Page 123 of Old Habits
Chapter 31
Will
It’s Valentine’s Day.
There’s been a buzz in the air all day long, one so strong that it even infected the manly grease monkeys of Marv’s Auto Repair. Talk of suit rentals and dinner reservations before the big dance plagued every conversation between oil changes and tire rotations. I can’t remember the last time the town was this excited for it and here I am, obsessing over one little word that fell from Hank Ross’ mouth two days ago.
He said again.
I pace our living room alone, nervously adjusting the cuffs on my suit. Our. The home I now share with Jovie Ross. It’s the life I’ve imagined since the day I bought it, to be honest. We wake up together. Brush our teeth together. Hop in the shower and fool around before work together. One solid step forward to building the future I always wanted with her. Love. Marriage.
A family.
“Okay, I think I’m ready…”
Jovie steps out of the hallway and my breath catches in my throat.
She wears a red dress. The flared skirt sits just above her ankles, high enough to show off the shiny, silver heels on her feet. Thick straps keep it tied off behind her neck with ribbons trailing down her back. She’s showing cleavage but not enough to cause a fuss. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders in quick, perfect wisps. Elegant but still wild. Still my Jovie.
“Do I look okay?” she asks nervously.
I say nothing.
“What?” Her face falls downward to check herself. “Okay. Wait. What’s wrong with it?”
“No. There’s you…” I inhale. “Jovie, you’re breathtaking.”
“Oh.” Her lips twitch. “Why didn’t you just say that? Why’d you make it weird?”
“Because there was a lack of breath-taking happening and I couldn’t.”
“Oh…” She grins. “I can work with that.”
My feet move me toward her on their own and she raises her arms to wrap around my neck. I rest my hands on her waist, drawn to her like magnets, and she tenses slightly.
“Just, be careful,” she warns. “The tag is flipped up in there somewhere. I need to return it later this week.”
I shake my head. “Keep it.”
“Will, do you have any idea how expensive this thing is? I’m pretty sure your parents charge less for tooth extractions.”
“I don’t care.” I lean in closer to kiss her neck, instantly catching a whiff of her perfect perfume. “I suddenly have very naughty plans for you tonight and this dress might become a casualty.”
She chuckles as I tickle her earlobe. “Well, if sugar daddy wants to spoil me…”
“He does.”
“Then, I’ll send you the bill.”
“Good girl.” I cup her face and kiss her, enjoying the soft purse of her lips against mine. She shudders as I run my fingers down her bare arms. “As long as you don’t mind compromising your morals one last time…”
She hums in pleasure. “It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ll make an exception.”
We kiss again and I pull her in to feel her body against mine. Blood spurs through my groin, awakening a deep need and I’m tempted to bend her over right here and now.
Jovie pulls away and playfully taps my cheek. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”
I flex my jaw, holding back my urges as my eyes drift down her red dress again.