Chapter Nine
He grasped her neck and forced her against the wall.
His head dipped slightly, and she angled herself to meet his lips.
She’d always been a fan of kissing, but Jonah took it to an entirely new level.
His tongue slowly tangled with hers, and she felt a tingle down to her toes.
And in other places. His hands rested against her waist, his thumbs circling her skin through her shirt.
So damn close to her breasts. She’d never had sex on a first date, but she was seriously considering it now.
He kissed her lips in small pecks that were just as hot, if not more.
They left her yearning and wanting. The heat she was feeling wouldn’t just go away.
She would definitely have to take the edge off when she got home.
Unless he invites me to stay. Did he realize what he was doing to her?
His teeth raked over and tugged on her top lip.
The moisture in her panties was on the verge of embarrassing.
One of them would eventually need to summon enough willpower to stop. She fisted his shirt, pulling him closer. It won’t be me. She’d thought about kissing this man too many times. Knowing his house was empty had her grinding her hips against his thick bulge.
His hands slid up her waist, gently teasing her breasts and wrapping over her jaw.
“Dinner … next Friday.” His raspy deep voice sent heat through her veins. “You pick. Anywhere you want.”
Next Friday? A whole week? Roxanne wasn’t sure she’d be able to wait that long. She offered an alternative.
“Or,” she panted, unable to control her breath, “we can get together during the week.”
He inched back, sliding his thumbs over her cheeks. “Weekdays don’t work for me.”
Since when? It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over her, evaporating all her heat. She turned her head, but he tightened his hold, forcing her to face him.
“I got work, a project due and the boys.”
They were all fair and believable reasons.
None she could argue about. However, she was taking issue with it.
She licked her lip, grabbed his wrists and gently pulled them away from her.
Jonah dropped his arms to his sides, showing no resistance.
She didn’t expect any. After the way he’d almost lost his shit when he heard Cord had touched her, she knew he was the type of man to respect boundaries.
“Okay, I’ll check my schedule and let you know when I’m available.” Roxanne was well-aware of her calendar. She was so organized, she knew upcoming plans months in advance. She shifted to the right to pass him, and Jonah shot out his arms, resting his hands against the wall, caging her in.
“What just happened?”
Again, a fair question. Had the roles been reversed and he’d shifted his demeanor so quickly, she’d be asking the same thing. But the last thing she wanted was to openly share her thoughts which in turn would expose her insecurity. She’d settle for an honest compromise.
“Like you, I have a lot going on.”
He scanned her face intensely. “I know that.”
“So, you should understand that I’d have to check my availability.”
“I do. That’s not what I’m questioning, Roxanne.” He angled his head, pinning her under his stare. “And I think you know that.”
She lowered her chin to her chest.
“Tell me.” His deep, yet soft whisper was having an effect on her. But she refused to be distracted. Inadvertently, he’d hurt her feelings. Or maybe he was being honest.
She inhaled a breath and looked up. “Weekdays don’t work for you?”
“No.”
“But they do when you go out with Rachel? That was a Thursday night.”
He stood silent, staring back at her for a few seconds, then dropped his arms to his sides and stepped back.
Jonah dragged his hand over his mouth, glancing to the opposite end of the garage.
Still, he said nothing. Roxanne wasn’t sure how long she’d stand there waiting for an explanation. She just knew she wanted one.
“She travels a lot for her job, so when I could, I’d work around her schedule.”
Ah, Jonah, that was not the answer I was hoping for.
“Okay, well, like I said, I’ll check my schedule and …”
Jonah stepped closer. They were only inches apart, but he wasn’t touching her.
“In the past, I saw Rachel about every four months. We’d grab dinner and,” his jaw squared, “spend a few hours together.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was saying. It was code for sex. She assumed they’d been intimate after seeing them together. It shouldn’t have bothered her. Until an hour ago, they’d been nothing but acquaintances. Still… It bothers me.
“That’s it. Wasn’t bullshitting you when I said it was casual. It worked for us.”
Worked? It wasn’t lost on Roxanne that he was using the past tense to describe his relationship with Rachel.
She could’ve asked outright, confirming they were no longer seeing one another.
Considering she and Jonah hadn’t even gone on their first official date, it seemed a bit juvenile.
