Chapter 8 #2
Mel blushed to the roots of her hair at Tate’s obvious meaning and Jordan dipped his head to whisper to her.
“Careful there or someone might think you’re…Mel?” he said as she blushed even more.
One secret down, she thought burying her face in his chest.
“Mel, look at me,” he said gently lifting her chin. “Are you?”
“Does it matter? We’re just supposed to be friends, not take this marriage some place it shouldn’t be, right?” she asked as his expression changed and she couldn’t read what he was thinking. There was still warmth in it but there was something else she’d never seen.
“I was trying to be a nice guy then. I didn’t want to scare you by admitting how much I wanted you and I probably shouldn’t still. I’ve wanted to know you from the moment you walked into that conference room, but I could tell you wouldn’t respond not the way you were looking at me and the others.”
“Jordan this is crazy.”
“It is, but I’ve wanted to do this all night,” he said lowering his mouth to hers and kissing her. It wasn’t the light kiss they normally shared for his family or others’ benefit. This kiss was meant for only them and she felt herself drowning in it and the feelings it provoked inside her.
She pulled back when his hand slipped under her shirt and hit her cool skin.
“Damn…Mel, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not that Jordan. We’re in the middle of town and I…”
“I get it, we were close to going too far in public, weren’t we?” he asked as a bit of color rose to his cheeks. “I haven’t lost control like that in years Mel. You make me act like a teen again.”
“I am a teen Jordan,” she laughed.
“In age maybe but in your head and heart you’re probably older than I am.”
“You like older women too?”
“My first girlfriend was two years older than me.”
“Is that girlfriend or girlfriend?” she asked raising an eyebrow towards him.
“Too clever for your own good. So, want to go for a walk with me?” he countered needing to cool down.
“Or we could go home,” she said taking a chance and being bold.
“Mel…”
“Jordan, let’s just go home and see what happens, no pressure on either of us. We can sit on the couch and watch TV or a movie, and we’ll just be there together.”
“You’re sure?” he asked cupping her cheek and kissing her gently.
“Completely,” she answered slowly opening her eyes to look at him.
“Let’s go home,” he stated pulling her out of the booth with him.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, walked her to the car kissing her once they reached it, and then took them home as quickly as possible.
He didn’t want to rush her, didn’t want to risk scaring her away but he wanted to be close to her.
“Jordan, stop thinking so much,” she teased as they walked into the house. She kicked off her shoes and let her jacket follow.
“So you want me to just act?” he replied pulling her over to the couch with him. He brought her down onto his lap and held her against him as he flipped on the movie she’d watched again and again.
“Just wanted you to stop glaring at me but this is nice,” she admitted snuggling against his chest. “This is very nice.”
“It is,” he agreed enjoying holding her like that. As the movie went on, his hands began to stray over her arms, up and down them then down her side inching closer to her front and lower towards her waist where her skin was peeking out.
“Jordan,” she said with a small giggle as his hand found a ticklish spot.
“You want me to stop?” he questioned turning her more in his lap to face him.
“No, I’m ticklish and you…”
“Found the right spot?” he asked purposely making her squirm away. He continued as she batted at his hands playfully until she was lying on the couch with him above her.
The playfulness ended and he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her.
Her hands strayed up around his neck, and she let herself give into the feelings and enjoy the moment.
His hands trailed down towards her waist and soothed her skin as they tracked higher and higher until they grazed the undersides of her breasts.
“Jordan,” she gasped against his lips.
“Too much too soon?”
“No just unexpected.”
“Do you want me to stop, slow down?” he asked praying she said no.
“Not a chance,” she admitted pulling his mouth back down to hers and stealing his breath as they discovered everything about each other.
∞∞∞
“Morning,” Jordan murmured against her hair as she reached out to turn off the alarm. He could feel her blush before he saw it and kissed the top of her head as he pulled her closer. “Regrets?”
“No, I just…morning,” she stated turning over to look at him. The alarm rang again and she groaned. “Why does it have to be Monday?”
