Chapter 18

 

 

After they finished eating, he showed her around his four-bedroom home. She thought his house was gorgeous when she’d first seen it a week ago, but she didn’t get the full tour then. Now, she got to experience the feel of his house – warm and inviting. Clean and open. Even his bedroom was decorated to perfection – nothing too over the top except for the massive, king-sized bed with tall wooden posts and bedside lights mounted on the wall.

“You have a beautiful home, Spencer,” Jessalyn said, watching him unbutton his shirt after she’d just come out of the ensuite bathroom. She swallowed hard.

She’d seen him with his shirt off plenty of times before, but this time was different. This time, he was hers.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

She blinked quickly and said. “Nothing…just amazed.”

“Amazed?” he asked. “These abs got you blushing like that?” He tossed his shirt on the bed and said, “Come here.”

Jessalyn walked over to him and melted into his chest when he took her into a warm, loving embrace. “I want to hold you tonight. I want to know how it feels for your body to be cradled against mine. I want to know how it feels to wake up to you in the morning. Is that okay?”

“Yes,” she said looking up at him. “That’s fine with me.”

 

 

Moments later, they were lying in his bed. He’d slipped into a tank top and shorts. She laid next to him fully clothed. She didn’t have any clothes at his house since this was a spur of the moment request by him for her to come over. Anyway, he wanted her in her clothes because they needed to talk, even still – even beneath the covers.

She took it upon herself to slide her right leg in between his legs and throw an arm around him, strumming his back while she stared into his eyes.

“Jess,” he said softly.

“Yes?”

“How does it feel, being here with me?” he asked.

“It feels right. I feel right at home like I always knew I would.”

With his fingertips, he stroked the hair near her temples and said, “I can’t believe you’re here…can’t believe we’re here.”

“I can,” she said, rolling her body on top of his, staring down at him. “I’ve loved you for forever. Why do you think I never dated? Never found any other men interesting, Spencer? It’s because I was busy wishing that you and me would be like this one day—hoping I would be good enough for you and when you told me we couldn’t be together a few days ago, it crushed me. I could literally feel my heart breaking. I don’t want to feel that again.” She leaned down, touched her lips to his and said, “I love you, Spencer.”

“I love you, too,” he whispered, then accepted the pending kiss that she’d already had in queue, taking her mouth possessively and feeling his body ache for her in the process. Switching positions, he rolled on top of her and kissed her again, working his way down her neck, kissing that spot he liked before, spending time there.

Jessalyn closed her eyes and relished in the moment, accepting everything he was giving. And when she felt his hands touch her chest, her body jerked upward. He’d never touched her there before and though she’d greatly anticipated it, it still came as a surprise that he’d touched her there.

“Sorry,” he said, looking at her now.

“Sorry for what?”

“For touching you. I felt your body jerk.”

“It was just a reflex. I don’t want you to stop.”

“I should.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t bring you here to make love to you. I brought you here to learn you more intimately and that doesn’t involve sex. Don’t get me wrong…I want you. Everything inside of me does, but I love you and respect you and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. And when we do make love, it will be on our wedding night—when you’re all mine and I’m all yours.”

She smiled at him. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me too, baby. Me, too.”