Page 69 of One More Chance
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I can confirmI love everything about this city. And the shopping? So much better than home. I stepped into the first store a bundle of nerves and left with two outfits and two pairs of shoes because I couldn’t decide which to purchase in the moment. Plus, I thought the second outfit might come in handy if we went somewhere later in the week as well. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel strange using his credit card. I thought I would feel guilty or have remorse, but I didn’t. Each time I used it, I handed it over in a proud sort of way, like doing so meant I belonged to Jensen. Except, that was a weird thought to have.
I get back to the loft in plenty of time to get ready before Jensen arrives home, so I rush upstairs, hanging both outfits in his closet. Then I run to the bathroom to make quick work of the much needed shower in favor of saving any time I have for hair and makeup.
Pulling a towel around me, I walk into the bedroom and pull the two dresses from the garment bag, trying to decide which to wear. Maybe I can let him pick? No, Harper. Be ready and sexy when he gets here.
The first dress is black, cut just above the knee and tight all the way up. It hugs my body in all the right places, with a V cut in the front for some cleavage. The second dress is a deep shade of red and long, grazing the floor just a tad. It flows from the hips and hugs my center and chest but is sleeveless, exposing my collarbones and neck in the most eloquent and delicious way. Decisions, decisions.
I return to the dresses after drying off, applying a decent amount of going-on-a-date makeup, and curl my hair into soft waves that bounce off my shoulders when I walk briskly. I finally play the catch-a-tiger-by-his-toe game just to fucking decide because I’m running out of time. When it’s settled, I slip the short black number on just as I hear the front door open and close.
“Honey, I’m home,” Jensen calls out.
I giggle at his apparent joke and take one final look in the mirror as I yell back, “Be right down!” I smooth my hands over the soft fabric of the dress and slip my feet into the black heels I got to match. Here goes nothing.
Bracing myself at the top of the stairs, I peer down, seeing he’s looking down at his phone. I begin descending, my eyes still on him, and I manage to make it to the bottom without him looking up.
Jensen finally looks up toward me, the sound of my heels on the hardwood seemingly capturing his attention. He straightens himself from his leaning position over the counter and releases the grip on his phone. His eyes travel up the length of my body, his mouth agape. He doesn’t say anything right away, just watches me walk to him. His eyes are dark and hooded, mischief playing in his irises. His lips tug up just a touch, giving his mouth the most sinister grin.
“I’m not worthy of you,” he whispers.
My breath hitches in my lungs at his words and I blink. “What?”
He paws his hands over his rumpled suit he’s been wearing all day and I connect the dots. “I need to change really fast. I’ll be back in two minutes.” Jensen reaches out to touch me but stops himself. “Nope, I can’t. Not yet. If I start touching you now, we’ll never make it to dinner.”
A rush of goosebumps pricks my spine and the thought of skipping dinner and spending the entire time in bed with Jensen is more appealing than I care to admit. But I’m dressed up. And a part of me wants to go out with him, see the city with him, and experience it as he does.
He presses a chaste kiss to my temple and bounds upstairs, taking them two at a time.
I walk to the windows, realizing I haven’t even looked out of them at a close distance since arriving. Floor to ceiling, they look out over quite a bit of city landscape. The streetlamps are all beginning to flicker on. An impressive amount of traffic is still on the road. By this time back home, everyone would be home.
I hear Jensen’s steps behind me as he comes down, keeping his promise that he wouldn’t take long. I turn and suck in a breath. He’s wearing a sharp black suit and crisp white shirt but no tie. Instead, the top two buttons are left undone for a more relaxed look.
As I step toward him, I smell his spicy cologne and catch a glimpse of dampened hair. “Did you shower?”
“Told you I can be quick,” he says, winking.
“You look amazing.”
Jensen stills his movements as he finishes buttoning his cuffs and holds his hand out to me. No sooner than I place mine into his, he pulls me in toward him, pressing me tight against his chest and inhaling a deep breath.
“Do you remember when we went camping?” he asks.
My stomach flips, delicious knots coiling low in my belly as I recall our first kiss. “Of course.”
“Every time I breathe you in, that’s what I remember. Lying next to you in that tent, your sweet scent in the air. Your hair damp from the lake.” He breathes in, dipping his head to my neck and pressing kisses along the front of my throat and down the top of my chest.
“Do you want to know what happens when I breathe you in?” I ask, trying to steady my breathing.
He looks up at me expectantly, letting his bottom lip trail up from my skin slowly. “What?”
I bring him cheek to cheek, so my lips are close to his ear, as if this room is filled with people and I have to keep what I’m about to say a secret. “I think about that blanket in that field of sunflowers with all those stars above us,” I whisper. “I think about lying there, looking up at them with you.”
His lips part as a wide smile spreads over his lips, baring his teeth. “That’s a good one.”
“We have a lot of good ones,” I point out.
“Let’s go make another good one,” he says, as his hand squeezes mine.
I nod, eager to go wherever he takes me.
Eager for a lot of things.