Page 44 of Before You (Reckless Love #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

JJ

I HAVE NEVER hated school more than I do right now, and I normally love it, so I think it says something.

Marley is finally feeling better from her sinus infection, and quite frankly, I didn’t really care if I got sick, but she did. I know she thought I was sick the week before, but the truth is, withdrawals fucking suck.

She wasn’t able to make it to our game last weekend, but she sent me a picture of it on her television, and I laughed when I spied “the rules of football” search on her computer screen caught in the bottom of the photo.

She has a huge chemistry exam in a few days, and I have a deadline coming up for my statistics project where I’m analyzing individual player stats and the effect they can have on a team’s performance as a whole.

Our upcoming game is away, so I have to get it done before we’re scheduled to leave Thursday night.

I’d much rather take Marley to the beach to watch the sunset over the water.

The last thing I want is to be stuck on opposite ends of the room because I’m not sure I can keep my hands to myself if I’m sitting next to her.

“Oh, how the tables have turned,” she says, laughing quietly as she looks at me over the top of her laptop.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at my cheeky girlfriend, who apparently thinks she’s a comedian now.

Marley smiles, her eyes sparkling. “ It’s not supposed to be fun, but it still has to be done ,” she mocks, and I roll my eyes, regretting saying it in the first place.

“It does need to be done,” I relent, momentarily hating I chose a degree where I actually have shit to do instead of coasting through my classes without a second thought. Why did I do this to myself?

“I know, but you look so upset,” she says, laughing again at my misery.

“And it’s funny?”

She shakes her head, biting her lower lip to attempt to hide her smile. “Not funny at all. It reminds me a little of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, though.”

“I hate math.” Yeah, I’m definitely throwing a temper tantrum.

“No, you don’t.”

I scoff, stretching as I fight every urge telling me to abandon this project to kiss the sass right out of Marley.

“I don’t hate math, but I hate it right now,” I grumble, looking away from her to the numbers swirling on my screen.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes to try to get my mind right.

Responsibilities first, then everything else.

Numbers have always made sense to me, their reliability something I fell in love with growing up, but right now, I can’t make sense of the equations in front of me.

The sound of footsteps getting closer causes me to look up, and it’s really unfair how beautiful Marley looks wearing my Beaumont football sweatshirt.

Her fingers curl around my laptop, pulling it away to tap a few things on the computer before closing it.

“Marley,” I say, intending to complain, but instead, it sounds like I’m begging.

“It’s okay to take a break,” she says, resting a hand on my shoulder to straddle my lap as my pants become uncomfortably tight. If I touch her, it’s game over.

Marley lifts her hand to comb her fingers through my hair, the feeling of her hands on me better than drugs.

My eyes flutter shut, a moan slipping from the back of my throat.

My grip on my willpower slips completely when her lips graze over mine, and I grab her hips, pulling her against me entirely.

She gasps, and the sound is pure fucking music to my ears. “Sweetheart, I’m a lot of things, but right now, I’m not sure I can be patient,” I warn, cupping the back of her smooth neck.

“JJ, have you considered I don’t want you to be patient?” she asks, shifting her hips against mine, and fuck being responsible.

The only thing I want is Marley.

I tug her closer, slanting my mouth over hers as Marley slides her hands over my chest to hold onto my shoulders.

There’s nothing gentle about this kiss as I take what I want.

She bites at my lower lip, lighting my body on fire as she rolls her hips, grinding against my stiff cock, desperate for more contact through our layers of clothing. My god, I’m fucking gone for her.

She could ask me for the moon right now, and I’d find a way to make it happen.

I’d do anything for Marley because there is no me without her.

She moans into my mouth when my tongue slides against hers, and I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a prettier sound.

I move my lips to press them against the hollow of her neck, and as she rocks her hips against mine, a low moan breaks free from me.

My grip on her hip tightens, lifting her up slightly to create space between us, because this is quickly going to become embarrassing if she continues.

“You okay?” she asks, out of breath, and I smile at her, appreciating the question even if I’m better than okay right now. Being with Marley is the only thing making me feel anything close to okay these days.

“Perfectly okay,” I answer, reaching up to pull her hair loose from the clip holding it back, the caramel tresses falling onto her shoulders. “You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen—inside and out.”

