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“This is easier for now.”

Smiling, Jerica nodded her understanding. The angle before couldn’t have been comfortable, and she wanted to make Bridget as comfortable as possible. She made sure the weight of her body wasn’t too much as she rested mostly on her knees, angling her body forward. Bridget reached up, her hand at the back of Jerica’s neck and dragged her down—this time for a brutally emotional and heated kiss.

Jerica threaded her fingers into Bridget’s dark hair as their mouths melded together. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted to get lost in the sea of Bridget’s passion—a sea that she seemed to already be drowning in. Bridget slid her hand up Jerica’s back, under the fabric of her shirt so there was skin on skin. Jerica rocked her hips into Bridget, keeping the pace slow and purposeful.

Bridget didn’t move to do anything else other than touch, feel, and slide her hand along the soft skin of Jerica’s back. Jerica stayed in that position, lips locked to Bridget’s, hands tangled in her hair as she moved in to direct the kiss, allowing Bridget to lose control in her. She was careful to mind Bridget’s sling with her broken arm, keep her as far away as possible while she got as close as possible.

Eventually Bridget broke the kiss, gasping for air as her eyes widened, and she stared up at Jerica. “I do want this.”

“Are you sure?” Jerica asked, realizing that it was already too late for that question. She was sitting in Bridget’s lap, they were making out, and she wanted nothing more than to get down on her knees and give Bridget a little bit of relief. She could take care of herself later if need be.

“Yeah, I am. I know I haven’t been before now, but I am, really.”

Jerica smiled brilliantly, moving in to peck Bridget’s lips. “I’m so glad.”

Bridget gave her a genuine smile, and Jerica’s heart thumped wildly at accomplishing her one goal. “I’m not easy to be with, though. I have to warn you on that.”

“I think I figured that out already.” Chuckling, Jerica ran a finger across Bridget’s lips. “But I’m betting you’re worth it.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“I think you are.” Bending down, Jerica kissed her lightly. “Just trust that I know and trust that you are.”

Bridget sighed, but she didn’t reject the notion, which Jerica considered another win. She wanted to do so many things at once. She wanted to stay on top of Bridget, grind into her until she came, but she also wanted to get on her knees and pleasure Bridget. At the same time, she wanted to stay right where she was, kissing, but also talking and learning more about the wonderful woman she was with.

Quirking her lips up, Jerica bent in and kissed Bridget again. She would never get enough of that. “Bridget?”

“Hmm?” Bridget was distracted by scraping her nails lightly up and down Jerica’s back, to her ass, and down the back of her thigh.

“Does this mean I can officially say you’re my girlfriend?”

Chuckling lowly, Bridget stopped her roving hands. “I suppose it does.”

“Does this also mean that you’ll answerallof my texts?” Jerica leaned in, pressing her lips to Bridget’s neck to get a sweet taste of her skin.

“I promise you I will do that.”

“Good.” Jerica bent down, pressing their lips together again. She wasn’t sure she was ever going to get over that.

CHAPTER11

For days Bridgetthought about Jerica, the way she had moved on top of her, comforted her but also pushed. It had felt natural in a way Bridget had never explored before. She wasn’t afraid of it, not like she had been with Eli. She wanted to be in the relationship—that had never been in any doubt of her mind. It was whether or not she wanted the world to know.

But in those few days, Bridget had realized the relationship wasn’t the issue. It was her own biases. She wanted Jerica. She wanted to make love to her, fuck her, spend time with her, but more than that, she wanted to be able to tell people about her. That had been the one major mistake that she’d made with Eli, and Bridget didn’t want to make it again.

That had for sure been part of her hesitation about entering into another long-term relationship, but something about Jerica’s patience and strength told her that this might be possible. That, and she hadn’t stopped smiling since Jerica left that night. Eli had commented on it several times, but nothing in depth. Nothing that would reveal too much.

They had texted nearly nonstop, too. Every free moment Jerica had in between shifts, and even during some of them when she had a break, Bridget would get some sort of text, whether it was check-in or ideas for future dates or something random Jerica had seen that day. Bridget responded to each and every one of them—as promised.

Eli stepped off the bottom stair, startling Bridget out of her thoughts. The look on Eli’s face was anything but happiness or ease.

“What’s wrong?” Bridget asked.

“Your parents are here.”

Bridget sighed heavily. “Did they say why?”

“I’m betting to check on you. It has been almost a month since they did that last.”