Already Home Page 5

  “I mean something to you,” I whispered back. There was something intimate about whispering to one another even though there was no reason to.

  “No,” he answered, shaking his head. Something about his ocean-like bright blue eyes felt different. Those eyes had seen the best and worst of me and had always had my back. I could drown in them and never try to find the surface.

  “You don’t mean something to me. You mean everything,” he confessed, and like a snap of his fingers, all my playfulness washed away, leaving me filled with something else. Something bigger and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. “Do you understand?” he asked deeply, and I swallowed. Only able to nod my response because I couldn’t trust my voice.

  Clearing my throat without hiding a sniffle, I smiled up at him and asked, “So, what’s for breakfast?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  JASON

  “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS.” Her eyes sparkled as brightly as the lights he had strung up that were currently twinkling around them in his backyard.

  “Why not?” he found himself asking before kissing the top of her head. The scent of her shampoo made him hungry for more than food. Hell, who was he kidding? He had been a starving man for too long.

  “I don’t know… How did you even have time to plan this?” she asked, her eyes taking in the deck, and he let his own eyes follow suit. He had to say, he was proud of how it had turned out.

  “Do you really think I haven’t thought of ways to woo you?” he teased and laughed at the comical expression on her face.

  “Woo?” she giggled sweetly. Her cheeks turned a deep pink, but that didn’t stop his girl from leaning more of her weight on his shoulder, and he did the only thing that felt right at that moment. His arms automatically tightened around her. “Jason Somers woos, huh?” she asked, not joking back with him but almost breathing dreamily, and at that moment he was so fucking glad he’d gone to the measures he had to create an ambiance.

  “When it comes to finally having you, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do, baby,” he answered honestly and didn’t miss the way she bit her lower lip before sitting down onto the makeshift seating area he had thrown together for their outdoor dinner picnic. White twinkle lights sparkled around them, tons of throw pillows were strewn over the huge blanket, and a basket of her favorite food was sitting on top.

  After their morning and whipping them up a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, he had taken his time kissing her. Kissing her until they were both breathless and so damn needy for each other, sexual tension sizzled in the air between them. Thankfully, he had somehow managed to pry himself away and out of her house before things got out of hand, and he had been able to keep his word.

  He got home and had gone straight to work on getting everything ready for their first official date.

  After cleaning up his house and the deck of his backyard just the way he had wanted, he’d showered and dressed, only to find himself standing in front of her door ten minutes earlier than they had agreed on, holding a bouquet of yellow gerbera daisies and bright red roses. She had taken one look at them, and her eyes had softened, a sweet wistful and very hopeful smile washing over her beautiful face, and he had known he had done good.

  They might have been friends for a long time, and sure, there had been times when he had to act like she had been one of the guys, but a little romance went a long way. Or at least that was what he remembered his grandfather saying when he had sat him down as a teenager before he had started to date. Her smile had only grown, the beauty of the light even more radiant as he’d explained how the yellow daises represented their friendship, and the red roses symbolized the new direction they were headed. With wide eyes, and obviously speechless, she had stared up at him, so much damn emotion in her eyes he knew. He knew it was finally their time, and he knew it might have been their first date, but it had to be said it would be their last first date. Then she had taken him by surprise, slamming her body into his, standing on the tips of her toes as she’d kissed him passionately. That kiss had been worth a million words.

  Now, here they were—Rocio sitting next to him, her body curled close to his, her head rested on his shoulder—and all he could think about was how this was it. This was what the good life was all about. Having his girl close while the stars shined brightly above them. Jason let himself be comforted by the warm sensation that had settled into his chest.

  “Jay?”

  “Hmm?” He raised a brow and looked down to his side, where her dark eyes met his.

  “Thank you.”

  “For?” he asked her, leaning on his elbows, and watched her shift before draping her body over his.

  “For this. For insisting on us having tonight.”

  “Our first date.”

  “It only took twenty-some years,” she teased, and Jason stroked her hair, trying not to think about the time they had lost because he hadn’t sacked up earlier and taken a chance.

  “I promise the rest won’t take anywhere close to that.” He already had tomorrow planned. Hell, if it was up to him, every day for the rest of their days would be date night.

  “Are you really done with The Meat Market?” she asked, and he nodded.

  “That side is. The rest, the legit actual meat market, Pop’s legacy, is safe. For a long time to come,” he shared.

  “Good.”

  “You really moving to Scottsdale?” His eyes were glued to her mouth when he asked, and he loved how she pressed them together with guilt. His girl had never planned on leaving

  “No,” she answered softly with a small shake of her head.

  “Good.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “I would have to follow you to Arizona if you did.”

  “Would you have really followed me to Arizona?”

  “I’d follow you anywhere,” he admitted, knowing in his gut it was the truth. There would be no way in hell he could have kept breathing with her that far away.

  “Jay?”

  “Yes?

  “Don’t break my heart,” she whispered, the vulnerability clear in her voice, and all he wanted to do was put her mind at ease.

  Sitting up, Jason shifted and shuffled them around, so her body was straddling him. As he cupped her face tenderly with his hands, their gazes locked together.