A red hue crawls up her neck as Marley’s cheeks flush under the compliment. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I find that hard to believe,” I say, leaning forward to press a kiss to her throat.

“You’re kind, sweet, and gentle. So gentle, sometimes in my head I call you my gentle giant.”

“I love you.” I lift my head to meet Marley’s piercing gaze, knowing my walls have completely crumbled. Everything is laid bare, and if she asked me for the truth, I’d give it to her. “No matter what happens, Marley, I’ll always be yours.”

Every single damn letter I wrote her has a piece of me in it, and all of them are hers.

“I love you doesn’t feel like the right words to accurately describe how I feel about you,” she says, her entire face softening.

“You were right, JJ. This is fate, and it makes me believe we’re soul mates—as stupid and cliché as it sounds—but I feel like there’s no possibility of a lifetime where I don’t know you and your love. ”

I regret none of the days I spent waiting and hoping I would find Marley again.

My heart thumps in my chest, and I wonder if Marley can feel it.

I lean up, pressing my mouth to hers with a gentle kiss. Marley’s nose bumps against mine as she angles her head to press her lips more firmly against mine, her hand on my chest bunching the material of my shirt. “Marley,” I mumble against her sweet mouth, my hands sliding to cup her ass.

I squeeze the soft curves as she inhales a ragged breath, tipping her head back. “ More ,” Marley whispers, and I pull her closer, erasing the space I’d created between our bodies.

“Tell me what you like,” I ask. “Tell me what you want, sweetheart.”

“I like . . . I want you to touch me, and I want to touch you,” she says, kissing my jaw as my body trembles at the idea.

I can confidently say I’m an idiot for making us wait this long before doing anything more than heavy petting, but my patience has disintegrated.

I stand up, holding Marley up as I do, a squeak escaping her.

“JJ, what are you doing?” she asks with a laugh, holding onto me as I carry her to her room.

“I’m giving you what you want,” I say, pushing her door shut behind me with my foot, to set Marley on her bed.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to doing homework?” she teases, leaning back on her elbows, her lips pulling at the corners in a smile. Her hair is messy and her cheeks are glowing, but I think this might be my favorite version of her because no one else gets to have Marley like this.

“Fuck homework, I want to make my girl happy,” I say, grabbing the back of my shirt to pull it off.

“Yeah?” Marley asks, her eyes drifting down to my torso, landing on the bulge in my pants.

“Yeah.” My throat bobs as I stare back at Marley, my chest filling with pride at the sight of her wearing my sweatshirt. She can have my whole damn closet if it tells everyone I’m hers. “Where do you want me to touch you?” I ask, my voice hoarse.

She pulls off my sweatshirt, and my jaw unhinges at the realization Marley isn’t wearing anything underneath it. “Anywhere you want. There’s no rush, just do what feels right to you.”

I hover over her, bracing myself to keep from crushing Marley, as the bed dips under my weight. I kiss her lips, my hand sliding up to the smooth skin of her stomach, feeling her shiver under my touch. “You’re perfect,” I say.

My knuckle grazes underneath Marley’s breast, daring higher to brush over her hardened nipple.

I feel Marley’s breathing hitch, and this time I circle the peak with the pad of my thumb, applying more pressure.

Her hands find the back of my head, guiding me.

“I like my nipples played with,” she says, and I smile, glancing up at her.

“Yes ma’am.”

I flick my tongue over the stiff peak as her fingers grip my hair, the sting only making my cock ache for something to relieve the pressure.

Closing my mouth over her nipple, I suck, rewarded by the honey sweet sound of Marley moaning.

She arches into my mouth, and I reach for her other breast, making sure to stimulate both of them as her breathing hitches again.

“ JJ, yes, ” she says, and the sound of her saying my name is too much for my restraint. I shove my other hand into the waistband of my briefs, wrapping my hand tightly around my thick length. Get a grip, JJ. This is about Marley.

Marley shifts underneath me, growing restless as her nails drag against my scalp when I drag my tongue over the sensitive skin, wishing I could see the look on her face right now.

I switch to the other side, repeating the same pattern before applying more suction.

“Use your teeth please,” she instructs, her voice shaking and I stroke myself once, loving how she’s telling me what to do.