Page 57 of Ablaze

I tighten my fingers around the steering wheel, trying to force out the image of the asshole she used to date. Last I heard, he moved somewhere upstate soon after the incident with Mala. Just the thought of him laying his hands on her has my blood boiling to dangerous levels. This fucking perfect girl. Someone he should have never gotten in a million lifetimes. He hurt her? He had the fucking audacity to touch her?

He’s lucky I didn’t do more damage to that pretty face of his. I hope he has a crooked-ass nose for the rest of his life.

I clear my throat, hoping to clear away my dark thoughts because once I go back down that road, it’ll taint everything through the night. “Do you know how many times you’ve done the same for me? Every time Jessie and I have a fight, you’re the first one at my place with an excuse to watch a movie and keep me company.”

She nods thoughtfully, but a smile plays on her lips. “I lost count after your forty-fifth break up, but hey, at least we’ve watched some good movies together.”

My shoulders shake as I laugh. She’s always had a way of knowing when to make light of the heavy moments. “Smartass.”

She plays with my fingers, running her index finger over each one of mine, causing my pulse to flutter, the hairs on my arm to rise. Fuck, I wish she’d stop, but God, I hope she doesn’t.

“Rufus?”

“Sprinkles.”

The corners of her mouth twitch like she’s trying to hold back her laugh. Without even hearing what she’s about to say, I already know she’s going to ruin whatever moment we were having with one of her dumb jokes. “Which movie should I pick for your next breakup night?”

I narrow my eyes on her, pulling my hand out of her grasp, while she starts giggling. “You’re the biggest pain in my ass.”

* * *

“So, we have some news.” Jane smiles, looking from Owen to me and Mala across the table from us. Both Catherine and Owen’s daughter, Maddie, exchange looks with similar smiles on their faces. Jane lifts her manicured hand, showing off a ring I hadn’t noticed until now. “Owen and I are getting married!”

“Oh, my gosh!” Mala exclaims, rushing out of her seat. “I thought I saw a ring on your finger, but I didn’t want to presume.” She moves around the table to wrap Jane in a hug. “I’m so happy for you guys!”

“Thank you.” Jane holds Mala’s hands between them. “We haven’t finalized any dates, but we’d love for you and Dean to be there.”

Mala looks at me for confirmation before turning back to Jane. “Of course, we’ll be there!”

I shake Owen’s hand, congratulating him as well. It’s been a hell of a journey watching my old friend’s widow find someone who can give her the love she deserves. I see the way Owen looks at her, the way he’s always touching her, smiling at her. He loves her with all his heart, and it’s because of him that I’m finally seeing her smile, too.

I still remember Zander’s last words to me, begging me to make sure Jane never lost her spark, that she found reasons to keep smiling. And while I may not have been able to keep my promise to him, I’m glad she found her spark again, nonetheless. So much so that she now looks a hundred times healthier and happier than she did for years after Zander died. She’s even been back to visit the old crew at the station a couple of times.

Jane keeps her hold on Mala’s hand. “Actually, I wondered if you’d want to be my bridesmaid? I don’t have much of a family or any siblings and–”

Mala leans down, hugging Jane again, cutting off her words, “I would be honored.”

Just her words alone have me remembering the way Mala looked at Rohan and Samantha’s wedding a couple of years ago, where we both came as each other’s plus-ones. She was no longer with the douche nozzle, and I was detached from Jessie for reasons I no longer recall.

If I thought Mala looked adorable as hell on a normal basis—wearing shorts and a sweatshirt with her hair thrown up in a bun–then she looked like a fucking goddess that night.

The way the light blue dress hugged her every curve, accentuating her tits and her already plentiful ass. The way her silky hair was pinned to one side, revealing the smooth skin on her shoulder, and the long slit on the side of her dress went far enough up to almost be considered indecent, but not indecent enough.

I swear, I’ve never had a hard-on last that many hours.

At one point during the reception, after I’d danced with her, after I’d had her tits pressed against me and my hands begging to inch down to the bottom of her ass, I even considered going to the restroom and fucking my hand to give myself some relief.

I’d even waited for my normal bout of guilt to come bounding in, but it never did. In fact, ever since that night several years ago when I almost kissed her–the second time around, the same night she told me she was moving in with Warren–I haven’t felt guilty about my feelings for her.

But I also didn’t want to do anything about them, either.

Not when she was still recovering from her breakup with that asshole–when she specifically told me she wanted a break from men and dating. Not when I still believed what I did about permanently tying someone to me, given my line of work. Not when I still couldn’t fathom breaking her heart the way Zander broke Jane’s . . .

“Want to see my new room?” Catherine grabs Mala’s hand, pulling herself out of her chair. “Owen put a TV in there for me, so me, you, and Maddie can even play a game on my new Nintendo Switch!”

Mala looks back at Jane and Owen for approval as she gets pulled up the stairs behind the two girls.

Jane waves at her to follow with an airy laugh. “Go, go! Have fun.”

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