Page 61 of Before You (Reckless Love #2)

CHAPTER FORTY

Marley

“SO?” JJ ASKS, bumping his hip against mine.

I look up at him, my cheeks cold from the freezing chill in the air. “So what?” I ask, waiting for further clarification.

He motions around us, the blankets of snow covering the ground as we walk through Central Park, a soft glow cast on his face from the twinkling lights strung up.

This is one of my favorite times of year, and while I might have a love-hate relationship with New York, I love how magical the city becomes for the holidays.

“Has this date been everything you hoped it would be? You got the whole restaurant to sing happy birthday to me, we have the hot chocolate, the Christmas lights, the snow, the perfect boyfriend. Pretty sure we’ve checked everything on your list for tonight. ”

He’s not wrong—JJ is the perfect boyfriend.

“Everything and more,” I say, smiling up at him. He seems good. JJ’s been going to meetings consistently, and he’s holding himself differently, almost like he’s starting to believe in himself again.

“I’m glad. You deserve the world, but I’d give you the entire universe if I could. Thank you for giving me the best birthday,” JJ says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, leaning to press a kiss to the top of my head as I melt into him.

He makes it so easy to love him.

“I know I haven’t been the most fun to be around the last few weeks, but I really appreciate how patient you’ve been with me,” I say, adjusting my grip on the cup of hot chocolate in my hands, grateful for my gloves.

“If there’s one word to describe me, it’d be patient,” he jokes, while we walk through the light layer of snow collecting on the sidewalk.

I chuckle because he’s not wrong. I’ve never met someone like JJ before, and I probably never will again. “Fair point. I guess what I’m trying to say is it means a lot. I know you’ve got a lot going on, and I just . . . I love you. Thank you for making me feel seen.”

“Sweetheart, you’re the first thing I look for when I step into a room.

I always see you,” JJ says, his smooth voice deepening, and I wrap my arm around his lower back in return.

“I wasn’t always this person everyone had to babysit to make sure I wouldn’t break.

I used to be reliable, and not someone who has to fight the urge to numb everything wit—” he falters, and I refuse to let go of JJ while he clears his throat.

“With pills. I don’t like being like this, but I’m trying to be better. ”

“You are reliable, JJ. Your addiction and the pills don’t define you as a person, and you’ve been working so hard to stay clean.

I’m so proud of you, amore mio ,” I say, looking up at him.

I wish I could take away all of JJ’s struggles and pain because I can’t think of anyone less deserving to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders than the man in front of me.

There are a few snowflakes collecting in his dark lashes, and his eyes are trained on me, trusting me with his bruised heart.

I wonder if Bailey has ever regretted leaving, because speaking from experience, JJ’s not an easy person to walk away from, let alone his entire family. I can’t help but think there’s more to it than any of the theories they suspect.

“You have a way of making me feel seen too,” JJ murmurs, and my gaze drops to his soft lips before drifting back up to his emerald gaze.

His hand lifts to brush his thumb over my cheek, the cashmere material tickling my skin. “Do you ever think about how crazy it is we found each other again, and now we’re here celebrating your birthday?” I ask, and his smile is a gift I once only dreamed of.

“I never had a doubt about finding you, Marley. You’re my once in a lifetime too,” he says, and the fact he remembers the lyrics from the song I sang to him means more to me than anything else. I feel like my heart might explode from the depth of my feelings for him.

To stop my tears of happiness from falling, I stick my tongue out to catch a snowflake, elated when JJ joins me.

I’m convinced it can’t get better than this.

~

My body is on fire from the way JJ has me pressed against the wall of the elevator on our way up to the penthouse. The sheer desperation of this kiss makes my body crave the feeling of JJ’s pressed on top of me.

His lips clash passionately against mine, both of us fighting to lose ourselves in this moment and in each other. We’re both wearing too many layers, and I shift to move closer to him, but the rail is digging into my back. I groan, pulling away to laugh softly, and JJ gives me a questioning look.

