“I’ve always wanted to make a man weak in the knees.”
He reaches out, brushing my hair from my face. “You make me weak fucking everywhere, but don’t get too cocky, woman.”
“Too late,” I quip with a pointed look at his still semi-hard cock.
“Ha ha,” he says dryly. “Just warning you that I rally quickly, and when I do, I’m coming for you and you’ll be coming for me.”
I let out a happy sigh. “I think I did test my limits,” I say, trying that on for size.
“How so?”
“I’ve always wanted knee-weakening, toe-curling, bang-me-stupid sex.”
He grins, all sweet and crookedly sexy at the same time. “Is that the kind we have?”
“Damn straight. I’m totally stupid right now,” I say, though I admit it feels a little like cheating to check off the list.
But maybe hard things are easy when they’re right.
Sex with him feels wickedly, insanely right.
But my fuzzy tongue doesn’t feel anything except wrong.
“I’m going to go brush my teeth so I’ll be ready for round three or four.” I bounce to my feet and head for his bathroom and the new toothbrush he opened for me last night, but a sound low in his throat makes me turn to face him. “Yes?”
“You look really good walking around my room naked.”
I brace one hand against the doorframe, letting it slide up as I shift my hip out, striking a pose for him. His eyes sweep up and down my body with a look of appreciation, but also . . . concentration. Instantly, I know. “You’re going to draw me like this, aren’t you?”
An almost shy smile flickers across his full mouth. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“I’m going to draw you too,” I say, also a little shy, but in a good way. In an excited way. I’ve never felt shy and excited at the same time, but I’ve never felt a lot of the things Jesse makes me feel. “We should have a gallery show for two before you leave.”
“Done,” he says, his smile fading, though the intensity in his eyes remains.
I disappear into the bathroom, wishing I hadn’t mentioned the leaving part. But his departure is a reality, and if I’m going to graduate from List Academy with my degree in Seizing the Day, I have to live in the real world. I have to meet life where it’s at and do my best to squeeze all the love and hope and joy I can from it, no matter who’s leaving or for how long.
“Thank you, Claire,” I whisper to the cool bathroom air as I load up my toothbrush, feeling her close.
I’m so grateful for this gift she left for me, and I always will be—even when it’s time to say goodbye.
16
Jesse
For some reason, I’m in a mood, but I do my best not to show it.
Even though I’ve got a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with the dangerous thoughts that were racing through my head last night.
But Ruby doesn’t deserve my cranky side—not after our incredible co-ed naked time and the mind-blowing things she did with her mouth this morning.
I don’t know if it’s the fact that she’s Ruby and we have so much history between us, or if she’s in possession of some sort of tongue voodoo, but I’ve never felt anything like that. She brought me to my knees.
Almost literally. If the edge of the bed hadn’t been there, I’m not sure where I would have landed. Maybe on the floor at her feet.
Which is . . . not all that troubling to think about, honestly.
If I fell at her feet, she would pick me up. Because she’s the sweetest, funniest, sexiest, best person I know.