Page 59 of Breathless

“But there’s only one chairleft.”

Silly girl. I scoop her into my arms, relishing the laughter that peals out of her, and plunk us down in achair.

Rambo tries to lick my faceoff.

“Dude,” I sputter and wipe my chin with myarm.

Before long, we’re roasting marshmallows while Midland plays angsty ballads from someone’s stereo. Rambo nestles at our feet, and Joey’s in my lap. Ethan and Tori shoot the shit with their friends, and that blanket of fog lifts off my shoulders. For a few minutes, under these stars, by the warmth of the fire, everything is right in theworld.

After I pull a blanket around us, I drag my lips against the shell of her ear. “I’m really glad you’re home,” I whisper. “I missedyou.”

I sound like a broken record, but half of me is afraid I’m gonna wake up tomorrow and find that she’s hightailed it out of town without knowing what she means tome.

She continues to stare at the fire, but her lips tug up in a shy smile, so I keep going. Because I know this afternoon was rough, and I want to reassure her. Ineedto reassure her. “Last night was incredible. I can’t wait to do it again.” She can probably feel my lengthening dick against her ass. “But, Jo”—I wait for her to look at me—“I can’t change my past or my mistakes. God knows I’ve made a ton, and I need you to believe that I want a fresh start. Something’s gotta give because I can’t keep fucking up. And maybe… maybe you can help me withthat.”

I realize she doesn’t know anything about the hole I’ve dug for myself, but if there’s anyone I want on my side, it’sJoey.

She frowns and glances around. Then she looks up at me with those soulful gray eyes and whispers, “Logan, are you in trouble? Did something happen while I wasaway?”

I swallow, wishing I could unload everything right now. It would be such arelief.

It’s on the tip of my tongue, but my brother laughs from the other side of the fire, reminding me why I can’t, and I reluctantly shake myhead.

“No, I’m not in trouble. Exactly.” I debate how to say it since I haven’t confided in anyone except my buddy Isaiah, and that was an accident. He’s biking in Bolivia or some shit, so he can’t go blabbing his mouth. “Just bit off more than I canchew.”

Jo waits patiently for me to tell her more, but when she realizes I’m not going to, she nods. “Okay. Well, when you’re ready to tellme.”

Hitching her closer to me, I hug her tight. I knew she’d understand on some level. She’s always been there for me, even when I was an asshole. “Thanks, Bitsy. I will.” Which reminds me. “Have you heard from yourbrother?”

She stills. I hate bringing him up and seeing that miserable look in her eyes, but I need to know. “No, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’mworried.”

“I’m sure he’s fine.” And living high on the hog with the money from the sale of their grandmother’s house. I hesitate. “He doesn’t hack your phone anymore, does he?” I try to look casual despite the fact that Silas is the reason I haven’t confided in her about the mess I’m in. But if he’s not in her life—creeping around to listen to her messages and read her texts—then I’ll feel better about sharing the shit that’s been going down after thewedding.

“No, he hasn’t done that in a while. Not since the last time you threatened to kick hisass.”

Silas has never been a friendly guy, but since he got wrapped up in drugs, he’s unpredictable, not to mention meaner, and I made it clear to him that I don’t want his mistakes to hurt hissister.

Soon, Silas is in our rear view mirror as we reminisce about when we were kids. Jo and I talk softly over the crackle of the fire for the next few hours. By the time we get back to our room, it’slate.

The condo is an ice box, and I beeline it to our bathroom where I turn on the shower and crank the hotwater.

“Come here, baby. Take your shower and warm up. I’ll find us a movie towatch.”

Joey grabs fresh towels and smiles up at me in the doorway to the bathroom. I kiss her forehead and move to let her in, but she grabs my hand, so Ipause.

Her head tilts down, and she looks up at me through those lashes, a hesitant expression on her beautiful face. She shifts awkwardly. “Wanna join me? You know… maybe scrub myback?”

Oh,fuck.

A million emotions race through me, and I try to stamp out the lust that jets to the top so I can think straight. Mostly, I don’t wanna rushher.

“Are you sure?” I run my hands along her bare shoulders and try hard not to notice her pebbled nipples through her bikini top. “We can take our time. We don’t have to do anything else this weekend if you’re notcomfortable.”

I’m not the kind of guy who pushes a girl into doing something she doesn’t want to do. A real man respects a woman’sboundaries.

She looks away, a pretty pink hue tinting her cheeks, and I realize how hard that was for her toask.

Does she think I don’t want to do this with her? Of course I want to watch rivulets of water course over her lush body while steam billows in thebackground.

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