Breathe Out (Just Breathe, #2)(43)

I can’t believe I just told him. I’ve never offered that information to a guy — a guy that isn’t Jared.

“That’ doesn’t bother me,” Joe sincerely offers. “Even just to shower and hang out.”

My fingers anxiously twist in his shirt. It’s odd to me how it doesn’t bother him at all.

“Okay,” I hesitantly agree. “No sex?”

“No sex,” he sweetly replies. “Not unless you change your mind.”

My eyes squint, confirming that I won’t change my mind. “Give me a second first, okay?”

“Sure, beautiful,” he says, giving me a long peak.

I head into the bathroom with Sadie on my heels, closing the door behind me for a little privacy. After I get my menstrual cup out and cleaned, I tuck it away in my toiletry bag. “Okay,” I say, cracking the door open.

Joe peeks around the door, making sure I was serious. He catches me with my running shirt halfway up my body, and he quickly places his hands along the edges, assisting me. Once my shirt is off, Joe pulls me into him, delivering his lips to mine ever so gently. He takes a small step back and removes his shirt. When my hands start to push my running capris down, Joe tentatively helps, as if making sure he isn’t overstepping boundaries. I let him, but my body shakes when he kneels in front of me, assisting to lift each foot out and places his mouth on my navel. I hear him take a long, deep breath in and then his mouth inches up my belly, past my breasts and stops at my collar bone. In one quick movement, Joe shrugs his shorts and underwear down to the floor and then carefully removes my sports bra.

“What are you doing?” I question, not sure why he’s starting a bath.

“I thought we could start in the tub,” he comments. “We can end up in the shower afterward.”

“Okay,” I tentatively agree.

“We don’t have to,” he begins.

“No, it’s fine,” I confirm. My hands tremble a little.

Joe turns off all of the lights, except the recessed lighting at the bottom of the sink area. I grab my jar of bath salts from a bag and my hands clasp uncomfortably in front of my sex, not sure what to do. Holding out his hand, Joe softly tugs for me to move forward. He lets me sprinkle in the salts and then takes the jar, returning it where it belongs. He holds my hand as I step into the overly large, white porcelain tub. Once I get settled, Joe climbs in, sitting behind me with his phone in hand. He turns on some music and we lounge, enjoying the music. Joe either has his arms wrapped around me or is playing with a strand of my hair when he’s not kissing the back of my head, my shoulder or holding my face to the side to get to my lips.

At some point, Joe gets a little daring, walking his fingers down my belly. He swirls his finger around my bellybutton and then slides it down my hip and onto my thigh, to the tip of my knee that is sticking out of the water. My mouth is unable to object when his fingers slide back down the way they came and end up circling my lower belly, just above my sex. My breathing becomes a little unsteady for how close his hand is, and before I know it, a moan releases from my mouth when his fingers gently rub over my clitoris. Joe’s hand doesn’t falter and continues without a break in pace.

“I thought . . . we said . . . no sex,” I awkwardly comment between light pants.

“This isn’t sex,” he hums into my ear.

“No?” I check.

“No.”


“Then, what do you call it,” I question, not stopping him.

Joe’s teeth nip at my earlobe and his other hand caresses my breasts and nipples. “Do you trust me?”

“I . . .” my voice whimpers, enjoying what he’s doing to me. “I . . . don’t know.”

Joe chuckles and his hands continue their steady pursuit.

Suddenly, our eyes meet and I lift my chin, wanting to kiss him. Joe obliges as his fingers continue to circle on my nub. My hips start to sway a little, almost matching the rhythm of his hand. I grip onto his knee to steady myself better as the pleasure swirls inside.

“Cum for me, beautiful,” he directs in his sexy voice.

“Mmmmmm . . .” my voice hums.

My panting gradually increases along with the rocking of my body.

“That’s it,” he coaxes. “Cum for me.”

“Yes . . .” I agree, wanting it to happen.

My feet press against the far end of the tub as my hips lift and the muscles inside my vagina clench down, desperate for release. In the next moment, the orgasm catches fire in my body.

Joe’s hand gradually slows over my clit until my body stops convulsing from elation. He assists my body back down into the tub, stroking my arms as he continues to hold me. “See . . . not sex,” he states.

I shake my head in opposition to his words. “What about you?” I check.

“Don’t worry about me,” he insists.

“I think it’s hardly fair,” I offer, turning to face him.

Joe kisses me several times before refusing again.

With a wicked grin on my face, I lean in and whisper, “Touch yourself . . . please.”

When our eyes meet, Joe nods agreement. I stay kneeling, watching him stroke his cock with slow, long strokes. My gaze bounces between his face and hand for several minutes until I see his eyes roll back into his head. Leaning forward, my lips meet his and he eagerly takes them, slipping his tongue in to dance with mine. Joe’s mouth moves forward when I peel away, growling his protest until my mouth plays with his neck. His free hand cups the back of my head as I bounce up and down his body, back to his mouth and to his nipples on occasion.