Page 24 of Tangled Desires

“Want one?” He opens the fridge door and grabs a beer to offer.

I shake my head no on the offered beer. “Wine, please.” The pasta dish and a Cesar salad I prepared called for wine. Beer is more my speed when it comes to having pizza, burgers, and wings.

“I’ve gotta buy wine glasses,” Jagger murmurs while he pours my glass, then hands it to me and twists the metal cap back on. I watch as he bends the metal between his thumb and forefinger, doing it with such ease that his musclesbarely contract. I close my legs, finding the action insanely hot.

“I don’t mind these.” They’re short juice-style glasses and get the job done. I’m still awaiting my answer about Shadow, giving him time to wind down. He told me this morning he had to stop at my house to end the day, like he always does. He also said they had a new project to start, he had meetings with the crews, and there was office work, his least favorite. Jagger brings the bottle to his lips, winking before giving me a slow grin, before he proceeds to guzzle half of his bottle. Clearly, the office work got the better of him today.

“All the same, the women in our group would beat my ass. I saw you eyeing a bottle of red, and even I know juice glasses won’t cut it.” He props himself across from me, his ass to the counter, leaning on it. I’m tempted to hop down and slide myself between his legs. This newfound territory has me second-guessing myself, so I stay where I’m at. “As for Shadow, look at her. She’s the sweetest damn thing, minus you, of course. Where is she, by the way?”

I start laughing, taking a sip of my drink to keep from busting out to make fun of the reason he thought Shadow’s a girl.

“Shadow, who is a he by the way, is curled up in the cat bed in your bedroom. He currently hates me after being poked and prodded.” The look on Jagger’s face is priceless.

“Say what?” he asks.

“Shadow is a boy. Did you ever check his down-there parts?” I point to his groin.

“Why the fuck would I do that? I’m not a damn weirdo.” I’m done holding it in. I toss my back and laugh. It’s loud andthroaty. This is golden and nothing like what I would expect. It takes me a minute to compose myself, the main reason being Jagger’s hands touching the tops of my thighs, and only then do I regain my composure, barely. I’m still giggling, remembering he looked absolutely appalled about checking Shadow’s private parts. “I’m glad you think this is funny. Shadow’s a boy, huh? Guess I was wrong.”

“You were. It’s cute you think looking at an animal’s sex would make you a weirdo. I do have some good news I’d love to share with you, if you’re over the shock that your cat is a boy. I wasn’t going to say anything, but you know, the doctor and vet tech said they’d be neutering Shadow instead of being spayed.” His hands move upwards, his thumbs sliding to the inside of my thighs, pulling them open, then he steps inside my now spread legs. Except he doesn’t move his fingers, and they’re dangerously close to grazing my pussy.

“The guys are never gonna let me live that down.” He shakes his head while saying it out loud. He’s totally going to get it from the girls, too. I know because I’ll be right there with them. Surely, with the number of children he’s been around, he’s changed their diapers. What did he do, close his eyes while managing the task?

“Can you turn the stove off and slide that to the back burner?” I meant to transfer it into the oven, but Jagger came home earlier than I thought he would. My dad being in the military taught me a lot when it came to living with someone who has a job where you’d think his hours would be one thing but turn into something else entirely. I figured I’d make it, keep it warm until I was hungry or he was home;either or would work. I didn’t expect him to be home well before the sun went down.

“Sure thing. What’s your news, gorgeous?” I’ve applied to numerous other jobs, followed up on them with either a phone call or a quick stop last week, and nothing. I knew I couldn’t not work. I’d have too much time on my hands and would feel useless.

“Well, I noticed while checking in Shadow today that the vet’s office had a ‘Now Hiring’ sign for a receptionist. I’ve done similar work at a dentist office back in North Carolina. Well, you’re now looking at the woman who was hired on the spot and starts next Monday at Whispering Oaks Animal Hospital.” I’m excited, wiggling on the kitchen counter, moving my arms back and forth, probably smiling like a crazy person.

“So fucking happy for you.” Jagger cups my cheeks, then presses his lips to mine. I close my eyes, relishing every moment when he’s somehow connected to my body. His kisses, though, they’re made of a woman’s dream, foreplay in a sense. Soft and sensual, raw and rugged. All of Jagger’s attention is completely and utterly devoted to me, the same exact way I am for him. His tongue slides inside my mouth, chasing mine, taking me in a dominant way, focused solely on the two of us, and I’m lost in the moment.

“Thank you. It’s only part-time, but it’s a job.” I cover his hands with mine, wanting to keep them where they are.

“It could be for five hours a week, or ten hours a week. It’s still an accomplishment. One you went after without hesitation. You didn’t wait for it to fall in your lap. It’s all you,gorgeous. You took the initiative and went after it. I’m damn proud of you,” Jagger says with conviction.

“You’re amazing, Jagger Steele. So freaking amazing. I love you.” I’ll never take for granted telling the people in my life how much I love them, especially since I’ve lost my parents at a too young age.

“Right back at cha. I love you, gorgeous. Now, I’d have taken you out to dinner to celebrate the new job, but you cooked. What do you say we eat dinner and then commemorate today a different way?” My body is still adjusting to his length and girth. This morning was much easier to take him, probably because when I woke up, I was more than ready.

“Jag,” I moan his name, ready to forget about food and go right to the bedroom, or he could always take me here on the kitchen counter. I’m not opposed at this point.

“Food first. You’re going to need your energy, Lili.” His finger tracing theLon my necklace doesn’t help to calm the desire thrumming through my blood.

“Fine, I guess. I’ll finish getting the Cajun chicken pasta plated and pull the salad out of the fridge. In the meantime, you might want to check on your boy. Between the shots and hearing they’re taking his balls away, I think he needs some guy time.” I pat Jagger’s chest as we both laugh at Shadow. Me because he’ll be losing a set of balls, and Jag probably more along the lines of not believing his girl is a boy.

19

JAGGER

Istep out of the shower, more than ready to climb into bed with my woman and celebrate her success in a different way. Except my phone has been non-stop vibrating on the bathroom vanity since I got in to join Lyric. She cooked, therefore I cleaned. I also needed to look over a few plans before calling it a night. Lyric didn’t mind, settling on the couch to write in her journal for a little bit before heading to where I am now. It fucking sucked she was basically done with her shower, and I missed my opportunity of soaping her up. Still, I didn’t let my woman leave without my fingers plunging in and out of her slick heat, feeling her ripple around me until she shattered with my body pressed to hers, and once she regained her composure, I was harder than ever. She slithered away from me, touched my chest, and told me she’d meet me in bed.

I’ve never finished cleaning up in my life this fast. The only thing holding me back from meeting my woman isthe phone, which is lit up and going off. I get out of the shower, towel off in order not to slip on my ass with slick feet, and grab the damn device, unlock it, and see the group chat is on a roll. I never should have told them about Shadow. My cat, who by the way didn’t want a lot to do with me, either, came out of his bed to eat, use the litter box, and get a few scratches before sauntering back to his nook, where I noticed a blanket is tucked in the rounded corner, an addition Lyric must have placed there. At least it’s something, and he’s out of the bedroom. I’ve been worried at first thinking he’d had a reaction to the vaccines, but Lyric assured me the vet and vet tech mentioned after riding in the car, going through a thorough examination, and then driving back, he could be tired and might stay to himself. He sure the fuck is. This pet of mine has me wrapped around his paw and damn well knows it.

Asher: What the fuck? Who are you, and where the hell is Jagger?

Tysen: Do we need to go back to fifth grade and go through the anatomy class again?

Crew: Am I seeing this right? You didn’t know your pussy cat was a dude?

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