Page 104 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

Leighton and I had been talking constantly about our boyfriends, but I hadn’t asked her for specifics about when they’d exchanged the words. I just knew they said them and often.

“About a month ago. Why?”

I shrugged. “Just curious. Did he say it first?”

“Technically, no.” She smiled. “We were at his place one Friday night about a month ago and we’d each had a few glasses of wine. He was all glassy-eyed and smiley. We started kissing, but then he stopped and asked, ‘Do you love me?’ I couldn’t lie to him so . . . I said it. Then he said it back.”

Leighton looked over her shoulder to make sure Brendon wasn’t coming back, then she leaned in close. “He was so happy that he let me sit on his face for almost an hour.”

My cheeks flushed as she giggled and took another drink of her beer.

“I, um . . . we haven’t done that before,” I whispered.

“You’re missing out.”

I made a mental note to ask Jackson about it later. With him, all of our boundaries had been erased and I felt comfortable asking him about sex. June might judge him for his “experience,” but I was reaping the benefits.

“Ready to go, sweetheart?” Brendon asked, appearing at Leighton’s side. They really were a beautiful couple, each tall with dark hair. Their babies would be enormous.

She nodded, drinking the last swig of her beer. “All set.”

They each pulled on their coats and hugged me good-bye before saying the same to Jackson. Then they left us to an empty bar, walking out the door hand in hand.

“Let’s close up,” Jackson said, leaning across the bar.

I stood on the railing, meeting him in the middle for a kiss. “My place?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

It wasn’t like the two of us didn’t see each other every day, but with Ryder and all the other things happening, it hadn’t just been us.

We closed down the bar in record time and Jackson followed me in his truck back to my house. I missed our summer strolls along the sidewalk, but with winter coming, we wouldn’t be walking again until spring.

The minute we got inside my apartment, Jackson attacked my mouth, his lips ravenous for my own. Just like always, I met his ferocity beat for beat, stripping off my own clothes as he shrugged out of his.

“Jackson,” I panted between kisses. “I want to try something.”

His mouth moved down the column of my neck as he whipped off his flannel shirt. “What?”

I unzipped my jeans. “I want to sit on your face.”

He stilled, leaning back with a grin. “Yeah?”

My cheeks felt hot. “Yeah.”

“Fuck, yeah.” His hands gripped my hips, picking me up off the floor. In two fast strides, he’d tossed me onto the bed.

I giggled at the wolfish grin on his face. “When did you decide you wanted to try this?” he asked as he yanked off my knee-high brown boots.

“Leighton.” I tugged my sweater over my head and unclasped my bra.

“I knew I liked her.” He chuckled. “Get your jeans off.”

I did as I was told, wiggling them free from my hips so he could pull them to the floor.

“Up.” He ordered me to my knees. “Panties off.”