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“Gumby…”
He held up a hand. “Look, I’m not here to profess my love like some psycho stalker. I know we hadn’t even been on one date, and know we haven’t seen each other in ages, but I feel like we were robbed of a chance. And after all this time, your face is still the one I see when I think about a future. I’m here for a chance to…well, I’m here for a chance.”
Jazz blinked rapidly as though chasing tears from her eyes. “I don’t know what I have to give you, Gumby. I wanted it, wanted you so bad before I left, but there are things…” She got a faraway look in her eyes.
“Baby, I have things too, trust me.” The main thing being his attraction to men. And how it’d always been far stronger than his attraction to women, until Jazz. Was it unfair of him to ask her for more? Could he do it? Commit to a life where he’d never feel another man beneath his fingers?
He didn’t know. But he had to try, because the alternative was continuing a life of dirty hookups in dark corners with nameless, faceless men he didn’t give a shit about and who didn’t give a shit about him. Because though he’d given into his desire for men many a time, he sure as fuck didn’t plan to settle down or even begin a relationship with one. No matter how bad his cock craved it.
“I’ve changed in this past year. I’m not the same. My life’s not the same. I live in Tennessee for fuck’s sake,” Jazz said, throwing up her free hand. The other she kept connected to his. “I’m not sure I’m capable of what you want anymore.”
Their food arrived at that moment and they dug in, quiet for a moment as they each processed what the other had said.
“How long were you thinking of sticking around?” Jazz asked after about five minutes had passed.
“Up to you. I’ve got three weeks off from the shop.”
She rested her fork on her plate. “Three weeks? Wow, Hook must have been feeling generous,” she said speaking of the club brother who managed the garage.
“Been ages since I’ve taken any time.”
Jazz picked up her fork, speared a baby potato, then ate it delicately. After chewing slowly and swallowing, she licked her lips. Gumby groaned as that pink tongue swiped over the mouth. The mouth that fucker Screw had feasted on while Gumby still hadn’t had so much as a taste.
“I think I’d like you to stay.”
He nearly dropped his coffee mug. Did she say she wanted him to stick around? Her fingers trembled as she reached for her own coffee.
“I can’t even tell you I’ll try, Gumby. I’m just not in that place. But I’ve missed you. And I’d love to reconnect as your friend. If that’s not enough I underst—”
“It’s enough,” he said. “It’s everything.” Then he stuck a fork in one of Jazz’s potatoes. She scowled at him, pointing her own utensil in his direction.
“Watch it, mister.”
And just like that they fell back into their old groove of teasing, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. If he’d had known her hatred of sharing her food would be all it took to melt the ice, he’d have swiped from her plate before now.
On the way out, they held hands again, this time without the thickness of tension and awkward silence. Though Jazz hadn’t done much to explain what had happened to run her off, at least she hadn’t chased him away.
Friends. He could do friends. It’s what they’d been before.
What would Screw think of their friendship?
Instead of opening her door, he backed her against the car and boxed her in with his hands propped on the window on either side of her head. “He’s not your ol’ man, huh?”
“No, he’s not. And he never will be. That’s not what he wants from me.”
Too bad she didn’t make eye contact when she said that.
Gumby resisted the urge to narrow his eyes at the obviously unspoken words. Screw may not want her for an ol’ lady, but he sure wanted to fuck her. Probably would have gotten the chance too, if Gumby hadn’t come to town.
Well fuck him.
Gumby’s chance with Jazz had been ripped away by forces he still didn’t fully understand. Nothing would keep him from reconnecting with her—as a friend of course. Not even a jacked and moody enforcer.
He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers in a barely there kiss. When she sighed a soft sound of wonder and her lips parted, he took her mouth. She fit against him so perfectly, he couldn’t stop himself from nudging his hardening cock against her soft stomach.
“Good,” he whispered in her ear. “Because I plan to enjoy the next few weeks with you.” Then he kissed her again because now that he’d had a taste of her sweetness, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to stop sampling.
