Page 113 of Dallas

It wouldn’t make any sense to pursue something more with Sam. Not when it would ruin what they had. Because it would ruin it. Because he would go nuts about Poppy’s fur. Because he didn’t know how to live with someone. He didn’t know how to share his space.

And then he would be left with the burned-out remains of the most important relationship he’d ever had. All because he couldn’t keep it in his pants.

No. The longing and aching were just going to have to keep on longing and aching. Because he wasn’t acting on it.

He and Sam were going back to normal.

“I’m going to go wash up then,” he said. “Thank you.”

She looked at him, the expression in her eyes unreadable. “You’re welcome.”

“Movie and popcorn after dinner?”

“Sure. As long as it doesn’t star Bruce Willis.”

“I’ll let you pick.”

“Then we have a deal. And I brought movies with me, so don’t think you’re getting off easy.”

Interesting choice of words. And he’d learned yesterday that where Sam was concerned, there really was nogettingoffeasy. Well, it was easy to get off. It was the after stuff that was hard.

But it was an important lesson learned.

“Great. I’ll be down in a few.”

“Great.”

Yeah, things were normal now. And he was glad.

Sam was happily surprised at how easy dinner had been. And they were on to cake and a movie, and things were still easy. She’d picked a rom com because that was what she liked, and since she humored Jace’s need for car chases and explosions on a regular basis, he had to deal with her love of slapstick and happy endings.

They were keeping a healthy distance between them on the couch, and yeah, it was a little healthier than normal, but that was probably good. Because clearly, things were a little more combustible between them than they’d realized. So taking precaution was a good idea, really.

The popcorn bowl sat in the yawning blank cushion space between them—not in anyone’s lap. It was just smart to do it that way. As conscious as she’d been about what was beneath the bowl that last time it had ended up in his lap, she would be a million times more conscious of it now that she’d felt every hard delicious perfect inch between her thighs, taking her to heaven faster and better than any other man ever.

He’d had clothes on, and still, comparing the quality of the orgasm she’d received to what she’d experienced with her exes had been like comparing first class to economy. A superior ride in all senses of the word.

But she wasn’t thinking about that. She was watching a movie and not thinking about it. Because she should be good. She should be satisfied and stuff because they’d gotten all the tension dealt with, so to speak, and now they were being normal.

She took a deep breath and reached for the popcorn bowl, and her fingers brushed against his. She jerked back like she’d been burned, turning to face him, her eyes wide.

Jace was staring straight ahead, his posture rigid, his eyes focused on the TV. He didn’t look like he’d just been zapped by a rush of electricity.

And she immediately felt stupid because when did she react like that to him touching her hand? Never. So why start now? Because she knew how good that hand felt against her bare skin? Because she wanted to feel that hand on her bare breast, and her butt and...and...other places?

No. Surely not. So inappropriate. And she wasn’t being inappropriate. She was being normal. She checked this time to see if his hand was in the bowl before she reached in and took another handful. She was taking no more chances.

The electricity between them was just hazardous. And she hated it. Because she couldn’t deal with it. At least, she couldn’t deal with it in a healthy, mature way that didn’t involve throwing herself on his body and breathing heavy.

It was the proximity—it had to be. It was like cranking up the heat on something that had been on a low simmer for a lot longer than she would like to admit.

And last night it had boiled over.

She turned her attention back to the movie and tried to focus except...oh, that kiss on screen was getting very passionate. And...how had she forgotten this part? How? How had she forgotten there was a shower scene? Of all things.

It was so very bad. She and Jace had just had their own, less awesomely choreographed scene in a shower, and now this was just making her think of that. Well, she was already thinking of it so it was making her think of it more.

She didn’t want to look at Jace. It would be awkward. But the more she didn’t look at him the more awkward it got because she was so purposefully not looking at it him that it was getting painful.

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