Page 36 of Emerald Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #2)

twenty-four

Jo was right to be worried, at least on their end.

On the drive over, the mood cooled and they started to think, which led to overthinking, and overthinking wasn’t sexy at all.

They kept glancing over at Cass and wondering what she was thinking, or if she was thinking at all.

She seemed like the type to take things at face value and not think too much.

But Jo didn’t know. Cass could also be silently freaking out in the driver’s seat without showing it on her face.

Freaking out wasn’t the right word because Jo totally wasn’t freaking out.

It was more like planning for every outcome the next few hours could bring.

They were just being prepared. What if they felt awkward when they entered Cass’ room for the first time?

What if they couldn’t get back to the mood they had before?

What should they do about their binder because they definitely felt better with it on, but would that be weird?

What if Jo was actually a bad kisser and they never knew?

What if Jo had forgotten everything about making out and sex since the last time they had any?

They needed plans. If they felt awkward, they’d just fake being normal. The binder? They’d decide in the moment. Kissing and sex? They planned to let Cass take the lead.

Jo stared out the window on the drive back to the Crooked Creek Pack house and nearly jumped out of their skin when Cass placed a hand on their thigh, but they laughed it off with a smile and placed their hand on top of hers.

Having Cass’ hand there helped ground them.

Their thoughts slowed. The worries seemed farther away.

It was just Cass, after all. Everything was better with her.

Because having that contact made everything better, Jo rushed to Cass’ side when she got out of the car and slipped their hand inside of hers and gave her hand a squeeze. Cass looked down at them and smiled, giving their hand a squeeze in return.

Jo tried to avoid any eye contact with anyone on the way to Cass’ room and hoped they wouldn’t run into Krista.

She’d be full of questions that Jo wouldn’t want to answer out loud.

She’d already been overjoyed when they told her what had happened and the two of them hadn’t had a chance to meet up over coffee to properly talk it over yet.

Krista was filled to the brim with excitement she hadn’t been able to express in person.

They almost didn’t notice when Cass stopped walking and a door shut behind them.

“I’m glad you’re here, Jo,” Cass said, lifting Jo’s hand to her lips to kiss the back of their hand.

Jo giggled but didn’t pull their hand away. “What are you doing?”

”Welcoming you to my room.”

The look in Cass’ eyes stirred up more comfort and calm than the fire they had before, but it wasn’t unwanted.

They took a moment to take in the space around them.

The walls were a pale green color, but Jo could see very little of them.

Most of the space on the wall was covered with bookshelves stuffed with books, framed posters and photos of birds, and some landscape art.

”Did you take these photos?”

”Oh heavens no. I’m not that talented. I can get a blurry shot of a bird on my phone or a regular camera, but nothing like what my friends can do. I bought these at conventions over the years.”

Cass was quiet for a moment, looking around her own room, her hand still clutching Jo’s. She rubbed her thumb along the back of their hand. “Do you still want to do this? Answer honestly. I’m fine either way.”

”Yes. Definitely yes.”

”But you’re so tense.”

Jo noticed their clenched jaw and their tight shoulders. They purposefully relaxed both and thought about lying, but knew that Cass would see right through it. “The mood is gone. At least for me. I’m excited! But also thinking a lot. The mood can come back, though! I’m just sort of stuck.”

Cass stood there for a moment saying nothing and they wondered if they’d truly killed the mood for good.

”Will you promise to tell me if you don’t like something? Or if I’ve crossed a line?”

Jo couldn’t help but imagine what Cass had in her mind right now. ”Definitely. I promise.”

”Good.” Cass rushed forward and, wrapping her hands around the backs of Jo’s thighs, hoisted their body up onto her waist.

Instinctively, Jo wrapped their legs around her. The show of strength did things to their ability to overthink. Their mind went hazy around the edges.

Cass lifted Jo higher, adjusting their weight so she could take a few steps forward and plant Jo’s back in between two framed photos against the wall. “Still good?” she asked, her breath warm on their cheek.

”Very good.” Jo surged forward, twisting their arms around Cass’ neck and kissing her with none of the finesse of experience but all of the need that came with desire. The switch was flipped again.

Cass kissed them hard back in return, matching their energy with a bit more tenderness, but no less want.

Panting breaths passed between them before they were swallowed by more kisses.

