Page 32 of Somewhere Only We Know
The Jax I knew was full of warmth and radiated sunshine like the first day of summer. The Jax I’m seeing now is a partly cloudy day, where there are glimpses of the sunshine Iusedto see peek out. Now I want to get to know every new detail of Jax—every sunny and rainy day. AndifI continue to play my cards right, maybe she’ll let me in just enough to do that.
18
JAX
COLLEGE, SUMMER BEFORE SENIOR YEAR
I’m putting away the last of my clean laundry when I hear a car door slam shut. My heart leaps to my throat when I rush to the window seat at the top of the stairs and peek out the window to see Nate’s car out front. Rushing down the stairs and out the front door, his bright smile greets me before I’m flying into his arms. My legs are around his waist and my face is buried in his neck soaking in the patchouli scent that always follows him around. I feel my body relax for the first time in two weeks. And to most, two weeks is nothing. But when you finally go from friends to more with the person who’s been by your side for the last three years, two weeks away is too long.
“Hi, Bee,” he says with his voice muffled.
“I missed you,” I tell him and swallow down the tears that decided to creep out.
“I missed you too.” We stay entwined on the street next to his car until Nate slowly bends and my legs loosen from around his waist before I drop down to the ground.
I back up as he grabs his bags out of the trunk and together we walk back into the house like an old marriedcouple. It’s weird, as I say that, because most would run scared at that thought. But me? I’ve walked alongside Nate for three years and I don’t see that ending anytime soon.
My black lab Jersey greets Nate when we come back inside. Apart from me and my dog, it’s just been us since this morning.
I head back up the stairs with Nate trailing behind. Walking back into my room, I finish putting away my clothes when he comes in and drops on my bed. Once my bed is free from clothes, I join him and cuddle up next to his side. We lay like this, like it’s the most natural thing in the world–his arm around my back and my leg thrown over his waist. Nate kisses the top of my head and I hold tighter to him.
“Where’s your parents? Your sister?”
“They’re on a group trip with some of their college friends. And Kamryn is…I actually don’t know. I haven’t talked to her much lately.”
When my parents found out the trip coincided with my birthday, they were a breath away from cancelling. But with my insistence that they go and that I’ll have another birthday they can make it up to me with, they flew off late last night. I can’t even tell you what’s going on with my sister and Liam. One day they’re in love and the next they’re fighting. I had hoped the best for them, but at this rate they’ll be lucky to get through this summer unscathed.
“And they left you alone before your birthday?” Nate asks, confused.
“It’s just a birthday. Plus, I knew you were coming back.” I say and snuggle further into him with lightness in my voice.
“You did, did you?” Nate asks and shocks me by tickling me.
The problem with being friends for so long is that he knows where all of my ticklish spots are and he hits all of them. I do my best to scoot away from him, but he pulls me back and sits on my legs.
“Okay, okay,” I breathe out through my laughter.
His hands position on my sides in warning before he’s resting them on the bed and leaning down into my space. In the span of seconds, the air has changed and I’m more aware of the position we’re in than ever before. I bring my hand up to his face and trace the angular features. My thumb brushes along his full bottom lip.
“Welcome back.” I tell him before erasing the small inch of space between us and kissing him.
“Happy birthday, baby.” Nate says as he moves and settles between my legs. His tongue licks at my bottom lip before he’s sucking it into this mouth. I turn to jelly when he does that and my mouth parts on a whimper. He takes advantage and plunges his tongue into my mouth. I wrap a leg around his waist and revel in the feel of him pressing against my core. My hands roam over his body and I pull him into me. I tense in anticipation as his hands roam down my body.
Suddenly, he breaks the kiss and trails down my body. Laving kisses on my neck and licking at my collarbone. My breath comes in embarrassing pants as he slides his hands up my shirt. Nate’s hands engulf my body as he places kisses on my stomach. He follows where his hands are, kissing a trail up my torso and licking the underside of my breasts. There’s something sensual about his head being covered by my shirt as he teases me.
My hands claw at the comforter as Nate sucks a nipple into his mouth. He teases the tip with his tongue, flicking and tugging until I’m squirming underneath him. Hisother hand plays with the other nipple, twisting and pinching.
“Oh, God,” I breathe out. I didn’t know it was possible to make someone come like this. I didn’t know my nipples were this sensitive.
Nate continues his ministrations until I’m quivering beneath him. He slowly releases me and kisses down my body and pops out from under my shirt with a smirk.
“That’s one,” he says and my eyebrows furrow.
“What…?”
“Do you remember what I told you?”
I try to think back to what he said months ago. But my brain is still three minutes behind and nothing is coming to the front. That is until Nate’s thumbs rub circles on thighs.
