Layover (Open Skies #1) - Becca Jameson Page 0,43
drawn.
“Jesus,” he muttered.
She drew in a long breath. “Look, I knew you would be mad. I almost didn’t come over. I considered not telling you at all. But I didn’t want there to be any secrets between us. I went to my mom’s. She ambushed me. I told Eddie to take a hike. I left.”
“But you also sat at the table and ate dinner,” he accused.
She lowered her gaze and sighed. “Yes. If you want to call it eating. I stabbed at my food for about fifteen minutes while thinking about how I was going to get out of there.”
A war was taking place in his head. On the one hand, she’d told him exactly what happened. On the other hand, he still thought she was stringing him along. “I’m gonna be honest, Libby. I don’t like this. I don’t like that you’re lying to your parents, and I certainly don’t like that some guy is stalking you.”
She pulled in a breath and slid off the stool. How the woman could make jeans and a fitted white T-shirt look sexy was beyond him, but she always managed to make him take notice. Even now. Even though he was off-kilter and so was she.
She took a step back. “I’m gonna go.”
He jerked. “Go? Why?”
She turned and started shuffling toward the front door, speaking as she walked. “Because I’m stressed, Jason. My evening was shit. I have some fucking guy basically stalking me, and the man I really like is more interested in what my stupid parents think than any other single thing. I want to go home and sleep.”
He jogged toward her to close the distance, wrapping an arm gently around her middle before she reached the door and pulling her back against his chest. He rocked her back and forth and set his lips near her ear. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Don’t go.”
She blew out a breath, but she was stiff in his arms.
He brushed her hair from her neck and kissed her, inhaling her scent while forcing himself not to get carried away. He was at least as nervous as Libby. The last thing he wanted was for her to leave tonight. “I overreacted,” he whispered.
She leaned her head against him. “Jason, you have to let up about my parents. We’ve been dating like ten days. I know it’s intense, and I really like you, but I’m not going to declare my undying love for someone to my mom this early in a relationship.”
He hated to admit she was right, and he knew his insecurities were clouding his judgment. She’s not Veronica, he told himself yet again. It was hard to remember that when every time he turned around, the similarities between the two of them piled up.
“You’re right,” he admitted. “Please stay.”
She turned around in his embrace and tipped her head back, her hands on his hips. “One condition.”
“Anything.”
“My brain is on overload. I’m exhausted. Can we just sleep?”
He smiled. “Of course.” Relief flooded him. For the first time since he could remember, he’d give anything to have this woman in his bed, in his arms. Even if they didn’t have sex. “One condition,” he parroted, offering her a sly smile.
“Anything,” she repeated.
“I get to wake you up with my mouth on your pussy.”
She smiled broader. “Who could turn down a deal like that?”
He released her long enough to grab her bag and then they headed down the hallway to the master bedroom.
She entered his bathroom and shut the door, reemerging five minutes later. In the meantime, he’d stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the covers. She padded toward him in the dark, removed her shoes and jeans, and then unfastened her bra and pulled it off under her shirt. She dropped both on the floor and climbed into the bed.
He would have rather had her naked, but he would take anything. The moment she was under the covers, he spooned her, wrapping one arm under her breasts and kissing her neck.
She sighed, relaxing into his embrace. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“Any time, baby girl. I know it might seem like it, but I don’t think our relationship is based on sex. Do we have amazing sex? Yes. Is it mandatory? No. I just love having you in my arms.”
She snuggled closer, he hoped in agreement.
Chapter 17
Libby smiled as she slowly came awake. The sun was just starting to peek around the edges of the blinds, and true to his word, Jason was between her legs, the