“I’m sorry, I promise it’s not you I’m laughing at,” I say, untangling my hands from where they’d ventured into his dark hair.

JJ offers me his slanted smile I love so much. “No, it’s definitely me and it’s okay. I know I’m funny looking, and you’re the pretty one in this relationship.”

I lean up, kissing his lips once more. “No. The bar is digging into my back,” I explain as the elevator chimes before the doors open. JJ steps back to drag a hand through his already mussed hair, pausing to frown at the bar as if it will make it disappear.

I kick my boots off by the door, shedding my coat, gloves, and scarf as JJ does the same before following me further into the penthouse.

“Should I put a movie on?” I ask, feeling his presence right behind me. I pause in the living room, sucking in a breath when he pulls my hair over one shoulder to press his lips to the side of my throat.

“Do you really want to watch a movie?” he asks, and the hoarseness in JJ’s voice that wasn’t there before causes shivers to crawl up my spine.

“No,” I admit, unashamed of how badly I want JJ. He’s already seen every part of me—there’s no reason to pretend I don’t. My gaze shifts to see the hot tub sitting on the patio overlooking the city. “We could take a dip in the hot tub?”

“I don’t want anyone else to see what’s mine, and I’d rather show you how well I pay attention to see how many orgasms I can bring you too,” he says, kissing my throat again. My breath catches, and his deep chuckle against my throat is distracting.

“But it’s your birthday,” I protest, but it’s a fight to keep my eyes from rolling to the back of my head from the gentleness of his touch.

“I promise you, getting to touch you is a gift, and I’d like to see if I can get you to crush my head between your thighs,” he teases, causing an abrupt laugh to slip from me.

“I can’t believe Kaden asked you that,” I say, but when JJ turns me to press his lips against mine, I forget all about it.

We leave a trail of clothes on our way to my bedroom, and I’m confident there isn’t a part of my body he hasn’t touched. Shedding the last of my clothes, I look up at JJ, only to find him already staring at me.

“See something you like?” I tease, and his mouth tilts into a smile.

“I see everything I love.” JJ drags a hand through his hair, causing his dark waves to fall onto his forehead.

He’s beautiful. My hands twitch at my sides, eager to touch him as I watch him stroke his hard cock, and I sit on the bed, watching as his abdomen flexes and a bead of pre-cum forms on his tip.

I slip my hand between my legs, biting my lip to hide my smile when his throat bobs as I touch myself.

“Sweetheart, do you have any idea how pretty you look right now?” he asks.

“Funny, I was thinking the same about you,” I say, dipping my finger in me before bringing it up to my nipple, coating the sensitive skin with my arousal, and JJ’s patience snaps.

He’s quick to close the gap between us, pressing a bruising kiss to my lips not nearly long enough before he moves to close his mouth over my nipple, sucking eagerly.

“I like the way you think,” JJ says, and I moan when his fingers drag over my aching core, but they never push into me, instead tracing a matching circle around my other nipple. I move to touch him when in one smooth movement, JJ catches my wrists, and holds them above my head against the pillows.

“You’re not going to let me touch you?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.

“It’s my birthday, my rules, sweetheart.

If you can’t keep your hands to yourself, I’ll make you,” he says, before swirling his tongue around the path his fingers took.

I gasp, arching into his mouth, and he holds my hands in place, but his grip is loose enough that I could definitely pull them free if I wanted to.

Except, I don’t because as much as I like telling JJ what to do, it’s sexy seeing this other side of him.

I twist underneath his firm body as he continues painting my skin with my arousal before lapping it up with his tongue. “More,” I beg, cracking when once again, he doesn’t put an end to my misery. I know I’m not the only one desperate for more.

“Keep your hands up there,” he instructs, and I nod, because I’ll do anything JJ wants right now if it means he’ll tip me over the edge instead of continuing to let me teeter on it. He gives me a wicked smile before his mouth trails down my body, and he sucks my clit into his sinful mouth.

