Just Say When NC Read online

  “Or,”shesaidquietly,throattight.Helovedher.That simple.Thisiswhatshegotfromhim.Totalsupport.Total acceptanceandunderstanding.

  Shehadn’tdoneaverygoodjobofreturningthefavor,but sheintendedtochangethat.Withoutaword,shehandedhim thefudge.Heopenedthebagandhislipsquirked.

  God,she’dmissedhissmile.“It’ssogoodtoseeyou,”she saidsoftly.Anunderstatement,ofcourse.Hewasgorgeousand sexy,andjustlookingathimtuggedatherpoor,beleaguered heart.“Youlook…”Perfect.Shesmiled.“Heart-stopping.”

  Heraisedhisheadtolookatherandlaughed,thesound asalwayscausingasmiletocurvehermouth.“I’mcoveredin sawdust,”hesaidandmethergaze.“Imissedyou,Julia.”

  Hiswordsdancedintheairaroundthem,brushingher skin,fillingherheart.“Imissedyoutoo,”shesaid.“Somuch.”

  “Thenwhydidyouwaitsolongtogetaholdofme?”

  Shetookthefudgefromhishandsandsetitasidebefore

  leaningintohim,touchinghisjaw.Meetingherhalfway,his fingerssankintoherhairashepulledherevencloser,andthen ontohislap.“BecauseI’malittleslowatthis,”sheadmitted.

  “ButIthinkI’mgettingahandleonit.Iwaswondering…are youdonefortheday?DidyouhaveChristmasEveplans?”

  ‘You’remyChristmasEveplans.”

  Whenshesmiled,hestoodandreachedforherhand.They walkedtothestreet.“Doyouwantmetofollowyouhome?”he asked.

  Shemethisgazeandbitherlowerlip.“ItookanUber here.”

  Themeaningofthat,beingthatshe’dcomepurposefully forhim,litinhiseyes.Withoutanotherword,hedrovethemto hisplace.Inside,helockedupbehindthemandturnedtoher withaslow,naughtsmilethatmadeherheartskipabeat.

  Shesmiledandthrewherarmsaroundhisneckasa weightseemedtoliftoffherchest.

  “Youtakemybreathawaywhenyoulookatmelikethat,”

  hesaid,hisvoiceasexyrumble.“IreallyhopeI’mreadingyou right,orit’sabouttogetawkward.”

  “Whatis?”

  “This.”Usingthefisthehadinherhair,hegentlytugged herfacetohis.Hestartedwithalight,questioningkiss,butit wasn’tenoughforherandshetouchedhertonguetohis, lettingherselffallintothesensationsofhistaste,hisscent,and theheatradiatingoffhisbody.She’dalwayslovedthewayhe heldher,likeshewastheverybestthingthathadever happenedtohim.

  Hewascertainlytheverybestthingthathadever happenedtoher.

  Raisinghishead,helookedrightintohereyes.“Iloveyou, Julia.Iwon’teverhurtyou.Pleasetellmeyouknowthat.”

  Shenodded,andhekissedheragain,thekindofkissthat leadtolong,sensual,eroticnights.Whenshenexttookstock, theywereonhisbed,allovereachother.She’dgottenhisshirt offandhadonehandinhispantsandtheothertangledinhis hair.Shehadoneshoeoff,hershirthangingfromonearm,her

  brasomehowaroundherwaist,andherpantsdanglingoffone foot.

  Hewasnobetter.Hisjeanswereopenedandshovedlow onhiships,hishairwildfromherfingers,andhehadhishands fistedinherhair,hiseyesdilatedblack,and,shewaspleased tonote,hisbreathingwasjustaslaboredashers.

  Theireyesmetandshestartedlaughing.

  “You’dlaughatamaninmycondition?”heasked.

  “Ialwayslaughwithyou.”Anditwastrue,itwasoneof herfavoritepartsaboutbeingwithhim.

  Hiseyessoftened.Nothingelse,justhiseyes.Andjustfor her.“Iloveyou,”hewhispered,palmingthebackofherhead tokissheragain,andallheramusementvanishedasshesank intoit,intohim,puttingallherneedandwantshe’dcagedup intoit.Itmusthaveworkedbecausehisarmscrushedherto him.

