Southern Attraction (Southern Heart 3)

Jamie takes her spot in front of me and this time, I wrap my arms around her, not giving her the opportunity to leave me again so easily. I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in. “Push Play, darlin,’” I whisper. She does as told and sets the remote on the floor.

“Can you see?” she asks me.

“Don’t need to,” I tell her honestly.

“What do you mean? I can move.” She tries to pull away.

“I don’t need to see anything but you.” I slide my hand under her shirt and rest it there, just like last night. She surprises me when she places her soft, tiny hand over mine and laces our fingers together. And that’s how we spend the next hour and a half—cuddled together on my couch, fingers entwined.

When the credits start to roll, I realize that she’s probably going to want to go back to Aaron and Whit’s. I don’t want her to go. We can stay right here all night. Just like this.

“You awake?” I ask, my lips next to her ear.

“Mmhmm,” she says softly.

“Stay,” I say before I can think about it. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman, I promise. I’m just not ready to let you go yet.”

“I’ll need to call Whit. I don’t want her to worry.”

Reluctantly, I slide our hands out from under her shirt. Bringing our combined hands to my lips, I kiss her knuckles. Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my phone, hit Aaron’s contact and place the phone next to my ear.

“Hey,” Aaron says in greeting.

“Hey, just wanted to let y’all know that Jamie’s staying here tonight. We’re both tired and there’s no sense in going out this late.”

“I see,” Aaron says. I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Jamie leaves tomorrow, so she’ll be there early to see Whit before she has to leave.” This is an assumption on my part, but I know the girls will want more time together before she leaves. Hell, I want that too.

“All right, man. See you in the morning.”

I don’t bother to reply as we end the call. “There, Aaron knows. Let’s get you to bed.”

She stands and this time offers me her hand to help me from the couch. I don’t ask her if it’s okay that she sleeps in my bed with me. That’s where I want her, and I’m pretty sure that’s where she wants to be too.

Grabbing the remote, I turn the TV off, which plunges us into nothing but darkness. Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her in front of me. “I got you,” I say before slowly guiding her through my darkened house.

Once we reach my room, I walk her to stand by the bed, then head to the bathroom to turn on the light. “Here.” I pull my T-shirt over my head. “You can sleep in this. There’s an extra toothbrush in the cabinet and towels in the closet. Take whatever you need.”

“Thank you,” she says softly. Gripping my shirt to her chest, she disappears behind the closed bathroom door.

I strip down to my boxer briefs and pace the bedroom, waiting for her. When the door finally opens, my breath catches. She’s stunning. I stare at her, committing this to memory. “It’s all yours,” she says quietly.

I wish you were all mine. “I’ll be quick.” When I pass her to get to the bathroom, I snake my arm out and pull her into me for a hug. I want to devour her, but I can’t; I promised I would be a gentleman, and I never break a promise.

I make quick work of brushing my teeth, in a hurry to get to her. When I exit the bathroom, she’s sitting on the edge of the bed. Flipping the light switch bathes us once again in complete darkness. I walk blindly to the opposite side of the bed and climb in under the covers. “It’s cold under here without you, James.” My voice rings through the silence of the room.

She takes that as her invitation and slides under the covers.

“Closer,” I say, moving to the middle of my king-size bed. Lifting the covers, she slides closer until I can snake my arm around her and pull her into me. We lie there chest to chest, nothing between us but my shirt she’s wearing. Pushing my hand under said shirt, I slowly run my fingers over her spine. She shivers at the contact.

“Favorite ice cream,” she says, her voice barely a whisper.

“Vanilla.”

“Really? Nothing fancy like cookies and cream?”

“Nope, I like to keep things simple. What about you?”