Unraveling (Second Chances) - By Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,86

he said huskily.

“Ye-yeah,” I stuttered.

“I really don’t want to,” his nose swiped across the contours of my cheek. “I want to kiss you until nothing else exists except you and me.”

“Oh, really?” I smiled, my eyes fluttering closed as I prepared myself for the delicate touch of his warm lips.

“Yes… really,” his breath gusted against me.

A few seconds passed and neither of us moved. “Jared? Why aren’t you kissing me?”

He chuckled. “You didn’t give me permission.”

I opened my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling lightly on his short hair. “You always have permission to kiss me.”

He growled before crushing his lips to mine.

His fingers flexed against my hips and I suddenly found myself lifted on top of the counter. He spread my legs and stepped between them. He kept his hands on my knees and I was thankful that he didn’t venture up my thighs. I loved Jared but I didn’t want his hands going any higher. I could only take so much, before I went running and I really didn’t want that to happen.

Jared pulled away. “I should take you home now,” he said breathlessly.

I cupped his cheeks. “You’re probably right.”

He nodded and backed up. I jumped down from the counter and straightened my clothes.

“We needed tonight,” I told him, gathering my purse.

He grinned, sticking his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, we did.”

I pulled my coat on and Jared grabbed his keys. I waited by the door but he didn’t move.

“What is it?” I asked.

He looked to his side, his jaw clenched, and a muscle ticking. “I really don’t want you to go, not yet.”

“I-”

He held up a hand. “We can watch a movie,” Jared pointed at the TV. “And then I can take you home. I just need a little longer, just you and me.”

“That’s fine,” I said, removing my coat and dropping my purse. I took a seat on the small couch.

Jared sat beside me and wiped his palms on his jeans. “I feel like an awkward teen, again,” he chuckled, glancing at me. “I don’t mean to guilt you. I’ll take you home, if that’s what you want.”

I smiled. It was nice to see Jared getting all twisted up; normally it was me.

“Jared, you know me well enough by now, to know that if I wanted to leave, I would.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “You would.” He chuckled, “I’m sure you’d run right out the door, leaving a Katy shaped impression behind.”

I traced my finger around the crook of his thumb and index finger. “I said I wouldn’t run anymore and I meant it. Sometimes, I might get the urge, but I’m not going to run from you, not any longer.”

He let out a relieved sigh. “I know… but I still worry.”

“We’re human, Jared, we worry. Now, about that movie?”

“Oh, right,” he stood up and started rummaging through the cabinet the TV sat on. “Is the Fast and the Furious good with you?” He held up a DVD case.

“I don’t care,” I shrugged.

He bent and put the DVD in the player and grabbed a different remote.

He sat down and stretched his arm across the back of the couch. I kicked off my shoes and curled up beside him. I felt his lips press against the top of my head and I sighed in contentment.

The movie started and I felt my eyes grow heavy.

I felt a blanket drape across my shoulders and Jared murmured in my ear, “Love you, kitten.”

I tried to say something back but it came out sounding like some kind of alien sleep talk.

He chuckled, his chest rumbling against my ear, and that was the last thing I remembered.

~***~

Sunlight streamed across my skin, warming me and blinding me in the process.

I cracked my eyes open and startled.

There were very warm, very muscular, arms wrapped around me. Jared had me cuddled against his chest like I was a teddy bear and his face was buried in my neck. His breath gusted against me, making my skin tickle.

I knew my breath had to smell terrible and I should extract myself from his arms before he woke up, but I just couldn’t do it.

This moment, it was too perfect to ruin with insecurities.

Instead, I cuddled up closer to him and drew the blanket over both of us.

I closed my eyes, but I didn’t go back to sleep.

I wanted to enjoy this moment. I wanted to memorize the feel of Jared’s arms around me, and the fact that I loved it. After going so long without touching