Jersey Six - Jewel E Ann Page 0,57

it pulled his jeans down just enough to expose the black band of his boxer briefs. “Thought you said it wasn’t about Grace.”

“It wasn’t.” She discarded her knife, shrugged off her shirt, and unbuttoned her jeans while toeing off her sneakers.

Ian’s eyes surrendered, trailing down her body as his lips parted. Jersey unhooked her black bra, letting it fall to the floor in the foot of space between her and Ian.

She lifted her gaze to meet his. “But it is now.”

“You’re not a nice person.”

His words sent a thrilling jolt through her veins and etched a tiny smile on her face. “You have no idea …”

Ian peeled off his shirt, and Jersey inched her jeans and panties down her legs. He fished a condom out of his pocket. Complements of Max? Probably. He palmed the back of her head and smashed his mouth to hers. She clawed at his chest, pulling feral groans from deep in his throat.

It wasn’t love.

It wasn’t payback.

It wasn’t a promise.

When they landed on the bed, Ian pinned Jersey’s hands above her head and wedged his narrow hips between her thighs, sliding into her in one sharp thrust.

“Coop …” Her breath caught as she arched her back off the bed.

Her fingers dug into his knuckles.

Her eyes closed.

“We’re terrible people,” he whispered over her lips before kissing her, moving hard and fast into her, making Grace’s bed creak and tap the wall.

Jersey opened her eyes and smiled against his mouth pressed to hers.

A liar.

A thief.

A lover.

Jersey wrapped her legs around Ian’s waist, and she let herself pretend for a breath in time that they were beginning. But she knew—no matter what car he drove eight years earlier—they were approaching the end.

“If I didn’t know better…” Jersey glanced up at Ian as she fastened her jeans “…I’d say you like watching me put on my clothes more than you like watching me take them off.”

One side of his mouth pulled up into a partial smile as he sat on the end of Grace’s bed, tugging his shirt on.

“You’re giving me the silent treatment.” She shoved her bare feet into her white sneakers. “Coop, if you’re trying to find a way to tell me I’m fired, just say it.”

He made a weak attempt at a full smile as he leaned forward and grabbed Jersey’s hand, pulling her closer until she stood between his spread legs.

She rested her palms against his cheeks, making him look up at her. “You have something to tell me,” Jersey whispered. “I can tell. It’s the fake smile. I’ve seen it many times. It always comes right before bad news.”

He nodded, covering one of her hands with his hand before turning his head so his mouth pressed against her palm.

“Tell me.”

His head inched side to side as he closed his eyes and kissed her hand. “Not yet.”

“When?”

Ian opened his eyes. “When I’m ready.”

Nerves coiled in her stomach. Nothing could be worse than him confessing to running over Dena and Charles. A confession could cripple her intentions, steal her vengeance. Could she kill him if he told her the truth without knowing how attached she was to the real-life consequences of their death? If he dropped to his knees and begged for forgiveness, would it matter?

Jersey kissed him because she needed to get closer to him. She needed more than a promise for another day.

Jersey kissed him because they were a game and he was her pawn.

Jersey kissed him because she liked kissing Ian Cooper.

And she kissed him because no one told Jersey Six what she could or couldn’t do.

He bit her lower lip, trapping it between his teeth. She tried to grin.

“I like…” he released her lip “…kissing you.”

She nodded, rubbing her lips together to savor his taste and to keep from grinning too big.

“I’m not ready to do the walk of shame.”

“The walk of shame?”

Ian nodded. “Bryson isn’t just my bandmate, he’s my friend … he’s family. So that makes Grace like family too.”

“She likes you, in case you’re too blind to see how she looks all weird-eyed at you.”

He chuckled. “Weird-eyed?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Maybe.” He leaned forward, resting his forehead against her chest.

Her fingers threaded through his hair.

“I’m certain everyone heard us,” he murmured.

“We’re terrible people.” Her grin matched his. “The guy she likes just fucked another girl in her bed. What kind of monster are you, Coop?”

“You’re such a bitch …” he mumbled just before biting her nipple through her shirt.

Jersey seethed, and if it hadn’t felt so good, she would