Page 71 of Pieces Of You

“I’m Holden,” I say.

“I know.”

I glance at Jamie, whose looking down at her food, trying to hide her amusement. Then back at Melanie. “You’re Melanie, right?”

“Yep.” She doesn’t seem annoyed by my presence or happy about it either. Like her lack of inflection, her expression gives nothing away.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you.”

“We had three classes together last year.”

“Oh.”

Jamie giggles and I switch my focus back to her. “Are you working tonight?” It’s a Monday, and from what she’s told me, it’s the only other day of the week that shemightget off.

She nods. “I start at six.”

“Do you want to come over after school?” I ask. “I have something to show you.”

“His penis.” Melanie deadpans, and my eyes snap to hers. She looks between us. “He’s talking about his penis, Jamie.”

Jamie snorts with her short laugh.

“I can see why you’re friends,” I state. “You’re both obsessed with my dick activity.”

Jamie backhands my stomach, making me choke on a breath. After recovering, I ask, “So wait for me after school?”

“Sure,” Jamie replies.

Melanie again: “I bet it’s for sex.”

Jamie mumbles, “Oh my god,” at the same time I tell Melanie, “You’re charming.”

With a completely straight face, Melanie replies, “Thank you. I try.”

I turn to Jamie, press a kiss to the same trigger spot, and stand up before she can push me away. “I’ll see you later,” I say, then raise my hand toward Melanie. “It was a pleasure, Melanie.”

“Likewise.” She nods. “Enjoy your explosion of fluids tonight.”

Shaking my head, I chuckle as I move behind Jamie and grasp the side of her face to tilt her head back. “Kiss me.”

It takes her a moment to react, but then she’s reaching up, cupping my nape as she brings me down to her waiting lips. She kisses me once. Twice. And as soon as she begins to pull away, I part my lips, deepen the kiss, which is a mistake, because I spend the rest of the afternoon sporting enough wood to build a treehouse.Yay!

* * *

“Where’s your mama, sweet boy?”Jamie coos in a voice generally used on toddlers. It would be cute,endearingeven… if her question wasn’t aimed at me.

I glare at her as I pull into my driveway, causing her to snicker into her hands like a pre-schooler. “Why do I put up with you?”

“Because youliiikeme,” she sings, grinning over at me. “Seriously, though. Your mom’s car isn’t here.”

“She’s probably at Esme’s. She’s been doing some yard work there during the days,” I tell her, hopping out of the truck. I make my way to her side to open her door, but she doesn’t immediately step out. Instead, she raises her arms in the air, and so I bite back a smile, and lift her out of the seat. Her legs instantly wrap around me, her arms clinging to my neck, while my hands find her ass so I can hold her in place.

“So you’ve been spending your free time with Esme?” she asks, as I spin her toward the house.

“Yep.”

“Maybe you do have a granny fetish?”

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