Page 56 of Big Dill

She pinches me playfully, and the next thing I know, I’m wrestling her onto the mat, her body beneath mine.

How the fuck did that happen?

“Jami,” I murmur, pushing her hair from her face, her body so soft beneath mine, all I want to do is sink into her.

She wets her lips, like a goddamn invitation no man in his right mind could resist.

“Brody…” Her voice is rough, ragged, breathless.

“Yeah.”

“We…” She swallows, her eyes searching mine, needy but hesitant. “We said no more kissing.”

“Right. No more kissing.”

A long beat passes. I press my forehead to hers, feeling her chest rise and fall quickly beneath me. “Breathe, Jami.”

She inhales shakily, her lips parting as she catches the air. “Okay,” she whispers, still trembling slightly against me.

A long beat passes before I push to my feet, helping her up with me.

What the fuck am I doing?

I gesture toward the door. “I’ll be in my clinic. Call if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay.”

I turn and make my way to the door, hoping she doesn’t need anything.

That’s a fucking lie.

I hope she needs a…lumber-snack.

13

Jami

I take a deep, gulping breath. What the hell was that?

Better question—why did I stop it?

Oh. Right. I remember.

Kissing. Wanting. Rolling around on the floor together.

All terrible ideas.

I stand here on shaky legs, waiting until he’s fully out of sight before I finally move. My body still hums, every nerve lit up and buzzing, like it hasn’t gotten the memo that this is over. Or paused. Or whatever this is.

I turn toward the hallway, then hesitate.

Left? Right?

With my synapses barely firing and my body still burning with want, I can’t tell which way is up or down—never mind left or right. I force one foot in front of the other, passing the now-quiet courts, the echoes of earlier noise replaced by silence and my own uneven breathing.

Finally, I find my studio.

I push open the door, and the scent of eucalyptus washes over me. I breathe it in deeply, again and again, letting it steady me, cooling the heat under my skin, tamping down the ache, replacing it with a small, fragile surge of excitement.