Page 54 of Third Time's the Charm

I didn’t want to be apart, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for the questions that would come from being near the team. “Let me think about it.”

He kissed the top of my head. “Are we going slow or fast? It’s up to you.”

“Medium?” We were together a long time. It would be really easy to slip back into old habits.

He slid down so we were nose to nose. “I was thinking...maybe we should act like we’re dating again. Feel each other out. Get to know each other.”

“Does that mean last night was the equivalent of picking up a guy at the bar for a one night stand, only to have amazing sex and realizing I want to see him again?”

His eyes grew heated and sexy. Then he cupped my breast and teased my nipple. My insides clenched and yep, I was wet and horny again. It was wild. I was like an insatiable twenty year old all over again.

“Amazing one night stand, eh?”

“Yes, strange man whose name I don’t know. The sex was amazing.”

“Oh, you know my name. You called it out quite a lot last night.” He pinched my nipple between his fingers.

I moaned his name again.

“It’s not night anymore, but I’m still here. Do you want me again?”

Damn. He used his stern voice. The commanding one that I found incredibly sexy. I spread my legs.

“Greedy.”

“You can leave any time, Jack.”

He growled. “Never.”

“Well then, I suppose I’ll allow us each one more orgasm before we start the day.”

I shivered as he nibbled below my ear and planted kisses on my neck. I shivered even more when he drove into me, filling me over and over again until we both found heaven.

* * *

I floatedaround my life for the next month, pinching myself regularly, but it was all real. We were happy. We talked about hard stuff. We fought a little and made up.

Ryker, being Ryker, called to check in. Turns out he wasn’t that upset over losing me.He was already engagedto a genetics professor. They’re very happy and he even told me he realized now that he was actually pretty uncomfortable trying to fit in with me and my family. He also thought Mimi and I would be good friends if I was up for it. Which I totally was because, hello! Every archaeologist needs an in with a good geneticist.

Bernice and I got back to our weekly lunches at Fiddlers, which was where I was now. Conchita and Cynthia joined us too.

“So you’re already engaged?” Bernice blinked at Cynthia.

“Passion needs passion,” Conchita said looking at me.

Cynthia blushed. “I think in our case it’s more a case of confidence needs confidence.”

“How so?” Bernice asked.

“Well, Dad is a bit much to be around. I love him. For all his faults he’s a good guy. But I’ve never dated anyone I cared about so much and the fact that he can handle Dad? I’m marrying him before he changes his mind.”

Bernice glanced my way. “Marriage is in the air. It’s so nice. Erik and Zoe, your sister, Cynthia here…”

I was a little surprised she was already pushing this. “Don’t you think it’s a bit fast. We’ve only been back together a month.”

“What is time to two people who’ve been in love since they were eighteen?”

To be fair, I don’t think either of us was old enough to know what love really meant at eighteen, but I got her point. We’ve been basically married ever since. “YouwantJack and me to get married again?”

---