Chapter Three

GRACE

“I still cannot believe you took that job! Are you really doing this? You haven’t changed your mind, have you? I mean, come on. You hate hockey!”

I grin at the surprise in Skyler’s voice as it blares from my phone’s speaker.

“Yes, I do hate hockey.” I stare at my reflection in my bathroom mirror, as I take off my makeup and get ready for bed. “But I love my brother, and this is too good of an opportunity to pass up on. It’s going to push my career forward, and I’ll get to spend more time with Carson. We haven’t really been able to hang out all that much over the years, you know? Not since we decided to go to separate colleges.”

Skyler makes a scoffing noise. “I wouldn’t want to spend ten minutes in the same room as your brother. I don’t know how you can stand being around him.”

I chuckle softly and shake my head. Skyler and Carson have had a strange sort of rivalry since we were kids. I’m not really sure what sparked it or why, but those two seem capable of driving each other crazy in a way no one else is able to.

“Go easy on him,” I say with a grin. “He’s my brother, after all.”

“Yeah, well, if you two weren’t twins, I wouldn’t believe you were related,” she grumbles. Then, in a brighter tone, “Anyway, enough about Carson. I’m excited for this change for you. A different city with new people. Could be the perfect opportunity for you. For your job and, you know…your lady bits.”

I release a bark of laughter. Of course Skyler’s first priority for me is to find a man. She has been my best friend since first grade and has considered herself my wing woman ever since we started noticing boys together. Skyler has never had issues getting guys. She’s a sexy nerd who codes video games: basically, a walking wet dream. The company she’s working for in Florida snapped her up right after we graduated and she’s loved every minute of her new job. Still, I’m certain that hasn’t slowed down her more intimate pursuits at all. Skyler has a firm grasp on her priorities, and having a good time with a hot guy is high up on the list. “I’m not going to focus on guys right now,” I say. “I don’t need any more Skyler-style hookups. I’ve still got to get settled and get used to my new job.”

“All I know is that you need to loosen up and let love in,” Skyler declares. “I haven’t seen you get really into anyone since college freshman year on our spring break trip to Miami. You and Jensen couldn’t keep your hands off each other then. Don’t you still want that?”

My heart hammers in my chest, and I freeze as I stare at myself in the mirror, memories of my week with Jensen flooding through my mind.

I remember my freshman college spring break trip to Miami with Skyler, Rylee, and Sutton like it was yesterday. That trip was the perfect opportunity for me to finally let loose and act like a normal college student—one that wasn’t so focused on her studies and goals that she was letting the rest of her life pass her by. So, like I always do, I set a goal for myself for that week: to lose my virginity. And Skyler was supportive and with me every step of the way…

Skyler grins devilishly. "Got it. Just a casual, fun time in Miami with a hot stranger. I can get behind that plan. I’ll wingman for you!"

“Perfect,” I reply, pushing back to my feet. “Now, come on. Get your swimsuit on so we can get down to the pool. I’m not going to find my hot guy fling in here.”

“You got it, boss!” Skyler exclaims, standing as well. “Operation Lost V-Card is underway!”

I thought it would be a one-and-done type of thing, but it wasn’t. I didn’t count on Jensen and the insane week of passion the two of us would share. A week I have never forgotten.

"Maybe," I murmur, pressing a hand to my chest as if it could physically prevent the memories from taking over. "But I'm not going after a repeat of Jensen. That level of intensity… it was too much, too fast."

Skyler lets out an exasperated sigh. "You're overthinking again! Remember how happy you were? How alive you felt? You need that in your life."

"I do feel alive, Skyler." I pause, taking a moment to consider how true that statement really is. This new focus—my career, the unknown city—has rekindled some spark within me, but it’s more of a soft ember compared to the raging inferno that Jensen had caused.

"You're just saying that because you don't want me to push," she huffs.

I roll my eyes, though she can't see it.

"It's not about pushing or not pushing," I say. "I just don't want to rush into anything."

"And what if Carson introduces you to one of his hot hockey friends?" Skyler adds with a teasing lilt in her voice. "Are you going to tell them 'Sorry, not interested?’"

The thought makes me cringe. “Carson knows better than that. If he even thinks about setting me up with one of his teammates, I’m going to shove a hockey puck down his throat.”

Skyler cackles. “Ooooh, I’d love to see that. Would serve that loudmouth right!”

“I’ll keep you posted if it happens,” I tell her with a chuckle. “I got to go, Skyler. I don’t want to be late.”

“All right, call me later!” she replies. “Love you, Gracie.”

“Love you too.”

