Page 54 of Home Town

He had her undressed in no time, then followed suit himself. He only stopped long enough to ask, “You sure Quinn’s not going to be home tonight?”

Getting caught by her big brother was one thing. Being caught on top of her by an active-duty Navy SEAL was another. He didn’t want to experience all the many ways Quinn had been taught to kill him in his years in the SEALs.

Hooking one hand behind his neck to pull him down for another kiss, Josie said, “Forget about Quinn,” before she crushed her mouth against his.

As he felt her body beneath his, he had no problem doing exactly that. He forgot all about Quinn and everything else except Josie.

It took two times, plus a good bit of foreplay in between before he was satisfied—at least temporarily. He knew he’d want her again as soon as he’d recovered. And maybe hydrated.

Next to him, Josie’s eyes closed. She’d drifted off to sleep, judging by the depth of her steady breathing and the peaceful, relaxed expression on her face.

She’d learned a few things over the years since they’d been together last. He tried not to think about whom she’d learned them from or practiced on.

Although, knowing Josie, she’d picked up that one trick she’d pulled on him from a website somewhere. She did like her research and he wasn’t complaining. He’d come so hard he nearly blacked out and he was pretty sure that wasn’t because of his brain injury.

She let out a little snort of a snore and he smiled. A wild cat one moment and a sleepy kitten the next…

Speaking of kittens… Corey saw a little face peeking out from beneath the dresser across the room. Then a second face. He smiled, remembering that night Josie had lost them in the wall.

Peanut Butter and Jelly. The little ungrateful troublemakers must have been frightened of him so they’d hid. Although, he couldn’t blame them. Things had gotten pretty loud there with Josie for a bit. The kittens were just creeping out now that it was quiet.

When was the last time he’d had a pet? He could barely remember. They’d gotten a dog when he was really young. And a cat when he’d been a bit older, but after each had passed his mother vowed no more animals. She said it was too heartbreaking to lose them.

He had to wonder if she wouldn’t like the company now though that she lived alone. Surely the years of happiness and companionship made up for the pain of loss.

The significance of that concept hit him. It seemed to relate to more than pets. Wouldn’t it apply to people to? Wouldn’t whatever time he had with Josie be worth the risk. Long distance might not work for them, but wasn’t it worth trying?

Looking down at her, he realized, she could be his. Forever or just for a while, the pleasure of having her in his life would be worth it.

For the first time in a long time he felt hopeful. And happy. And thirsty…

Slipping out of bed, he snagged his boxer shorts off the floor and pulled them on. Barefoot he made his way to the kitchen, took down a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water.

Funny. This felt normal. Comfortable. Familiar almost. He’d been in this house growing up. It was leaving Josie asleep in that tiny bed, naked and sated, and wandering around the house in his underwear that was new. But something he wouldn’t mind becoming familiar.

Turning, he saw a stack of papers and a laptop on the kitchen table. Josie must work there, in lieu of a desk. Carrying the glass over with him, he poked at the stack. He saw her scribbled notes. Even a sketch she’d done.

It was of the compass.

The sight of that sketch brought all of the real-world problems crashing back into the happy bubble of peace he’d found in Josie’s bed.

Maybe he was being stubborn. Maybe it was fear he or she or both of them would be blamed for the missing compass. Whatever it was, he wasn’t willing to give up looking yet. It was too soon to admit defeat.

They’d gotten permission from the manager of the gas station to look at the surveillance tapes anytime they wanted. They hadn’t gone past seeing Kirk go back inside before they’d stopped.

There had to be something on there after that. Maybe Kirk sneaking the compass out at a later time. Maybe someone else going in. Whatever was on there, he needed to see it.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Josie woke naked and in bed alone. She stifled the disappointment. What had she expected? All six-foot two-hundred pounds of Corey to stay all night with her in her twin-sized childhood bed?

She really did need to get a new bed set in here. She’d liked how this one had the trundle so when Bailey slept over—both in high school and more recently, just last year—she had a real mattress to sleep on. But the reality was that Bailey was engaged to Quinn now and she’d be sleeping in his room from now on, not Josie’s.

Not that she’d be having many booty calls in this room.

If her parents hadn’t been away on their insane Instagram influencer RV road trip they’d be home and there was no way she’d be sneaking boys into her room. Corey was too old to be crawling through her window after her parents went to sleep like he used to. And their adult sex—at least according to her memories—seemed a lot louder and more energetic than their teenage sex had been.

With a sigh, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and reached for an oversized T-shirt to pull on over her nakedness. The tug of sore muscles that hadn’t been used at all lately and definitely not that hard had her vividly remembering last night.

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