Best Served Cold (28 page)

He took care not to pull my hair or catch the shirt on my earrings as he took it off over my head. And then he lay down alongside me. His hands moved surely over my body, by now more familiar with what brought me pleasure.

He kissed me, with the same intensity I loved, and then he licked down my neck, teasing with his tongue. His fingers were already fondling my breasts, and when his mouth reached that spot, he laved one nipple through the cup of my bra while he rolled the other between his fingers, sending a jolt straight through me.

“Jesse!” I gasped.

“Hmmm?” He unhooked my bra and re-captured a nipple. “What?”

“Feels so good.” I moaned the words and felt his smile as he circled his tongue around one peak.

“Mmm, I know. I love your breasts.” He palmed them, bringing the other nipple to his mouth.

Even as his mouth continue to lick and nip, his hands moved between my legs. He disposed of my shorts easily, tugging them down my legs and then pulling my underwear off as well.

I ran my hands over his chest as he came back to lie next to me. “No fair. You still have clothes on.”

“I guess someone should take care of that.” He grinned.

Reaching to his shorts, I unbuttoned and unzipped, then used my feet to move them down his legs. I reached for him through his boxers and was rewarded with the hiss of his breath as I gripped his length.

“God, Jules.” He fell back on the bed, and I took advantage, leaning up on my elbow over him.

“Smile,” I commanded, and used to my request by now, he did. As soon as his dimples appeared, I covered each one with my mouth, running my tongue over it with sensual abandon. I dropped kisses along his jaw to his chest, laying half on top of him as I took him in my hand again.

We’d become more adventurous over our months together. I touched Jesse as much as he did me, but we’d never crossed that last boundary. I felt him grow even harder as I moved my hand up and down.

“Jules.” He flipped me over and fastened his mouth on my breast again. “I want to make you feel good first.”

His fingers searched between my legs, finding the one spot that me arch and gasp. He rubbed slowly at first, with increasing pressure as I moaned louder, tensing. Just as I teetered on the edge, he stopped, kneeling up and away from me for a moment to fumble in the drawer of his nightstand. I heard the ripping of paper and opened my eyes to watch him roll on the condom.

He lay back down next to me, bringing his fingers to the heat at my center once again.

“Julia.” I opened my eyes to find his face close to mine. “I wanted to say this before. I didn’t want you to think it was just because of what we’re doing. I love you. If you didn’t know that—I do.”

I smiled against his lips as they touched mine. “I love you, too, Jesse.”

He moved his fingers faster over the nerves that made me insane. And just when I thought I would explode or die, he raised himself between my legs.

“You’re sure?” He asked the question one last time, although I could see the strain of holding back in his face.

“I’m sure. Oh, God, Jesse, please!”

He didn’t wait another minute. He sank into me on a long sigh, and I reared up to meet him, every inch of my skin hyper-aware of his body touching me. He linked his hands with mine, pressing them into the bed as he rose over me, pulling out with incredible slowness and then stroking within as he moved deeper.

I closed my eyes and fell into the pleasure. There was no one on my mind, in my heart, beyond Jesse. Every time he touched me, I felt his strength, how much he cared for me. When he lowered his mouth to brush over my lips, tenderly, almost reverently, my breath caught.

“Jules.” He rocked into me again, and I wasn’t sure why I wasn’t exploding into a million pieces. “This—you-are everything I ever wanted.”

Beyond words, wrapped only in his touch, I half-moaned, half-sighed a response. Jesse raised our joined hands above my head, and I opened my eyes to look up at him. He smiled, then buried himself deep into me. The most intense, incredible pleasure overcame me, and I’m pretty sure I screamed his name. At least once.

He continued to move, steady and sure, until the spasms from the aftermath of my own pleasure tightened around him. Then with one last thrust, he growled, every muscle in his body tightening as he found release.

I couldn’t breathe for several seconds. My heart was racing, and every nerve in my body was ultra sensitive, alive.

Jesse collapsed onto the bed next to me, drawing me into his body and stroking back my hair.

“That,” he murmured, “was worth waiting for. I love you, Julia.”

I lay my head against his chest and listened to the thundering of his heart. “I love you, Jesse.”

Outside, the day ended and the sun set. Within that room, lying in his arms, I had everything I had ever wanted.

“Ava, please. I just want to talk.”

Ava closed her eyes. “Liam, no. Please. Go away.” She wished he hadn’t let him into her room. Julia was with Jesse for the weekend, and that meant no one would be coming in to rescue her. She rubbed her hands across her forehead.

