laugh, then paused. “You’re serious?”
He slid his hand down to her ass and squeezed. “Dead serious. You think I’m done with you?”
He practically heard her gulp.
“Um, okay,” she muttered.
“Jenn?” He squeezed her closer. Just a little. “I’m teasing.”
“Of course you are.”
Okay, that was a lie. He’d considered it. But it wouldn’t do to trap her here, regardless if he wanted her to stay.
This was the part he wasn’t looking forward to.
He grit his teeth and eased their bodies apart.
Jennifer shivered next to him and rolled to her back.
“Bathroom’s through there.” He pointed at a darkened doorway.
She rolled off the far side of the bed and walked out of sight, closing the door behind her.
Holy shit.
For a moment he lay there, letting it all sink in.
One thing was for sure. He was screwed.
Orion gingerly got up and padded into the half bath off the kitchen to dispose of the condom. He grabbed their phones, shirts and her bra on his way back to the bedroom.
She was still locked away when he returned.
He tossed his clothes into the hamper and gathered hers, neatly folding it all into a pile. He was trying to decide what to do with it when the bathroom door opened.
Jennifer looked at him and then her things.
He held them out to her.
She picked her phone off the top and looked at the screen. But only for a moment. After checking whatever she needed to check, she powered the screen off and looked at him.
She wasn’t trying to dress and leave. Not yet, at least.
He reached out and took the phone, then set the clothes and her device on the wooden trunk at the foot of the bed. All within easy reach. Then he grasped her hand and led her back to the bed, only this time he pulled the blanket and sheets down.
Orion circled to the other side. His normal side where his charger and other things were. He closed the top drawer and put his phone face down, then got into bed.
Jennifer had the sheet tucked up under her arm and was fussing with the pillow. He lay there on his side watching all of it. The light from the hall and the partially covered window was more than enough light to see by.
She glanced at him, then away.
More nervous behavior?
He reached over and took her hand, linking their fingers.
“You don’t know how to be still, do you?” he asked softly. That wasn’t the real reason, but he wanted her to be more at ease.
“I don’t know how to do this.” She squeezed his hand.
Look at her.
She was tackling it head on.
“This,” he squeezed her hand back, “can be whatever we want it to be.”
She breathed deep, letting her eyes almost shut, then slowly blew it out and met his gaze. “Okay.”
She was trying.
His heart swelled, and he bit the inside of his mouth to keep from saying anything.
The world was not worthy of her.
Her brow furrowed. “I can’t stay. You know that, right?”
“Why not?”
“If Milan needs me, I have to be where I’m supposed to be.”
“Ah.” He leaned a little closer. “Milan knows I took you out today. She kept asking if it was a date. Do you think she’d have an issue with...this?” He squeezed her hand once more.
“Oh...” Jennifer blinked a few times. “I’d be closer if anything happened.”
“And, if anything happens, she’d have us both responding at once.” He was going to sell her on whatever angle got her in his bed longer and mean every word.
“Is that okay though? I mean, me...staying?”
He couldn’t contain his grin. He reached over, wrapping his arm around her waist, and tugged her closer. “Baby, this is exactly where I want you to stay.”
“Oh.”
He wasn’t imagining the bright flush on her face. In fact, he could feel the heat from her skin.
“Okay,” she muttered. “I’ll just...text Milan.”
“You do that.” He let go of her.
She rolled to her side.
He knew he should back off and give her space, and yet he followed her, pressing his front to her back. He very carefully kept his eyes off the screen and instead kissed her shoulder while her thumbs flew.
And flew.
And kept going.
Was she giving Milan a play-by-play?
“Sorry,” Jennifer said slowly. “I have to reply to this work thing.”
“Oh?” That was a relief.
She chuckled. “And Milan has replied.”
“And?”
Jennifer held the phone up.
Milan’s response took up the screen. It was a single gif of a gray cartoon cat with big heart eyes doing a flip.
Orion laughed.
That was perfectly Milan.
Jennifer placed the phone