“Well, what?” I ask, my knuckles brushing up against hers. The second our fingers connect, my dick reacts.
“We could go back to my place and I could show you what I’ve been working on.”
“I’d love to see your art,” I say softly, and resist the urge to say that I’d love to see more of her too—without clothes. Truthfully, I want her. I want her in ways I haven’t wanted another in…ever. Which means I need to back the fuck off. Only problem is, in my current state of arousal, that signal is not quite reaching my thickening dick—and that guy has a mind of its own.
6
Jules
I cast a sidelong glance at Rider as he negotiates the damp streets. I honestly can’t believe I suggested we go back to my place. My God, it’s been so long since a man has graced my condo. My cat is likely to go ballistic, and do I really know this guy? Not really. Yet I feel like we’ve known each other forever. It’s strange, really. We just met, but our easy rapport and chemistry makes it feel like I’ve known him for a lifetime.
“You okay?” he asks, as if he can feel my eyes drilling in to the side of his head.
“I’m good,” I answer quietly, and tear my gaze away to stare out the window.
“Hey,” he says, his hand snaking across the seat to cover mine. He gives it a little squeeze. “We can go grab a bite to eat if you’ve changed your mind. We don’t have to go back to your place.”
I chuckle at that. “You’re always hungry, aren’t you?”
He laughs. “Pretty much. I’m a growing boy.”
“You’re a full-grown man,” I say, and take in the scruff on his chin. Yeah, he’s a man all right, and every time I look at him, I remember I’m a woman.
“Burned a lot of calories at the game tonight.”
“How about grilled cheese? My specialty,” I say, letting him know I’m okay with him coming back to my condo.
“Only my favorite,” he says.
“If I would have said pizza?”
“Also, only my favorite.”
I laugh and relax into the seat. What is it about this man that puts me at ease? Maybe it’s because I know he doesn’t expect anything from me, and I don’t expect anything from him. Friends, yeah. I like that more and more. My mind turns back to our earlier conversation. He never did tell me if he wanted a family. He sort of hedged by saying he was a bachelor for life, and that tugs at my heart, really. He’s a nice guy, super hilarious and fun to be with. Plus, I really like how he watched out for me at the bar, wanting to ensure I was safe with Tate.
He takes the corner to my street, knowing the way since he dropped me off the other night and pulls into the driveway. I glance up and down the sidewalk. It’s a young neighborhood, with numerous families, an
d kids. I bought into the community because the price was right, and it was close to work, not because I thought I’d one day have kids playing in the yard.
But you do want that, Jules?
“You have a nice place,” he says, looking at my small condo through the Jeep’s window. “I meant to tell you that last time.”
“It’s home.” I let loose a breath. It might be small, but it’s all mine.
He nods, but as he stares off into the distance, he looks like his thoughts are a million miles away. “Home is good.” He turns to me. “Did you grow up around here?”
“My parents aren’t too far. Far enough that they have to call first. I mean I love them, but you know, I wouldn’t want them to walk in on me if I was...” Cripes, why can’t I stop thinking about sex.
He laughs at that. “You’re an adult.”
“Yeah, but I’ll always be their little girl.”
He goes quiet for a long time, so long I think he might have changed his mind about coming in, but then he says, “I like that.”
“Where do you live?”
“Out in Madison,” he says, almost like he’s embarrassed by the rich neighborhood. “Cole bought a home there—he’s my buddy on the team, and I found a nice place near him. Kane isn’t too far from me either.”