7. Jade
SEVEN
Jade
I leave him to get to work, and a little part of me feels guilty for using him like this. I tell myself that I shouldn’t. He put me through the wringer when he left. Hell, I’m still not over it, but if he doesn’t do it, who will? I’ve thought many times about hiring someone, but the thought of bringing a stranger into my house creeped me out. Sure, I could’ve asked some of the guys I work with, but I never wanted to give them the wrong impression.
As he works, I sit on the couch with my laptop, just waiting to get a message from Paul.
Paul
How’s my beautiful girl today?
I smile when I hear the familiar ping.
Jade
Awesome. I put my ex to work and have him painting my bathroom. Serves him right.
Paul
HAHA, that’s my girl. Just make sure he keeps his nose in the bathroom and not around you.
My face flushes from reading his message. I love a man who’s protective and maybe even slightly jealous.
Jade
Oh, we’ve already had that talk. Nothing can happen between us. We’ve both agreed to be friends. It’s too small of a town not to be.
Paul
Wish I was there with you right now. I’d love to pick you up against me and press you to the wall while my hands and mouth memorize your every curve. I’m sure that would make him jealous.
I feel my blood begin to boil.
Jade
Don’t tease me. It’s been too long already.
Paul
How long ?
I think back to the last fling I had.
Jade
Almost two years. How long has it been for you?
Paul
Going on three. I’ve been here. Hard to get into a relationship when you’re where I am.
Jade
I wasn’t talking about a relationship. I was talking about sex LOL.
Paul
I’m…kind of a relationship kind of guy. I don’t do the whole one-night stand or hookup thing.
My heart swells.
Jade
God, you’re perfect.
Paul
No, you’re the one who’s perfect. And I plan on spending every minute we’re together making you believe it.
I begin typing a response, but the dreaded Connection lost makes my fingers freeze.
I close the laptop and suddenly find myself thirsty as can be. I head to the kitchen and get a bottle of water. I open it, take a long drink, and then catch my breath. Paul sure is a sweet talker. I can only hope he lives up to his online persona when we actually meet. If we meet, that is. It occurs to me that Memphis has been hard at work in my bathroom for at least twenty minutes now. I guess it wouldn’t be horrible of me to offer him something to drink. I grab out another bottle and take it to the bathroom. When I get there, my mouth drops open. He stands on a ladder, shirtless. His right arm is stretched out to the ceiling, causing his biceps, chest, stomach, and back muscles to flex and ripple making my mouth go dry.
He glances down at me. “See something you like?”
I snap my mouth closed and shake my head, needing to shut down the hormones that are taking over my body.
“Yeah, an asshole hard at work,” I joke, handing him the bottle of water.
He sets the paintbrush down and takes the bottle. “Ha ha.” He uncaps it and takes a long drink. God, I wish that bottle was my body. I can still feel his lips on me like it was yesterday, not almost ten years ago.
“How’s it coming along?”
He nods and recaps the bottle. “Good. Just finishing up the trim now. Rolling it out won’t take any time at all.”
“It already looks much better,” I say, looking up at the ceiling.
He smiles down at me. “Go away. I can’t focus when you’re standing there gawking at me. I might slip on your drool.”
I shake my head with a smile. “I see that you’re still completely full of yourself. At least that hasn’t changed.”
He scoffs. “It’s only being full of yourself if it isn’t true. And in this case, you know it is.”
I roll my eyes and walk away, laughing as I go.
Memphis has always been hot and cocky and sure of himself. All of that with the wrong personality can be a major turn-off, but he has this personality that just adds to the package, making him absolutely irresistible. I know it. He knows it. He just can’t know that I know it. Otherwise, he’ll never leave me alone. Actually, I don’t know if I want him to leave me alone. We’ve only spent a short time together since he’s been back, but the hours we’ve spent together have been fun and full of laughter. He always could make me laugh, even when I didn’t want to.
I take my place on the couch and daze off as I pet Noodle and watch TV. It feels like no time has passed when he walks in, shirt back on ,and sits next to me.
“All done and cleaned up.” He flashes me a smile.
“Really? Thanks. You didn’t have to clean up. I would’ve done it.”
He shrugs one shoulder. “What do you say we go grab something to eat? Our favorite pizza place?”
I offer him a small smile. “That place closed down four years ago, and the one that moved in is awful.”
“Really? Mario’s closed down?”
I nod. “I got the last pizza and it was amazing.”
