Nothing Feels Better (Better Love 3)

Not for the first time since she and I started this whole thing, I resent Harvard. A few weeks ago, August seemed so far away. Now, it’s not far enough. The thought of having to say goodbye to Jocelyn and the kids makes my stomach clench. Makes me feel lost in a way I haven’t in years.

I looked it up. Harvard Med is exactly 953 miles from Jocelyn’s townhouse. It’s a fourteen hour and fifteen minute trip, without stops or traffic.

By the end of the summer, I will have to move 953 miles away from Joss, June, and Jude. Fourteen hours and fifteen minutes from three people who have somehow become permanent fixtures in my mind. In my chest. When I think about it, it hurts.

To shut my brain up, I roll back on top of Jocelyn and take her lips in a long, deep kiss. I get lost in the tangle of our tongues, the breathy moans and whimpers she makes.

“My wildflower,” I whisper against her skin, dragging my lips just to watch goosebumps erupt at my touch. I could stay in this bed with her all day. Forever. The realization knocks me on my ass, and I kiss her again to erase it. But it doesn’t go away, it just flashes brighter. I pull back and rest my forehead on hers.

“I’m going to go make coffee,” I whisper.

“Okay.” She smiles, then brushes one more light kiss to my lips. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

I crawl out of the bed, pull on my boxer briefs, and make my way downstairs. I’m fixing up the coffee pot when I hear the click of a shutter behind me. I turn quickly and find Jocelyn leaning against the counter, wearing a silk robe and holding her camera.

“Did you just snap a picture of my ass, Classic?” I joke, and she smirks and shrugs.

“Something to remember you by.”

I laugh off the sting of her statement. Just a fuck and some laughs, but not worth keeping.

I spend the day with Joss. I go with her to the grocery store to do the shopping for the week, I fold a load of the kids’ clothes while she finishes up a homework assignment, and I slip out the back door minutes before Patrick shows up to drop off the kids.

Despite last weekend, she still thinks it’s better that the kids don’t see us together. We still need to keep up appearances. Keep things quiet. Especially around the ex. I don’t like it, but I do it anyway.

I knock on Riggs’s patio door and Zay opens it for me. We haven’t exchanged words since last weekend.

“Hey,” he says, then moves to the side to let me in. “Riggs is upstairs. I’ll get him.”

He turns down the hall, but I stop him.

“Z,” I call, and he looks over his shoulder at me. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” he nods, then disappears up the stairs. A minute later, Riggs comes into the kitchen, but Zay isn’t with him. Fine. That’s how he’s gonna be, then.

“Sup,” Riggs says, and I cut to the chase.

“Has B told you about my stalker?”

The look on his face tells me she hasn’t. She has no reason to. By the time Riggs came into the picture, we all thought Mrs. Huntington was taken care of. I take a breath.

“So basically, last summer, right before school started, I had some issues with a stalker, and I had to file a restraining order. I’ll explain everything in full, but right now, I need you to come with me to my lawyer’s office, so we can amend the restraining order and put your townhouse on the list of places my stalker can’t go near.”

He nods, then raises an eyebrow. “What about Joss and the kids?”

I sigh. “Her ex is a cop and an epic douche. If I name her on the order, he’ll probably start shit, but since she’s your neighbor, I’m hoping this will protect her by proxy.”

“Unless she’s at work or the kids are at school,” he says pointedly. I nod. I’ve already considered that, and as of right now, I got nothing. When I don’t say anything, he stands. “You think this stalker is dangerous?”

I think it over. “No, but I don’t want to take chances, you know?”

“Alright, let’s go.”