“You can’t tell me you don’t feel anything for me. God, Ava, when I kiss you...it’s like everything in the world disappears. I don’t want to stop. Ever.”

“Well, you have to!” Ava tried to keep her voice down; freshman girls were curious, and she was sure more than one had noticed that Liam Bailey was visiting her room with alarming regularity.

“Why?” He moved closer, reaching to touch her, but Ava ducked away. His touch was not a good idea. It robbed her of the ability to think clearly.

“Because, Liam, this is wrong. You don’t care for me. You’ve talked yourself into thinking you do, for some reason I just don’t understand. But you don’t know me, and I’m not picking up for you where Julia left off. You forget, I saw firsthand how miserable you made her. No, thanks. I’m not signing up for that tour.”

He sighed. “It’s not the same. Julia and I were a mistake. But Ava, I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. Just give me a chance to prove it.”

Ava felt like screaming. That voice in her head that kept telling her to take a chance, to let him in, was getting stronger. Pretty soon it would drown out the other voice, the sensible one that reminded her that Liam Bailey was a jerk, and she would give in again, let him kiss her, touch her...

“No.” She said it out loud to strengthen her resolve. “Not again. Not this time.” She tightened her jaw and swallowed. It was time to play her last card, to get rid of Liam once and for all.

“Liam, you think you really like me, don’t you?” Ava forced lightness into her voice. “You think it’s different with us, right?”

“Yes.” He spoke with relief, thinking that she was hearing him at last.

“Good.” Ava clenched her fists. “I’m glad. Because now I can tell you...” She took a deep breath and plunged in. “I don’t feel anything for you. Nothing but...pity.” She let that sink in. “After what you did to my best friend, did you seriously think I could even look at you? I’ve been playing you, Liam. Just waiting for this moment. You know what they say about revenge, right? Well, it’s been worth the wait.”

She finally raised her eyes to his face. Pain and something else warred behind his eyes, and she had to steel herself not to cross the room to hold him, to reach up and kiss away the hurt.

“That’s it?” His words were clipped. “This was all a way to get back at me? You expect me to believe that?”

“Believe it or not. It’s the truth.” She bit the side of her mouth hard, holding back the sobs that were gathering in her chest. She had to be strong for just a few more minutes, just until he left the room.

“I thought...I thought this was different.
We
were different. But the whole time, this was just a game to you.”

Ava couldn’t speak anymore. She nodded.

Liam turned. He paused for a minute in the doorway of the room, and for a crazy beat of her heart, Ava prayed he would come back in, see her for the liar she was.

But he didn’t. He kept walking, away from her, out of her life.

When she knew she could move again without running after him, Ava walked across the room, closed the door behind him and locked it. Then she climbed into her bed, curled up on her side, and cried into her pillow, deep, silent sobs wracking her body until the whole bed shook.

She lay there for hours, until the tears were gone and only numbness was left.

Revenge was not sweet. It felt like death, and it hurt worse than anything Ava had ever known.

I’m a long-winded acknowledger, always, because I couldn’t do half of what I do without the support and help of so many.

First, because he figures so much in this book, my eternal thanks and gratitude to Joss Whedon. Because you are a freaking genius and you leave me breathless with your talent.

Thanks to my Hayson and Promotional Book Tours family, who make me laugh, who jump into the fray without question, who are always there to share, to post and to promote. You all rock my world daily.

To Stephanie Nelson of Once Upon a Time book covers, for this amazing, gorgeous cover. Thank you for your patience and talent! Get the guest room ready, I am so coming for a visit.

To Stacey Blake for her daily, hourly, minutely help and support, and especially for her beautiful formatting. You take a good story and make it look pretty!

Mandie. . .there are never enough words for your love and encouragement. I am blessed to be on this adventure with you!

Amanda Latzel Long, I owe you a humongous debt of gratitude for your help and input on this book. From cover ideas to beta reading and proofing. . .your help was indispensable. How many people can you ask, “How was the sex?” without sounding insecure? Thank you so much for everything you do.  .  .when I get you back down to Florida, there’s a bottle of wine and trip to H&M in your future. At least.

To my family, who has now become used to Mommy’s craziness as I get deep into a book, thank you for you love, your patience and everything you do to make my life possible and infinitely more fun. I love you so much.

And finally to my readers, who have cheered me along through each new book, left reviews and shared posts. . .you rock, and you make my job my joy.