Page 55 of Darlin'

Don't need to tell me twice.

"You're home," I say, crossing my legs as I shift uncomfortably on the couch. "How was the meeting?"

His head snaps in my direction, a sly smirk clipping his upper lip as he grabs the hem of his black t-shirt. "Oh, you're still up?" He slides the shirt over his head agonizingly slowly as he walks toward me. "Meeting was good."

My salivary glands nearly rupture as I shamelessly stare at his clenching abdominal muscles. He tosses theshirt to the side, grinning at my thirsty reaction as he plops down beside me on the couch, so close that he's nearlyonme.Are you kidding me?!He kicks his boots up on the coffee table.

"Man, I'm beat."

"Yeah, drinking for hours will do that." I squirm beside him, willing for the couch to somehow expand a couple of inches in length. "Why are you sitting so damn close? Move over."

"Nah." Jesse yawns, his liquor-scented breath floating up my nose. "I like itright here." He taps my bare thigh, and I frown, turning toward him. He sighs. "What?"

"You shouldn't have ridden your bike home," I say in a scolding tone. "You could've gotten hurt."

"Not my first rodeo, princess." Jesse rolls his eyes, draping both arms around the couch. "And it sure won't be my last."

"Drinking and driving ain't safe, Jesse," I state, shaking my head. "No matter how muchexperienceyou have."

"I know." Jesse's jaw locks as he swallows. "I'm under the limit, okay? Relax."

"Yeah?" I ask. "And how would you know? You got a portable breathalyzer in your saddle?"

"In fact," Jesse says, casting me a wary side-eye, "I do. Had it for a couple of years now."

I swallow, remembering Andy's comment about his momma. "Oh..."

"Yup," he hums, hand dangling over the side of the couch. "So, what you get up to tonight, princess? Paint your nails? Do a little mask?" He pouts. "Write in your diary?"

I scowl at him. "I wasreading, thank you very much."

"Yeah?" His gaze floats to the book on the armrest. "And what are we reading?" He leans over, grabbing the book, and my eyes widen with panic. Crap! He skims the cover, blinking, “Isn’t this…?”

"Give that back!" I demand, reaching for the book, but he changes hands, holding it above his head. Amusement muddles Jesse's features as he fends off my attempts to retrieve my dirty little secret. "Stop it! Jesse!"

"What's it about,Savvy?" Jesse teases, turning his back toward me and crushing me against myself.No. No. No. No.He flips open the book to the earmarked page, and my soul leaves my body. This is it. Death. There's no coming back from this.

"Oh, shit..." He looks over his shoulder, grinning like a damn fool. "Thisis what you're reading?" He clears his throat, and Iknowhe's about to start reading it out loud. "His throbbing cock?—"

"Stop!" I jerk up, leaping toward the book. Jesse's cat-like reflexes don't waste a second as he changes hands again. I straddle his lap, stretching my arms as far as they go in order to preserve my dignity. "Jesse!"

He switches hands, and I wobble back and forth, failing with each attempt.

"Just give it back! Come on! Just give it—" Jesse freezes, and my eyes widen when I feel a twitch against my ass. "Umm..." I sheepishly peer down at Jesse, catching his blazing expression. My gaze flits down to his semi-parted lips and then down to his bare chest toward... Oh Lordy… “Are you..."

"Why'd you stop?" Jesse rasps, dropping the bookbehind the couch. His shallow breaths blow against my chest as I realize just how close we're sitting. I swallow, not moving as he dances his fingers up and down my thigh, drawing tiny circles in his wake. "Keep going, Savannah."

"I—" Move. Get off him. Move your ass! My breath hitches as Jesse looks up at me with hooded eyes and drags his thumb across my bottom lip. His heady gaze floats across my burning face. "Don't look at me like that," I breathe. "It's?—"

"You know," he whispers, his calloused fingers softly sweeping down my neck, "You're quite beautiful..." He glides his hand down my chest and over my breasts, stopping at my hardened nipples. My mind spins from his calculated touch. Oh, God... He sucks in a breath, adding with a cocked head, "When you're not talking, that is."

I blink at him, brain fog lifting. What did he just say? My jaw drops. Abruptly, I jump out of his lap and grab the closest cushion.

"Such a dick!" I grunt, chucking the throw pillow at his face as he laughs at me. Cursing myself, I round the couch and grab the book off the floor. "Dick, dick, dick!" I smack Jesse over the head with four hundred pages of sizzling hot spice. "Dick!" I grumble, storming to my room. "I'm going to bed!"

“Dick? Don’t you meancock?” Jesse calls out, chuckling obnoxiously. "Oh, come on, princess, where are you going? You didn't finish your lap dance!"

I slam my bedroom door, sinking down on the floor and burying my face in my hands.

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