I reach out and run a hand across the lapel of his jacket, feeling how smooth and silky it is. He likely paid a fortune for it.
His eyebrows shoot up. “Yeah? You don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind.” I shrug.
His smile is so grateful that it makes my heart ache. I bite my lip and step closer to him, our chests almost touching, my eyes holding his as I slip my hands inside his jacket, gently easing it over his shoulders, tilting my mouth up towards his in invitation. His breath catches as he dips his head, his lips pressing against mine. I smile against his mouth. He’s been eating the strawberry sweets from his car; I can taste them. The jacket slides down his arms, and he expertly catches it before it hits the floor.
I pull back a fraction and smile up at him. “Hi,” I breathe.
He gulps. “If this is the greeting I get every time I’m late, I’m never going to be on time again.”
I laugh and step back, bending down to unlace my Converse before toeing them off and kicking them into the disorganised pile of discarded shoes I always have next to my door.
“You can hang your stuff up there.” I motion to the coat hooks mounted on the wall. “I’ll grab my phone and see what we can get delivered. What do you fancy?” I call over my shoulder, heading into the lounge, wincing at how messy my place looks. I should have planned ahead and had a clean-up.
“Other than you in that skirt?” he playfully calls back.
My face fills with heat, and I grin at his compliment as I make a grab for discarded clothes and magazines, sweet wrappers, and empty drink cans. Scooping them up, I shove them into the sideboard, just managing to straighten up as he walks in. I gulp and pick up my phone, faking nonchalance.
“Pizza?” I offer, opening up the Just Eat app.
“Sounds good. Here, I’ll order, so I can pay.”
I shake my head. “You paid last night. My turn.”
We settle on a meat-filled pizza, and I order while he looks around. His eyes skim my tiny studio flat, taking in my one room that works as a lounge, dining room, and kitchen. I flush and wince under his scrutiny of it; my place isn’t exactly high class. As a rule of thumb, Cambridge is an expensive place to live, so every square foot increases the rent … hence my tiny place filled with second-hand goodies. Jared’s gaze settles on my ugly flesh-tone bra that I wear for work; I abandoned it immediately as soon as I walked in the door tonight and dropped it onto the floor.
God, why am I such a slob?
I kick it under the sofa, and one side of his mouth quirks up into a smile.
While I order, he walks over to my windowsill and looks at the photographs I have there.
He picks up one and looks over his shoulder at me, one eyebrow raised in question. “Is this you?”
I nod. “Yep. And my bestie, Heather.”
He ponders the photo. “You look so different with blonde hair.”
I shrug and nod in agreement, looking down at the framed photo of me with a shoulder-length honey-blonde bob. “I know. My hair is naturally that colour, but …” I reach up and tousle my pink locks.
“So, blondes don’t always have more fun?” he teases.
I shake my head. “Pink me does okay.”
He purses his lips and looks from me to the photo, considering. “I like the pink better. It suits you and your personality. Pink Amy drives a kooky bike named Bessy and has no filter between her brain and her mouth; it’s adorable.” His eyes twinkle with amusement as he sets the frame back down.
Adorable. The word sends a shiver of happiness down my spine.
“So, you live here alone?” he asks.
I nod absentmindedly. “Yep, just me. I used to flatshare with Heather, but she went and got engaged and abandoned me about two years ago. I didn’t want to share with a stranger but couldn’t afford our two-bed place on my own, so I moved in here.”
This place is a one-bedroom and barely big enough for me to swing a cat around in, let alone share with someone else.
I motion to the sofa and pick up the TV remote, turning it on and opening Netflix. “You sit down. I’ll go see if I have anything in for us to drink.” I hand him the remote. “You can choose something to watch.”
“Ah, let’s see what I can learn about you from your watch list.”
He smiles, and I leave him flicking through while I head to the kitchen, thankful that I went shopping over the weekend and have loads of Dr Pepper and wine in the fridge. When I turn back, he’s musing over some movies that I bookmarked.
“I don’t have much choice, I’m afraid.” I hold up the drink options, and he points to a can of Dr Pepper. I inwardly smile. “Good choice.”
I slide the wine back into the fridge and head back, slipping into the seat next to him, conscious of how close we are and how he has little silver cufflinks personalised with his initials in his sleeves.
“So, what did you learn about me?” I joke, watching as he slides through categories.
He raises one eyebrow. “That you like true-crime documentaries and old-school slasher horror flicks as well as the occasional tearjerker. Not a bad choice in movies. I can work with it.”
I smile as he gets to my Top Picks for Amy section. “I think Netflix knows me better than, like, ninety-nine percent of people,” I joke, seeing all the recommendations.
He purses his lips. “So, what do you want to watch? I honestly don’t mind. There are a few things on your watch list I haven’t seen.”
I shrug. “I don’t mind. Just maybe not a series. I don’t think we’re ready for that kind of commitment.”
He chuckles, and we settle on some action film that neither of us has seen. It surprises me that he didn’t choose some sci-fi or fantasy-type film. Maybe he thinks I don’t like nerdy stuff and is trying to keep me sweet by hiding that side of himself for a while.
The opening sequence has not long finished when the doorbell rings, and Jared pushes himself to his feet. “I’ll get it.”
“Great. I’ll get some plates.” I smile and watch his back as he walks to the door and collects the food while I choose a couple of plates from the cupboard, taking my time, trying to find two that match.
He’s already eating a slice of pizza as he walks back to the sofa. An appreciative groan leaves his mouth that makes my stomach clench.
“Oh my God, carbs,” he says.
And I fall in love with him a little bit more.
We eat, and I pretend to watch the movie, but I can’t concentrate. Even though it’s got Ben Affleck and Charlie Hunnam combined, it still isn’t enough to take my attention from Jared. He’s too close. This is like all my secret fantasies coming true. I can’t contain my grin.
Halfway through the film, his hand closes over mine, pulling it into his lap, and he proceeds to rub small, gentle circles over my knuckles. I swallow. It’s so erotic, but I don’t know why. I feel my nipples pucker, and my sex clenches with a longing, burning need. I squirm in my seat, trying to relieve the ache but it’s no use.
When he turns and catches my eye, the air in the room seems to shoot up a couple of degrees. My breath catches as his eyes flick to my lips, and I can’t contain myself any longer. I lean in as he does, and our lips meet.
The kiss is sweet, just soft and tentative at first, but as his teeth nip at my bottom lip, I melt against him, and his hand tangles into the back of my hair, just like I wanted. My skin prickles with goosebumps as I press against him, our tongues sliding against each other. My arms wind around his neck as he pulls me closer.