  “I promise.” And he meant it. “This. Here. What we are doing right now, baby, this is the start of something,” he began to tell her, but her eyes saddened slightly.

  “I’ve had my heart broken before, Jay,” she shared, not that she needed to remind him.

  “I know, sweetheart.” He had been painfully aware of the fact, each time she had taken a chance and how much it had cost her when things hadn’t worked out. He had been there, through each breakup, passing the tequila or ice cream, depending on how bad it had been.

  “Those guys. They were nothing. They don’t compare to what I feel for you.” Fuck, her words made him want to puff his chest up like a damn peacock. “You have the power to obliterate me.” His heart thundered against his rib cage. Hearing the depth of her words made him want to pump his fist in the air, all while reassuring her he would never take advantage of it. She loved him.

  “Rocio Padilla, I swear to you, baby, your heart is safe with me.” The need to tell her more bubbled at his throat, and he didn’t give a rat’s ass whether it was too much too soon.

  “Are we really doing this?” Her shy but bright smile showed her excitement, and the air crackled between them.

  “We are. This is it. You and me… I know this is just starting, but in a way, we both know this has been a long time coming.”

  “This is crazy.” She giggled as her nose nuzzled his, and he tightened his hold on her before rolling them over, his body covering hers. “Oh, my God! You’re going to hurt yourself.” She laughed.

  “Hardly,” he gruffed, settling his hard body between her legs and kneeling before her.

  Dark, silky tresses covered the pillows like waves of
dark chocolate. Her eyes moved to his hands, and he felt them like a touch before he let them skim the hem of her black tank top and pulled it up to reveal her satiny skin. Leaning forward, Jason couldn’t help himself and kissed her tummy. Her soft moan fed his need for more.

  “Tell me you’re mine,” he spoke into her skin. His fingers hooked on the waistband of the sexy blue maxi skirt she was wearing for him.

  “Jay.” Her fingers tugged on his hair, the slight sting of pain making him harden further. He looked up at her. “Jay…” she said his name again, and he draped his body over hers and kissed her. Her taste filled spots of his soul he didn’t know were empty.

  “Tell me, beautiful,” he coaxed, licking the crook of her neck, causing her body to arch deliciously into his. “I’ll give you exactly what we both want,” he mumbled against the corner of her lips before nuzzling her nose.

  “I’m yours, Jason.” Her hands cupped his face, and something about the way she was looking back at him, he knew life would never be the same. He was drowning in warmth and love. “I’ve always been yours,” she confidently added, filling him with male pride, and he kissed her.

  Softly.

  Sweetly.

  Somehow restraining himself.

  Jason took his time with her as they got lost in the moment, making out like a pair of teens under the moon. Her hands skimmed his overheated back, and every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire. A growing ache surrounded him. This was more than getting his dick wet and sinking into her. It was about connecting with her. Being as fucking close as humanly possible, becoming one and never letting go.

  He watched something flash in her eyes, and as if on the same page, she started to tug on his shirt, and he quickly helped her.

  Anticipation and heat swirled around them. It grew with every touch, every breath, and before they knew it, clothes started to fall away.

  They were soon in nothing but their underwear, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He pulled away, his hands clenching at his sides as he took a deep breath, trying to hold on to control. He wanted to beat on his chest like some kind of caveman at the sight of her in purple. She had worn it for him, and because of that, he couldn’t decide between drawing out the moment, slipping off her sexy-as-hell purple silk, lace-trimmed boy shorts achingly slowly, or ripping them from her body and getting down to showing his appreciation. Her hands slid to her stomach, but he stopped her.

  “Don’t,” he warned tersely, still taking in the sight of her gorgeous body. His mouth watered at the sight of her bare skin.

  “Jay.” She didn’t say anything else. She didn’t have to. He knew that tone.

  “Don’t hide yourself from me.” He wasn’t ashamed for pleading, giving her a small kiss.

  Just like that, he didn’t have to decide how he was going to take her. The decision was made for him. He needed to show her exactly just how damn beautiful she was.

  No matter how much it cost him.

  ROCIO

  His hands slipped away from my wrists, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he stood us up, entwined our fingers, walked backwards, and I followed. I would have followed him anywhere if he promised to always look at me the way he was now.

  Kneeling in the center of the pillows on the ground, he tugged on my hands, silently asking me to kneel with him, and I joined him. His face moved closer. His lips hovered over mine as we breathed the same air. Offering him all my trust and faith in what we were about to start was the real deal, I shut my eyes, ready for his kiss. But it didn’t happen. Instead, he kissed the corner of my mouth so damn gently, I wasn’t sure how I was still breathing.

  “Lie back, beautiful,” he ordered, and my skin erupted with goose bumps. We were finally here. This was actually going to happen.

  Lying back, never taking my eyes off him, I could not only see but feel the tension radiating from his body. The way his spectacular chest rose and fell, his nose flared, and jaw clenched, I knew he was holding back. Obviously trying to stay in control. It enthralled me. I couldn’t believe it.

  Jason Somers was holding his body tensely, about to lose control, because of me.

