Page 61 of Where You Left Me

Cammie swoops in and slips her arm around Rosie’s waist. “And that is just one of the many reasons why we love her.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…let’s see how much you love me when Nico and I are crushing y’all.” Rosie snatches the beanbags from Nico’s hand, giving him a cheeky grin as she sashays away.

“That feels like a challenge,” Jones says, taking me by the hand and following Rosie and Nico.

Cammie snorts a laugh. “Oh shit,” she drags out in amusement. “It’s on now.”

We close the bar down.Our friends are the last to leave at 2 A.M. Besides, Ben, who closes with the help of two other employees. The alcohol has already run through my system, and I’m exhausted from a long day. Base Camp is the busiest in the winter and summer seasons.

But after Ben locks up and leaves and it’s just Jones and I alone, I’m suddenly wide awake. Jones passes me an untamed look from across the bar that sets fire to my skin. I love how he makes me feel. Love how he makes me feel about myself.

Wanted, desired, needed.

Jones shuffles toward a pool table, not once taking his attention off me. He picks up a pool stick and raises his brows in insinuation. I’m tired, ready to turn him down and take him upstairs to his apartment where we can collapse in each other’s arms till late morning. But there’s something in how he’s being persistent about this that has me curious.

I nod and a wide smile appears on his lips while I shuffle toward him.

“Just one game, then sleep,” he promises, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.

Warmth expands in my chest. Jones can read me like a book. He knows when I’m mad or sad, or like tonight; exhausted. He knew earlier when I was jealous.

Just the thought of another woman being with him makes me feral. Another woman touching him, pleasuring him, and seeing his tattoo. Heat travels through my limbs at the images I’ve conjured up in my brain.

His hand cinches at my waist before he releases me, sliding it nonchalantly over my ass and giving it a light smack.

Deep down, I know he’s mine. If even for the rest of summer.

“You wanna break them?” he asks, setting the balls in the triangle.

“I’ll let you. You’ve always been better at breaking than me.”

He leans over the table with the pool stick in his grip, focusing on the cue ball and I can’t help but check him out. His forearms go taut as he lines up his shot. The precision of the pool stick in his hands makes me a little jealous of it. I need those talented hands on me. Just thinking about the things they are capable of causes my core to tighten.

The cue ball crashes into the others, sending them flying in all directions across the table and breaking me from my imagination. It’s no surprise several balls sink into pockets. Jones is good at everything he puts his energy into.

“Here ya go, beauty. Your turn.” He hands me my own pool stick. “You’re stripes. I got one in for you by accident. You’re welcome.” He winks.

Rounding the pool table, I say, “Thanks, but I don’t need any favors. If you remember, I used to be pretty good at this game.”

“I remember.”

I bet he does. He seems to remember everything.

It takes some contemplating, but I find the best logical shot and line it up. Bending, I choke up on the pool stick and close an eye to get a better visual of the shot. I pull back the stick in myright hand a few times before releasing it and smacking the tip of it against the cue ball.

At the same time, Jones says, “What I wouldn’t give to be that pool stick.”

It nearly scratches at his interruption.

I groan but snort a laugh. “That’s cheating.”

He shrugs and his expression is adorably guilty. “I’m not trying to cheat. I really do wish I was that pool stick. Correction: I wish my cock was that pool stick.”

The way he looks at me like I’m his next meal, sends goosebumps racing down my arms.

“Easy boy, we’ve just started the game.”

He takes a few slow strides toward me, not once taking his eyes off me. A swoop low in my belly causes me to clench my thighs together. Leaning close, he looks down at me with fire in his gaze without touching me.

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