I cry out, but as my eyes flutter shut from the intense amount of pleasure, I remember to keep my hands above my head.

He finally pushes two fingers into me, but it’s when he curls them inside me, I see stars as the pressure builds in me.

“Fuck yes,” I moan, my head twisting as I fight the urge to grab JJ’s hair as he circles my clit with his tongue.

“Can you take another?” JJ asks, and my hips arch, seeking more. “Gotta make sure your pretty pussy is ready for me to fuck you.”

Oh my god, I love hearing JJ unfiltered. I feel myself stretch as he adds a third finger, curling them at the same time he applies pressure to my clit, and my body implodes from the inside out. My breathing is heavy, but I smile when JJ kisses my lips. “You did so good.”

“Can I touch you?” I ask, and he shakes his head.

“Not yet,” JJ says, stroking himself, the swollen head glistening from his pre-cum, and I ball my hands into fists. “See how hard you make me?”

“JJ, please. I need you inside me.”

He bites his lip, gripping himself. “Oh fuck, Mar,” he chokes out, his control starting to wane. JJ tears open a condom, rolling it on before looking up at me, his eyes hazy with lust. “You okay?”

“Fuck me, please,” I say, and he laughs, shaking his head.

“What have I told you about the word please?”

I grin, knowing full well how he feels about it. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Roll over, and get your ass up, face down, sweetheart. I’m going to fuck the word out of you.”

Oh hell yes. I roll onto my knees holding my ass in the air as JJ’s hands find the curves of my hips, and my head drops as he starts to push in, the full feeling threatening to overwhelm my senses, but then JJ thrusts deeply, a low moan slipping from him.

I look over my shoulder to see his eyes shut in ecstasy as he shifts his hips back, pushing into me again, this time harder than before, picking up the pace with his next, and I grab the comforter, pushing back to meet him halfway.

“You feel so good. A perfect fit for me.”

As much as I love seeing the look on his face when we’re fucking, there is something so primal about JJ taking me from behind.

“Don’t stop,” I say, breathless as I rock back in time with JJ, focusing on how good it feels. I moan as he grabs my ass, and JJ chuckles, his fingers kneading the muscle.

“You like that?” he asks, and I nod. Without missing a beat, JJ reaches between my legs to rub my clit, catching me by surprise and I fall forward onto my elbows, a continuous moan rolling off my tongue as he quite literally fucks the word out of me.

“There you go, baby. I want to hear you,” he says, grunting as his strokes become erratic, and I’d give anything for a mirror right now to watch.

I can only imagine how powerful JJ looks, taking me from behind.

“Right there,” I gasp, hovering on the brink.

“You’re going to make me come,” he says, driving forward as he fingers my clit, causing sensation overload when another orgasm tears through my body.

JJ doesn’t stop, and every feeling is heightened as I clench the sheets, holding on for dear life.

He thrusts one last time, his cock twitching deep inside of me as he comes with a groan.

I slump into the sheets, my entire body spent from how long JJ edged my first orgasm and the intensity of my second. “You’re going to have to help me to the bathroom,” I say, lifting my head to look at JJ who looks about as tired as I do as he pants.

“Happy to,” he says, giving me the sweetest smile. He sits up, disappearing into the bathroom to dispose of the condom, and returning quickly. Instead of helping me up, JJ lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bathroom to set me on the toilet.

JJ disappears again, and I hear the sound of the tub turning on instead of the shower like I expected. He’s pouring a ridiculous amount of soap into the large tub when I find him, and I have a feeling this is the first time JJ’s ever tried to make a bubble bath.

I hover, leaning against the wall for a minute to watch before he notices me. “Sorry, I saw it, and I thought it would be more relaxing than a shower,” JJ says, his cheeks flushing as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Don’t apologize,” I say, walking closer to him. “It’s sweet. Thank you.”

JJ cups my face, leaning down to kiss me. “Merry Christmas, Marley.”

“Happy birthday, JJ.”