Groaning, I forced myself to take my lips off her before I completely lost my senses. “God, I wish I could stay,” I said, resting my forehead against hers. “I wish a lot of things.”
“I know.” She played with my tie again. “I wish I was taking this tie off you, not straightening it.”
“What a coincidence, that’s one of my wishes too.”
She laughed and kissed me quickly. “Another time, maybe. You better go.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. Her hair smelled good, too. I inhaled, trapping the scent of her in my lungs, memorizing the feel of her in my arms, so that later when the house was dark and quiet and I was alone in bed with my dick in my hand, I could imagine she was with me.
If I could get the house dark and quiet, of course. Sometimes I couldn’t.
And before the cycle of resentment, guilt, and shame could set in, I dropped a kiss on her head and let go of her. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I unlocked the screen and handed it to her. “Will you put your number in here so I can call you?”
“Sure.” She tapped her number onto the keypad and saved the contact info before handing it back to me. “There you go.”
“Thanks. I’m so glad I came tonight. I almost didn’t.”
“I’m glad too. It was really good seeing you.”
“You too. I haven’t had the chance to tell you this yet, but you’re even more beautiful now than you were then.”
She smiled and shook her head, but I could tell she was flattered. “Stop.”
“Truth. I swear.” I kissed her cheek. “Night, Jillian.”
“Night.”
• • •
When I pulled into my garage twenty minutes later, I couldn’t resist sending her a quick text, even though I’d talked to my sister on the way home and knew she still couldn’t get Scotty back to sleep. It would be probably be a long night, but I was feeling oddly optimistic right now.
Hey. Pine Sol here.
Just wanted to tell you again how glad I am your clumsy ass ran into me tonight.
Can’t stop thinking about you.
I missed him after he left. How crazy was that? We’d only spent a couple of hours together, but once I was alone again, I kept thinking about him and wishing he was there. I sat and watched people dance for a while, but in my head all I did was replay my time with him, from the accidental body check to the goodnight kiss, over and over again. Every time I thought about his lips on mine, his hands in my hair, his body pressing closer, I shivered.
When would I see him again?
When I was ready to leave, Skylar said to just have the limo driver take me home and come back for them, since she wasn’t quite ready to call it a night. I said goodnight and went upstairs to get my stuff from the suite. As soon as I pulled my phone from my purse, I saw the text from Levi and gasped—first with embarrassment that he’d figured out the Pine Sol nickname, and second with pleasure…he couldn’t stop thinking about me?
In the limo, I read the words over and over and over again, my insides dancing, until I could close my eyes and see them glowing on the back of my eyelids.
Can’t stop thinking about you.
Can’t stop thinking about you.
Can’t stop thinking about you.
An hour later, when my dress was hanging in my closet and my face was scrubbed clean, I popped two Advil, pulled a soft cotton t-shirt over my head and stretched out between cool sheets with my phone in my hand. It was late, nearly one in the morning, but I texted him back.
Can’t stop thinking about you either.
P.S. Totally embarrassed about the nickname. Sisters!
I set the phone on my nightstand and turned off the lamp. But I couldn’t sleep. My body was tired but restless, with too much sexual energy trapped inside it, and all I could think about was Levi’s kiss. And his voice in my ear. And his hands on me.
Sweet Jesus, those hands.
I sat up and reached into the nightstand drawer for Magik Mike.
But I hadn’t charged him.
“Fuck!” I threw him back into the drawer and slammed it shut. Now what?
I was considering left-handing it when my cell phone buzzed.
Still awake?
Smiling, I picked it up again. Yes.
Cleaning the bathrooms with Pine Sol?
Hahaha no. You’re up late. How is your son?
He’s OK. He fell asleep in my bed, but I just put him in his, and he stayed asleep. Miracle.
Glad to hear it. Is your sister still there?
No, she went home. Did you have fun tonight?
Yes.
Did you have to dance?
NO, thank god. Aunt Irene let me be. She means well, but she drives me crazy.
Why?
Always bothering me about why I’m not married, don’t I want a family, I work too much, the clock is ticking, etc.
Do you work too much?
I sighed and answered honestly. Yes. But I love what I do, and I worked my ass off to get where I am.
Do you want to get married and have kids?
I knew what he meant, but I had to tease him. It’s a little soon for that, isn’t it?
Ha. I guess I did just accidentally propose, didn’t I? Oops.
Don’t worry. I won’t hold you to it. I do want it eventually. I just don’t like the way people bug me about it. Like I have an expiration date or something.
My family bugs me too. They try to tell me how to live my life, raise my son, point out everything I’m doing wrong. Then they guilt me for not coming around enough.