Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(120)
“Please.” He uses his lips to persuade me. “Please,” he begs again.
“I can’t,” I decree.
“Not even just to snuggle,” he coaxes.
“No,” I return sternly.
Joe accepts my refusal, but continues to keep our bodies in close proximity.
Five minutes later, Joe, Sadie and I are in his car. Since he already knows where my apartment is, I direct him to park in the underground lot. There’s an elevator in my building that makes it easier with bags.
The gentleman that he is, Joe insists on helping Sadie and me all the way up to my door. I have reservations when he crosses the doorstep with two bags in his hands, but I fight the urge to complain. He made it this far when he, Henry and Maggie came to pick me up.
Placing my bags down in the corner by the door, Joe pulls me into him. He delivers a sex-tingling kiss that makes me melt on impact.
“Can I come in? Stay for a little?” He playfully nips at my bottom lip.
“No. I’d be breaking my rules,” I remind.
Wanting more, he consumes my mouth and I completely give in.
“We should probably break them one at a time then,” he suggests.
“I can’t break them. Not anymore,” I comment before squeezing my mouth on his.
His hand slips up my back, grazing my bare skin that isn’t covered by my dress followed by another thrust of his lips. My sex instantly dances with desire.
“So we are only breaking one right now by kissing?”
Moaning, I release to answer, “No. I haven't added kissing.”
“So none are broken . . .” his voice trails exploring my mouth more. “I can live with that for now.”
Catching my breath momentarily, I report, “Two.”
Breaking our connection for a split second he contends, “Two?”
“Mmm hmm,” I mumble locking my lips with his. “Possibly three if I let you stay,” I confirm as he buries his face into my neck, growling.
“What are your rules?”
“I think we should say goodnight,” I suggest.
“Is that what you want?”
“Joe,” I plea.
I honestly don’t know what I want at this point. My kissing theory does not seem to be working out right now. I know that I want him more than ever, but I know that I don’t want to break any more of my rules. I’m afraid of what will happen if I do.
He gives me one long kiss that mirrors our first followed by a peck before saying, “Goodnight, beautiful. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight, Joe.”
Thirty
Now home from an eventful vacation, the last three days of the work week find me catching up with my business teams regarding current statuses and needs throughout each day and night. I’m able to avoid seeing Joe in person, but we do talk and text on occasion.
Joe heads back to the East Coast Friday afternoon to visit his mother for Mother’s Day. I visit with Maggie and her family along with Henry and his parents, who finally find out about the engagement as part of their Mother’s Day gift. Jared goes with Nathan to his parent’s house to see Nathan’s mom.
Monday morning starts a whirlwind of frenzy for me beyond work and my overzealous itch for sex. As Maggie’s maid of honor, I’m subject to a bunch of unruly tasks I wasn’t aware of or prepared to handle. I’ve never gone to been apart of a wedding, let alone gone to one before, and all of my maid of honor duties are surprising, to say the least. I love Maggie, don’t get me wrong, but having to help plan her wedding before the end of summer is a daunting task, even with a bride who has every last detail planned and a maid of honor, like myself, who knows how to structure, organize and plan. If we can’t find a suitable venue that can accommodate over four hundred people as well as provide privacy, all the remaining arrangements we need to make will be for nothing.
I’ve created two to-do lists, both with their own hierarchy of priorities that need to work side by side. My fist list is planning and scheduling all tasks pertaining to business, primarily for Naturally Me with Jared, and asking him to take on more responsibility. Maggie’s able to oversee Raven Media while planning her wedding is easy and not as time consuming; there’s a lot less involved and she doesn’t need to oversee the programing that is required for the new software since she doesn’t know coding. For me, with the added work to complete the new Raven software in time for beta testing prior to tweaking and then marketing and advertising, my free time is cut drastically. My second list is all the things that are required to do, organize and get done for Maggie’s wedding.
M?qīn and Henry’s mom, Mrs. Wú, are assisting — well, trying to assist. They both mean well when they keep making suggestions or recommendations, but their added options leave Maggie questioning all of her previous ideas, leaving her indecisive. As long as Maggie makes a decision and sticks with it, my job is much easier.
On top of work and Maggie’s wedding, there is also the added fact that Jared, Nathan and Maggie have birthdays coming up in May, July and August which just add to the party planning and attending to-do list chaos.
“I don’t know where to start, Emma,” Maggie says, walking into my apartment.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, not sure of what topic has captivated her mind.