Page 99 of The Sound Of Silence

Unlike earlier, this grip feels possessive and I welcome it. I want him to own me.Ineedit.

Jesse breaks the kiss again, his lips moving to my jaw before brushing along my neck, and when he gently sucks where his fingers were squeezing me, my legs tighten in pleasure.

“God,Jesse.” My words come up breathy and full of want but I couldn’t care less. I don’t want to hide anything from him.

“Fuuck, Willow. Your taste, your sounds, your touch… yourneed.”

“Take me,” I whisper, rolling my body against his, feeling his thick length harden when we touch.

He groans as his hand moves from my waist, slipping under my skirt and running over my heat.

Oh God.

He rubs me through my panties, before his fingers curl around the seam, his lips returning to mine as he teases my core.

Grabbing the back of his neck, I pull his head down to deepen our connection, as my legs clench in excitement.

“Willow,” Jesse whispers and it sounds like a plea.But for what?

“Jesse?”

One of his thick fingers slips inside me just as a voice calls out “Hello."

Jesse springs away from me with so much speed and distance that he almost falls when his back hits the other counter behind him.

Considering my current state, I should be just as panicked, but I know the layout of the store. You’d have to be halfway down the aisle before you see this part of the room.

Taking a deep breath, I readjust my panties and smooth out my outfit, brushing past Jesse as I move to greet my customer.

“H…hi.” I stumble over my words, barely hiding my guilt. “Welcome to—”

“Ryan?” Jesse asks from behind my shoulder, his voice coming out raspy, making him clear his throat.

The gorgeous man in front of me raises his eyebrows as his eyes find Jesse, and I feel the energy in the room shift. So this is the guy chasing Pippa. But how—

“How’d you get here?” Jesse snaps, voicing my thoughts.

Ryan’s brows furrow before he huffs out a laugh. “You’re not even going to say hello?”

“I’ve been stuck here for days because of that damn bridge, and you suddenly just appear out of nowhere… Excuse me for wanting to know how the fuck that happened. Is the bridge open?”

I internally cringe as his words register. I know I keep foolishly believing that each moment with Jesse is going to be different from the last. But this one felt real. My body’s still tingling from his touch, my heart still beats to his rhythm, and the throbbing remains between my legs.

When I glance back at Jesse, the first thing I notice is his fists clenched at his sides. Is that because of Ryan’s appearance or because he interrupted us?What I wouldn’t give to go back in time and lock the stupid door.

Ryan’s silent for a moment—probably processing how much attitude he wants to give his teammate—before he shakes his head and sighs. “You can't drive through yet, but you can now walk it. My truck’s parked at the other end.”

Wow. That’s commitment. It’s not a short walk, and it’s not the nicest area to leave a car. He cares.

“You walked here for Pippa?” Jesse says, his tone laced with surprise, once again mimicking my thoughts.

“I did.”

“Does she know you’re coming?”

“She doesn’t.”

Jesse brushes past me as he walks around the counter, only stopping when the men are side by side, and I can’t help but compare them. Other than their distinguishing features, if you looked from behind, I’m not sure you could separate them in a lineup. They have similar builds, and they’re almost identical in height. But when you take in the details… Jesse’s rugged and raw, while Ryan has more of a clean-cut appearance. Not what I expected for Pippa.

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