Page 15 of Not Your Enemy
Slowing down, we both kissed each other tenderly, taking our time pulling our lips apart and bringing them back together. Her thumbs kneaded my hips, and it all felt so good. As content as I was to have this sweet moment with her, I also wanted more. Couldn’t help thinking about seeing her other tattoos, how beautiful she’d look naked.
She pulled away and gave me a slow smile before leaning in to kiss the tip of my nose. I kissed her cheek and then couldn’t help but keep kissing her smooth, warm skin. I kissed down to her jaw, taking my time. She moaned when I reached her neck, savoring her scent and the feel of skin against my lips as I nibbled there. Her arms held me tightly to her, hands rubbing up and down my back.
Pulling back, her lips found mine again, and the slow kisses from before were now frenzied. She’d pulled me so close that I was basically straddling her thighs, and I hoped she wouldn’t be able to feel how wet I was. One of her hands slid under my shirt until her fingers ran up the skin of my back. She left a trail of warmth everywhere she touched, and I loved how her skin felt against mine. Everything about this felt right—hot, exciting. Deep somewhere inside, I knew I was hurting my friend, but it was so overshadowed by my need for Jade. Like amorning alarm that's incorporated itself into your dream instead of successfully waking you up.
We’d eventually split apart and, just like she’d done to me the night before, I leaned in to kiss her forehead. I could see color in her cheeks that I so rarely brought out of her. She was so gorgeous like this, wrapped around me, feeling desire from my kisses.
“I like you, Libby,” she whispered, bringing my fingers to her mouth to kiss and rub against her skin. Fluttering her eyelashes at me, she went back to giving me an intense look.
“I like you too, Jade.” It felt so silly to say back to her, but she made me feel young and excited. Like I just had my first kiss or something.
Realizing I was still straddling her, I moved until I was sitting beside her again. The movie was only about halfway through, but I knew it was late and I needed to get to bed. Plus, I didn’t trust myself not to end up in Jade’s lap again.
“I know I promised a movie night, but with work in the morning, I should hit the hay.” Her hand still held mine; she was rubbing her thumb over the back of it.
“No worries. We can finish your movie tomorrow night.” With a nod and a smile, I got up from the couch. Jade turned the TV off and followed me upstairs.
“Offer still stands if you ever want to sleep in my room,” she said as I was walking through Jana’s doorway. “We could just cuddle,” she said, and I bit my lip in consideration. It would be lovely—the smell of her sheets, holding her against me all night.
Before I could reply, my phone started ringing.
“That’s Jana. Maybe another time?” I asked, feeling like a coward.
“Night, princess,” she said with a smile before closing the door behind her.
Janahad nothing new to say, just called to keep her word despite the late hour and tell me about the continuing stress that was her job. Although she would ask how things were going, it wasn’t like I could share much with her. She didn’t want to hear about Jade, and packing boxes wasn’t that interesting a topic. It was obvious we both still felt on edge from our earlier conversation. Which, after everything that just happened downstairs, fueled the guilt seeping in.
I showered and crawled into bed, setting my alarm for only a few hours from now. Of course, all I could think about was Jade, kissing Jade, being in Jade’s lap, what it would be like to be even more intimate with Jade. Fuck, just trouble—she was pure trouble.
Chapter 10
Payday Friday was always a good day, even when my bills ate away at it swiftly. I’d need to go to the grocery store this weekend and replenish what I’d used up so far. I was happy I’d made so many pancakes yesterday since I could just warm them up and dig in. Two cups of coffee still hadn’t been enough to make up for a lack of sleep, and I was contemplating a third cup when Jade walked into the kitchen.
Unlike yesterday, she was in her oversized tee and messy bun again. Although it wasn’t as polished or put together as yesterday’s look, it was truly just as sexy. Something about the roughness, the rawness of it, made it more appealing. Like I was lucky to be able so this side of her when others didn’t.
“Yum,” Jade commented, taking in the plate I’d set out for her. “Even growing up, our parents never made breakfast for us like this. It was always something we could eat quickly in the car. So, yourcatering to me every morning like my own personal chef has been amazing.” I giggled at her words, but my brows scrunched in sympathy.
“Thanks, my mom made me help in the kitchen and all that. You know, in preparation to be some man’s housemaid. Anyway, I’ve always enjoyed it. Cooking is a big de-stressor for me. Just completing and focusing on simple tasks is fulfilling, especially when I’m not finding other things to feel like that.”
I was rambling, but with Jade, that was to be expected. Forgoing that third cup of coffee, I grabbed my laptop from the kitchen counter and walked over to sit next to Jade at the bar top.
"Do your parents know you like girls?" She asked nonchalantly.
“They do, but although they’ve never said anything negative about it, I can tell they don’t love it.” She nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, which I’d learned to fix just how she liked.
“Mine knew too before they passed. Kind of a similar situation where they obviously weren’t in love with the idea, but didn’t want to talk about it. That was until I posted a picture of an ex of mine kissing my cheek and my mom saw it. You know, because it wasn’t that she cared about my having a girlfriend, but she cared about what other people would think of it.”
“I hate that. My parents have never had social media, so I’ve not had to go through that, thankfully. But I’m not sure how they’d react if they’d actually met someone I was dating.”
“When was your last relationship?” She asked between bites.
“It’s been about two years since my ex and I broke up. We were together for about a year and a half.”
“Why’d it end?” She asked, looking over at me.
“Um, well, I ended it because she just seemed kind of unenthusiastic about everything." I placed my elbow on the tiled countertop, propping my chin up. "At first, things were goodbetween us, but before I knew it, I started feeling like I was just an obligation to her.” I paused for a moment, trying to get my words out correctly. “Guess I just wanted to feel special to her, and I never really did.” I shrugged, unsure how else to frame it.
“She sounds stupid, no offense.” I raised my brows at Jade, unsure of what I’d said that gave her that impression.