Page 39 of Where You Left Me

“I’m here now,” I say quietly.

Finally, he leans into me, his weight pressing into my chest. He sets his hand on top of mine and holds it against his heart. It thumps wildly into my palm, and it ignites the fire inside of me. He turns around in my arms and gazes at me with eyes so dark, so frantic, it nearly takes my breath away.

“I’m scared,” he mumbles.

If he didn’t look so serious, if this moment wasn’t so fragile, I could almost laugh. Big, strong,doesn’t-give-a-fuck-Jones, is scared?

“Of what?” I whisper.

“If we do this, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to let you go again.”

My heart settles in my chest. And then I say something that surprises even me.

“Then don’t.”

Because in this moment; I mean it. I don’t ever want to be away from him. Being with him makes me feel whole again. I feel likeme. And I haven’t beenmein a long time.

I pull myself away from him and take his hand in mine. Shuffling backward toward the door, I tug him with me, and he comes willingly. He pushes the button to close the big garage door and flips off the light on our way inside.

With my heart racing and warnings firing off in my brain, I don’t back down. I don’t change my mind. My body wants him. And I’m too weak to fight it.

CHAPTER 11

Jones

Inside the darkness of the bar, I grab two beers from the fridge before I follow Mia up the stairs to my apartment. My focus goes straight to her ass as it shifts so perfectly in the tight biker shorts. Her cheeks peeking underneath the hem of the fabric are so tempting, that I want to lean forward and take a bite. Instead, I tease her with the touch of the cold beer bottle on her bare thigh.

She squeals and whirls around on the step. “Ack, Jones!” She gives me a light shove on the shoulder, and I slip down a stair and chuckle.

“Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”

Snatching both bottles from me with a playful glare, she says, “What do you need these for anyhow? You need to get drunk to have sex with me?”

“Hell no.” At her words, the realization sinks in. Mia and I are going to have sex. And now I’m even more anxious to get her up these stairs and into my apartment. “We’re going to need to hydrate after I’m done with you.”

She snorts a laugh, and the sound reverberates in my depths. It makes me want her even more.

“If that’s the case, I don’t think that’s going to be enough.”

“No?”

“We have a lot of time to make up for.”

With that, I’m done for. At this moment, I know, without a doubt, my heart is fully invested in this. In Mia.

And I won’t think about the end of summer. About her leaving.

It will gut me.

I compartmentalize so I can have this beautiful night with her.

Mia turns and walks backward, pulling me with her toward my bed, gazing at me without breaking eye contact. My heart hums in my chest and I force myself out of my head. Because it doesn’t matter what happens tomorrow. Tonight, Mia is here. Standing in front of me, wanting me.

Her hands go to my chest, her fingers pressing into me so gently. I reach my hand around the back of her neck and haul her close enough for my lips to reach hers. Our mouths crash together and it’s a beautiful, heart-wrenching thing. Us kissing. Finally, after all these years and pain between us.

As much as I want to push all that away, I can’t. It’s a part of us I realize. It will always be there. And maybe it’s not a terrible thing. I’m stronger for it.

The sound of the buckle on my jeans coming undone steals me from the spiraling of my thoughts. And suddenly I’m in the moment. Mia gazes at me with fire in her eyes as she makes quick work of the button and zipper on my jeans.

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