Page 79 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

After exchanging a silent glance with Jonah, Tess shook her head. “No. It wasn’t.”

“Oh, my God!” Tossing her hands in the air, Bailey began to rant. “How could you not tell me about this! We’re best friends. I spilled every freaking detail to you about the time I lost my virginity, and you say nothing—nothing—about simply kissing him? Un-freaking-believable.”

“Umm…I’m still a virgin if that makes you feel better.”

Jonah tensed beside her. She looked up at him just as he skimmed him gaze down her body, the heat in his gaze making her burn in the most delicious places.

“Hey, stop looking at her like that, buddy,” Bailey snapped. “She’s going to stay a virgin, too. I haven’t sanctioned this reunion yet. You may still be a—”

“Oh, hush.” Blushing, Tess turned in toward Jonah to hide her embarrassment. “You have no authority to sanction anything between us. Butt out.”

When Bailey didn’t argue, but did heartily scowl at her, Jonah curled his arm around her and ducked his head so he could rest his cheek against hers. “You will not believe how much I missed you,” he murmured in her ear.

Tess shuddered and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, inhaling his scent, afraid she might never get another chance to do so again. He seemed just as clingy, skimming his nose up her jawline and curling his torso in to create a little nest for her between him and the wall.

“Hel-lo,” Bailey called from behind them, her voice making it sound like she was waving her hand to get their attention. “I’m still here.”

Jonah’s soft laugh was like a puff of breath on Tess’s cheek. “You described her perfectly.”

“A little too perfectly.” Tess glanced over his shoulder to lift her eyebrows in question at Bailey. “What now?”

“I’m not butting in, but seriously? How can you two just start making out together after not seeing each other for two months?”

Probably because we haven’t seen each other for two months, Tess was about to smart back. But her friend began ranting again.

“He lied. You lied. There’s…stuff…that’s kept you apart. Why isn’t one of you mad, or hurt, or really freaking confused right about now? Personally, I’m riding the confused train over here. But, no, you two just look happy to see each other, which makes no sense. You spent, what, five days together, lying to each other, before you went your separate ways. That’s not enough time for—” she waved her hand, motioning between them “—this.”

“They were five very intense days,” Jonah answered, turning back to Tess to gaze into her eyes with a slight, knowing smile.

Giddy warmth spread through her. Relieved he’d felt the same force of connection during their time together as she had, she grinned back. Her insides stirred with restless anticipation.

“Besides,” she said to Bailey, not taking her eyes off him, “he explained everything I needed to know in his letter.”

“But you didn’t explain anything to him,” Bailey shot back. “Not why you claimed to be his girlfriend when you could’ve just as easily said—”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jonah cut in, taking Tess’s hand and smiling softly at her. “She’s here. That’s all I care about.”

“Well, then, I want to know why he stayed away so long, and why—”

“Oh, my God, Bay!” Tess gritted her teeth and set her a sidelong glance. “Can you give us a minute here?”

“Fine.” Arms re-crossed firmly, feet braced in standoff mode, Bailey didn’t move.

Jonah let out a breath. “She kind of has a point. We should probably talk before…” He smiled faintly and ran the back of his knuckles gently down Tess’s cheek. “I need to get back in, anyway. My break should be about up.”

No sooner had he said that than a voice spoke up. “Hey, kid. You coming back to work, or what? It’s the busiest time of the day.”

Tess glanced over, seeing his boss in the open doorway behind Bailey, spatula in hand and irritable expression on his face.

“Yeah.” Jonah cleared his throat and stepped away from the wall.

When he bent in an effort to reach for his cane, Tess darted forward to fetch it for him. “Here you go.”

Their fingers brushed, and he sucked in a breath, meeting her gaze. He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”

From the achy desperate gleam in his eyes, she knew he wanted to see her again. “When do you get off work?”

His shoulders sagged. Relief cleared his face. “Six.”

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