to talk about what came next. Because nothing—besides the sex—would come next.
She rose off the couch and wrapped the blanket around her, then picked up her thong and jeans from the floor. “Well, it’s late, so I’m going to bed.” She leaned toward him and snagged her bra and sweater from the couch. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
After a shower, Raven was in her bedroom when her phone rang with a FaceTime call from Lark.
“So how’d it work out with Jack?”
She schooled her expression so as not to tip off her sister. “Fine.” Actually, it’d been pretty freaking spectacular. If he were any other man, she’d be gushing to Lark, but she wanted to keep this moment between her and Jack.
“Did you agree to stay together in the house?”
Hell yeah and thank goodness they had. Otherwise, it would’ve been a very dry weekend. “Yeah. We're calling it ‘separate-but-together.’”
Lark’s forehead creased. “Uh, okay.” Her expression brightened. “He’s a nice guy, right?”
The day’s events flashed through Raven’s mind, the kind things Jack had done for Heron Harbor and Brilla. She nodded. “Very nice.”
“And hot. Though, you know, not my type,” Lark added.
She laughed. “Yes, you’ve pointed that out before.” He was very definitely Raven’s type.
“I’m just saying, if you boink him, it won’t make things weird between me and him.”
What the hell? “Are you trying to hook us up?”
“I just want to make it clear, since, you know, he and I are friends. I’d be okay with it.”
Raven arched a brow. “I didn’t think I needed your permission.”
Lark’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God, you already boinked him!”
Raven dropped her head in her palm. “Dammit.” She hadn’t planned to admit it, but now that Lark had guessed, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes. Yes, I did.”
Lark chuckled. “So ‘separate-but-together’ is a smashing success.”
“I said we were attempting it. Not that we were succeeding.” If she had her way, they never would.
“Was it good?”
“Better than good.” Raven couldn’t suppress a smile.
Lark sighed. “Aw. It couldn’t have happened to two nicer kids.”
“Hey, I’m still your elder.” By three short years.
“Maybe you two could take this past the weekend.” Lark waggled her eyebrows.
Raven shook her head. “That’s a hard no.”
“I’m serious, Rae. You’re single. He’s single. Your star signs align. Sagittarius and Aries make very passionate and dynamic couples.”
“We’ve been through this. All I need is work. Men get in the way.”
Jack bolted awake to the howling wind and a loud crash against the house. Brilla was hunkered close, nuzzled under his comforter, even though he’d told her to sleep on her bed. He tossed back his covers and went to the window. Brilla gave a mournful whine.
Jack peered out at the world. Jesus, this was some storm. Rain fell sideways, and the shutters swung on their hinges, battering the clapboard siding. Beyond the house, the swollen ocean was angry, its churning waves crashing high against the beach.
He checked his cell phone. Nine-fifteen. He hadn’t slept this late in years. No doubt it had something to do with the mind-blowing sex last night.
Along with the other ways that she was blowing his mind. Ways he hadn’t expected and didn’t know how to handle.
Last night, when he should’ve been drifting off to sleep on the euphoria of a great orgasm, he’d lain in bed trying to figure out if Raven Donovan was some kind of psychic ninja master who’d hacked her way into his head.
Because everything she did knocked him on his ass.
Like when she went to bed and didn’t kiss him goodnight. She didn’t have to. They weren’t a couple, and he’d made it clear he had no interest in pursuing a relationship. But after all that they’d done, and how freely their mouths had explored each other, the fact that she’d walked away without so much as a peck, well, Jack knew it was stupid, but he felt its loss.
Or when he’d made that declaration about not wanting a relationship. Normally, women responded with a range of emotions from placid agreement to wild defensiveness. A fair share seemed eager to agree to his terms, but he soon recognized the knowing glint in their eye meant they were simply yes-ing him in the heat of the moment, intending to worm their way into his heart, then wear him down over time.
But not Raven. She’d laughed. Fucking laughed. Not because she thought he was funny or was okay with him not wanting to date her. She had no interest in having a relationship with him.
Jack wasn’t