Page 56 of Opening Strain

A slow smile crosses my face. “Since they know I’m going out on tour soon and won’t have time to check out properties when I’m away.”

“You can be a hard guy to pin down.” The mere fact she can tease me at this moment speaks volumes for her character. “I’ve heard you don’t own any houses?”

Her question makes me sound like a vagabond. “I bought a place for my mother.” Which she left last year for a place that suited her better.

“Oh. Very nice of you.”

A vision of Dad lying on the floor flashes. I didn’t do it to be nice. “I like your idea. If this PT thing doesn’t work out, I can get you a job in PR.”

She stares at my abs, but not out of desire. “I hate to be the subject of the press again. I thought I had left this all behind.”

I continue to stroke her back. “They were looking for an angleabout why I’d be here with you. On the bright side, at least it means they don’t know I’m seeing you for physical therapy.”

Her chin lands on my pec and she taps my chest, over my heart. “There is that.”

Her sweet, simple gesture makes my breath catch. “Yeah.”

My gaze eats up her gorgeous face, attached to my torso.

She doesn’t move.

I take a breath. One. Two.

I lower my head, and our lips meet. Like a forgotten chorus, I slant my mouth over hers in an intimate introduction. My breathing increases, and my palms cup her cheeks.

She’s been a forbidden fruit for so long, but now my hunger is unleashed. I trace her closed lips with my tongue, and they part beneath it. Not needing a second invitation, I swoop in and move my hands to her back, pressing her closer against me.

Her mouth tastes of coffee and simply Jenna, a potent combination. One I could savor for the next few hours.

Or days.

Or years.

Beneath me, Jenna’s hands slide up and play with the hair at the nape of my neck. Her fingernails dig into my hairline, causing a slight prick of pain, which she smooths over with her talented fingers.

I groan, pulling her body closer to my hardening one. Until an off movement reasserts the muscle pull, and my thigh starts throbbing.

I spring back from her. “Aww, fuck.” My hands land on my thigh.

Her expressive eyes sweep over my body and widen as she realizes what happened. She also knows how much I wanted her, as my underwear does nothing to hide my rock-hard erection.

“Let me get an ice pack.”

Before she can move, I grab her wrist. “No. I need you here next to me more.”

Her body stiffens, and I know our moment is lost, yet I’m not sorry it happened. I wasn’t thinking of Darren when I was kissingJenna, and I certainly didn’t kiss her out of pity. She’s a captivating, intriguing, brilliant woman. Unlike any I’ve ever known.

However, the way she’s worrying her bottom lip—the one I was caressing a second ago—screams the opposite about me. Us. Even though she doesn’t push away from me, I know she wouldn’t welcome my touch now. I drop my arm and she flees.

My leg extends, ready for the dreaded ice pack. While I wait, several texts ping. Before I can read them, Jenna reappears with it in her hand and I prepare for the cold.

Instead of doing the expected and passing me the ice pack, she lowers to her knees and tenderly places it over my muscle. “How’s that?”

My cock didn’t get the message she’s off limits. Jenna clearly knows how she affects me as it’s basically staring her in the face.

“It’s,” I begin. “Challenging.” The left side of my mouth crooks upward.

“I can see that.” Her eyes close for a moment. When she opens them again, shiny grey irises appear. “I’m not sorry.” She kisses me again, far too fast, then sits in the chair across from me. She picks up her coffee cup.

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