“Left.” I duck into the bathroom to attend to my nightly routine.
When I come out, she’s under the covers. I shut off the light and then slide in beside her. For a moment, neither of us moves. Then she turns toward me.
“Hey,” she whispers.
“Hey,” I whisper back.
Her hand settles on my chest, right over my heart. Can she feel how it’s racing?
“This feels weirdly normal,” she says.
“That’s because it is.”
Her lips twitch. “Does normal usually make your heart race like this?”
Without warning, I lean in, catching her lips with mine. The kiss starts soft, barely there, but then she sighs into my mouth, and my plan to keep things PG-13 takes a nosedive straight into R-rated territory. Sliding my hand along her jaw, I deepen the kiss, dragging her on top of me. She’s warm and soft, and fits like she was made for me. Her thighs straddle my hips, and I can feel her heat through her thin cotton shorts. I slide my hands under her shirt, palming the smooth skin of her back as she moves against me.
“I thought we were just going to sleep,” she murmurs against my lips, but there’s no conviction in her words.
“We can still sleep,” I say, trailing kisses down her neck. “Eventually.”
She laughs softly, the sound vibrating through me. “You’re a bad influence.”
“You started it by looking so damn beautiful in my bed.” I roll us over, placing her beneath me with her hair fanned out across my pillow. The sight of her here like this stirs something primal in me. I trace the curve of her cheek with my thumb, marveling at how essential she’s already become to me.
“What are you thinking about?” she whispers.
“How important you are to me,” I answer honestly. “And how lucky I am that you’re here.”
“You’re important to me too.”
Lowering my mouth to hers, I take her lips in another kiss, trying to convey all the things I’m not ready to say out loud.
CHAPTER 17
GINGER
Ican’t believe I’m in bed with Jordan and his tongue is in my mouth. Two months ago, if someone had told me this would happen before the start of the new year, I’d have thought they’d lost their mind. But here we are, and the world’s not ending. If anything, it feels full of new possibilities.
I wrap my legs around his waist, drawing him closer. Slipping my hands underneath his t-shirt, I explore the solid expanse of his back. He shivers at my caress, making me feel a sense of power. I like knowing my touch affects him so strongly.
The thin fabric of our clothes provides little separation between us, and he feels long and thick pressing between my legs. He grinds against me, creating delicious friction that makes me moan.
“Can I take this off?” he asks, tugging gently at the hem of my shirt.
I nod, lifting my arms above my head. He pulls the garment up and over, tossing it aside before taking a moment to appreciate the view.
“I’ve imagined this countless times, but nothing compares to seeing your tits in person.”
“They’re smaller than you’re used?—”
“No.” He cuts me off. “They’re fucking perfect.”
“Your turn,” I whisper, reaching for his shirt. He drags it over his head in two seconds flat and drops it to the floor. My hands immediately go to his chest, my fingers splaying across his skin as I try to memorize every inch of him.
He lowers back down, groaning at the sensation of his torso against mine. “God, you feel amazing,” he murmurs into my neck, trailing kisses along the sensitive skin.
“So do you.” I arch beneath him, my body responding to every touch and caress. I slide my hands down his back, fingertips tracing along the edge of his waistband before dipping below.