LUKE
I wanted to beg Jessica to stay. I wanted to tell her that I was her reason for being here. That she didn’t need a job or an apartment to stay. She could get all of those things. But I didn’t want to be like Sydney. I wanted to give her the chance to be herself.
Now I am miserable. She has been gone for two months. I have had the renovations on the bar to work through. I have plenty to keep me busy. Yet all I can think about is her. I spend most nights alone on my couch thinking about her. Hoping that she will return. I have no evidence that she will ever return, but I hope every night that she will walk through that door and return to my life.
Everyone at work thinks I am just moody now. They think I missed too much work and I am swamped and that is why I am moody. Only William and Jasmine seem to understand what is really wrong with me. Maybe my mother too. She has made my father stop all comments on my work life. He has tried to say something a few times and she simply stops him. “James, now isn’t the time.”
Then there are nights that I hope that I will forget about her. That she will be this distant memory that I won’t need to think about all the time.
Today is a day that I miss her. I can’t focus on the orders all night. Thomas, my bartender, has had to take over orders for me all night. I have dropped glasses and even tripped over my own feet. I know I need to get my act together but it almost seems like I can’t. Like Jessica is the only thing that is going to fix me.
It’s getting closer to closing time. We have already put out the last call. I am managing to wipe down the bar without breaking anything. I hear the front door open, I look up just to be sure that it is someone leaving or to warn any new comers.
There she is.
Jessica looks like the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. She is dressed casually in a pair of pants and a t-shirt. Her hair is up in a ponytail. She fidgets as she holds her hand bag across her chest and she bites her bottom lip.
I am so stunned that I have just stopped. I’m not even sure that I am breathing any more. Thomas slaps my chest. “What are you doing?”
I blink. “Um, take over Thomas.”
He looks over at Jessica and laughs. Shaking his head he takes the rag from me.
Sliding out from behind the bar I move towards Jessica. She shifts a little more. “Hey.”
I smile. “Hey you.”
“So, I know this is a long shot. But I figured it’s my life and I need to live it. So I drove here in the hopes that maybe you felt something too. Don’t be afraid to tell me that you didn’t. I know it is a long shot, but I had to try.”
My heart feels like it is going to explode. Jessica came back for me. She felt something for me so she drove all the way here on the off chance that I felt something too. My body has a mind of its own. I pull her closer to me, with both my hands on her hips. My lips find hers and deepen the kiss to the point that neither of us can breathe. She tastes exquisite and I never want to be without that taste ever. I don’t think that she gets that I am never letting her go now. I am probably rushing things, but I did the right thing. I let her go. She came back. This is the best I can do.
Breathlessly she pulls back. “I guess that means that you feel something too.”
I can’t stop the dumb smile on my face. “I have been going a little crazy since you left. I wanted you to do what was right for you, but I never wanted you to leave in the first place. Please don’t leave again.”
“Luke, I want to be with you. I have nothing holding me back this time.”
“Good.” I lift her up over my shoulder. Everyone who is left in the bar turns and looks at us. I could care less how much of a scene we are making. Jessica is laughing and squealing. I motion to Thomas. “Close it up.”
I take the back hall to the stairs that lead up to my apartment. I have to open the doors that are locked, so it is rather irritating, but I will suffer through if that means that Jessica is right here with me.
When I finally get her into my apartment I rush to my room. I toss her down on my bed and I don’t miss the smile on her face. It probably matches mine as I climb up her body. “I know this is stupid to bring up right now, but where is Reeko?”
She smiles wider. “It’s not stupid to ask. I took him to Justin’s, it took me a while to leave him there, but I wanted to have some time with you without having to worry about where Reeko would go.”
“Good, I don’t want to worry about him either. Lastly, if I am going too fast or doing something you don’t like, tell me to stop.”
She puts her arms around my neck. “Please don’t stop.”
That is all I wanted to hear.
Softly I let my lips glide over hers. My hands sliding up under her shirt. She kicks off her own shoes, I can’t help but smile when I hear them hit the floor. I want to appreciate every part of her body. I kick off my own shoes. She pulls on my shirt while I pull on hers. Both stripping off each other’s shirts. She is wearing this very sexy black lace bra that I need to put my mouth on. As soon as my mouth settles over the lace, I let my tongue out and tease that nipple. Jessica moans and pushes more towards me.
I switch sides so that I can show appreciation to both magnificent breasts. That isn’t enough for Jess. “Luke, more please.”
Thankfully her bra has a front clasp. As soon as I click that beautiful lace open her breasts bounce and look even better. I can’t help but palm them both.
Jess reaches down and pulls open the button on my jeans. She is so eager, I feel like it eggs me on. I want this, but I want her to want this too. Yes, she drove miles to get here to me. Yes, she made sure the dog was safe for the night. But it is always better to feel that she is ready for this.
We both help each other to remove the rest of our clothes. As we both lay bare to each other, it is clear that everything has changed between us. There is a connection. We have crossed the line between just friends and lovers. We aren’t talking as much as I thought, but we are letting our bodies do the talking for us.
She opens her legs and practically wraps them around me. I line myself up, allowing myself to gather her juices before I start to slide in. She grips me as I relish in the feel of her body pulling mine in. She feels so tight and perfect for me. As soon as I am seated all the way inside her I pause and just enjoy the feel of it.
“Luke, please.”
I grin. “Patience, baby. I’m enjoying myself.”
I pull back to the head and then thrust back in. She moans with every thrust and pushes back on me. Her hips met mine as I slowly thrust into her. I hook my arms under hers and hold her first. I want our first time to be special. This doesn’t feel like it could be any more special if I tried.
I press my lips to hers and allow my tongue to delve into her mouth. She moans into my mouth and I feel her release. I thrust faster, but it doesn’t take me long to follow behind her.
As I release my seed inside her, she wraps her legs around me and pulls me all the way in.
We both lay that way for a minute, me deep inside her. Her with her legs wrapped around me. Both of us were covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Jess starts laughing. I look at her confused. She finally catches her breath. “I have wanted to do that for so long. It was so amazing, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why we waited so long.”
I laugh a little too. “I wanted to make sure that you knew I wasn’t going to be like that asshole that was chasing you. But I will tell you, I won’t hold you prisoner. But if you leave me for no good reason I will chase you down to find out why. Because I don’t want to be without you again. Do you think you can live with that?”
She smiles. “I think you might have to worry about me clinging to you and chasing you.”
I lean in and kiss her lips again. “Let’s just agree to stay together and then neither of us have to do that chasing.”
“Deal.”