Page 87 of A Heart Worth Finding
The frantic pulse of the crowd from moments before settled into a slower sort of sway, and Jack allowed himself to bask in the moment. For the duration of the song, he wasn’t worried about potentially losing his virginity tonight, or losing Jessica tomorrow. He was fully present, his world containing only him, Jessica, and this song. The places their bodies connected. Her inhalations and exhalations coincided with his, the thump of her heart against his chest timed perfectly to his own.
Jessica rose onto her tiptoes for a kiss, and Jack gave it to her, lingering on her lips for as long as he could.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said against her mouth.
She pulled away enough to study him. “And do what?”
“What do you think?” Jack said, smirking, though he felt it wobble at the edges. “But only if you want to.”
“Of course I want to,” she said. “More than anything.”
Those words took root in his chest and bloomed, spreading warmth along his limbs that had nothing to do with the press of bodies around him.
“Just…give me a second to track down the boys. I have to tell Tyler he needs to stay with Zach and Chad.”
Jessica nodded, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “I need to talk to Bethani anyway.”
They weaved their way off the dance floor and found their friends at their table, right where they’d left them.
“We’re heading back,” Jack said to the guys.
Chad, of course, responded by yelling, “Get it, boy!” at Jack.
To their credit, Tyler and Zach had more subdued reactions. They each offered him a fist-bump and a “good luck, bro.”
“Sorry, Ty,” Jack said. “You’re gonna have to stay with Dumb and Dumber tonight.”
“Rude,” Chad said.
“As long as I’m not Dumber,” Zach said with a laugh.
Ignoring them, Tyler said, “That’s fine man. We’ll see you in the morning.”
“Sounds good!” Jack shouted, then turned to find Jessica waiting at Bethani’s side, staring expectantly at him. He could practically see her limbs vibrating in anticipation, much like his own were.
The cab ride back to the resort passed too quickly and seemed to drag all at once. Soon, they reached the door to his room, and Jack keyed it open, leading Jessica inside.
He didn’t remember the last time they’d been here alone, and tonight, he was grateful he’d had very little to drink. He was going to savor this, remember every word, etch every sound she made on the walls of his mind so he’d never forget them.
Jack had planned to take his time, but Jessica had no such compunction. Before the door had fully closed behind him, she was on him.
Her hands were everywhere at once: in his hair, smoothing over the slopes of his shoulders and biceps, scratching down his back. Finally, they settled on the buttons of his shirt, slowly working each loose until it flapped open and she could push it off his shoulders.
Jack responded in kind by skating his fingers along the exposed skin of her stomach until he gripped the hem of her flowy crop top and lifted it over her head.
The rest of their clothes joined their tops on the floor, and they fell onto the bed, pressed skin to skin.
Nervous as he was, Jack couldn’t stop himself from blurting, “This is the first time I’ve been completely naked with a girl.”
Jessica giggled, lifting her hands to his shoulders, drawing circles with her fingertips on his skin. “This is the first time I’ve been completely naked with a boy.”
“I still…”
“What?”
“I don’t understand how we found each other. Here, of all places.”
Jessica shook her head. “Neither do I. But we’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
