Page 44 of Jordan’s Breakthrough (Unexpected Love #3)

MILES

O nce afternoon rounds are done, I slip into Ruth’s room to spend some time with her. She’s recovering nicely, and Dr. Mullins thinks she’ll be going home in the next few days. It’s a relief. I couldn’t stand seeing her in pain yesterday.

I visit with her until it’s time to change her medication. The new dose kicks in within minutes, and she nods off. Pulling her beloved crossword book from her hand, I set it on the table, then sink into a nearby chair. It hasn’t been a horrible day, all things considered. Just… heavy.

Closing my eyes, I cup a hand against my face like Jordan taught me and smile a little. It’s silly how well this softens the ache, but it’s not enough. It’s never enough. I miss him so much. I need to book a flight to see him.

“Paging Miles Breckton to the second-floor nurse’s station. Miles Breckton to the second-floor nurse’s station.”

Startled to hear my name on the overhead, I jump up and leave Ruth’s room, freezing just outside the door.

There, thirty feet away, is Jordan. His dark hair hangs loose around his shoulders, and his face is freshly shaven. He’s smiling too, as he stares down at the single red rose in his hand. Not the forced smile I’ve seen so many times, but a real, genuine, heart-stopping one.

“Jordan?” I squeak, though it’s definitely him.

He turns at my voice, then starts toward me with no hesitation. He reaches me in four strides, grinning wide as he crushes me in a hug.

I fling my arms around him and hold on, dipping my face into his neck. His solid, familiar form instantly calms me, the scent of roses and chamomile lingering in the air.

“What are you doing here?”

He chuckles softly as he pulls away. “I came to see you.” Obviously. He hands me the rose.

I accept it and kiss him. Hard. Jordan is here!

Someone coughs, and my cheeks heat when I see that a half dozen people are watching us. But I don’t care. This is surreal. Jordan once thought he wouldn’t be able to leave San Diego, but here he is. Right in front of me.

I grab his hand and lead him into a private alcove off to the side. “How did you find me?”

“Wasn’t hard. Just looked up some hospitals in the area and started at the biggest one. Figured they’d have the budget for temp nurses. After that, I just asked around.”

I shake my head in awe. “You’re incredible. You know that?”

His voice softens. “You did it for me too, hon.”

No. He doesn’t get it. Not even my family has visited me in another city. My parents never had the chance, with their vet clinic staying so busy, and my siblings just haven’t tried. Yet Jordan fought himself, fought leaving his home in San Diego to come to me. I can’t ignore how big that is.

“How long are you here for?”

His handsome smile grows impossibly wide, like he’s been waiting for this question. “Until the end of your contract.”

I stumble back. “What?”

He chuckles. “It’s true. Declan and I worked it out. I’ll be doing some work from the road, and Seth will be filling in as a server while Melody tends bar. It’s all taken care of. Plus, Declan is giving another guy a chance to prove himself in the evenings, so they really won’t be shorthanded.”

I’m stunned. Literally speechless. He’s here for three months ?

He lowers his voice and pulls me close again. “I’ve been worried about you, Miles. I know you’re not okay, and you said it yourself, you can’t be alone. So now, you don’t have to be.”

And now I’m crying again. Dammit.

“Oh, Jordan.” I kiss him. “Wait. Does that mean you brought your motorhome?”

He laughs. “Yeah. Already found a long-term spot near the lake too, so we’ll have a view. It’s a bit of a drive to get here, but I don’t mind. I towed my car so I can take you. And it means you can finally explore the city. It’ll be fun.”

It takes my breath away. This wonderful, sweet man.

When I don’t reply, Jordan holds my face with one hand, just like I tried to do a few minutes ago. His touch is so, so much better than my own.

“I want to take care of you like you’ve taken care of me. Not just now, but always. I love you, Miles, and I’m in this for the long haul. I hope you know that.”

What the hell am I supposed to say to that? “I’m gonna kiss you again.”

He leans in.

Jordan is an exceptional kisser. The way he holds my face and presses our bodies together is pure heaven.

His tongue sweeps across mine, soft thumb brushing against my cheek.

It sends a spark of electricity down my spine, straight to my cock.

I smile against his lips, and when we break apart, Jordan is smiling too.

Or rather, still smiling. It’s all he’s done since he found me.

Will I ever get used to that?

I look closer, trying to find any of the darkness I’ve seen before, but it isn’t there.

None at all. Only joy. I know it won’t always be that way, and Jordan might need med changes again in the future.

He’ll be more prone to situational and seasonal depression too, but that’s all things we can deal with.

Together. Because he’s here, and he wants to be with me. Forever.

“Come here.” Looking down the hall, I pull him into a supply closet and lock the door. Jordan seems confused until I press him against the door.

He lets out a quiet oof. “Should we be—”

“No one will know if we’re quiet.”

It’s all the permission he needs. Jordan frames my face with his hands as his tongue glides into my mouth.

We kiss like two teenagers reuniting after a summer apart.

Feeling under his shirt, I reach up to tweak a nipple.

He hisses but doesn’t pull away. I lift the fabric and flatten my tongue over the sensitive nub, grinning when he curses.

Reaching for the button of his jeans, I quickly undo them and slide a hand in.

Like a switch is flipped, Jordan’s kisses become desperate. He tugs at my shirt to feel my bare side, and instead of the usual insecurity, all I feel is comfort. Wholeness. Safety. I lean into him, relieved to finally be in his arms again. I still can’t believe he came all this way for me.

I kiss down his chest and get to my knees in front of him. When I tug his jeans down and see his underwear, I can’t help but giggle.

