Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I blow out a breath, not stupid enough to pretend I’m his first. But his words are like a salve. He wants me to touch him, to kiss him, to spend time with him. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before, and I can’t tell if it’s only a crush or way more.
John leans back, positioning his arms on the blanket behind him to allow for more room. He feels warm and solid in my palm as I pump his length, testing the same method I use on myself.
“God, that’s—” John screws his eyes shut, panting shallowly.
I realize how completely exhilarating it is to make him feel this good just with my hand. After another minute, I fall into a decent rhythm, using my thumb to stroke the underside of his glans, which he seems to like if his shuddering breaths are any indication. “Does this feel okay?”
“So good.” John’s voice is raspy, which makes my entire body tingle. His eyes are open, blissed out as he watches me. “I…I’m gonna come.”
I lean forward to seal our mouths together, and our tongues stroke in time with my fingers and his shallow thrusts into my hand. Another minute more, and he groans his release against my lips, his body quivering, warm come spurting between us. It’s the most intimate moment of my life, and I feel on top of the world.
I let go of his softened shaft, and John uses the edge of the blanket to clean his stomach and my hand. I feel happy, dreamy, as he reaches for me and plants a kiss on my lips. “Can I touch you too?”
I’m not saying no, not after watching him and trying not to adjust my growing hardness in my shorts.
As soon as I nod, he unfastens my shorts, wasting no time pushing down my waistband and taking me in hand. And, oh God, it feels different when it’s someone else stroking you with the perfect amount of care and pressure.
I groan and arch my back, trying to draw it out and not lose it in the first minute he gets his hands on me.
“You feel so good.” John watches me with wonder in his eyes. “I’ve wanted to touch you for so long.”
My cheeks heating, I bury my face in his shoulder, trying to hold it together.
“Hey.” He kisses the side of my head. “If you didn’t know how fucking much I like you and want to be with you, now you do.”
His words set my nerve endings on fire. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt safer or more cared for. I’m afraid to be vulnerable in front of him, but I also feel like I can let myself go. Just a little.
Or maybe a lot. Not a second more, I moan and shudder as I break apart and spurt all over his hand.
“So hot,” John murmurs against my ear.
“Tell me about it,” I reply, and John chuckles.
After we clean up a second mess, we lie side by side on the blanket, hands knotted together, as we look at the glimpses of blue sky through the trees and talk about our dreams.
27
JOHN
“Hey, Frank, what’s up?” I ask as I serve him a beer later that evening.
“The usual.”
“Working around all the remodeling?”
He sighs. “Exactly.”
“It’s still hard to believe this is actually going down and Jack is allowing it.”
“Right?” Frank smirks. “Plus, Rocco is in town. Mr. Anal Retentive himself.”
“Oh, I’m sure he just refers to himself as detail-oriented,” I reply, and he laughs. Rocco is a pretty interesting character. A cutthroat businessman with a softer side when it comes to vintage cars and his nonna’s lasagna. Frank appears to enjoy his company quite a bit. Otherwise, why would he spend so much time with him and enter into this arrangement for the service station?
“Where is the man? Haven’t seen him recently.”
“He only sweeps into town when he can. Besides, he’s getting married this summer, so he’ll be even busier.” He looks away as if the subject makes him uncomfortable.
“I thought the wedding was postponed.”
“It was, but they’ve been working through their…issues, apparently. So it’s back on.”
Or perhaps it has to do with Rocco’s fiancée, Corrine. She seemed nice enough when I met her last summer at the rib fest, but according to Aaron, she’s as high-maintenance as Rocco, especially regarding the wedding planning, which has driven up the cost. Given how modestly Micah and I tied the knot, the notion feels foreign to me.
“Right now, he’s with Aaron. Business stuff to handle.”
“Got it.” Likely, they’re at Aaron’s place or Jack’s. “Let me know if you need anything.”
At closing time, I lift my phone and scroll to Micah’s name.
The pull between us feels more intense lately—ever since our road trip and the divorce papers. Like any day I don’t see or talk to him, I’m losing time.