Dirty Thoughts - Megan Erickson Page 0,67

could remember being in a long time. His house wasn’t silent; his meals weren’t alone.

Everything was full, nearly full to bursting, in a way he’d avoided but now craved.

Cal was a decisive kind of guy. The last time he changed his mind about something important was ten years ago, when he vowed to avoid a long-term relationship that would lead to a family.

But now . . . he was wondering if that was the one single thing that eighteen-year-old kid had right.

He didn’t know how to do this or what to say to Jenna. They’d set an expiration date on their relationship, and the timer had run out. But now he wanted an extension. A trial period.

He parked in her driveway and muttered to Asher, “Don’t forget the flowers,” before stepping out of the truck. He let Asher lead the way, a bouquet that had cost a fucking fortune clutched in his hands.

When Jenna opened the door, her eyes met Cal’s first before lowering to take in Asher and the flowers he held proudly in front of him.

“These are for you, Jenna.”

She beamed brightly, and Cal thought to himself that flowers had the right idea, tilting their blooms toward the sun. Because that was him right now, basking in the sunshine that Jenna radiated, like always.

They followed her inside so she could stick the bouquet in water. Cal wanted to grab her around the waist and tug her to him, take her mouth until both of them forgot about leaving the house for some stupid movie.

She had her hair pulled up on top of her head somehow, with a piece in a swoop over one eye. She wore a pair of tight jeans, flat shoes, and a light-blue tank top. “You look nice, Jenna,” he murmured softly in her ear and then pressed a kiss to her temple. She froze. He knew he’d avoided touching her with any sign of affection since Asher had showed up. Which was dumb. So fucking dumb. He should have been giving her flowers every day. He should have been kissing her and touching her and doing everything he could to show her how he felt.

She stared at the flowers and started arranging them in the vase.

He didn’t move his head, so his lips still brushed the shell of her ear. He could still back away; he could blow off the closeness with a laugh. But Jenna knew him, and he was touching her with intent. He knew it and she knew it. This was his night to show her that he could be boyfriend material again, that he could treat her like she deserved. He was a little rusty, but he figured he’d go with his instincts. They’d never failed him before.

Jenna didn’t move, and then slowly she turned her head so their lips were inches apart. “What are you doing?”

There was so much he wanted to say, but all the words banged around in his head, clogging until they were a jumbled mass. So he didn’t speak. He brushed his lips against hers and then stepped back, offering her a smile he hoped said what he couldn’t speak. He hoped Jenna spoke this language of kisses, because right now, that was the only thing he was fluent in.

She blinked, her lashes fluttering. Then she heaved a breath and stepped back, grabbing her purse off the table. Her hands shook as she pulled out a tube of lipstick and coated her lips. He should have felt guilty, but instead, he was so fucking relieved that he still affected her. And that she hadn’t slapped him. That had been a real possible outcome in Cal’s mind.

In the truck, he let Asher sit between them. After everyone’s seat belts were secure, he began the drive to the movie theater.

Casually, he draped his arm behind Asher’s back and let his fingers rest along the back of Jenna’s neck. She didn’t pull away, like he thought she might. He ran his thumb along her skin, feeling goose bumps and the hitch of her breath.

At the theater, Asher walked ahead of them in the parking lot, still chattering about the movie. Cal walked beside Jenna, a hand on her upper back.

In the lobby, a big screen was showing previews of movies, so Cal left Asher and Jenna there to watch while he bought the tickets.

When he found them again, standing near a display of movie posters, he had a huge bucket of popcorn and a soda for Asher and