Mismatch - By Nana Malone Page 0,73

for her slowly gliding fingers, he flipped her over, earning himself a squeal. Which turned into a moan as he lined up the rigid length of himself against her silken softness. Thank God she’d stopped bothering to wear underwear around him. With his thumb, he circled her clit once. She bit her bottom lip. He circled the bundle of nerves twice more and groaned. When his thumb made a third pass over the tight nub, Jessica’s back bowed, and she clawed at his starched shirt.

“Eli. Hurry.”

That was all he needed—to slide deep into her. They were both so keyed up, all it took was a few strokes. She tugged on his hair, and he sucked her breast through her tight bodice. As soon as she quivered around him, he picked up the pace, driving into her until she screamed out his name again and again as her release swept her up. He quickly followed, sliding into her one last time before blissful ecstasy took over, and he didn’t remember his name anymore.

Several minutes later, they lay intertwined, fully clothed, breathing harshly, and sweat dripping from their brows. Jessica smirked up at him. “So is this a no, you’re not mad at me for making you a sculptor.”

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “No, I’m not mad. I wish I’d known. But I’m not mad. It’s something from the past. And hey, you made me twenty grand.” Without knowing it, she’d given him the one thing he’d always wondered about. He’d never known if he could have been as talented as Samson He’d always been chasing his brother trying to save him. By selling that piece, she’d shown him a possibility he’d never known. And he couldn’t even tell her.

“Hey, so I was thinking. Maybe we could go away this weekend. You and me. Catalina or San Diego. Maybe down to Mexico, take a couple of days and get to know each other without all the crazy.” Preferably somewhere you won’t ditch me when you find out I lied to you.

She stopped tracing lazy circles on his back and turned to face him. Wide blue eyes blinked up at him, and she began to squirm under him. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He’d pushed her too far maybe. “Stay put, I’ll be right back,” he said.

Eli stumbled into the bathroom, cleaned up, and adjusted his clothing. He wet a washcloth with warm water and brought it back to her. He cleaned her up and readjusted her dress as best he could. When she was clothed, he sat across from her. “You want to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Eli, I—”

He knew that look. Ice and dread knotted in his belly. She was going to leave him. “Jess, whatever you think you want to do right now, don’t. Look, I’m sorry. I came off as really intense right now, and we fell into the usual pattern. I …I—” His heart hammered, and he could feel the panic attack coming on, like when he thought Sam was dying. Oh shit.

“Eli. I can’t go away with you. I can’t keep seeing you.”

Oh Shit. The moment the words were out of her mouth, his whole body went numb. She’d found a reason to leave without even knowing the truth. As she spoke, it was as if she held a megaphone in a sprawling auditorium of one person. “Eli, I watched you tonight. I was so sick with jealousy. You and I weren’t ever really meant to work out. You’re an artist, and at the end of the day, that’s not what I want for myself. I’ll always be second guessing. I’ll always be wondering if I’m enough. I know I keep saying it’s the last thing I want, but I need someone stable with a stable life. It will help me feel solid. I’m so sorry. I just can’t. You will break my heart.”

Disconnected from the numbness of his body, Eli forced himself out of the chair and woodenly headed for the door. Peripherally, he knew she was crying. He wanted to comfort her, but she would always see Samson. Not Eli.

With a soft click of the door, he left.

Chapter 23

“I’m in love with him. So I broke up with him. That's crazy, right?” Jessica clutched her throw pillow as she and Izzy watched Kara toddle around Izzy’s living room.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Jessica scowled at Izzy, but she shrugged. “You love him, but you ran. Does that sound rational to you?”

No. “Yes.” How the hell