  There I was, basically nude in front of him, and he was looking at me the way he was, holding back his need, and I was at ease. My heart rate probably rivaled a hummingbird’s, but I was oddly at home like this with him. Any time before it would have been past nerve wrecking. But Jason was my best friend. My everything.

  Any thoughts of how I was feeling disappeared as he started to take off his boxers. I had seen him in various outfits but never naked, and here we were. The sight of his thick cock, erect and jutting forward, made me hotter than ever.

  Naked. For the first time. And again, I wasn’t stupid enough not to recognize how at home I was with him. Not to mention how much better reality was compared to any dirty dream I could have ever had about him.

  He moved between my thighs, holding his body above mine before kissing my neck. When his lips slowly moved south, my mind went blank. I couldn’t compute anything other than what he was making me feel.

  With every touch and kiss, he said the sweetest words. He told me how beautiful I was. How lucky he was. “Fucking blessed,” he said hoarsely. He was beating himself up for having wasted so much time.

  Every syllable he uttered fed my soul in an unexpected way.

  During his sweet torture, my hands clenched tightly, holding on to the pillows beside me for dear life. The moment his mouth reached and tugged on my nipple, my back arched up, and I couldn’t stay quiet. He licked, suckled, and nipped my breasts like a damn savant. Taking turns, he gave each one his undivided attention. Unrushed and driving me wilder than I had ever felt with every swipe of his tongue.

  His mouth left one nipple with a loud pop and continued his exploration of my body, peppering kisses around my belly and stopping at the waistline of my boy shorts.

  “You wear these for me?” he asked, his voice so low and hoarse I could hardly recognize it.

  “Yes,” I panted, and his hands clenched around the material. So damn close. With a loud rip, he tore the delicate purple fabric, and I gasped.

  “Jason—” But the words stopped as I watched him bring the silk to his face, breathing in the damp material. Smelling me.

  “Fuck,” he growled, then I lost sight of him. He moved right where I needed him. My eyes fluttered closed, and I let myself drown in the sensation of his lips on my most private areas.

  He wasn’t doing this as something to prepare me for later. Hell no. I could tell he was getting off on the act just as much as I was. Something about that was sexier than I could have ever imagined. The man doing the deed, and well, hell, the slight scruff on his jaw, I couldn’t stop the way my hips ground against his face. Back and forth. Holding on to his hair, I let go. I drowned in everything he was doing and making me feel. A riptide of pleasure swirled about and around me, pulling me in deeper, until without seeing it approaching, I crashed, exploding into a million tiny little pieces while trying to catch my breath.

  When his mouth stayed on me, the words I was trying to say didn’t make sense. He didn’t stop like most mean did. If anything, he stayed there longer. Kissing and taking light swipes over my sensitive skin before kissing both of my thighs. He moved, bringing his body over mine, and I cupped his face, the need to touch him, for closeness, almost overwhelming. He might have just got me off not even five minutes before, but I needed him. His blue eyes were on me as if nothing else existed. Nothing but him and me and the way his beautiful cock was lined up perfectly with my entrance.

  “Rocio,” his voice strained. Leaning upward, my mouth over his, holding him around his neck as his hands clenched the pillows beside my head, I said the words he needed to hear.

  “Love me, Jason,” I gently coaxed, very well knowing it was what we both craved more than anything in the world

  His forehead dipped, touching mine, encapsulating us further into our own little world. Sharing the same air heightened the int
imacy and beauty of the moment. In one hard thrust, he pushed into me, and my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist perfectly as I took him in further. Taking everything he had to offer and giving him all of me in return.

  The moment wasn’t romantic and soft.

  It was better.

  Every thrust was hard and unrelenting but so god damn real.

  Coming to this point had taken a long time, but maybe because of it, it was just that more beautiful. We were both breathless and sweaty under the shining stars until we closed our eyes and almost simultaneously reached our peaks. I saw nothing but white as pleasure exploded around and through us.

  CHAPTER SIX

  JASON

  HE PULLED A THROW BLANKET around them. One he was thankful he’d had the foresight to bring out earlier. The steady inhales and exhales were so damn peaceful as she rested her head on his chest while he held her as tightly as he possibly could. Almost afraid she would somehow vanish in the blink of an eye.

  “That was…” she started to say but stopped before popping her head up. The feeling of her upper body on his felt fucking magnificent. “Unreal,” she finally finished, and Jason held his body still.

  “Unreal?” he asked, and she smiled so brightly, he felt it in his damn throat. Why did we wait so fucking long to get here?

  “I love you, Jason Somers,” she whispered, and her eyes widened before she pressed her lips together. She had obviously not intended on being so truthful, but he wasn’t about to let her take it back.

  “My girl loves me,” he said softly against her mouth before kissing her slowly, then pulling away so he could look into her eyes when he finally told her what he had been holding back for far too long. “I love you, too, Rocio Padilla. I’ve loved you for a very long time.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek, but he quickly wiped it away with his thumb. Kissing the tip of her nose, he stood them both up and carried her to his bed. Seeing her dark hair spread out on his pillows, her bare skin under his sheets, made his body come alive.