Page 95 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part One

“Right. But you should accept Jensen’s help.”

“I hear you. I do.” With that and many protesting whines from me, he joins me sitting up. I pout at him and he grins wickedly, his hair tousled and sexy, sticking in all directions from me playing with it. Despite his tired eyes, he looks happier than I’ve ever seen him. “I’d love to fuck you silly all day, then take you to the shower and fuck you some more, but we’ve overstayed our welcome and I have to work in an hour. J will be back soon and I’m sure you don’t want him seeing you naked.”

Feeling silly and wanting to see just how possessive he is, I say, “I don’t know, I might like it if Jensen watched us.” Riggs growls and gives me a glare. “Kidding, Casanova. Just kidding.”

“No one is tapping this but me, got that?” He gestures wildly to my entire body, his icy eyes heated as he passes over my breasts. It’s nice to see him not questioning my feelings for him, to see him take charge and claim me without reservation. I’m sure the notion is in the back of his mind and I hate that, but I’ll take what I can get.

“Yes, sir.” I touch two fingers to my forehead in a salute and his grin grows wider as she shakes his head.

“Now get your sexy ass up before I change my mind and call in for the day. We can go eat breakfast at my place with Gramma. I’m sure she’d love to see you. She hasn’t stopped talking about you since she met you.” A blush creeps up his neck and deposits itself in his cheeks. It’s so cute I can’t take it.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing.” He slides off the bed and picks up my clothes piece by piece and throws them at me. I catch my shirt, but my bra smacks me right in the face.

“Hey! Rude,” I exclaim. He snickers at me, his shoulders shaking as he flings my pants over the side of the bed. “It’s not nothing. What is it?”

He stops, pondering a moment, and runs his lip through his teeth. Then he glances away nervously before bringing his eyes back to me. “Gramma is happy that I have someone. She’s convinced we’re in it for the long haul.”

“And you’re not?” I’m not sure why I said it. Reflex I guess. However, he doesn’t seem fazed by my question.

“Are you?” He tilts his head a degree, studying me again when I don’t respond immediately.

I shrink under his scrutiny, wondering if we’ve breached forbidden territory. “I don’t want anyone else,” I confess, but it doesn’t feel wrong to say. It rolls right off my tongue. With the admission, I relax. It’s out there and I can’t take it back. I don’t want to.

“I don’t want anyone else,” he agrees, and I search for the hiccup in his voice. There isn’t one. He means it and while that isn’t an admission of love, I’m going to take it as one.

“Good,” I start before it gets awkward, “then Gramma will be happy to discover neither of us are going anywhere.” He gulps and before I let my mind get too far into it or let him get lost in his negative thoughts, I jump off the bed half dressed and step into my pants. “Now let’s get back to your place, I’m starving.”

Riggs opens the door,letting in a burst of muggy, dense, hot air. It sweeps through the tiny apartment, making me thankful for the amazing air conditioner or else it would be stifling in here. Rain pours down so hard the impact of the drops on the ground sends a mist flying that makes the sidewalk appear to steam. Riggs grimaces. “Shit, Outlaw. It’s really coming down.”

I step up beside him and peer out the door. “Afraid of a little rain, Jester?” He moves his face in my direction with a flat expression.

“No, I just wouldn’t want you to melt, seeing as you’re made of sugar and spice and everything nice.”

“I’m salty and you know it.” His lips twitch with an early grin but he holds it back, sending all the smiles to his eyes.

“I’m not touching that one, not even with a ten-foot pole,” he tells me.

I huff a laugh, “That’s smart.”

He taps the side of his head with his finger and winks at me. My heart stops. Dear god that wink… that wink is dangerous.

Coursework,I remind myself, then step out the door and off the little porch leading into the apartment.

Much to my luck, Foxy had stayed at this apartment, so there was a pair of her running shoes in the closet… not that I was snooping around or anything.

I stuff my feet into them. They’re a little tight but better than walking through the woods in my monster heels and I doubt Riggs wants to carry me again. Or maybe he does, who knows.

The trail is harder to see with the rain. Having a canopy of leaves overhead helps a little, but nothing can stop the water. It’s coming down so hard.

We make quick work of the woods and are spit out on the other side. Rounding the building as fast as we can, we climb the stairs. When we’re at the top, we shake off like dogs, laughing. Riggs’ hair plasters to his forehead, little drops stream down his face and neck, accentuating the hard cut to his jaw. I lick moisture from my lips, trying to pull it into my mouth, which has gone dry from looking at him. My swallow is hard, my gaze locked on his.

Coursework,that evil little voice in my head says, and I jerk my eyes away from him. Right, too much to do today.

“I’m sorry,” he says, wrinkling his nose as he watches me ring the water from my hair.

“Don’t be. It’s a story we’ll have to remember. I’m not complaining.” His icy blues shine with something, but I can’t quite get a read on it. He’s happy, yet also seems hesitant. He glances at the door knob warily then turns it. The door swings open into a quiet apartment. We bring ourselves through the threshold and my stomach sinks. It’s way too quiet.

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