But… Everyone had their weak moments. This was hers.
“So, you’ll be seeing her again in four months?” The second the words left her lips, regret instantly set in. A heat rushed from her chest to her neck.
Jonah had a different response. His features softened, and the corner of his mouth hitched slightly. “Not if I’m seeing you.” He paused. “Pick any day and I’ll make it work.” Jonah slid his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest. “Just want to see you again.”
That was the answer she wanted. She rested her hands on his chest, sliding her fingertips over his heart.
“I can do Friday night,” she muttered, ignoring the blush spreading over her cheeks. She’d just given him a whole spiel of not knowing her availability, and she was caving within seconds.
“You sure?” His breath fanned over her cheek as he moved closer. “‘Cause I will make any day work for you.”
Oh, my God. Roxanne curved her neck, pressing her lips against his.
Within seconds, they were back to where they’d left off.
His hands trailed over her hips, up to her ribs and closer to her breasts.
His tongue slipped between her lips, making her moan into his mouth.
It seemed to set him off, and he pressed his body against hers, sending her deeper into the hard wall.
When his lips caressed over her jaw, she said the first thing that came to mind.
“I can make tonight work too.”
Jonah pulled away a fraction, sliding her hair away from her eyes and skimming his finger down her temple. A sweet yet very sexy move. If he was trying to diffuse the heat between them, it wasn’t working.
“Holden will be home in a few hours.”
Just the thought of his little brother finding them in a compromising position was enough to shift the mood. “I guess that would only fuel his theory that we’re banging.”
Jonah laughed and gave a slow nod. “But he’s staying at a buddy’s house next weekend. Cord will be gone too.”
Roxanne tried to fight against her smile. And lost.
“So? Next Friday? Dinner and,” she kissed him, “more than a few hours?”
“A lot more if I have my way.”
“You’ll have your way,” she whispered against his lips.
She could’ve spent the rest of the night just kissing this man. But as he pointed out, they wouldn’t be alone for much longer.
“We'd better stop,” she said breathlessly. She sounded more like a woman who’d just run a marathon than a girl who’d been kissed. “And I can choose anywhere for dinner?”
He nodded through hooded eyes.
“In that case, I want cheeseburgers.” She kissed him again. “With fries.” He leaned forward, taking her lips in a soft peck. “In your workshop.”
He stilled and slowly lifted his head, smirking. “Cheeseburgers and fries in my workshop?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh. I want you to share what you love with me.”
All humor died. His jaw squared, his lips tightened into a flat line. It wasn’t the reaction she’d expected. She hugged his body against hers, and he came willingly.
“Unless you don’t want to.” Maybe it was something he kept private, and she’d stepped over the line. Maybe it was too soon? She parted her lips. “It’s okay if you don’t want to, I just—” She never got to finish her sentence. His lips came down hard, stealing her breath.
“Cheeseburgers and fries in my workshop,” he whispered.
Jonah was saying the words, but she felt resistance. She didn’t want to pressure him or make things awkward.
“Are you sure? Because if it’s something you don’t like to share or …”
“Rox,” he cupped her jaw, forcing her to look up. “I don’t share it with a lot of people.”
“Okay.”
His thumbs strummed over her cheeks. “But I want to share it with you.”
This is going to be the longest week of my life.
****
Jonah rolled his neck and straightened his back, cracking it in the process.
It’d been a long day with a few hiccups on his current project.
Having two employees no-show left the others scrambling to keep it on schedule.
It meant Jonah had to step in more than usual.
Aside from that clusterfuck, he had an order for a coffee table for a new client who needed it in three weeks as a rush order.
Jonah had too much on his plate, and the signs of stress were showing.
If he’d been smart, he would’ve canceled all his plans for the weekend and locked himself in his workshop until the piece was complete.
Not a fucking chance. His only focus for the weekend was a blue-eyed, dark-haired beauty whom he’d be seeing in a few hours.
By Monday, Jonah regretted his suggestion to wait until the weekend to go out with Roxanne.
It was way too fucking long. They’d messaged back and forth a handful of times throughout the week.
Usually, she’d initiated it until yesterday when, completely out of character, Jonah had sent her a message when he’d woken up.
Jonah: Good morning.