could fuck those extra fourteen pounds away.”
I frowned, pulling back to check if she was joking, but I didn’t see any humor there. “What? You don’t need to lose weight! You’re perfect.” To really ram my opinion home, I dipped my head and let my tongue make a slow, lazy sweep of her body, starting at her throat and going all the way down over her breasts and across her stomach, stopping to nibble at her hip. To me, she was sheer and utter perfection, and I wouldn’t change a single thing.
“If you feel that way, I guess eating chocolate cake can stay.” She giggled and shied away, looking down at me playfully.
I crawled up her body, settling myself at her side as one of my hands tangled into her hair and the other made a gentle, appreciative sweep of her body, memorizing all the curves. She smiled over at me, her eyes so adoring my heart was fit to burst. “I love everything about you, little girl. Don’t ever think that you’re less than the most beautiful thing I’ve ever had the good fortune to lay eyes on,” I promised before slanting my mouth over hers and kissing her deeply.
The kiss was so achingly good, it made my whole body tighten with excitement. When she pulled back she smiled, a look of complete contentment on her face as she snuggled against me.
“Go to sleep, little girl. You look exhausted.” I curled around her protectively and sighed with relief at the feel of her in my arms again.
She pouted, tilting her head back so she could look at me. “I don’t want to.”
I frowned, brushing one finger across her cheek. “Why?”
She gulped, looking away from me. “I’m scared I’m going to wake up in the morning, and you’ll be gone and this will have all been a dream.”
A smile twitched at the corners of my lips. “You don’t have to be scared of that. I’m in this for the long haul.”
She smiled at my assurances, her eyes turning playful and losing the fearful edge. “The long haul? How long were you thinking?” she asked, raising one eyebrow in question.
I pursed my lips, pretending to think. “At least eighty years.”
She snuggled closer. “Eighty years? You think you’ll still want to be with me when I have no teeth, gray hair, and I step on my own boobs in the shower?” In the dim glow of her bedside lamp, her eyes twinkled with amusement.
I nodded in confirmation. “Yeah. But do you think you’ll still want to be with me when I’m bald, have a potbelly, and I step on your boobs in the shower?” I replied, tilting my head so our foreheads pressed together while we both laughed quietly for a minute or so. Secretly, I hoped it happened just like that, potbelly, saggy breasts, and all. I wanted to grow old with her; that was all I wanted in life. “In all seriousness, though, I’m not going anywhere. It’s Team Jellie forever,” I concluded.
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Team Jellie, did you just come up with that?” She reached out, brushing her fingers over the scar on my eyebrow that I’d gotten in prison.
“Nah, I came up with it ages ago, I’ve just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use it.”
She grinned wickedly. “This wasn’t that moment, baby.”
I rolled my eyes and pressed a kiss to her forehead, about to get comfortable and ready for sleep when I suddenly remembered I hadn’t arranged for someone to take over my shift in the morning. I groaned and pulled away, sitting up and reaching over the side of the bed for my jeans. When I found my cell, I typed out a quick message and sent it to Ed, telling him I was inside Ellie’s house and that was why my car was empty, and told him to come here at nine.
Ellie rolled to her side, tracing her fingers across my back softly. “Who are you texting? Your other girlfriend to tell her you won’t be home tonight?” she teased, biting the skin at the side of my hip and making me jump from the feel of it.
I grinned over my shoulder at her and pressed Send, pushing my phone onto the side table. “No, I told you. There’s no other girlfriends, I promise. I was just messaging one of my crew. Ed. I’ve asked him to come here at nine and watch over you tomorrow morning. There’re a few things I need to go and sort out, and I don’t want to leave you unprotected.”
“I thought you were done with all of that stuff,” she said with a frown.
I nodded quickly, reaching out and touching her pouty lip. “I am. Don’t pout,” I joked, leaning down and replacing my finger with my lips, kissing softly. “I can’t just walk away and never go back, though. I need to explain to my crew, hand things over to someone else, pass the baton, and all that. I’m done with the illegal stuff, I swear to you. I wouldn’t jeopardize our relationship again now that I’ve just gotten you back. You’re my life, Ellie.”