“More Pervy Plants?”

He shrugs. “Wore them for you.”

Lowering the underwear, I lick up one side of his shaft before dipping my tongue in the slit.

The pool of precum coats my tongue, and I jack him harder.

Jordan closes his eyes, head falling back as one hand lands on my shoulder.

He mutters my name when I suck on his testicles, then gently rocks forward, pleasure building.

I take him deep, swallowing around his length and teasing his balls with my fingers. Our eyes meet, and Jordan slides his hands into my hair. If there’s one thing I know about Jordan and sex, it’s that he loves having his slit touched. I tease him again, jacking slowly.

His mouth parts, like he’s barely hanging on.

“Come for me,” I say. “Let me taste you.”

He nods. “Already there.”

I hollow out my cheeks as I swallow him down, and Jordan rocks forward, grunting quietly. I suck him harder, feel his balls draw up tight, then take him down my throat just before his cock pulses. He grunts quietly as he unloads, our eyes locked.

I tug my scrubs down and begin jacking myself, afraid that if I don’t, I’ll spill in my pants. But Jordan pulls me to my feet then switches places, getting on his knees in front of me. It takes less than a minute for me to shoot down his throat.

Slowly, he stands and kisses me, almost laughing against my lips. “You have a naughty side, don’t you? Doing it in a closet at work.”

I snort. “Says the guy who rode me in a parking lot.”

He grins. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

I find some paper towels on the shelf to clean up the excess saliva, then get dressed. Jordan is all smiles when I reach for the closet door. After a quick peek outside, I pull him out.

We walk hand in hand back down to the elevator. “I’ll be back at six.”

“You better. I’m going home with you.”

He kisses me. “I love hearing you say that.”

The rest of the shift flies by.

I still can’t believe this is happening.

I’m balancing two overstuffed duffels and a backpack in my arms, with Lily trotting ahead in her harness. Jordan rolls the last suitcase beside him, clearly impressed with how I strapped Lily’s litter box, scratcher, and the small backpack with all of her toys.

“You’re kinda good at this packing thing, aren’t you?”

I shrug. “You learn to get creative when you’ve traveled with a cat for seven years.”

He laughs, but there’s pride in his eyes. “Still. You Tetris’d the hell out of this.”

“Well, I did tell you I’m a gamer.”

He suddenly stops. “Oh! I forgot to show you!” Trepidation fills me as he whips his phone out. What can be so urgent that he’d stop in the middle of the damn parking lot? It takes a moment, but then he turns the screen around to reveal two new characters in the Sims game, named Miles and Jordan.

I grin stupidly. “Please tell me they’ve woo-hooed.”

“Only like fifty times.”

“Is that all? I’m disappointed.”

He bumps me. “Give me time. They just met like, three days ago.”

I smirk. It’s adorable that he created characters after us.

“Anyway, there’s a pizza place not too far from my campground. Want to grab that for dinner?”

“Sounds perfect.”

It’s still light out when we get to the motorhome, and Jordan starts hauling stuff in while I hang back with Lily’s leash wrapped loosely around my fingers. She’s sniffing everything. Tail high, curious.

Clematis is perched in the window like a tiny, skeptical queen. Her mismatched eyes are locked on the newcomer below, tiny ears twitching. But she doesn’t seem alarmed. Just curious.

Please, pleeeease like each other.

This is the final hurdle to our future together, and I’m a bit anxious about how it’s going to go.

Jordan scoops Clematis up from the windowsill, giving me a look of here we go , then gestures for me to come in.

I carry Lily up the steps, still in her harness, and Jordan crouches down between us. “Clematis, this is Lily. She has strong opinions and gets the zoomies at three in the morning. Lily, this is Clematis. She thinks my chest is her personal bed and has never missed a meal.”

I chuckle, but my stomach is in knots.

He edges them closer.

Clematis’ ears flatten before she hisses. When Lily reaches forward for a sniff, Clematis smacks her with one perfectly aimed paw before vaulting out of Jordan’s arms and disappearing under the kitchen table.

Jordan starts to go after her, but I reach for his arm. “Let her be. They need to do it on their own.”

We both fall still, crouched awkwardly near the door as we watch our babies do their thing. The tension thrums through the space.

Lily’s tail sways as she inches closer, not defensive but curious.

Clematis watches from behind a chair, her body low and eyes sharp.

Slowly, Clematis comes out and begins circling Lily, ears still pinned to her head.

Lily turns with her, their gazes locked.

I can’t help but think how poetic they are, one all white cat circling a nearly all black one.

One more step, then another, and another. No hissing. Just… strange, feline calculation. I wonder what they’re thinking or saying to each other in their subtle cat language.

Then, as if bored of the entire ordeal, Lily leans forward and boops Clematis on the nose.

Clematis is too stunned to react. After a moment, she sits down, tail wrapped around her paws and looks away, like she’s decided this dramatic stranger is beneath her notice now. Lily takes that as her cue of acceptance and begins sniffing around.

Jordan and I exhale, and when our gazes meet, we both grin—goofy, relieved, exhausted grins that come from somewhere deep within.

He reaches for my hand and squeezes. “Well, that’s that, I guess.”

“Way less drama than I expected,” I agree, heart thudding in my chest like I just defused a bomb.

But inside, joy spreads warm and fast. We did it. This moment was the final test of making everything real, and we passed. Our furbabies are okay. We’re okay. Everything is finally okay.

I step into Jordan’s arms. “Home sweet home.”

He grins. “Ready for our first meal?”

“And later, dessert.”