Page 91 of Third and Ten

Wellness check

Is he there? Are you good?

Tenley

Thanks, we’re fine so far.

Loren

Are you…clothed? Lol

Tenley

Yes.

(Unfortunately.)

Loren

Planning to stay that way?

Tenley

Yes…I promise. *fingers crossed emoji*

Loren

Good girl.

Text me if you need an SOS call.

My phone is just about dead, so I set it down with the intention of looking for my charger. “It was just Lor—” I nearly choke when I turn to find JD sitting beside me in nothing but his shorts.

“Sorry,” he says with an apologetic smile. “I didn’t think to throw on a T-shirt under my hoodie. I hope you don’t mind?”

I clear my throat and attempt to regain my composure, accidentally inhaling a lungful of the manly, soapy scent emanating from all that newly exposed skin. “You’re fine. I mean—it’s fine. You’re good.”

One side of his mouth turns up in a cocky smirk. “Um, are you?”

I narrow my eyes and him and elbow one of his huge biceps. “And you accused me of setting you up?”

Whoops.

I really shouldn’t be flirting this hard. JD throws his head back and laughs heartily, giving me an even better view of his bare torso. I glance over, taking in the sight of his solid chest, his abs that are just barely pronounced, and the nice bit of skin between his belly button and the waistband of his shorts.

My ovaries ache. They literally hurt. The most attractive man I’ve ever laid eyes upon is sitting next to me, half-naked, and my reproductive system has taken notice. In fact, I’m pretty sure my uterus is growing more impatient by the second.

I look up after a while, expecting to see the same smug look on his face. Instead, he’s staring back at me with uncertainty in his eyes, as if he can’t tell how much I want him. He’s letting me set the pace, waiting for my cue before he makes a move.

How can he possibly be so wholesome yet so sexy at the same freaking time?

“JD,” I whisper, not intending to sound so breathy and bothered. “I…I, um…”

Until this very moment, I’d never really considered myself to be a lustful person. If anything, my career has led me to develop a more scientific and even utilitarian view of sex, ruining most of the magic for me. I’ve always thought of the act itself as more of a means to an end, only useful for procreation or positive reinforcement in a relationship. And since I never planned on getting married or having kids, long-term celibacy hadn’t been a problem for me.

However, there’s a first time for everything, and being alone—in bed—with shirtless JD has left me so flustered that I’m incapable of stringing together a coherent sentence.

“Can I please kiss you?” he asks after I trail off, still gazing at me as if I don’t sound like a total idiot.

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