Big Pickle: A Secret Boss Romantic Comedy - JJ Knight Page 0,42
it takes.
I open the door.
Nova is inside, setting out shiny metal bowls on the main work table.
When I step through the door, her hands go still. She doesn’t look at me.
Is she upset at me?
I did walk away from her in the freezer.
I have to fix this.
There are so many things I want to be my first line.
That I’m crazy about her.
Crazy for her.
That I only walked away because I felt I had to.
But these have been the best weeks of my life.
And I want to stay in Austin.
For her.
But I know I can’t say any of those things.
Not yet.
I have to say only these words: I am Jace Pickle. I own this deli.
I shove my keys in my pocket and walk slowly across the tile floor to stand next to her.
She’s wearing the little black tank top that I noticed on the first day I worked here. I try not to stare at her body, those perfect uplifted breasts, that sweet curve of hips.
They’re not mine to look at. Not yet.
Maybe when I say these things, I’ll be able to move toward that goal. To have her be mine. To be with me. At least to try.
The silence has gone on too long. She’s turning her head to me, a question.
“Jason—”
“Nova—”
The moment is so intense, and our simultaneous starts so forlorn, that neither of us can help it.
We burst out laughing.
We laugh long and hard, like that day with the flour. We laugh until our eyes are wet. It’s the best laughter I’ve ever felt. I know it means we will be okay.
Nova holds her belly. “I can’t stop.”
I take a deep breath. It’s hard to start my speech with this going on.
But I grab her shoulders and force her to stand up and look at me.
“Nova, I have to talk to you.”
“Me too.”
We stare at each other and the laughter dies completely away. I’m ready to start my confession, but then Nova knocks me backward, her arms around my neck, pulling me down so she can reach my mouth.
And she’s kissing me with all the passion and fervor I’ve ever dreamed of. There’s no cool society girl in this woman. She knows what she wants. And she’s going for it.
And it’s me. I lift her against my body, pulling up her thighs to circle my waist. She locks her legs around me, and I clutch her sweet ass, finally, in my hands.
Her fingers are in my hair, on my shoulders, my back. She clings to me, and I turn so she sits on the mixing table.
Our mouths melt together, sweet and hot. She tastes of coffee and sugar and good mornings. I could revel in those flavors every day for the rest of my life.
Her hair is down, and I sink my hands into those thick, silky locks. I clutch her head and press her tight against me, my tongue reacquainting itself with every sweet part of her mouth.
She grasps the hem of my shirt and pushes it up, her hands sliding along my ribs and chest.
I’m raging, and all thoughts of talking are long gone. Nova pulls the T-shirt over my head and tosses it toward the sinks. Her hands are everywhere, and every place she touches burns with need.
Any stop signs are blown aside by her eagerness and passion. We know the morning routine. There will be no deliveries, no employees, nobody here for at least two hours.
Too long, sweet, delirious hours.
I grab the bottom of her tank top, and in a split second, it also sails across the kitchen.
She wears a bra today. I make quick work of unfastening it and throwing it into the space behind me.
Now her breasts are mine to taste and caress and own.
Her head drops back as I lower down to take one in my mouth, and then the other. She arches to me, a small groan escaping her lips.
It’s the sweetest sound in the world.
I move down even farther, feathering kisses along her ribs and dipping my tongue into her belly button.
She wears the green camo pants today, a thick tan belt circling her hips.
I take my time tugging it open, releasing the clasp, and sliding it out of the loops.
If falls to the floor with a clang.
Her hands let go of me to brace herself up on the stainless-steel table.
I unfasten her pants and pull down the zipper, allowing my eyes to skim up her body to take in those glorious breasts, the jut of her beautiful chin,