17. Jones

CHAPTER 17

Jones

W alking into Base Camp Sports feels different. It's as if the store itself is aware of Mia's return. The atmosphere is different even. It somehow feels like it did before she left. Like the axels that have gone to shit have finally aligned.

Ellis is talking to customers in the bike rental department when I pass. Mrs. C. is on the register. Which means Mia is most likely stocking shelves or on a break.

My head spins. It rewinds back to the days long ago but not forgotten. When I'd come into Base Camp and find Mia stocking shelves and she'd yank me into the storage room. We'd dry hump like the horny teenagers we were.

But that's not why I'm here today. Mrs. C. spots me and gives me a wave. I shuffle toward the front sales counter and wait for the line to clear before I approach. Mrs. C. rounds the counter.

"Hey, Jones. How are you?" She gives me a kiss on each cheek.

"I'm fine. How are you this morning?"

"Good. It's a good day."

It hasn't been long, but I'm already aware of what that means. It means Mr. C. is having a good day. Things have been up and down since his stroke.

"Glad to hear it."

"I need to go upstairs and get you some money, give me just a minute, will you?"

"Take your time."

"Let me get Mia to cover the register." She hurries off and I'm left to wander around.

I rummage through the sales racks that weave through the register line. The ones that are stuffed with unnecessary shit and yet you feel pressured into buying it.

"Are you here spying on me?"

I turn around, and when I do, the sight of her here, standing in Base Camp, with her dark hair hanging over her shoulders, sucks the very air from my lungs. It steals my words and my thoughts.

Clearing my throat, I try to find my voice. "I'd love to have the excuse to spy on you, to stare at you, to fucking admire you, and that infectious smile. But I'm only here on business today."

"Bummer," she says with a pout. "Because I'm sure I could kick Paloma out of the storage room."

At the mere thought of dry-humping Mia, my dick twitches. "Well, isn't someone just a damn tease."

She snorts and now I'm full-blown hard from her laugh and ready to go. With an adorable shrug to her shoulder, she says, "What business?"

"Despite me telling her no, your mom wants to pay me for the peaches."

She nods. "There's no use in arguing with the woman, she's stubborn. Take the money."

"Her daughter sounds an awful lot like her," I say, grinning, and grabbing at her waist.

Mrs. C. rushes toward us. "Okay, here you go. Thanks again for the peaches. I made four pies and still had plenty leftover to freeze."

"You're welcome." I nod.

Ellis calls her and she hurries to assist. "Don't be a stranger," she calls.

Mia steps up close to me, so close I can feel her breath on my face. "What she said. I kinda like seeing you in here. I'm the one always going to your work."

I lean into her and press a kiss to her temple, and whisper, "I'm not picky where I see you. Though we do get more privacy at my work. And it's so convenient having my apartment right upstairs."

She snorts a laugh, and the sound sets fire to my skin. I wish I could hear her laugh every day for the rest of my life.

We sleep late, curled into each other, my morning hard-on straining against Mia's bare back. This skin-to-skin sleeping arrangement is fucking torture. It's a rare day off for her and I don't start work until tonight. After shutting down the bar last night, we crawled into my bed and crashed. It feels like a waste of our time together. One missed opportunity to fuck her.

But by the way her chest rises and falls rhythmically with each long breath, I'd say she needed the rest. We both did. And I'll take any time spent with her that I can get. Even if we're just sleeping.

Mia stirs in my embrace, but I don't want to loosen my hold on her, not even if it is just so she can stretch. The thought of letting her go causes anxiety to stir in my gut. I don't know how many more mornings we'll get like this.

"Jones," she whispers, her voice scratchy. "I gotta get up and pee."

I pull her in closer, squeezing her body against me, and exhale. "Fine. But hurry back to bed. We're gonna have a lazy morning."

Pulling away from me, she scoots off the bed. "A lazy morning with you sounds perfect." She shoots me a sleepy smile over her shoulder and some of my anxiety slips away.

I get a glimpse of her bare ass as she saunters away. Her cheeks play peek-a-boo with me before she slips out of the room. If I wasn't already hard, that little bonus gift this morning would've done the trick.

When she comes back, she looks more awake. She's pulled her hair up and her lips are already less puffy. Looking this damn beautiful first thing in the morning should be illegal.

She clutches back the covers and crawls in bed. One glance at me and I'm caught. "Seriously, Jones," she barks out. "We just woke up and you're hard already?"

I yank her down on top of me. "My cock is always hard when you're around."

Her giggle sends my heart thrumming. She teases me with a gentle kiss on my pec, right above my tattoo. I tug the hairband, freeing her hair so it falls and splays out across my chest. She's so gorgeous like this. Vulnerable and like she'd do anything I asked.

