Page 5 of Five Goodbyes

I can feel the warmth of her breath on my cheek as she quietly speaks. This is what life is all about. These moments of vulnerability, sharing our hearts, and saying things we never would with anyone else. I turn to face her, though the only features I see are the ones I’ve been building in my memory since the day we met. I raise my hand and rub my finger across the small mole, no bigger than a freckle, that sits a little below her left eye. It almost disappears when she smiles. This is just one of many things I’ve memorized about her stunning face.

My fingers caress her cheek. “I don’t want to go on in this life without you. How could I ever face myself in the mirror if I left you? I wouldn’t be a man worthy of anyone . . . much less you.”

She leans over and kisses me. “How about we agree that we’re equal, and that both of us will do anything for the other? Why don’t we also agree that we’re both foolish, and adrenaline junkies? We’re not only partners, but we’re also . . . um . . . girlfriend, boyfriend?” She says the end of this sentence like a question.

The way she puts this makes me flip over and click the dim lamp on. I need to see her face. I then turn and trap her with my leg as I gaze into her eyes. “That shouldn’t even be a question, Jazz.” The moment is deep and scares me a little. I’m not scared of how I feel about Jasmine, but I’m terrified of the power of our relationship. I lean down and kiss her. It starts almost hard, before I soften my lips and sigh as she moans against my mouth.

I pull back and she gives me a dreamy smile. “Okay, no more hesitation,” she tells me, the dark look that’s been in her eyes ever since she came to after drowning is gone. This is what we needed, more than I realized.

Jasmine suddenly smiles. “I know what we have to do!”

“I know what we have to do too,” I say, grabbing her hip and pulling her closer to me as I wiggle my brows.

She laughs as she slaps my hand away, making me pout.

“No, not that . . . not yet. Weneedto go see Mora and Philip!”

“What?” My brain is on sex so it’s difficult to change topics.

“Yes, this is perfect,” Jasmine says as her eyes light up even more. “We have nothing else to do for three weeks. Let’s go visit them. We can be on a plane tomorrow. We have nothing but time on our hands, and it will be a great distraction.”

I don’t have nearly the money Jasmine has which I don’t like thinking about. I start doing the calculations on how much a plane ticket will cost, and it makes the pucker factor go off the charts. I don’t want to think about paying for the flight, along with everything else that comes with a trip to Africa.

“Don’t you dare, Hunter Sparks!” Jasmine admonishes.

“What?” I ask.

“I can see that tightwad brain of yours spinning.”

“Whhaatttt?” I draw out.

“I know what you’re thinking. You don’t hide anything on that face of yours. We’re going to do this because I need to get out of here . . . period. I’ll handle the trip details. Just agree that you’re going because you want to be with me.”

I pause as Jasmine raises her brows at my reluctance to instantly agree. Before I can come up with a clear denial, her body shifts as she rubs up against me, and her eyes slant with seduction. She begins kissing my jaw and down my neck.

“This isn’t how you get your way,” I warn, with no weight behind the words.

“I’d beg to differ,” she purrs.

That’s enough for me to leave the discussion behind. I even know what she’s doing, and I can’t stop from falling right into her trap.

She wiggles out from beneath my leg and then quickly sits on top of me. She grins down at me, already knowing she’s going to get her way. Damn, how is it that women don’t understand how much power they have? Sex and food. They rule us poor men by sex and food. I’m not going to be too easy though.

Her grin grows as if she can read my thoughts. She leans down and kisses the edge of my lips, not enough that I can claim her mouth, but just enough to tease me. She kisses her way down the center of my neck all while wiggling her luscious behind against my already painful arousal. She moves across my chest then runs her tongue across my quivering abs.

“Jazz . . .” I warn. She swirls her tongue in a circle as she moves lower. My protest ends in a groan.

She stops as she wraps her fingers around my arousal, her breath whispering across the wet head, her lips only millimeters from it, making me push my hips up as I desperately try to seek her hot, wet mouth.

“What?” she asks with false innocence in her tone.

“Woman . . .” I growl as I reach for her. She pushes back, her fingers tightening on my erection, keeping just out of my grasp.

“Yes?” she says, arousal and teasing mixing in her tone.

“I’m going to die here,” I warn, hoping she’ll have mercy on me.

“Tell me we get to go on the trip, that you’ll let me get it all arranged,” she demands, her sweet tongue briefly sliding across my head, making me groan again.

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