Breathe In (Just Breathe, #1)(147)

“Are you stalking me?” I allude, squinting my eyes at him as I approach.

“No . . . not unless you’d like me to,” Joe counters in his delectable sexy voice.

“The sexy voice won’t help you,” I sass with a smirk.

“You sure?” he surveys, pulling me into him.

I easily submit to his mouth.

“Nor will a kiss,” I tease, staying close and just barely letting go of his lips. “This is the reason why I don’t let men know where I live. They think they can just stop by anytime they want.”

Joe takes the keys from my hand and unlocks the door without saying a word. We stay close until the door is open enough for me to squirm out of his reach.

“So why are you here, especially this early in the morning?” I pry, heading towards the kitchen.

“I didn’t get to properly say goodbye yesterday after our meeting since Jimmy and Allen tagged along,” he reveals, closing in on me while I gulp down some water.

“You’ve gone days before . . .” I begin.

“Exactly,” he interrupts, erotically hijacking my mouth for several beats. “I couldn’t wait days to feel you again.”

Not caring about the sweaty mess I am from running, I surrender to him. I’m not sure what exactly happens until I feel him lowering me onto my bed. The weight of him pinning me down ignites my itch and I moan, wanting more. Why now? Why couldn’t he wait a few more days? I want this — but not like this, not with two more days to go with my period.

Barely shifting his body or removing his lips from mine, Joe manages to shrug out of his shirt. His skin feels like hot stones that have been sitting in the sun. Not too hot to touch — just hot enough.

Shaking my head, I mildly protest even though I continue to kiss him back. Joe grabs my hips and rolls us to where he is under me and I’m straddling him. In one swift movement, he glides us to a seated position and has my shirt tugging away from the top of my head. Great — not my other Achilles’ Heel which is being on top! Damn it!

My arms tighten around his shoulders until his mouth moves to my chin and begins sweeping down my neck. I feel my thighs squeeze around his legs as my hips starts to lightly grind him. Joe’s hands grip my ass like he’s encouraging me to keep rocking.

“No . . .” I pant, pushing him away with my hands on his chest.

“Why?” he groans, but doesn’t stop his pursuit on my neck as he heads down to my collar bone.

“Because . . .” I try to rationalize it out loud.


It makes sense in my head why, but I don’t want to explain the real reason to him, let alone the fact that I need to leave soon.

“Because, why?” he seeks, slowing his pace.

The only thing I can come up with other than, I have my period, is, “Because I don’t want to break two rules at the same time.”

With a smile returning, Joe investigates. “So you do want to . . . .”

Before I’m required to give any kind of an answer, my head jerks towards the kitchen when I hear the buzzer. “I need to get that,” I announce still sitting on his lap. “I’m waiting for a package to be delivered.”

Joe chuckles. “I’m right here.” His lips continue their track up and down my neck.

I purse my lips at his cute response. I totally set myself up for that. Joe holds onto my waist as I try to dismount him. The buzzer goes off again. My eyebrows lift as I give him a glare. With a smile, he tugs at the nape of my neck, seeking a kiss before letting me go.

As I get out to the kitchen area, my phone chirps and the buzzer sounds a third time. I yank my phone out of my purse as I head to the door. Maggie’s calling. I can call her back in a second once I check who’s trying to come up.

“Hello?” I greet a little out of breath, pressing the buzzer button.

“Hey! I forgot my key and I really need to pee,” Maggie answers.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!

“Okay,” I mutter while pressing the button to have the outer gate unlock for her.

“Thanks,” she offers.

I bolt back into my bedroom, almost colliding into a topless Joe. “You need to go! Now!”

“Why?” he nonchalantly inquires as I toss him his shirt and start to push him to the door. Joe pushes his weight back into me, slowing us down.

“Maggie is on the way up! You need to go!” I shout.

“What’s the big deal? She knows we hang out,” he rebuts.

“Because you're topless, have a raging hard-on, I’m a sweaty mess and I’m not about to . . . ” I pause not wanting to finish the sentence.

I don’t want my friends to know that there’s the potential of anything happening between Joe and me. Why? I’m not quite sure and now is not the time to speculate.

Joe laughs at the start of my answer. “About to what?” he presses, more from amusement at me panicking rather than really needing to know, as if he already knows what I would say.

Finally at the door, I open it and check the hallway. It’s clear. Shit. No, it’s not. I hear the elevator ding open. I shut the door but leave it unlocked.

“I thought you wanted me to leave,” Joe sarcastically states.

“Not funny,” I announce, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him towards the office through the hall that leads to the second bath and bedroom.