Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
He snorted, looking at the still full shot of tequila longingly. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“No?”
He looked into her eyes and, just like that, any trace of amusement vanished, his sudden seriousness thickening the air between them. “I wouldn’t look for anything if you were with me.”
The muscles in her legs twitched, her knees bending under the effect his words had on her, drunk or not. Somehow, she knew he wasn’t kidding. It wasn’t all tequila either. Looking into his eyes, all she saw was raw longing.
She wasn’t sure she could handle that.
“Stop it, Mitch.” Her words were pleading but her tone echoed with more.
He stepped closer, angling his face so that their cheeks brushed. His hot tequila-infused breath raised tiny hairs on her back. “I can’t.”
A bubble of air stuck in her lungs, and she momentarily forgot how to breathe. “You’re drunk.”
He let out a low laugh. “True. But you know me. I’m not that drunk.
” His tongue slowly ran over his lips and Jackie traced the movement, captivated.
“I’d say strongly tipsy. Like, very strongly tipsy.
” His head slipped back on her shoulder.
“Oh fuck! I forgot to check on Lina and Gus. I told Bruno that I’d come back again today. Fuck, what kind of shitty vet am I …”
She chuckled. Drunk Mitch seemed to have his priorities straight. He’d spent every day since Gus’s birth over there, dropped off by Luis in the morning and picked up by Rea in the evening. “I called Estrella earlier. They’re both doing fine. I told her we’ll both come tomorrow.”
“You did?”
Jackie nodded.
“Thank you, that was nice of you.” He hiccupped.
Jackie sighed, hooking her arm under his. “Time to go. Can you walk?”
Mitch shuffled his feet, one in front of the other, in a not-very-straight line. “See? All good.”
“It’ll do.”
She nudged him forward, keeping his sagging torso upright. It was a good thing there wasn’t a big height difference between them, or she might’ve not been able to support him.
Mitch didn’t say anything the whole way back to the hotel.
Jackie wondered if walking took all his concentration.
They reached the elevators, and his back slumped against the wall. “That was almost harder than the first time on a horse.”
Jackie arched a brow. “Really? Walking a couple of hundred yards was harder than riding Diamond for the first time?”
He nodded solemnly. “Tequila’s fault.”
The elevator pinged as the doors opened.
Mitch gestured inside with a flourish. “After you.”
Jackie pressed the round button with their floor and stood right next to him, their elbows brushing.
The back of his head rested against the mirrored wall. “You’re staring at me.”
She looked away. “No, I’m not.”
He smirked. “You so are. But stare all you like.” One of his eyes cracked open. “I like staring at you, too.”
Jackie shook her head, but the corners of her lips turned up in a small smile.
They arrived on the right floor, and she fumbled in her pocket for the master key card. She tapped it at the door, which clicked unlocked.
Mitch shot her a curious grin. “All this time you could’ve snuck into my room and you haven’t …”
Jackie pressed her lips in a firm line. “Get inside.”
He lifted his hands up like he was feigning innocence and stumbled over the threshold, the mood lights flooding the room instantly.
She followed him, and the view from the floor-to-ceiling balcony doors took her breath away, reminding her that this was the honeymoon suite.
Mitch flopped himself on the bed, spreading his arms wide. “I think you’re right. I might’ve had a teeny bit too much.”
Jackie sat at the edge of the king-size bed, looking at him. Tiredness and worry seeped from every pore in his body, from his closed eyelids to his sweat-coated forehead. “Do you want some coffee?”
He shook his head without opening his eyes. “Think it might come back up.”
“You need to drink water, though.”
She stood, turning to the mini fridge. Her hands shook as she poured the contents of a water bottle into a tall glass on the side. “Come on, Mitch. Sit up and drink this.”
His eyes flung open. He sighed theatrically. “Fine.”
Mitch reached for the glass, but Jackie didn’t want to let go too early, afraid he’d spill it; his fingers wrapped around hers.
The insistent humming of desire filled her ears.
His eyes lifted, his gaze meeting hers, and for a split second, she forgot about all the reasons why giving in to that invisible string tugging at her heart would be wrong.
How wrong could it be, if it steadily pulsated over the past ten years, without her even laying eyes on him?
Like a stain she couldn’t get out of her heart, no matter how much she tried.
But had she tried, truly? Maybe part of her wanted to keep these golden years they spent together tucked away in a safe space she could visit in her mind whenever things got hard.
He pulled in a deep inhale, breaking the spell between them.
Jackie withdrew her hand and cleared her throat. “Bottoms up,” she said cheerily, but it sounded flat.
