you were at sixteen,” she mumbled in disbelief, and he was ready to leave but still nodded. “Sorry to tell you, but I don’t have my virginity any longer.” She winked, and it took a moment until he caught her meaning, but then he couldn’t help but grin.
“That’s who you thought I’d be for you?” Jam inquired, and Aly carelessly pulled up her shoulder, a secret smile playing over her lips. He didn’t plan to sleep with her. In fact, he didn’t even plan to let her touch skin except for where it was showing, but the thought still sent tingles of heat through his body.
He took a step toward her, and she lowered her wine glass to the porch railing. “Jam, this night is not back then. This night is today, in all the mess that’s you showing up here.”
“I didn’t say it had to be that night. I just want us to be like that,” he explained, and she threw up her arms.
“I was hopelessly in love with you back then and had nowhere to go with those feelings.” That was all he needed to finally move close to her.
“Well, now you do,” he whispered against her lips before walking them back until her body hit the door and the full length of his body touched hers. This was nothing like the kiss they had shared earlier and everything like the kiss he had planned to give her back then. Aly was surprised, that much was obvious, but then her arms wrapped around him and he breathed a sigh of relief. The desperate kissing quickly turned into something less frantic but equally intense.
“Let’s go inside,” she whispered, and he put her down on her own feet again, not even having realized he had picked her up. “You want some wine?”
He slowly nodded even though he wasn’t the guy for wine. It was too exquisite for his taste, and he was usually a simple man.
Aly poured him a glass and Jam watched her, glad he no longer needed an excuse. “I don’t have beer here or I would have offered you some,” she admitted, appearing flustered. Was she getting nervous because he was in the house with her? He liked that thought much more than he cared to admit.
“It’s good. Means your man’s still too little to have some and no one else is here often enough for you to be prepared,” he explained, gently swirling the glass between his fingers.
“Jam, whatever happens tonight, you need to remember I’m not letting you get away that easy. I want you to tell me what was going on back then. I want to know what’s going on with you now. If you didn’t think Collene would show up, why didn’t you just walk up to my door, meet Lesso, and then leave again? Why –”
He hushed her with his finger on her lips, invading her personal space on purpose again. “One night, Aly. Give us that. Please. No heavy topics. I think you need some little lovin’, lady.” He smiled, and she watched him for a moment.
“Why me? Why now?” she asked, and Jam nuzzled her neck right below her ear, feeling her shiver in response.
“It was always you. And now because, for one night, I’m trying to pretend I’m free of my past,” he explained, hoping she’d finally shut up and let him hold her. He almost grinned as she pressed her lips together in an obvious attempt to keep herself from speaking.
Reaching around him, she pulled open a drawer and handed him a pack of matches. “Candles, now,” she instructed, her voice softened with a smile. Never in the last ten years had he imagined he’d be taking orders from a woman again, but with Aly, it was different. Alessia never would treat him as Collene had treated him.
“On my way, Ma’am.” He grinned and then left the kitchen.
Aly released the breath she hadn’t been aware she held. What he was offering tempted her and even if she now tried to pretend to think about the pros and cons, she knew it was futile. Her heart jumped at the opportunity he presented, and she wanted nothing more than to cuddle in his arms. Would she be able to go back? Most likely not.
Learning to Kill: Stories