Page 133 of Blue Jean Summer

“Hey,” I said as I looked up from my phone. “How was it?”

Catherine, Hallie, and Savannah had gone out to Pony Up to blow off a little steam. Levi volunteered to be their designated driver, and Mason offered to hang out with Zach so Hallie didn’t have to hurry back.

I stayed in because I needed a quiet night. I needed space.

Now I needed her.

It was something I hadn’t really experienced before, craving someone’s presence. Instead of finding peace in solitude, I found it in her.

“We had fun,” Catherine said with a tired smile as she slipped in, quiet as a church mouse, and closed the door behind her.

I let out a slow whistle as she padded across the room with her high heels in hand, taking in her long legs, short shorts, and scandalously low tank top. “Look at you, Mrs. Wilder.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she bit back a smile. “I apologized to Mildred’s portrait on the way up,” she said with a snicker. “Pretty sure the way I was dancing tonight was not befitting of a Wilder woman.”

As soon as she neared the bed, I reached out and smoothed my hand up the back of her thigh. She looked like sin. “You look good enough to eat.”

Catherine smirked. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” She leaned down and pecked my lips. “But I need to shower before I get anywhere near a bed. I smell like beer, sweat, and a bar that didn’t get the memo that indoor smoking was banned, like, twenty years ago.”

“Did Savannah and Hallie make it back alright?”

“Yeah. Levi took Savannah home first, then dropped Hallie and me off here.”

Hallie made being a single parent look easy, but I had a feeling it was anything but. She deserved a night out.

“I’m glad you had a good time,” I said. “You deserve some fun.”

She cocked her head. “It doesn’t bother you? Me going out without you?”

“Why would it bother me?”

Catherine averted her gaze. “Sometimes people have a problem with stuff like that.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “And by ‘people,’ you mean other men you’ve been with.”

She shrugged.

“Cath, listen to me. I’m a homebody. I don’t expect you to be one too. I just expect you to come home to me.”

Her nervous expression softened. “I can do that.”

I cocked my head toward the door. “Go shower.”

“You can join me,” she teased on her way out.

The offer was tempting. Instead of joining her, I let myself into her bedroom right when I heard the water cut off.

Catherine came out of the bathroom wearing a towel that was tucked between her breasts and a towel around her hair. Her cheeks were pink from the steam. Summer freckles were sprinkled across the bridge of her nose.

“Sleeping in here tonight?” she asked as she pawed around for some pajamas.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I didn’t know if you needed to decompress by yourself.”

I stood behind her, trapping her between my chest and the chest of drawers. “Don’t get me wrong—I needed a few days of quiet and normalcy, but I want you more.”

Catherine arched, teasing the front of my plaid pajama pants with her ass. “How do you want me?”