Page 51 of Back for Seconds

Turn was a generous description of what I needed to get off right now.

And, god, I wanted to say yes. To give in to whatever she had in mind, however she imagined.

But this…this had been completely unplanned. A very happy accident.

Twenty-year-old Joey would have balked at the idea of turning down any form of physical contact with a woman. But I wasn’t a twenty-year-old kid anymore, and I knew that I couldn’t in good conscience keep going. I knew how it might change things between us, how it might taint June’s perception of me and my past relationship failings, if tonight became transactional.

It wasn’t worth the risk.

Plus, it just didn’t feel fair.

I smoothed her hair away from her face before hooking both my arms around her middle. “Another night.”

Shock rippled over her features. “Oh. Ok… Did I…?”

“No. You didn’t do anything. I just really don’t want to embarrass myself,” I admitted with a sheepish smile, then I placed a kiss on her downturned lips. “We have plenty of time together. And…” I shrugged. Was there a way to say I don’t want to rush? Without sounding like I was looking for something more? Was there a way to say I want to do whatever it takes to be your favorite person for as long as possible? “I want to do this right.”

She nodded, shifting off my lap, settling into my side. I kept my arms tight around her.

“I feel naked,” she said quietly, nuzzling into my neck.

“You are.” I reached for her sweatshirt and draped it over her shoulders, pulling her close into my chest. “Better?”

She lay against me, a hand resting over my heart, letting herself be held. I knew this was out of character for her—this softness. I relished it.

“What would happen if I asked you to stay the night?” Her lips moved against my neck as she spoke.

I tightened my hold on her. “I’m sorry. I have a client at five in the morning tomorrow. He’s training for a triathlon.”

“Disgusting.”

“Rich people are terrifying.” I pulled back to look at her at the same moment she did. A nervous smiled pulled at her lips, glinting in her wide, dark eyes.

“It’s almost midnight,” she said. “You should go get some sleep.”

We untangled, miserably, standing and stretching and fixing ourselves.

I planted one last kiss on June’s upper lip before pulling on my sweatshirt, tangling my fingers in her hair one last time. She watched me from the front door, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked, as the string lights danced in her eyes.

I paused at the driver’s side of my car, leaning with a hand against my car roof.

“Anything you wanna say?” I called out to June.

She cracked a smile. “Text me,” she shouted back.

I smirked back. “Good girl.”

Chapter 16 June

What the fuck did we just do?

I pushed my front door shut with a click, then immediately collapsed backward against it, my hair a mussed mess, my chest still rising and falling in a postorgasmic swirl of emotion and relief and distant, approaching embarrassment.

I buried my face in my hands.

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