Chapter Fifty
Jessica
Ruthie conked back out, and Alan took the platter of steaks out to the grill while I steamed the asparagus and finished cleaning up the kitchen.
I felt my cheeks go red as I wiped down the counter on the island and thought about the events that had taken place there not even an hour earlier.
One thing was certain—I could get on board with regular orgasms. I had no idea what I’d been missing! It made me realize what a lousy lover Jon had been. I shuddered to think if he would have acknowledged that Ruthie was his and married me, how terrible my sex life would have been.
For-ev-er.
Instead, I was with Alan.
Talk about hitting the jackpot.
I’d read somewhere that men needed release or they’d get “blue balls”. I wasn’t sure if their testicles actually turned blue or not, but I imagined the frustration was probably real.
I knew I needed to reciprocate after dinner.
He came through the sliding door with the platter of steaks and tin-foiled potatoes and moved directly to the dining room. I pulled the plate of steamed asparagus from the microwave and followed him in.
When I walked into the room, I couldn’t help but smile. He’d dimmed the lights and put lit candles on the table.
“I thought I should step up my romance game for our second date,” he quipped as he held out the chair at the head of the table for me. When I’d set the table, I’d intended that to be his spot.
I guess it didn’t matter, since it was just the two of us.
“I think I’m the one who needs to step up my game.”
He frowned as he took the seat to the right of me. “You don’t need to change a damn thing.”
“Neither do you,” I countered.
And yeah, I did. I wasn’t going to leave the orgasm count lopsided.
****
Alan
The more time I spent alone with Jess, the more I applauded my decision to ask her to marry me.
She was fucking perfect.
Not flawless perfect—her flaws were what made her perfect.
In some ways she was so damn innocent, and I wanted to be the one to corrupt her. But then I also wanted to protect her from all the shit she’d never been exposed to.
Yet in other ways she was wise beyond her years.
Far smarter than I’d been at twenty-two.
At that age, I’d just been commissioned into the Marines and was making money for the first time, so my weekends were a revolving door of women, hangovers, and no fucks given—metaphorically speaking, of course.
Once the dinner dishes were put in the dishwasher, I saw her take a deep breath before asking, “Do you want to go to the bedroom and pick up where we left off?”
My brain went haywire.
Uh, fuck yeah, I do!
But I really did want to wait. It might have been stupid and old-fashioned, but my gut told me I wouldn’t regret it.
I also recognized how much it must have taken for her to proposition me.
Fuck.
I decided honesty was the best policy.
Reaching for her hand, I led her to a stool at the island and boosted her up. I couldn’t tell if she looked confused, embarrassed, or mad.
Maybe a combination of the three.
“Baby, you have no idea how much I want you.” I guided her hand to my hard dick under my jeans to emphasize my point. “But I want to honor you and wait until we’re married.”
She wasn’t impressed with my speech; her hardened gaze and downturned mouth left no doubt that the emotion she was now feeling was pissed.
“So, what the heck was that?” She motioned toward the counter where I’d made her come earlier.
“Me pleasuring my future wife.”
“Oh, so you get to pleasure me, but I can’t reciprocate?”
“I want our first time to be on our wedding night.”
“As you so perfectly demonstrated, there are other ways to pleasure someone.”
I felt my mouth go dry and swallowed hard.
“What are you saying?”
“What do you think I’m saying?”
I think you’re saying you want to suck my cock, but there’s no way I’m saying that out loud.
“I don’t know, that’s why I asked.”
She stroked me over my jeans and murmured, “Then why don’t I show you?”
****
Jessica
He briefly closed his eyes as I rubbed his cock through the denim, and when he didn’t push my hand away, I mustered up my courage and unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down.
That’s when he grabbed my wrist.
“Jess, are you sure about this? You don’t have to do this, babe.”
“I want to.”
He motioned to the windows. Twilight had come while we ate dinner and the kitchen lights were now on. Which meant someone could easily see in if they were in the backyard.
Not that I thought anyone was in the backyard, but this was Haven Springs—you never knew who might be around.
“Then let’s go in the guest room,” he suggested.
I was nervous and excited as we walked down the hall, to the point I was almost giddy.
“I just want you to know, I haven’t done this either, so you’ll have to give me some guidance.”
He stopped walking and looked at me. “Done what, exactly?”
“Touched a man’s”—my voice got lower—“penis. Or kissed one.”
His mouth parted, and he took a sharp breath in while he nodded his head. “Oookaaay.”
Just then the phone in my pocket dinged. Then dinged again.
I purposefully ignored it, but Alan gestured to where the noise came from. “Do you need to check that?”
I didn’t want to—I already knew who it was and what they wanted. I had no doubt it was my mother, cockblocking me with a text to come home.
“No,” I told him and moved toward his bedroom just as the phone dinged again.
He gave me a sad smile when he reached for my hand and pulled me in for a hug.
“Come on, babe. I’ll take you home.”
“No!” I insisted and tried to step out of his embrace and continue to his room, but he grabbed my wrist and shook his head.
“It won’t be any fun for either of us, knowing you’re parents are waiting for you to come home.”
I felt my shoulders sag as I let out a long sigh.
“You’re right.”
But I couldn’t help but wonder if he really wanted me. Because it seemed like if he did, he would have been willing to ignore the texts, too.