“Try me, stud.” I join him on the sofa.
“Stud?” He shakes his head. “Whatever.”
I bite back my smile. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
He growls under his breath. “Why does it seem like you’re enjoying my suffering?”
“I don’t enjoy it, but you’ve never acted like this, so I find it kind of cute.”
“Cute?” He groans. “I’m losing all my game.”
“No, you’re not.” I lean over and kiss him on the cheek.
He turns his head. His blue eyes rage with passion, causing me to pull in a breath. In an instant, our magnetic connection snaps, setting the room on fire.
I love him so much.
My breathing speeds up as he moves closer and reachesbehind my neck with his good arm. My heart goes wild. I’ve wanted him to kiss me like this for days, and I’m done waiting.
He closes his eyes, and our mouths brush against one another. I swipe my tongue over his lips and he opens wider. It’s a gentle kiss because I don’t want to hurt him.
His minty breath mixes with mine as he strokes my tongue with his. I haven’t been with him like this since before Christmas and I forgot how good it is.
An ache low in my belly erupts and spreads wetness between my thighs. My nipples steeple and press against my lace bra. I move against Jami, and he grunts.
He’s not ready for this, Dori.
I pull away. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
His smoldering gaze pierces mine. “Fuck the pain, Dori.”
“But I don’t want to make things worse for you.”
He sighs out his annoyance. “This is the exact reason I’m grumpy.”
My brows crease together. “Because I stopped kissing you?”
“That, and I’m frustrated.”
“About?”
He turns slowly and deliberately to face me head-on. “You being at my side these last couple of weeks has been meaningful to me.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“Dori, you’re taking time off work to help me. You’ve committed to me, and you’ve been helping me recover. But I can’t do anything for you. I’m defeated by being so helpless.”
My insides warm and turn to mush. “Oh, babe. Please don’t feel that way. You wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for me.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“But it is.” I push off the couch. “I started this mess by being immature and blocking you. Then I got involved withmy boss. If I hadn’t broken the rules and started dating Hunter, none of this would be happening.”
Jami takes a second to reposition himself, grimacing as he does. “This conversation is annoying.”
I stop near his sliding glass door and face in his direction. “Why?”
“Because you can’t change what happened and every time we start to get close, it gets brought up. I’m over you beating yourself up for the past.”