  Theykissed,longandslow,fastandintense.Theirclothes hadmeltedaway.Shehadherfingersonhisface,scratching themgentlydownhisjaw,feelingtheshadowofhisunshaven skin.Hesuckedonherlowerlip,gentlybituntilshecurledher fingersaroundhisearsandappliedpressure,becauseas deliciousashiskissesonherlipswere,shewantedthatmouth ofhiselsewhere.Shefelthimsmileasheobligedandmovedto nipalongherjawandthendownherthroat.Shesqueezedher thighsagainsthissidesasheheadedsouth,andbythetimehe finallyfoundthespotthatmadehertoescurlandsuckedhard, shewastwistingupagainsthim.Herewardedherlowmoanby startingtorockthatamazingbodyagainsthers.Afterthat,it tookhimalmostnotimeatalltosendherflyingofftheedge.

  Whenshemanagedtoopenhereyesagain,hewas watchingher.“Showoff,”shemanagedandfelthislipscurlinto asmileagainsther.

  “I’vegotplansforyoutonight”hesaidonaroughgrowl.

  “Thatshouldprobablyterrifyyou.”

  “Itdoesn’t.Itmakesmeimpatient.Moreaction,lesstalk, James.”

  Withasoftlaugh,hekissedherhungrily,thenpulledback

  tostareatherlikehecouldn’tgetenough.Likemaybehe couldn’tevergetenough.Hewassobeautiful.Thewayhis mindworked,thedetailsofhisfacewhenhesmiledather,the wayhemoved…

  They’dbeenthisfarbefore.They’dbeenfurthertoo,much further.Butthistime,hefeltdifferenttoher.Inthepast,he’d stillhadasenseofcontrol.Nowitfeltlike,forthefirsttime,he waslettinggoofsomething.Whisperinghisname,shepulled himdowncloser.Hegroanedandslidhishandstoherass, holdingherstillashecontinuedtoteaseher.

  Shesaidhisnameagain,moreinsistently,definitelymore desperately.Movingahand,heentangleditinherhair,resting hisforeheadagainsthers.Shewasn’tsurewhathewaslooking for,butheseemedtofinditinhergazeasshemovedback againsthim.Lettingoutapleasedrumble,hiseyesheldhers, hisscorchingasheenteredher.Shewasalreadyhalfgone again,herbodytighteningunderhishandsashemoved.She watchedhisfacechange,sawwhenthehungerovertookhim, whenheleteverythinggoandsurrendered,whichturnedher oneverybitasmuchasthephysicalact.Itsentherflying,and shetookhimalongwithher.

  After,longafter,whenshecouldbreatheagain,sheslid herhandfromthenapeofhisnecktohischest,whereshe couldfeelhisheartpoundingbeneathherhand.Itwasn’tthe firsttimeshe’drealizedjusthowimportantshewastohim,but itwasthefirsttimeitreallysankin.

  Deep.

  “Ihopeyoumeantwhatyousaidbefore,”hemurmured.

  “Becauseyou’reitforme,andIdon’twanttoletyougo.ButI can’thalfassthis,Julia,notevenforyou.”

  Sheletoutashudderybreath.“Iknow.”

  “And…?”

  Shedrewadeepbreath,knowingshehadtofindtheright wordsorlosehimforever.

  Hestilled,andwhileshewasstilltryingtoformulatewhat shewantedtosay,hegentlysetherasideandstood.Towalk away,sherealized.“James,wait.”

  Heturnedtoher,eyesdarkandintenseandmorethana littlewary.

  Shegrabbedhishand.“Ihadsomethinkingtodo.And somegrowinguptodo,too.”Shesqueezedhisfingers.“I realizedsomethings,likethefactthatI’veneverlovedanyone asmuchasIloveyou…”Shetriedtosmile,butfeltthestingof tears.

  Hestoodthere,watchful,waiting,sayingnothing--oneof thethingsshelovedabouthim.Healwayslethercometoher owndecisionsinherownway,inherowntime.