Growing bolder, Jo slipped a hand down Cass’ body and up underneath the hem of her shirt.

Her skin was soft and gave way under Jo’s fingertips when they pressed in.

Cass smiled against their lips, a low, rumbling laugh spilling from her throat. She kissed along Jo’s jaw and down their neck, sucking at the tender skin as Jo’s head tipped back against the wall.

Jo lost themselves in the feeling until Cass pulled away with a laugh. They tipped their head down to look at her.

”Pine needle,” Cass said.

”What?”

”There was a pine needle in your shirt and it got in my mouth. I’m just remembering now that not that long ago we were naked outside in the dirt.” She raised an eyebrow. “Can I interest you in sharing a shower?”

Jo nodded, biting their bottom lip.

Cass carefully carried them to the bathroom. With their feet back on the floor, Jo started to pull off their own shirt, but she stopped them with a gentle hand. “I’m taking care of you, remember?”

”I can take off my own shirt faster.”

”But it’s so much more fun if I do it, like unwrapping a present.”

”I’m hardly a present.”

Cass set their hands on their shoulders, slowly running them down their arms. “I beg to differ,” she said, turning on the water in the shower.

It would have been faster if Jo had taken off their own clothes, but she was right — it was more fun with Cass doing it.

She kissed Jo’s skin when new parts of it were revealed, slow and deliberate.

They focused on each press of her lips until Jo felt heavy and relaxed, leaning against the bathroom wall and letting their eyes close.

Belatedly, they noticed that Cass had stopped. They fluttered their eyes open. She was naked in front of them, clothes folded neatly next to the sink.

”I thought I’d get to unwrap my present, too,” Jo said.

”But this was faster.”

”That’s what I said!”

Cass stepped forward and tilted her head down to press a kiss to the top of Jo’s head. “Looks like I get what I want sometimes.” She took hold of Jo’s hand and guided them into the shower.

The shock of hot water was nothing compared to the heat of Cass’ hands on their body. With water flowing down their skin, Jo let themselves be pressed against the shower wall, Cass kissing them with more hunger than before, both their hands wandering to places they couldn’t reach before.

When Cass’ hand slipped between their legs, Jo gasped.

”Okay?” Cass asked, breath hot against their skin.

Jo nodded, trying to find their voice. “Very okay.”

They tried to find a grip on Cass’ waist as her fingers slid between their legs before gently pressing in.

Eyes shut, Jo let out a long sigh, the sound of someone unraveling at long last. Cass kissed and sucked along their neck as her fingers worked to draw out deeper moans.

Her thumb pressed firmly along the front of them while she slid two fingers further inside.

Jo clung to Cass the best they could in the water. Their legs trembled as heat built inside them. “Don’t stop. I’m close.”

”I know.” Cass’ voice was a low grumble in their ear. She began to circle her thumb as her fingers did things Jo could never have dreamed of doing for themselves.

They were tight like a coiled spring — building, building to their release. They pitched forward, fingernails digging into Cass’ skin, their cheek pressed against her soft chest as the pressure increased until finally it spilled over in one blissful moment. Jo shuddered as it rolled through them.

”Okay?” She asked.

”Better than okay,” Jo whispered.

”So you can give me one more?” Cass began to move her fingers again.

Their entire body tensed at the overwhelming sensations rocking through them. Cass stopped. Jo flashed their eyes open.

”Don’t stop,” Jo said again.

She didn’t need to be told twice. With her lips pressed hard against Jo’s, she wrung yet another orgasm from Jo’s body, leaving them boneless and somehow aching for more even as their body tried to say that had been enough.

They opened their eyes and looked at Cass, her eyes gentle and loving, water cascading down her muscular body. No, Jo could never get enough of her.

What Jo thought would be a moment of reciprocation turned into Cass insisting to wash Jo from head to toe. Smiling, Jo let her lather shampoo in their hair and run lemon-scented soap bubbles on a washcloth over their body.

When she was satisfied she finally let Jo do something—she handed them the washcloth and said, “My turn. But you probably can’t reach my hair.”

Jo laughed. “My arms can reach!”

Cass dipped her head down a little anyway, and Jo returned the intimate favor, washing her in the same gentle way that Cass had done for them.

It was a good moment, warm and sweet, until Cass dropped to her knees. She looked up at Jo. “Please?”

Jo clasped the back of her head. “You can do anything you want.”