She sighed happily and nodded in understanding. I grinned and settled against her side, reaching out to turn off the bedside lamp before curling around her protectively. Having her in my arms, knowing she loved me and that we would face the world together, was all I’d wanted since I met her. And now, it looked like everything we’d planned for our future was finally beginning to come true. I fell asleep that night wrapped snugly around her with a broad smile on my face.
CHAPTER 25
ELLIE
WHEN I WOKE in the morning Jamie and I were a tangle of limbs, our naked bodies pressed together so intimately that memories of last night made my cheeks flame with heat as my insides sizzled with lust. It had been beautiful—adoring, sexy, sensual, everything I had wanted and much, much more. I’d forgotten just how great sex with Jamie was and how attentive he was. Last night proved that even after all this time, he was still in tune with my body. I’d felt every touch and kiss down in my soul. I hadn’t been able to get enough of him, and maybe I never would.
My head was nestled on his arm, tucked in the crook of his neck as we lay facing each other. Smiling, I scooted closer, pressing my lips against his neck, kissing softly. A contented sigh left my lips as I closed my eyes and just enjoyed being close to him again. It had been so damn long since I’d woken in his arms—and this lived up to every fantasy I’d envisioned in the last three years.
His words from last night danced in my mind and I couldn’t contain my grin. “Team Jellie forever.”
I’d joked that it was silly last night, but I actually really loved it.
Jamie gave a breathy little moan and his hand slid down my back, coming to rest on my rear, his touch leaving a burning trail across my skin that made my toes curl. A lust built within me so intense that I had to clench my thighs together to relieve some of the pressure. I remembered this feeling; he had always made me wild and desperate. I was glad to see that three years on he still had the same effect. I snuggled closer, feeling his arms tighten, his hand sliding down my thigh and curling around the back of my knee, pulling gently so my leg hooked over his hip. I gasped as the new position made us rub together in places that already ached in a delightful way from last night.
“You wriggling like that against me brings back good memories,” he muttered, a sleepy half smile pulling at his lips.
I grinned and wriggled some more, basking in the way his eyes closed in pleasure. “Oh yeah? What kind of memories?” I flirted, leaning in and capturing his lips with a soft kiss.
“The hot, sweaty kind,” he replied, grinning over at me as he rolled, the top half of his body now draped over mine as his fingers traced across my cheek and down my neck, his eyes following their path as they traveled across my chest. He sighed deeply and placed a soft kiss on my shoulder. “I wish I could stay in this bed with you all day,” he murmured against my skin.
“Me, too.” I cupped his face and guided him to look up at me. “But you can’t. I have to get dressed and go see my mom.” My eyes flicked to the bedside clock, seeing it was after nine thirty already; I actually needed to move my butt soon and get in the shower or we wouldn’t have long for morning visiting. “Didn’t you say your friend was coming here at nine to replace you on babysitting duty? It’s already half past.”
He groaned, his eyebrows knitting together as he
pulled away and sat up. I felt the loss immediately, my body yearning for his touch.
“Yeah, he should be outside already.” He picked up his cell from the bedside table, sending off a quick message, and then dropped his phone back down and turned to look at me.
A slow smile spread across his face as he leaned back over me. “Thank you so much for giving us another shot. I promise I won’t let you down. I’m going to make you so happy that you’ll crap rainbows for the rest of your life.”
I burst out laughing, shaking my head at his absurdity. But when his mouth closed over mine, swallowing my laughter and stealing my breath, I felt the truth behind his words—I might not crap rainbows, but he was going to make me happy for the rest of my life for sure. He kissed me until my head spun, then pulled away.
“I love you, so, so much,” he whispered against my lips.
“I love you, too.” The words were natural and honest; they felt so right coming out of my mouth that it made my heart flutter in my chest. But somehow, it just didn’t feel like enough—one word, love, it barely even scratched the surface of what I felt for this boy.
When we were both fully clothed, I headed over to my door and peeked out, grinning to myself because this was just like old times when I’d have to sneak him out of my room. He stayed close to my back as we edged quietly down the stairs and to the front door. As he grabbed his jacket and slipped on his shoes, I pried the door open quietly, just enough for him to slip out. A car was parked behind his, and a guy in his midforties sat behind the wheel, watching us with a cigarette wedged between his lips. Jamie gave him a little nod before turning his attention back to me. His arms looped around my waist, capturing my lips in one last kiss before he turned and walked toward his car.