Wow. Way to punch my righteous indignation in the vagina, Justin. Am I impressed at his consideration or disappointed that he doesn’t want to scratch the itch brewing in my panties?
Ew. That kinda makes it sounds like I have crabs. But I definitely think it’s both. I’m impressed and disappointed, which serves only to confuse me even more.
Searching his face, it hits me. He knows. I can tell by the sympathetic look he’s giving me that he knows why I’m upset. “Your mom tell you?”
He hesitates for a moment, like he’s afraid to answer but nods. “If you need to get things off your chest I’m here.”
“What book are you reading?”
“Just starting the last book in the Bastards at Boulder Cove series, Twisted Secrets.”
Rachel Leigh. I love that series. I haven’t started the last one yet. I’m a sucker for a good bully romance, add in the “why choose?” three hot as fuck men, a strong female, and just enough mystery to keep me reading… Well, let’s just say I binge read the shit out of those books. And if Jagger came alive from the pages and walked up to me in the street? I’d bend right over where I stood and take that monster cock like a champ.
My face heats. I know someone else who has a monster cock, just like Jagger.
Jesus. I’m still staring at Justin silently like an idiot.
“Savannah?”
I blink. “Yeah?”
“Do you need me to give you space?”
“I think I’m okay.”
With a nod he turns the light off and pulls out his phone. I watch him read for a beat or two. Is he really just going to sit there and read in silence?
Either he doesn’t feel my gaze on him, or he chooses to ignore it, but he seems to be happy enough to read his book. Not that I blame him. It’s a really good fucking series.
I unclip my seatbelt and pull my knees up to my chest, planting my feet on the seat, and stare out the window.
I don’t know how long I look out into the darkness but after a while Justin starts the engine and after a few minutes warm air curls around my cold skin. “You sure you’re okay just sitting there?”
He wiggles his phone at me again like it’s all the explanation I need and turns his attention back to the screen.
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone this okay with holding space for someone else. I mean, Athena knows by now that sometimes I’ll need a little time, but she’ll still pepper me with questions. Or she’ll check—repeatedly—to make sure I’m okay, or that I don’t want to go do something other than just stew in my emotions. But Justin just sits, reading like he has nothing but time, and like he knows I don’t have a solid enough grip on my emotions to engage yet.
Hot tears course down my cheeks, and I turn my head away from him so he can’t see. After a few minutes he shuffles in his seat before his body brushes my arm. He leans over the arm rest separating us and into the back seat. A box of tissues drops on my lap before he picks up my hand and curls his fingers around mine, locking our hands together.
Then he goes back to his book.
“I’m not normally this emotional.” I sniff and dab at my tears with a Kleenex.
He strokes the fleshy part of my thumb with his. “It wouldn’t matter even if you were.”
My tears continue to fall, my whole body shaking with the need to purge my feelings, and all the while, Justin definitely-not-an-ass strokes my hand and doesn’t let go.
When I’m finally done, I turn to him. “You know what’d be nice?”
“Ice cream?”
I smile in the darkness. How’d he know? “Ice cream.”
He locks his phone and tucks it into his pants pocket. “You want McFlurry ice cream, milkshake ice cream, or somewhere like Marble Slab ice cream?”
So many choices. And it occurs to me that I appreciate him giving them to me. Huh. We’ll unpackthatlater.
“McFlurry. Then I can get some fries, too.”
