More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(47)

I’d give her every piece of me. All she has to do is say the word and I’m hers.

Crazy, right? I don’t do this. And if I think about it too much, I’ll panic and back away from her. Because that’s what I do. Commitment is a dirty word in my vocabulary. I never wanted it before. Yet I want it with Amanda.

Proving the point that you always want what you can’t have. More like what I don’t deserve.

And I don’t deserve her. She’s too good for me.

She snaps at her brother, Trent, and her mom scolds them both, but gently. Everything is gentle in this house. No one yells, no one snaps, no one drinks, no one accuses anyone of any wrongdoing. It’s actually a pretty pleasant atmosphere, despite Amanda’s mom dissing her earlier, which had been weird.

I honestly didn’t think this life could exist. I’m wondering now if they’re on their best behavior and the minute I’m gone and the curtain drops, they’ll all go back to their mean selves.

“Do you want something more to eat?” the mother asks me, a concerned look on her face. I could tell she didn’t like me at first. She was sizing me up, examining me closely. I can’t blame her. She should kick me out and tell me to stay the hell away from her daughter. After what Amanda and I did…

Yeah. We didn’t take it too far last night. But I did have my hands up Amanda’s shirt when we made out in the back seat of my Rover. I tried to take her back to my house, but she wouldn’t do it. So we parked. Like we didn’t have a choice.

That’s okay, though. I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy. See her smile. Kiss her lips. Touch her body— “Jordan?” the mother asks me again, and I snap out of my dirty thoughts, smiling at her.

“No thanks.” She made a pot roast and potatoes and vegetables that she cooked all in one pot—along with the roast. I’ve never had anything like it before and it was good. “I’m stuffed.”

“Not too stuffed that you’ll have to turn away dessert, I hope.”

I’m intrigued. “Dessert?”

Mrs. Winters smiles. “Homemade cheesecake.”

“It is the best cheesecake you’ll ever have,” Mr. Winters adds.

“It’s really good,” Amanda says with a shy smile.

My whole body goes tight at seeing that smile. She makes me fucking crazy with her sweet smiles and bashful ways tonight. I can’t wait to get her alone and kiss her until she’s begging me to touch her. She did that last night. Begged. Whispered in my ear, pleading with me to put my hands on her. Slip my fingers under her shirt and touch her. Just a little bit, though. Never too much, yet I push every time we’re together. Push a little harder. Push a little more.

“Amanda, will you help me clear the table?” Mrs. Winters says as she starts to stand.

But I stand instead, my gaze locked on Amanda’s. “I’ll help her clean up, Mrs. Winters.”

“Oh, but you’re our guest—”

“I insist,” I say firmly, softening my tone with a smile aimed right at Amanda’s mom.

She smiles back, looking pleased. “Well then. If you insist…”

Amanda doesn’t say a word. Just sends me a cute little smirk as she starts to help me clear the table. I follow her cues since I’ve never cleaned up a table before in my entire life, and we walk into the kitchen, setting the dishes on the counter next to the sink.

“You’re going to help me wash them too?” She flashes a smile at me over her shoulder.

“Whatever you need,” I say easily, fighting the urge to grab her and push her hair away from her nape so I can kiss her neck. My gaze drops to all the exposed skin of her lower back and my fingers literally itch to touch her.

The moment she sets her dishes on the counter, I’m on her. I rest my hands on her back, sliding them to her waist, and I grip her there, standing directly behind her, my nose buried in her fragrant hair.

“Jordan…”

“Give me a minute,” I murmur. “I need to touch you.”

She goes still. I swear she’s not even breathing. But then I reach up and brush her hair away from her nape, just like I envisioned and she gasps softly. Her thick, dark hair drapes over her shoulder, exposing her neck, and I lean in, pressing my mouth just below her ear.

A shuddery breath leaves her and she melts into me, turning her head more to the right. “You should stop,” she says shakily. “What if my parents catch us?”

“One more kiss.” I slide my hands along her waist, kissing her neck, her ear, tasting her skin.

“Okay.” She sounds breathless. “But hurry.”

I kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear, “You wore this sweater to drive me crazy, didn’t you?”

“I almost wore a dress.”

“A dress?” I think of all the things I could do to Amanda if she wore a dress. “I like easy access.”

“Stop.” She pulls out of my grip and turns to face me with a stern look on her face. “Now you’re trying to drive me crazy.”

I grin. I can’t help myself. That’s what she does to me. She makes me smile too much. Like I have a problem or something. “We should go clear the rest of the table.”

She sends me a look. One that tells me she’s going to ask a question. “I was wondering. Have you ever helped clear a table before, Jordan?”