“Are you saying you’d like to stay home in bed with me instead of going to class?” he asked brushing her hair from her face.
“I would,” she admitted with a bright face and even brighter smile, “but we can’t. Jordan…” she added when he began to push back the covers.
“What? If my girl wants to stay home then we’re going to stay home. I think you got food poisoning from the birthday cheesecake I tried to make you, and hey I’m the boss and need to take care of my gorgeous girl until she’s feeling better.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I think we both need a day alone at home together to get past this momentary awkwardness and get back to being us. If I go to work and you to school, later joining me there, we’re going to have this hanging over us and we’re either going to not speak at all or wind up doing something we really shouldn’t do in the office.
Now, I’m going to call the school and text Tate, so he doesn’t show up concerned, and then I’ll be back,” he told her with a quick kiss.
He began to slide out of the bed but paused to send her a big smile, “Unless you feel like blushing you might want to look away gorgeous.”
He stood up and she saw his naked backside and though she could feel the heat surface in her cheeks she couldn’t look away.
He half turned and she ducked her head. Okay, she was definitely not that bold yet, not even after everything they’d done together last night.
She might have touched him there, but they’d been under the covers, and she’d only seen his top half fully naked.
She scurried into the bathroom as soon as he left the room and tried to tame her hair as she quickly brushed her teeth. She’d slipped on her robe as she’d come into the bathroom, and she stood staring at her reflection wondering if she looked as different as she felt.
“How’d I know you were going to sneak in here?” he asked sliding up behind her.
“How can you walk around wearing nothing?” she asked averting her eyes as she turned around to hug him.
“Easily, it makes it much faster to get you back into bed.”
“Jordan, we can’t,” she said as he went to untie her robe. His hands made their way around her waist and pulled her closer to him as his mouth covered hers.
“We could always try the shower,” he teased as his hands grew bolder.
“Bed’s good.” She grinned and he agreed.
It was late afternoon before they managed to get dressed and find something to eat. A knock sounded on the door and Jordan laughed letting her go as he took a step back to go answer it.
“Looks like we timed that about right,” he said kissing her cheek.
She nodded and couldn’t help but smile as Nicole came in eyeing them suspiciously.
“What do we owe this unexpected surprise to?” Jordan asked crossing back over to Mel.
“I stopped by the office only it was closed. Now why on earth would the two of you both be home in the middle of the afternoon, cooking what appears to be breakfast?” she asked slipping onto the stool on the other side of the kitchen island.
“Nic behave,” Jordan told her.
“I see, I take it the pretend is out of the marriage now?” she asked and Mel could feel the blush that stole up her chest and into her face. “Just be careful you two, unless you want to find a full-time nanny while Mel tries to go to college that is.”
Jordan felt like he’d been sucker punched at the idea, and he turned to Mel with an apology on his lips.
“It’s fine, I’m on the pill,” she admitted hating that they were having this discussion in front of anyone, even if it was just his sister.
“You are?” he asked confused. “How long have you been?”
“A year and a half, I was having issues with really irregular cycles and the doctor put me on them to see if that helped. So we have nothing to worry about,” she said pulling the pack out of her purse for him to see.
“Okay, so now that I have my answer and know the two of you didn’t die in some bizarre accident along with Tate, I’m going to run,” Nicole said seeing the look that passed between the two. “Jordan, be good to her or Mom and Dad will skin your hide.”
“Why am I the one always being told to be good?” he asked ushering her out.
“Because everyone loves Mel,” Nicole countered.
Except Jordan, she thought sadly as he came back over to her. She pushed the thoughts and feelings away and focused on the new aspect that they’d found.
She didn’t care she’d missed an entire day of school or that both Tate and Nicole would know the truth. Everyone else assumed they were sleeping together already so they were simply falling in line with everyone’s expectations.
For now, she’d merely enjoy what they had and hope that they would find a way to stay together once she was finished with school.