“Happy birthday, Laney.”
“You’ve never let me down.” The words came without thought.
He smiled. “Sure I have. Remember how mad you were when I beat up your prom date?” He flipped through the pages and pointed to a picture of Jackson with a bloody lip, his dress shirt torn at the shoulder and a cocky grin on his full lips. “Coop took it, remember? With his phone. That’s why it’s not great quality.”
She clutched the leather book to her chest. “You didn’t let me down, Jackson. He deserved it after the things he said to that poor girl with the ugly dress. It wasn’t her fault her family didn’t have any money.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but you were pissed at me.”
“For a few minutes. I was mortified. I felt bad for the girl and embarrassed that I was with him, and then the fight…You beat the hell out of him, and then you took the girl under your arm and you were her date for the rest of the night. I just wanted to apologize to the girl and have it all go away.” She reached for his hand. “And I was jealous. I wanted to be her.”
“But, Laney, you’ve always been more to me than some random girl could ever be.”
***
FUCK. WHAT AM I doing? I’ve got to stop this sappy shit and get my head on straight. Laney doesn’t need me pounding into her head how much she means to me. She needs me to let her go.
Jackson pushed to his feet and paced, trying to ignore the battle raging within him. “Are you going to eat your cake, or what?” He heard the gruffness in his tone and felt the tightening in his chest, knowing he’d better gain control of his emotions fast or he was going to lose it.
“Why are you so edgy all of a sudden?” She set the book down and rose beside him, then bent at the waist to retrieve the cake, giving him an eyeful of her gorgeous curves. He reached for her hips, wanting to tear off her faded jeans and fuck her right there, bent over in the middle of the woods, so he could work out his frustrations. She liked it when he was aggressive, and his emotions were all over the map this weekend. He couldn’t get Bryce out of his mind, and every time he looked at her, it drove the guy’s proposal into his heart like a stake.
She rose as he gripped her hips—tight—and pulled her body flush against his. He was rock hard again, and when she rubbed her ass against his cock, he tightened his grip even more.
“We can’t. I’m too out of control,” he growled.
She rested her head back against his chest with a sigh, reached one hand up and guided his mouth to her neck, then reached between them and stroked his cock through his jeans.
“Laney, I’m not in a good place.”
“Seems like you’re in a very good place,” she countered, pressing into him again.
“No, I’m not.” He pushed back, and she tightened her hold on his cock, keeping him close. “Laney,” he warned.
She turned in his arms and worked the button of his jeans free. “I’m as fucked up as you are over this.” Her eyes were liquid fire. “Bryce sent my world spinning.” She unzipped his jeans, shoved her hand in his briefs, and cupped his balls. “You and I both know there’s only one way we can work through this shit without losing our minds.”
He looked away. “It’s not the answer.” His chest was so tight, his cock rigid as steel and throbbing with need, but it still wasn’t the answer. “I’ll hurt you. I’m too fucking messed up.”
She gripped his jeans at the hips and tugged them down. He hissed out a breath at the freeing of his erection.
She held her palm out in front of his mouth. “Lick,” she commanded with narrow eyes and a firm tone.
“Laney.” If his tongue touched her, he was going to take all of her.
She gripped his jaw hard and then sealed her lips over his, thrusting her tongue in angry strokes. When she pulled back, her eyes were sad and angry at once, and his resolve melted. He clutched her wrist and held it tight, then dragged his wet tongue up the length of it and sucked her fingers into his mouth. Without a word, she brought her mouth to his, licking around her fingers, kissing as he sucked and swirled his tongue over her. Everything she did was goddamn sexy. She pulled back abruptly, then crouched in front of him and took his aching cock in her mouth.
“Holy fuck, Laney.” His chin fell to his chest and his hands fisted in her hair as he watched his hard length move in and out of her mouth.
Her tongue swirled over the swollen head, sending shocks of lust racing up his chest. She cupped his balls in one hand, squeezing with just enough pressure to send his hips forward as his hands tugged her mouth deeper over him until his cock hit the back of her throat. She moaned, and it vibrated right through him.