Page 90 of A Little Jaded
I cock my brow. “Are you saying you have a thing for older men?”
“Are you assuming I have a thing for you?”
“I had my cock buried inside you last night,” I remind her.
Her mouth lifts. “You did, didn’t you.”
With a crook of my finger, I order, “Yeah, I did. Now get your ass over here.”
“Why? So you can bury your cock inside me again?”
“I mean, if it’s on the menu.”
Her grumbling stomach echoes in the fort. We both laugh as she crawls toward me and, fuck, it’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. Or at least was, until she crawls right past me, her ass in the air, and disappears through the fort’s makeshift exit.
“Where are you going?” I call out.
“I need to brush my teeth!”
Good point. I should probably brush mine, too.
Following her path, I climb out of the fort and head to the bathroom. She’s wearing my T-shirt, her bare thighs on full display while she brushes her teeth in front of the mirror. Grabbing my toothbrush, I squeeze some paste onto the bristles, then stick it in my mouth as she peeks at me. Curious. Amused. Entertained. It’s strangely…normal. Brushing my teeth with her. Being in each other’s space. Doing everyday things. I felt it when we cooked lasagna together our first night here. Feel it when I take her to work and pick her up. Feel it when we go grocery shopping. Feel it when I’m studying at the kitchen table and she’s lounging on the couch, watching a show with her bare feet resting on the coffee table or doodling in her notebook.
Even though I’ve tried to keep my distance. Even though she’s been hesitant to open up. It’s like we’ve fallen into a pattern without even realizing it. Like our walls were coming down without either of us even recognizing it.
Bending forward, she spits into the sink, swishes hermouth with water, and dries her mouth on the towel, giving me a glimpse of her pearly whites. I grab her hand and keep her in place as I finish brushing, spit, and wipe my mouth. Once I’m done, I tug her into me and bring us chest to chest.
As she cranes her neck to look up at me, she asks, “Can I help you?”
“How many boyfriends have you had?”
Her brows bunch. “What?”
“Answer the question.”
“One. Well, two if you count Zach Heavensby in third grade, but it only lasted three recesses, so…” She shrugs. “How ‘bout you?”
“No boyfriends,” I joke.
She shoves my shoulder. “Ev?—”
“I’ve had a few casual relationships. Nothing long-term, though.”
Her head bobs in a slow nod as her eyes trail down my body while she toys with the hem of my joggers. “So…why do you ask?”
“Just curious how slow I should take this.”
She lifts her eyes to mine. “And what is this?”
“It’s me and you.”
“Ev…”
Nudging her chin with my knuckle and thumb, I grab the edge of her jaw and bend closer, kissing her. Mint and Raine mingle together on my tongue as I slip it between her lips. When I pull away, her eyes remain closed, and her lips part on a sigh. She swallows and looks up at me again.
“Here’s what I know,” I murmur. “I know you just got out of a shitty relationship. I know we’ve been faking like we’re together. And I know that, after last night, I don’t want to go back to it being fake.”
Her mouth quirks, but her gaze narrows. “Are you serious?”