“And if I did? If I wanted more, if I—”
“No. Fuck, no, don’t say shit you don’t mean, J. You just came like a fucking freight-train. You’re high. Don’t say something you’ll regret.”
“The hell. I won’t regret—”
I roll off the bed, barely landing on my feet. “I’m going to shower.”
“What do you mean, J? About being stuck?” Candy whispers, a weird nervousness in her voice, but I can’t quite focus on that now because I’m too busy having a mini freak out.
And why am I freaking out? For reading between the lines? Joel loves me, loves us. No post-orgasmic and later regretted statement will change that.
Maybe it’s because deep inside I want this. I want to hear him say it, after all his doubts and backpedaling. I want his commitment, his fucking promise that he won’t leave again.
And it scares me to hell.
So I start toward the bathroom just as pretty black dots start dancing in front of my eyes. I wave a hand at them, like that will make them go away, and stumble. My knees wobble, like, what the fuck? And I start going down.
“Jet!” Joel’s voice seems to come from far away, and Candy squeals something I can’t make out because the darkness closing over me apparently also blots out sound.
I’m floating for an endless second, weightless, suspended in void.
Then gravity slams back into me and I find myself on the floor, leaning against Joel’s chest—I know it’s him, I know his scent—and Candy’s hands on my face.
“Wha?” I manage, but the rest of the question eludes me.
“Jet. Look at me.”
I force my gaze up from her tits—wow, my eyes know where to drift even when my mind’s off—to her face. “Candy.”
She relaxes slightly. “What happened? You just fell.”
“You passed out,” J’s voice rumbles from behind my back, his arms tightening around me. “How do you feel? Are you sick?
I blink. A headache is pounding at the back of my eyes. “I’m just tired.”
“Did you eat today?”
I blink again. “Can’t remember.”
“You don’t sleep, you don’t eat. What am I gonna do with you?”
I freeze, my heart pounding way too hard. “I know, man. I’m too much trouble to keep around.”
“Jet!” Candy’s eyes widen, and then fill with tears. They roll down her cheeks as I watch.
What? What did I say?
“You damn idiot,” Joel mutters in my ear. “That was me teasing you. What’s wrong with you tonight? I’m never letting you go.”
But he is, right? Once he talks to his parents, he’ll realize what’s best for him and leave, and what will I do? Candy has Brylee and her awesome parents and her brother, and what do I have? Riddick won’t take me in again.
And fuck, I knew this in my gut from the start, didn’t I—and still I let myself pretend it would never happen.
***
The hot spray on my face feels good. I brace my hands on the tiles and let it beat down on my head and shoulders.
I’ve finally managed to convince Joel and Candy that I can stand on my own and wash myself. Funny how after all that kinky, awesome sex I need a moment alone.