Page 61 of When We Are Complete

Kelly slides into the seat across from Adele. “How have you been?”

Adele finally puts her phone away. “Good, thanks. Just texting my friend Emma. She’s helping me figure out what to wear to a party next weekend.”

“Well, I’m sure whatever you pick will be perfect,” Kelly says, the corner of her mouth lifting. “You’ve got great style.”

“Thanks,” Adele says, unable to hide her own smile.

I place the sandwiches on the table. “She’s got more fashion sense than I ever will.”

“That’s not hard,” Adele says.

Kelly’s laughter fills the room as I bring the pot of soup and some bowls over.

“Ouch,” I say, pretending to be wounded. “And here I thought you were going to go easy on me with Kelly here.”

“Oh, no. Kelly needs to know the truth about what a geek you are if she’s going to be your girlfriend,” Adele replies.

Kelly smirks, her eyes glinting as she reaches under the table to squeeze my knee. It’s subtle, quick, but enough to send a thrill right through me. Her eyes meet mine for a brief second before she turns her attention to Adele.

The three of us fall into an easy rhythm—mostly Adele and Kelly teasing me. Adele is quick with her jokes, reminding me a lot of how things used to be, before puberty and middle school made everything so much more complicated, and Kelly laughs a lot.

It’s great how natural it is, the way the two of them have clicked, and there’s this weird swell of contentment in my chest. I find myself smiling more than I have in ages. Both of them pick at their food, but maybe neither of them is hungry.

After we finish eating, Kelly and I clean up together. The kitchen is cozy, the afternoon light spilling through the windows. She stands beside me, passing plates as I load the dishwasher.

“Lunch was really nice,” she says, her voice soft.

She leans just a little too close, her shoulder brushing mine as she hands me a plate. Her touch is casual, but I catch her glancing at my mouth. My fingers graze hers as I take the dish, and the air around us practically hums. My dick twitches in my pants.Not yet.

“It was nice, wasn’t it. You and Adele seemed to get on really well.”

“She’s a great kid. It’s easy to like her.”

“Thanks. It’s actually surreal having you here. After everything we’ve been through, I don’t take it for granted.”

There’s a knock at the door, and I glance at the clock on the wall—it has to be Jenny. “Adele, your Mom is here.”

I kiss Kelly quickly, her eyes darkening as if she doesn’t want to let me go just yet. It’s only a brief kiss, but it’s charged, and I’m already counting down the seconds until we’re alone. I go and open the door, Adele right behind me, her bag over her shoulder.

“Ready?” Jenny asks, smiling at Adele before giving me a nod.

“I’m ready. See you later, Dad.” She looks down the hallway behind me, and calls out, “Bye, Kelly!”

“Bye, Adele,” comes Kelly’s voice from the kitchen.

Jenny catches my eye briefly and smiles, then the door closes behind them, and it’s just Kelly and me. I head back to the kitchen, a massive grin on my face. “Finally, I’ve got you to myself.”

Kelly leans into me. “Finally,” she echoes.

I’ve been wanting her all day, wanting to taste her, to be inside her, to fuck her like we’re the last two people on earth, andI push her up against the kitchen bench, arms bracketing her and I’m never going to let her go.

Chapter 34

Jake

As I pressher back against the kitchen counter, my hands find her waist, fingers splaying wide as if I’m staking my claim. Her lips part just slightly, and her breath catches, her pulse racing under my fingertips.

I lean in, close enough that her sweet, fruity scent wraps around me. Her hands come up to my chest, her touch light but electric. She traces her fingertips up my collarbone, and my body reacts instinctively, pressing her harder against the counter.

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