Only, the thing I want to ask is selfish. I want to ask her to stay. But people like us don't get a happily ever after. So instead, we take what we can get.

"What do you want to do today?" I ask, gazing into her green eyes and sweeping her hair away from her face.

"This," she answers, as she draws lazy circles on my chest with her fingertip. She traces my tattoo without looking at me. "I want to lay in this bed, with you, read my book, eat breakfast here. Basically, I don't want to leave this bed until it's absolutely necessary."

"Sounds perfect to me." I lift my head and press a kiss to her forehead while her lashes flutter. "And I know exactly what I want for breakfast," I say, a smile pulling at my lips.

Mia rests her chin on my chest and gazes at me. "Yeah? What's that?"

It's cute how na?ve she can be sometimes. How she doesn't always pick up on my hints. Even if they are subtle.

"You," I growl.

Her eyes widen and her lips make an O shape. It makes her that much hotter. And now I can't think of anything else than devouring her pussy like I'm a convict on death row and it's my last meal.

She gives me a playful swat in the chest. "I'm serious, Jones. Aren't you hungry?"

"I'm starving," I grunt as I cinch my hands around her waist and haul her up my body. "Now get up here so I can eat."

She gasps but I think she likes it. No, I know she likes it. When I start in with the dirty talk and get bossy, she goes wild. And fuck. I love it when my girl goes wild.

As she suspends above me, her hair drapes down and her tits hover over my face. It's as if I've died and woke up in pure heaven. This is the most spectacular view I've ever seen. Her nipples brush my face, teasing me as she tries to prop herself up on her knees.

"Nu-uh," I tsk. "If I'm gonna eat that pussy, I need you higher so you can ride my face."

"Are you sure?" she asks as she holds herself above me, still stuffing her tits in my face.

"The longer you make me wait, the more impatient I become." I scoot down and reach for her thighs, shoving her up even further and she shrieks.

"I'm greedy, Peaches. Thrust those hips and fuck my tongue. I'm going to ravage that luscious cunt like it's a buffet and I'm the only paying customer."

"Fuck. Jones," she mutters on an exhaled laugh.

"That works too, you can repeat that like an anthem for all I fucking care, as long as you do it while you get off."

When her pussy is finally suspended above my mouth, I yank her the rest of the way down and lick her straight through her core.

"Jones," she hisses, and her hips quiver.

"Grab the headboard for support, beauty, because believe me, you're gonna need it the way I'm gonna have you bucking against my mouth."

Mia's quiet as she finally moves above me, her pussy passing over my tongue lightly at first. After a few swipes though, she picks up her momentum and dives harder. Faster. I twirl my tongue across her clit and she exhales a rasp of breath.

Reaching my hands to her lower back, I haul her against me to help with the rhythm. I press my fingers into her bare skin while I lick, suck, and devour her, just as I promised. She picks up momentum and bucks against my mouth while I brace her and hold her to me.

While her breathing gets ragged, she murmurs my name like a chant each time my tongue strokes her swollen clit. Her pussy pulses around my tongue and at last, she's falling apart. At my touch, she comes undone and it feels like it's a prize, just for me.

I release my hold on her and she rolls off me and drops next to me on the bed. I move to my side and prop myself up on an elbow so I can admire her like this. Satisfied. Spent. Blissfully happy. She looks at me for a second before flicking her attention away and she laughs. I chuckle, still staring at her while her tits rise and fall with her hurried breath.

And for the millionth time, I can't help but be in awe of her and think, she's so damn beautiful.

"Have to say, that's a first for me," she admits.

I lean in close and press a few kisses down her arm. "What was?" I mumble while I work my lips across to her breasts.

"That," she announces. "I've ridden your dick plenty, but that…" her words trail as she looks at me, her eyes flaring.

"Just say it, you liked it," I tease, kissing her neck now.

She giggles and squeals and it sends a thrill of electricity to my cock.

"I think it might be my new favorite thing."

I sit up and poke her side and she laughs harder, curling into me. I clamber up and mount her. "As long as you don't like it more than my dick. Because I still fucking love it when you ride my dick."

"Don't worry, I love that too."

I crush her to the mattress with my weight and she wraps me up in an embrace. When I gaze down at her, she's giving me an adoring look. Lowering my mouth to hers, our lips slide against each other's, and we sink into a lazy drawn-out kiss. And I feel alive.

For the first time since she left eight years ago, I feel alive.

It's heartachingly silly so I break off the kiss.

"And now, I feed you."

Her eyes widen and I flash her a grin.

"Breakfast in bed." I give her a kiss and roll off her and hop off the bed. "You read your book and I'll make us something. Then we'll lay in bed until I have to go to work."

"Promise?" she calls.

"Promise."