CHAPTER 28 JUSTIN
JUSTIN
Justin took the hot chocolate mix out of the cupboard, then put it back again.
He had no idea how to make it with real chocolate the way Jessie did, and he was pretty sure Alexa had eaten all the marshmallows anyway.
Instead, he found an expensive-looking box of chocolate truffles Chase had stashed in the pantry, opened another bottle of Nolan’s wine, picked up two glasses, and headed to Jessie’s bedroom for what was fast becoming his favourite part of the day.
Those few blessed moments of peace between the search for Amie and restless sleep.
He knocked, and she cracked open the door.
“I brought wine, but if you want hot chocolate, I can go make some.”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d come tonight.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Well… You seemed a little annoyed with me earlier.”
“I did?”
“I know you don’t want me to speak with Sophy again.”
“I wasn’t annoyed with you; I was annoyed with Alexa. She has no sense of empathy, and she doesn’t understand that you need to decompress.”
“I don’t mind helping.”
“Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to her. Otherwise, she’ll keep assigning you tasks, and I don’t want to see you on your knees. Not like that, anyway.” Jessie’s eyes widened, and he backpedalled hastily. “Fuck, I’m sorry. That was inappropriate.”
She opened the door wider to let him pass. “Are you going to open that wine? I need some Dutch courage.”
“Why’s that?”
“Violet helped me to make a video earlier, a super basic one, just me teaching Saylor how to make a chocolate cake without burning down the kitchen or poisoning anyone.” She clapped both hands over her mouth. “Sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Making a joke about your home burning was insensitive.”
“Then it’s a good thing this place has a fire suppression system installed. Maybe I should send the video link to my neighbour—he could use some tips.”
“I’m not sure whether I should upload it.”
“Why wouldn’t you? Are you worried Ridge might track you down? Because once the Amie situation is resolved, Alexa can fix that for you.”
“She already installed a VPN and scrubbed the metadata from the file.”
“Really? She wasn’t too busy?”
“When I said I’d completely understand if she didn’t have time, she told me it was a five-minute job and a toddler could do it. But…”
Justin stayed quiet, giving Jessie the space to answer. He wanted her to feel comfortable.
“But it’s a fresh start,” she said finally. “Well, more of a reboot, with me going back to my roots in terms of content style. And since it’s such a big change, I had to explain to my followers that Ridge isn’t in the picture anymore. It just feels so…final.”
Justin’s stomach dropped. “And you don’t want it to be?”
“No, I absolutely do. But I don’t want to see all the comments about it. People judging me, offering advice I don’t want, discussing my life as if my feelings don’t matter.”
“You couldn’t just…not mention the breakup?”
Justin liked to think the asshole would still get the message when he saw Jessie had moved on without him. When he realised she had friends, and a place to live, and a career, and she didn’t need him for any of it. Her ringless finger would be a nice touch.
“Then they’ll start speculating, and that’s even worse. Last year, I wore loose blouses for a couple of videos in a row, and everyone thought I was pregnant, when really I’d just put on a few pounds and Ridge said I should hide my muffin top.”
“Muffin top? Are you fucking kidding me?”
She squished her waist through her shirt and grimaced. “See?”
“That’s literally just a normal human body. If I ever meet Ridge, remind me to punch him in the face.”
“He said I’d let myself go. That no other man would want me, and I was lucky he still did.”
“Jessie, if you weren’t getting over the marriage from hell, I’d tear off your underwear with my teeth.”
Her eyes saucered. “Oh.”
“I promised to be a gentleman, but if at any point you want a demonstration, I’d be happy to oblige.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip, and Justin hardened in an instant. Shit.
“And don’t bite your lip like that unless it’s an invitation.”
For the longest moment, she just stared at him, and he began to wonder if he’d gone too far. He opened his mouth to apologise—for the second time—but before he could utter a “sorry,” she slowly, deliberately, bit that fucking lip again.
“Jessie…” he warned.
“I just want to know what it’s like,” she whispered.
Was she serious? He actually thought she might be, but he didn’t want to do anything she might regret in the morning.
“Are you sure about that?”
“I thought it only happened in the movies.”
Justin picked her up and set her on the dresser, then pulled her forward so her ass was right on the edge, giving her no choice but to wrap her legs around him, to feel him. She gasped when she realised the effect she’d had.
“I’m all yours,” he murmured against her neck as he tasted the salty sweetness of her skin for the first time. Fate—and a scammer—had pushed them together, but he wasn’t going to make the mistake of letting her go.
Her breathy little moans didn’t help the dick situation one bit, so he kissed her to quiet the sound. It didn’t work. Her lips parted on a sharp inhale, and then he could taste every sigh. Each one was a delicacy.
But you know who didn’t like those sighs?
The dog.
In fact, he seemed quite concerned by the whole state of affairs, judging by the whining.
“Shiro, shh,” Jessie tried, but the dog just padded across to them and sat down two feet away.
“I don’t think he’s on board with the teeth thing.”
“I’ll take him to the kitchen. Ridge made him sleep in a kennel in the mudroom, so he’s not used to, uh…”
“Watching you get devoured by a man?”
“I mean, that never happened anyway, but…”
Ridge Packer was such a fuckin’ loser. And now he’d lost his wife, which suited Justin just fine. He gave Jessie one last kiss, carried her over to the bed, and then took Shiro by the collar.
“Wait, where are you going with him? Don’t put him outside. Please don’t put him outside. It’s cold.”
Did Ridge do that as well? Asshole.
“I’m going to bribe Dawson into taking him for a walk.”
A long walk. And maybe they could watch a movie together afterward. Beethoven? 101 Dalmatians? He paused to kiss Jessie again, then headed out for an awkward conversation with his former and seemingly current roommate.
The timing was wrong, but this felt right.
She felt right.
Even with everything stacked against them, Justin knew he’d found The One.