liked the scent that clung to her now. Wild and natural, every part of her day was evident on her flesh, and it made Franny’s stomach hot.

“Francesca,” Jade said slowly, her eyes alert but hooded.

Franny bumped their noses together playfully. “What?”

Jade’s hands went to Franny’s cheeks, thumbs rubbing over warm skin. “I can’t believe I can just do this now.”

“What? Park your perfect ass in my lap?”

Franny put her hands on said ass, squeezing the flesh. Ample even through those unforgiving khaki pants.

“Mm-hmm.” Jade nodded. “And this,” she said as she planted a kiss on her lips. “I can touch you and kiss you.”

“You can do more than that.”

Jade bit gently into the middle of Franny’s plump bottom lip. “I plan on it too, just as soon as I get you home.”

“Celebrationsarein order. Maybe we should skip the waiting part, though.”

Jade leaned back, looking around them. Aside from the stars and a few streetlights down the road, it was completely dark. They were parked under a canopy of tall, dark trees that very well may have hidden them completely. Franny had never had sex outdoors before. Itwas damn near a bucket list item. Sex with an incredibly sexy woman beneath the stars, warmth seeping into their bones at every touch.

“As hot as fucking you in a semipublic area would be, that’s a hell of a risk.”

Franny sighed. Jade was right. Neither of them were necessarily pillars of the community, but getting caught could have far greater consequences than simple embarrassment.

“You’re right, you’re right. A bit of necking can’t hurt too much, right?” Franny tried. “Just while we wait for our ride.”

“‘Necking’?” Jade snorted. “Since when did you start talking like my granny?”

“Don’t blame me; blame this town. Greenbelt has turned me all inside out.”

She pressed her lips against Jade’s. Gently at first, as delicately as the first time. Savoring the feel of her, the way her soft lips moistened almost instantly, the heat they emanated. Jade’s hips moved up until their chests were pressed more closely together. They were so connected, Franny could feel Jade’s heart beating through her rib cage. The fast staccato thumping against Franny’s flesh until her own heart matched its rhythm.

Their kisses were slow, as languid as the Sunday mornings they spent in bed together. Each brush of the tongue or sweet little nip felt like the first rays of sunshine hitting their faces through the curtains. The weight of Jade in her lap provided more relief than the hottest cup of coffee first thing in the morning ever could. She felt so alive even as her eyes became heavier. Her body felt both weightless and firmly grounded at the same time. It was entirely too heady to handle, but damned if she didn’t try.

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