I end the call and release a long breath. God, I miss Skyler. I haven’t seen her in person since graduation, and we’ve been practically inseparable since we were kids. Next to Carson, she’s the person I’ve spent the most time in my life with, and not having her with me since graduation has been uncomfortable and strange.

As I get into bed, I can’t help but once again reminisce about my week with Jensen. In Miami, I’d noticed him almost immediately after we stepped out onto the pool deck and went to grab a drink at the bar. He’d been lounging by the pool, muscular and tan and strikingly gorgeous, and I instantly knew he was the one I wanted to have my first time with. I’d never even approached a guy until that moment with the sole intention of hitting on him.

He continues to watch me as I draw near, a small smile peeking from the corner of his lip. My heart flutters and I feel giddy, the majority of my nervousness melting away to be replaced by excitement.

By the time I reach his chair, he’s sitting up and lowering his sunglasses. I get a flash of his deep green eyes and I feel myself flush as he looks me up and down.

“Hey,” I say, my voice surprisingly low and sultry. I’m careful not to look too pleased with myself for sounding so confident.

“Hey,” he replies, his deep timbre making me shiver. “I’m Jensen.”

“Lynn.” I give him the second half of my name, Gracelynn, thinking that it’ll help keep things more anonymous. It’s a spur-of-the-moment decision that I hadn’t planned on before, but strangely, I feel even less nervous knowing he doesn’t have my real name.

The corner of his mouth crooks up into a half-grin. “Lynn. I like that. I’m glad you came over, Lynn. I was going to hunt you down if you didn’t.”

The memory makes me shiver. After one conversation, we were inseparable. He was intoxicating, his easy charm and captivating eyes drawing me in. I had made my boundaries clear, though. One week and nothing more.

We stare at each other for a long moment, and I can tell what he’s thinking. It’s obvious in his gaze, and I want it too, but I need to set some firm boundaries so that there’s no danger of this week-long fling turning into anything more. School is my focus and relationships of any sort are simply not something I can afford to be distracted by. Better to protect my heart from the start and make my plans known.

“I know you're going to kiss me now,” I say in a soft voice. “But I want more than just a kiss. I want to know if you’ll give me an unforgettable week, Jensen, but that’s all. Let’s avoid making it personal. No talking about our lives back home. No strings. At the end of the week, we part ways with nothing but the memories we make together while we’re here. What do you say?”

He tilts his head to the side, studying me for several moments. Crap, did I go too far? Was I too blunt? What if he decides I’m not worth the effort?

Before I completely spiral and freak out, though, he grins and nods. “Yeah. I’m all right with that.”

We spent long, languid days in the sun, and longer nights tangled up beneath the sheets of my hotel room. It had been a whirlwind, a heatwave that threatened to consume me whole.

He licks my pussy with wild abandon, his tongue driving me crazy. As one hand grips my hip, pinning me in place, his other moves to my opening, slowly slipping a finger inside me without warning. A shriek escapes my throat as I shove my fist into my mouth to muffle the noise. Jensen is unrelenting as he continues to pump his finger in and out of me while he ravages my clit with ravenous hunger.

“Holy shit!” I gasp. “Jensen, I’m going to cum…”

My words seem to stop him in his tracks as he lifts his head, stealing the pleasure away from me. I gasp. “Jensen, what are you…?”

“Say please,” he says, with an infuriating grin on his gorgeous face.

“Seriously?” I moan. He winks at me and kisses just above my clit, but doesn’t go lower, which makes me whimper, “Please, Jensen. Please make me cum.”

With a satisfied grunt, he goes back to work on my aching core. Fingers pumping, lips sucking, tongue lapping. It’s so good, and I’m so close. I just need a little bit more. Finally, I can’t take it anymore and I beg again, “Jense, please…please let me cum.”

He grins up at me — a look of pure masculine satisfaction — as his fingers continue to work me.

“You want to cum, baby?”

I nod and plead, “Yes, God, yes!”

“All right,” he snarls. “Cum for me.”

But at the end of the week, I had to go back to college. To my real life. We didn't exchange contact details, though he clearly wanted to. There were no promises of staying in touch or meeting again. It simply ended as quickly as it started, leaving behind memories too vivid to forget. I left his bed before he woke up because I hadn’t been sure I could walk away from him otherwise.

Every now and then, I find myself thinking about him, remembering his voice, his laugh, and the way his hands felt on my skin. Skyler was right when she said that no one else has made me feel alive like Jensen did.

She was wrong, though, when she said that I should let love in again. What I had with Jensen wasn't love — it was passion and lust. It was exhilarating and unforgettable, but it wasn't something I could build my life around, even if I wanted to.