Page 68 of Love & Other Disasters

“It sounds like a nightmare,” he said to appease her. Reaching out he rubbed down her arm, the soft skin underneath his fingers forming goose bumps.

“It was,” she said, turning to look at the table. “That smells so good.” Violet faced him and threw her arms around his neck. J.P. wrapped Violet in his arms. “I’m so hungry,” she said, pulling away. “Let’s eat.”

“Are you sure you’re all right.”

“Yes,” she smiled. “There’s nothing I can do right now anyway, not until Jill’s calmed down. And I want to eat before it gets cold.

He wasn’t so sure, but perhaps Violet was correct in that no progress would happen until Jill was receptive. Although Violet didn’t seem amenable to forgiving Jill. She blamed Jill for the whole going to jail business. However, Violet didn’t have to follow Jill through the woods and into the house, did she? But mentioning that wouldn’t get him anywhere except the doghouse. And who was he to judge? He didn’t speak to his brother often, and the last time was contentious. Family dynamics were tricky.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Violet hadn’t been joking about her hunger. He poured them more wine and allowed her to relax.

“This is so good,” she said. “I had no idea you could cook like this.”

“It’s not something I show everyone.”

She smiled. “Aw, I feel special.”

“I think you are special,” he said. Violet looked down, biting back a smile with pink rising on her cheeks. “Why do you get embarrassed when I compliment you?”

She shrugged and giggled. “I’m just not used to that kind of thing…It’s hard for me to believe it.”

There it was. Why couldn’t she see herself the way he did—brilliant, witty, capable, and so gorgeous he was in a constant state of arousal around her. “I’ll tell you how amazing and sexy you are until you believe it.”

The blush color of her cheeks deepened. “Ever think you’re the crazy one?”

“Not about this.”

“But how am I supposed respond to something like that? Is there a protocol I don’t know about? ‘Yes, I am sexy. Thanks for noticing.’” Violet tossed her hair over her shoulder and flashed a cheesy grin.

“The protocol is don’t talk the person complimenting you out of it.”

“So when Steve calls me sexy, I just say ‘thank you,’ got it.” She took a bite of chicken and smiled.

“No, you call HR and file a complaint,” he replied side stepping her smart ass remark. “And you know what I meant.”

Violet laughed and the movement under her shirt caught his attention. “I can’t help it,” she said.

“I am on board with this no bra thing,” he said, staring at her breasts. It was like a moth to a flame, no matter how pathetic that sounded. He wasn’t out there ogling all the breasts, but Violet caused him to revert on the evolutionary scale to primitive man.

Violet shimmied her shoulders causing her boobs to shake, and he didn’t care that she was teasing him, he enjoyed the view anyway. He stood to clear the plates and revealed his tightened pants tent.

“Oh, is that a gun in your pocket?”

“No, I’m thrilled to see you.” He took their plates into the kitchen.

“I don’t know what to think,” she said. Her arms slid around his waist, pressing herself against his back. “Cooking and cleaning, you’re quite the total package, Mr. Harper.”

J.P. laughed. “You know it.” He kept his mind on the task at hand, even though her arms around him and the softness of her body threatened to take over his brain.

She pressed a kiss between his shoulder blades and let go, opening the dishwasher. “I’ll load, and we’ll get done quicker.”

Cleaning up was more fun with another person pitching in, but also when that other person was a hot little woman who peppered him in brief kisses and light groping. And she allowed him to do the same in return. By the time they finished the task, all he could think about was touching her. And she was right there with him, she threw herself against him, reaching up and pulling him down to meet her lips. He turned around and pressed her against the only wall in the galley kitchen.

Trapped between him and the wall, her heartbeat thudded as she moved against him. Their tongues wrestled for top billing. It brought him back to the night they met. They left the rooftop lounge under the guise of seeing his room. The elevator doors had no sooner shut when they grabbed for each other, mouths exploring. And yet, it was never like he was kissing a total stranger. He’d stroked his hand up under her skirt as far as he dared. They were alone except for the security camera in the corner, and he knew that he didn’t want to give the hotel security a show.

Tonight, they had no such issues there in her kitchen. He let his desire lead the way and dropped to his knees. Violet gave him a questioning look, but she was breathing too heavy to speak. Good. He hooked his thumbs under the waistband of her yoga pants and in one swift move, they and her underwear were around her ankles. A gasp replaced her surprised squeak as he set about making her forget her name.

The next morning Violet served him breakfast by pouring a bowl of cereal. In a few weeks, J.P. had a new schedule that somehow included her. It had been nothing like with previous girlfriends who demanded nights out on the town and expensive dinners. They spent every night in Violet’s house, which made it possible for him to work ten-hour days. He used to work twelve-hour days, but found himself unable to stay away from Violet for that long.

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