  “Iletitmesswithme,”shesaid.“Love’sneverworkedout formebefore.”

  Withalow,verymalesoundfromdeepinhisthroat,he crouchedinfrontofher,hisweightbalancedontheballsofhis feet.“Itonlytakesonepersontogetitright,”hesaid.

  Trusthimtonarrowitdowntoone,easysentence.

  Shecrawledoffthebedandthrewherselfathim.

  Catchingherwithnoeffortatall,heheldhertight,his voicelow,husky.Warm.“Julia,”hebreathed
againstherjaw.

  “Staywithme,Iwantyouto.”

  “Fortonight?”sheasked,tracinghislips,thelineofhis jaw.

  Heleaneddowntokissher,hishandstrokingherhairfrom herface,smoothingdowntheroughcurls.“Tonight.Tomorrow.

  Thenextnight.Just…staywithme.Forever.”

  “Forever,”shevowedandknewhe’dgivehertheverybest forevershecouldhaveeverdreamedof.

  THEEND.

  AboutJillShalvis

  NewYorkTimesBestsellingAuthorJillShalvislivesina smalltownintheSierrasfullofquirkycharacters.Any resemblancetothequirkycharactersinherbooksis,um, mostlycoincidental.LookforJill’sbestselling,award-winningbookswhereverromancesaresold,andvisither website, ww.jillshalvis.com, foracompletebooklistand dailyblogdetailinghercity-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

  Ifyouenjoyedthisshort,don’tmissIvy’slovestoryin

  WRAPPEDUPINYOU

  AHeartbreakerBayNovel

  It’slove.Trustme.

  Afteralifetimeonthemove, IvySnowisanexpertinall thingstemporary—schools,friends,andwaytoomanyMr.

  Wrongs.NowthatsheownsasuccessfultacotruckinSan Franciscoandanapartmenttocallhome,Ivy’sreinventedlifeis

  onsolidground.Andshe’sguardedagainstanythingthatcan rockit.Liketherealitiesofapastshe’sworkedhardtocover up.AndespeciallyKelO’Donnell.Toohotnottosetoff alarms,hescreamstemporary.Ifonlyhiswhispersweren’tso delightfullynaughtyandirresistible.

  Kel,anIdahosheriffandranchowner,isonvacay,butIvy’sa spicyreasontogivehisshort-termplansasecondthought.

  Bestofall,she’satonicforhisuntrustingheart,burnedonce andstillinrepair.ButwhenIvy’spastintrudesonaperfect romance,Kelfearsthateverythingshe’stoldhimhasbeena perfectlie.Now,ifonlyIvy’swillingtoshare,Kelwillfightfor a truelovestory.

  ReadanExcerpt

  ReturntoWildstone,California,wheretwocompletelyopposite sisters—whoarestillnursingwoundsfromthepast—realize theyneedeachothermorethantheythink…

  THELEMONSISTERS

  BrookeLemonhasalwaysledthelifeshewanted,wild adventures—andmistakes—included,somethingherperfect sister,Mindy,neverunderstood.So,whenMindyshowsupon Brooke’sdoorstepinthethroesofabreakdownwithherthree

  littlekidsintow,Brooke’sshocked.

  Wantingtomakeamends,Brookeagreestotradeplaces withMindy,takingthekidsbacktoWildstoneforafewdaysso shecanpickupthepiecesandputherselfbacktogether.What Brookedoesn’tadmitisshe’sjustasbroken…alsohowdoes onegohomeaftersevenyearsaway?Itdoesn’ttakelongfor Brooketocomeface-to-facewithherpast,intheformofone tall,dark,sexymistake.ButGarrett’snolongerinterested.Only hiswordsdon’tmatchhisactions,leavingBrookefeelingthings she’dshoveddeep.

  Soonthesistersbegintowonder:Aretheylemonsinlife?In love?Alltheyknowisthatneitherseemstobeabletorunfar enoughtooutpaceherdemons.Andwhensecretssurface, they’llhavetolearnthatsometimestheonepersonwhocan helpyouthemostistheoneyouneverthoughttoask.

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