Mitch didn’t smile but his scorching gaze didn’t leave hers as he lifted the glass to his lips and drained it, shoving it on the nightstand. “There. It’s a shame you didn’t become a doctor. You’d be good at it.”
Her neck went taut. “I know.”
He swallowed audibly, tugging on the front of his shirt. “I need to get out of these clothes. It’s too hot.” His fingers caught the top button but slipped off, without undoing it. He frowned, trying and failing again.
Without thinking, Jackie slid from the bed on her knees, straightening herself between his legs. “Here, let me.”
Mitch’s hands fell back, planting themselves on the bed.
Her fingers paused on the button; her lungs expanded at their maximum capacity. A shiver skittered down her spine.
This was not a good idea.
She swallowed through a lump in her throat, ignoring the pitter-pattering of her heart.
The first button came undone.
Was it getting hotter or was she burning up?
Second, third and fourth button followed, soon revealing his bare chest.
Jackie drew back, biting on the inside of her cheek hard to jolt herself back to logic and reason.
She’d seen him shirtless, at the pool and earlier today.
Fuck, she’d even kissed him like they were a pair of horny college kids, unable to keep their hands off each other, again.
So why did this moment feel more significant?
“You’re staring at me again. You know, if you want to see me naked, all you need to do is ask,” Mitch whispered teasingly, a smirk playing across his lips.
Jackie narrowed her eyes at him, yanking his shirt off. “You’re drunk. Not happening.”
“But if I was sober, it would?” Hope glistened in his eyes.
She dragged her teeth across her bottom lip, her vocal cords seemingly unable to form a convincing lie.
“I know you want it, too. Even if it’s just for old times’ sake,” he drawled, his hand running up her collarbone. “You, on your knees, reminds me of so many things.”
Her cheeks pinked and she jumped to her feet like a flare.
Mitch chuckled. “Relax, I’m not going to whip my dick at you.”
Jackie bit back a smile. How had they slipped into the old comfortable banter, like the past ten years didn’t happen? “With all the tequila you’ve had, I doubt it’d even go up.”
Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. Before she’d realized what was happening, his hand was on hers, and a moment later, her fingers wrapped over his cock, which was decisively hard.
“Seems like you trump tequila,” he murmured.
She drew back, yanking her hand away. Blood rushed to her ears. Her heart jumped to her mouth.
Damn him. Damn her, too, for wanting him so much, it physically hurt.
Mitch groaned, pushing his palms up to cover his face. “Fuck, I’m talking absolute bullshit. I’m sorry. Can’t help it.”
“It’s fine. We can forget everything you said tonight.”
He caught her wrist, bringing her hand to his lips. “What if I don’t want to forget?” He dropped the gentlest kiss over her knuckles.
Jackie sucked in a breath. “Let’s get you out of your pants. But your boxers are staying on,” she warned, as his eyes glinted mischievously.
“Killjoy.”
“Responsible adult, you mean.”
“Fuck responsible,” he murmured, lying back and pulling his pants over his hips. “I’ve been responsible and look where it got me.” The material got stuck halfway down his thighs. “I didn’t mean it like that—”
“No, you’re right.” Jackie bent over, rolled the pants off. “Replaying your youth with your college girlfriend when you were meant to be married. Instead of loving every moment of your honeymoon and starting a family, you’re dodging paparazzi. Who would want that?”
Mitch reached for her hand, again. His eyes were full of so many unsaid things that their weight crushed her chest. “Come here.”
She took a step back, shaking her head once. “You know I’m right. I’m damaged goods. No one deserves that.”
But this time, she didn’t withdraw her hand.
In a single heartbeat, he was off the bed and standing right in front of her. The heat coming off his body was as intoxicating as his almost naked form itself. Or was it the tequila fumes?
Either way, her knees got wobbly, dizziness washing over her.
“Never say that in my presence again.” A muscle in his jaw ticked as his finger moved achingly slowly down her cheek. “You’re not damaged and it’s the world that doesn’t deserve you, not the other way round.”
Her lip trembled and she blew a breath against the pad of his finger. She should’ve said something, yet words failed her.
“Don’t ever forget that, Jackie.”
She opened her mouth, wanting to reply, but instead gasped when his lips touched hers. It wasn’t like the hungry, passionate kiss they’d shared earlier.
No, this kiss was all the longing and yearning meeting halfway.
Unhurried. Unfiltered. Unconditional.
A content moan escaped her throat, as she melted into his arms.
He was surprisingly steady for someone who had drunk so much tequila.
It seemed like she was the unsteady one.