“What’d you get on it?” he asks, his eyes clouding over.
“Pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and black olives, with a side of cheesy bread and hot wings.”
He lets out a sound that almost sounds like a sexy moan. “God, I’d kill for that pizza.”
I laugh. “Me too. Mario is still in town though. Maybe you can convince him into making something special just for you.”
He nods. “I’m going to have to. Well, how about that sub shop on the corner?”
“Closed.”
“Really? When?”
“About five minutes after you left town. Didn’t even make it the summer.”
“Damn. Benny’s?”
“Cl—”
“Don’t you dare say closed. ”
I laugh and shrug. “Well?”
He throws his head back against the couch. “How’d this happen?”
“You left. Everything fell apart,” I say, joking but not really. It really does seem that way. Once he left, our whole town felt the absence.
He looks over at me and our eyes lock. It feels like the air between us is charging, gaining electricity and a pull over the both of us. I’m lost in his green eyes. My body feels like it lights on fire, and those eyes, they only fuel it to burn hotter. He leans closer—I’m not even sure if he means to—and I lean closer, unable to think past those eyes and those thick, warm, sweet lips.
My tongue comes out, wetting my lips, and his eyes drop down to watch. He bites his bottom lip, almost like he’s not sure if he can stop what’s about to happen. I can’t stop what’s about to happen. I don’t know if I want to. But Paul. I have this connection with Paul that’s greater than sex. He knows me in ways nobody else does—well, except maybe Memphis. But Memphis and I, we have or had a connection like no other. Paul may know my mind, but Memphis knows my body and exactly how to manipulate it.
Our lips finally meet, and that fire that was already blazing erupts and engulfs us both. His hands cup my cheeks, not allowing me to pull away, even though I can’t even think about that right now. He deepens the kiss, and I somehow end up on his lap, straddling him. He sits up and wraps his arms around my back, holding me close so I don’t fall. His hands are moving up and down my back, over my hips and ass, then into my hair while his mouth ravishes my own.
My hips begin rocking against him, and I feel him harden beneath me.
“Fuck, Jade,” he says against my skin as he trails hot kisses down my jaw and neck. His hands come around to cup my breasts, his thumbs rubbing against my nipple to make them tingle and harden. I gasp when he grabs them both and moves his mouth to the swell of my breast. Without allowing myself to think, I reach down and pull my shirt off, tossing it into the floor. His mouth is right back on me, pushing the cups of my bra out of the way and replacing it with his mouth. He sucks my nipple into his mouth and swirls his tongue around it before flicking back and forth. I run my hands over his head, wanting to tangle my fingers into the silky strands, but it’s not the length it used to be. Now, it’s so short I can’t pull anything.
“Memphis,” I whisper, and he pulls away to look into my eyes. I shake my head. “I know we shouldn’t do this, but I’ve never wanted anything more,” I confess.
He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob in this throat, before he stands with me in his arms, his mouth never leaving mine. We collapse onto my bed, a mess of hands and clothes, as he both work to undress the other. He sits back on his knees, and his hands work to free me of my jeans.
“Memphis?”
“Hmm?” His eyes jump up to mine.
“This doesn’t mean anything.”
He nods, his hands pushing my jeans down my legs.
“I want to hear you say it.”
He wets his lips like this lie won’t come easy. “This doesn’t mean anything,” he repeats, tossing my jeans into the floor.
I reach for him and pull his mouth back to mine. Now that it’s settled, I can enjoy this. It’s been entirely way too long. I feel a ping of guilt when I think about Paul, so I push him from my brain completely. I mean, is it really cheating if you’ve never even met the guy? After all, he may not even be real. I’m so lost in my thoughts that I’m suddenly brought back by the crinkling of a foil wrapper. I look up to find him rolling the condom over his impressive length. At seventeen, I was inexperienced and just thought that was the average size. But now I’m older and have been with men who pack less. My mouth waters as he brings his lips back to mine, the head of his cock sliding between my folds. I lift and lower my hips, enjoying the sensation of him sliding against me.
“In a hurry, Jay?” he whispers, lowering his hand between us to place himself at my entrance.
“Shut up and fuck me, Memphis,” I whisper, pulling his mouth to mine. He pushes into me, filling me in ways I haven’t been filled in years. It’s like his body was made for mine. Every inch of him fits every inch of me perfectly. We’re like a finely made puzzle, neither of us whole without the other.