I swipe a hand down my face and shake my head. “Hear that, Luca. Dad said two scoops!”
Luca claps his hands like he’s just been promised the world, and we all set off in the direction of the baggage claim. My hand brushes the small of Jade’s back as we go, Tanner is walking in front so he doesn’t see. The light brush of my hand on the back of her T-shirt is enough for her to turn and look at me with a cute little smile that I want to eat it all up. The time and distance have only made me more and more certain I want to pursue her. I could turn pursuing her into my finest art form.
It’s unfortunate that I have to take my hand away, but Luca insists on being hoisted up onto my shoulders while we walk through the airport so he can see everything. He quizzes me with numerous questions about what his prize could be on the way.
I feel the buzz in my body for what’s to come this weekend and being around the people I care about so much. The Jones family is everything to me, and being around them makes me feel more alive right now than even when I’m on the ice.
For the first time in a long time, it feels right. I feel like I’m where I’m meant to be, and I can’t help but want to chase that feeling for all it’s worth.
Catching up with the Jones family is quite a night and I spend the majority of it sitting on the floor of their large pet-friendly suite at The Las Vegas Resort and Spa, giving Robbie a massage. He’s another one that goes crazy when he sees me, no matter how much time it’s been. Fuck, I love this dog.
“Oh, you’re such a good boy, aren’t you, Robbie. Such a good boy.” He laps it up as I rub him over his head and around his scruff, making a contented noise in the back of his throat, showing me he loves it. “That’s my boy, Uncle Jay has missed you, yes he has, yes, he has.”
“Hey, you’re taking my job,” Jade says, plonking down on the floor beside me with a thud. We’ve just finished up dinner and her folks are clearing up all the pizza boxes. Tanner and Deb are reading Luca a bedtime story in the adjoining room next door, so it’s just us for the first time tonight.
“Sorry, but Robbie specifically asked for a belly rub the way he likes it,” I explain.
Jade pulls a pouty face and rolls her eyes to the heavens. “There’s no way. He loves the way I do it.”
“Oh, yeah, and how do you do it?” I chuckle. “I might need a demonstration, but not on Robbie.”
“Jay!” She scolds, slapping me on the arm, quickly looking around to check if anyone heard.
“What? Everyone is in the next room. Only Robbie knows, and he says our secret is safe with him.”
Robbie mewls right on cue and I laugh, scruffing him even more with my free hand that isn’t working over his belly. “Oh, is that right, Robbie dog?”
“Seems he is quite taken with you.”
“Well, we’re both quite taken with you. Fuck, I’m dying to kiss you,” I whisper.
This time, her hand connects harder to my shoulder in a shove/smack. “Jay! I mean it!”
“I mean it too!”
I rub the area with my palm exaggeratedly, like she hurt me. “Brutal much, Little JJ?”
“I have to keep you on your toes.”
“Oh, trust me, you already do. It was torture at the airport with only that lame ass hug to offer you. I wanted to give you so much more.”
“Shhh.” She’s laughing, but holding her forefinger to her lips, anyway. “Stop it!”
“Stop what?” I poke her in the ribs. “Trust me, they’re all far too wrapped up in the wedding plans to worry about what we’re doing.”
“Should we meet up later and have that chat?” she whispers behind her hand.
The pulse in my neck ticks the same way my dick just started to throb. Okay, she said chat, nothing else. But hell, I’ll take it. “Now you’re talking my language, Kiddo. Let’s hope we can sneak off soon. Please don’t tell me you don’t have an adjoining room as well with the rest of your family?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Nope, but I’m in one of the smaller cottages across the way. Let me guess, you’re in the penthouse?”
I give her my best version of a withering look. It’s not like she actually came to my room when we got to the hotel. I dumped my stuff down in the cottage, took a look over the water and admired the mountain view before I went over to see Billy and Ellen where we ordered pizzas, and made sure Luca got his double scoop of ice cream.
“Actually, no. I have a cottage. One of the presidential suites.” I don’t miss her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
“Of course you do.”
“I couldn’t miss the views of Red Rock Canyon and the mountains. It’s breathtaking. I may just never wanna leave, Little J.”
