Ripped by Lisa Edward Page A

did.”
    I lifted my face to meet his and our lips gently met. As one hand ran into my hair, holding me in place, the tip of his tongue lightly traced the gap between my lips. I sighed, opening my mouth, welcoming him as the kiss became more urgent. My leg dropped between his, our bodies closing any gap between us. His need pressed into my hip, and I tried to reposition myself to save embarrassing him, but he pulled me back and rolled on top, grinding into me, letting me know in no uncertain terms what he wanted.
    My hands slipped under his shirt, feeling every muscle in his back as he held his weight on his forearms. My resolve was slipping at the feel of him resting above me, rubbing against me. His mouth dancing with mine had me clawing at his shirt, trying to lift it over his head and off.
    A chiming sound broke through my lust haze. My phone, alerting me to the fact I needed to be home in fifteen minutes if I was to make curfew.
    Bax sat back on his haunches, still between my legs. His normally slicked back hair was now messy, his shirt stretched and lifted to around his chest. “What’s that noise?” he asked looking around.
    I ran my hand through my own messy hair as I tried to catch my breath. “My alarm. I need to go.”
    Bax’s eyes were sad as he nodded resignedly. “You need to find somewhere else to live.”
    “I know; it’s only temporary. But I can’t afford an apartment on my own.” I had looked when I’d first moved and was surprised at just how expensive a tiny studio apartment was to rent.
    “Well, here’s a crazy idea.” Bax positioned himself propped up on one arm beside me, and I happily cuddled in. “Why don’t we do what we planned to do all those years ago and get a place together?”
    I opened my mouth to object. Surely there were reasons why we shouldn’t do it, like we hadn’t seen each other for eight years and needed to become reacquainted before jumping into a shared living arrangement.
    I lifted my gaze. The hopeful grin on Bax’s face softened my response. “I’ll think about it, okay?”
    His eyes danced. “Well, a maybe is better than a flat-out no.” He nodded determinedly. “I can wait, Jaz. I’ve waited this long; at least you’re here and you’re not running in the opposite direction.”
    “I can’t …” My head shook as I tried to gather my thoughts. “I can’t give you a timeframe. It’s been so many years and I want to be sure.” I smiled at the grin still spread across Bax’s gorgeous face. “And if it does happen-”
    “When it happens,” he interjected.
    Laughing, I conceded. “ When it happens we can’t get anything too expensive. I don’t earn very much and you never seem to work, so we may end up living under a bridge.”
    “Hey, I work. And I make okay money.”
    “Oh yeah? And when does this work take place? Because so far you’ve been watching me dance every day since we bumped into each other.”
    Bax laughed softly as he sat up, lifting me in the process. “As a matter of fact, I have to work tomorrow night downstairs in the restaurant, help clean up.” He swung his feet to the ground and stood, then held my hand as I joined him. “But tonight, I’m walking you home.”
    As we walked the nine blocks to the Baileys’ house that may not be my home for much longer, my mind raced. It may have been six years since I was supposed to join Bax in New York, but it was finally all coming together. He had truly forgiven me for not coming when we had planned and all the conclusions that we had both jumped to had been put to rest. There were no miscommunications, no secrets between us. After all this time, he still wanted to be with me. He still looked at me like I was the only girl in the world. He still loved me.



 
    T HE BREEZE bit at my ears as I made my way along the familiar nine blocks to see Jaz. There was no rehearsal today; after eight straight days of auditions and then rehearsals, the dancers had a day off, and I intended