Nothing Feels Better (Better Love 3)

16

“Move your booties, squad,” Jesse bellows into the house, and Jude’s laughter echoes down the stairs.

“He said booty!” Jude squeals, and Jesse winks at me.

“Every time,” he says with a proud smile. “Every single time.”

Jude comes bounding down the stairs with June in tow. I take a moment to appreciate the smiles on their faces, especially June’s. She’s wearing a sweatshirt, but I can see the thick strap of a tank top underneath. The fact that she’s layering at all is a huge step. She doesn’t always take the sweatshirt off, but sometimes she does.

I’ve been making Jesse keep his distance from the kids. I’ve mostly been seeing him when they’re at school or Patrick’s, but since their summer break started, it’s been harder for him and me to...well, sneak around, I guess.

Today, we’re taking the kids to a soccer day camp on campus. It’s free, Kelley and Riggs are hosting it along with some of their friends. Jude’s been missing Jesse, and June has mentioned Bailey and Ivy a few times, so when Jesse told me about the camp, I couldn’t say no.

“Can we get ice cream after?” June asks as she climbs into the car. Jesse glances at me, and I nod.

“I think we can manage that, June Bug,” he says, then finishes buckling Jude in and slides himself into the passenger seat. “One scoop per goal you score.”

June smiles, and I shake my head with a sigh. I should have given him some parameters.

We pull up to the soccer intramural fields, where the camp is being held, and unload. Ivy and Bailey greet us at the registration table and give the kids their name badges and team t-shirts. I’m actually surprised at how organized it all is. They have the kids split into groups by age, Ivy tells me, and they made sure to put Riggs with Jude and Kelley with June.

“That was really thoughtful,” I say with a grin. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” she chirps happily. “Anything for J-Squared. They’re the whole reason we’re doing this, anyway.” My jaw drops, and she smirks.

“Numbskull didn’t tell you?” Bailey quips with a laugh.

I look at Jesse, wide-eyed, and he gives me a sheepish smile. He opens his mouth to speak, but then halts, turning his attention to June. She’s standing with her arms crossed, staring at something on the field, and she’s got a small scowl on her face. I track her line of sight and recognize a lanky boy around her age.

“June, is that Cole?” I ask, and she mumbles out a yeah.

“Girls-can’t-be-knights Cole?” Jesse butts in. “That Cole?”

“Yep,” June says.

Jesse nudges her arm with his. “3,970,238,390 guys, Caballera” She glances up at him, mouth still set in a scowl. “He’s not special.” Her lips twitch into a grin.

“But I am,” she says, and Jesse winks at her.

“You are.”

The kids head out onto the field with their coaches, and I sit on the sidelines with Jesse, Ivy, and Bailey. Jude is having a blast, and he only acknowledges us once, when he brings his pirate hat to us because it keeps falling off his head when he runs. Ivy is now wearing it proudly, and I snap a picture with Roxanne’s camera.

June takes a little longer to get into it, but pretty soon, Kelley has her scoring goal after goal, and all the kids on her team are clapping for her. When she brings her sweatshirt over for us to hold, I have to choke back tears.

“June! You’re kicking ass,” Bailey tells her, and we all start laughing. Bailey winces. “Oh shit— I mean shoot. I mean you’re kicking butt.”

“Nice save, B,” Jesse teases. Bailey squirts him with her water bottle, and June runs back onto the field, smiling without her sweatshirt. I snap some more pictures.

“Hey guys, can you keep an eye on J-Squared,” Jesse asks Ivy and Bailey. “I gotta talk to Joss about something.” They agree without question, and Jesse nods for me to follow him. I narrow my eyes and tilt my head to the side, but he doesn’t explain, so I stand and trail behind him.

He cuts through the parking lot, until we’re out of sight from the intramural fields, then takes a stone path to a small courtyard between two brick buildings. It’s Saturday and summer session, so campus is quiet, and the courtyard is empty. There are two stone benches on either side of the grassy area and some sort of tree with large, pink and white, waxy looking flowers. It’s beautiful.

Before I have a chance to speak, Jesse pushes me up against the tree and takes my lips. The kiss is slow and deep, and I immediately forget everything except the feel of his mouth on mine and the floral scent of the tree surrounding me.

He pulls back and takes a deep breath, and I smile at him.

“What was that all about?” I ask, and he moves his lips to my neck.

“I don’t like not being able to touch you whenever I want to,” he says, pressing soft kisses up and down my tender skin. “And your laugh makes me hard.” He presses his hips into me as evidence. I push on his chest with a laugh, and he groans playfully.

“Stop it,” I say. “My laugh did not do that.”

“Yes, it did,” he insists, then licks up my neck sloppily, making me laugh even more. He groans again, louder this time, then moves my hand from his chest to his erection. “See?”

I squeeze him, and his chest rumbles with a growl.