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“Fuck,” she growled. But the word was swallowed away as Jess immediately surged forward, kissing her deeply through the orgasm.

Her entire body tensed, and she curled her hands deeper into Jess’ body, letting her fingers flow farther over Jess’ now soaking wet underwear.

Jess continued stroking, only slowing their pace once Sam’s body finally settled against her.

They stayed like that for a moment, heavy breaths swirling between them.

Then she felt Jess’ lips graze her ear. “Told you it wouldn’t take long.”

Chapter nineteen

Sam leaned back against her couch, legs stretched out on the coffee table as her eyes drifted over the darkened room. The laptop sat on her thighs, but she’d barely been able to focus enough to read even a single email. Her phone sat beside her, and the urge to pick it up and call Jess gnawed at her.

She rubbed a hand over her face, letting out a slow breath.

She’d already used work as a reason to call twice that week—once to ask a question she already knew the answer to, another time to double-check a detail for the PR campaign. And then there was the night before, when she’d called just to hear Jess’ voice, and instead ended up stumbling through some half-baked excuse about a movie recommendation.

It was ridiculous. But she couldn’t help herself. She wanted to hear her voice again—to feel that warm, easy connection between them.

She lifted the phone, her mind racing, searching for a reason, something believable that wouldn’t seem too obvious.

Jess’ words from before echoed in her mind.

We’re friends. You don’t need an excuse.

Sam swallowed, staring down at the phone.Friends.Although, after the last two times they’d seen each other, the word didn’t seem as accurate as before.

She took a breath and pressed the call button.

It rang twice before Jess’ voice answered. “Hey,” Jess said, her voice low, with a slightly exhausted edge.

“Hey,” Sam replied, the sound of Jess’s voice immediately easing something tight in her chest. She rolled her shoulders back, drawing on her usual confidence. “Are you busy?”

“Not really,” Jess replied. “I had a long day. Just got home from work. Why?”

Sam hesitated, clearing her throat as she glanced around the empty apartment. “Wanna come over?”

There was a beat of silence. “Yeah,” Jess said, and she swore she could hear the hint of a smile in the word. “I’ll be there in thirty.”

Sam hung up, setting the phone down and running a hand through her hair. Nerves buzzed beneath her skin, but it wasn’t the anxious kind. It was the thrill of anticipation, the kind she’d only just started letting herself feel again when Jess was around.

True to her word, Jess knocked on her door almost exactly thirty minutes later. Sam opened it, taking in the sight of Jess standing there in jeans and a faded T-shirt, her hair slightly mussed, like she’d run her hands through it on the way over. She looked tired, but there was an excitement in her eyes as she met Sam’s gaze.

“Long day?” Jess asked, stepping inside.

“You could say that,” Sam replied, shutting the door behind her. She felt the sudden urge to close the distance between them, to pull Jess in and kiss her, but she shoved her hands into her pockets instead. “You want a drink?”

“Water’s good,” Jess said, following her into the kitchen and leaning against the counter as Sam retrieved a water bottle from the fridge. “You okay?”

Sam handed her the glass, shrugging. “Yeah. Just—” she paused, forcing herself to be honest and not swallow away the words that wanted to come out. “Wanted to see you,” she finished softly.

Jess’ lips quirked up in a small smile that told her being honest was the right call. “So you finally got sick of trying to come up with excuses?”

Sam chuckled, looking down as she felt a slight heat rise in her cheeks. “Guess so.”

They moved back into the living room, sinking onto the couch together. It was easy, familiar, the space between them closing naturally until their knees brushed.

“The wedding is coming up fast,” Jess said, breaking the comfortable silence. “You ready for the trip back home?”