“I guess that’s a fair answer.”
He turned the tables. “What about you? Why haven’t I had to beat up any dudes trying to come around here lately?”
“Well, you missed one a few years back. I would’ve loved for you to beat his ass.”
His forehead crinkled. “Who was that?”
I sighed. “Jordan Rhodes. My high-school boyfriend. He broke up with me when he got a basketball scholarship to an out-of-state school. It wasn’t like I’d expected him to stay here for me. But he’d led me to believe we’d try to make it work, and then right before he left, he ended it.”
“He strung you along with false promises until it was time to leave.”
“Exactly.”
Jace grimaced. “It’s not too late, you know.”
“For what?”
“For me to beat his ass. Does he come home in the summer?”
I smiled. “I’ll let you know.”
“Seriously, though, very few people end up with their high school girlfriend or boyfriend. You remember Grace?”
Grace.
Ugh.
How could I forget Jace’s high school girlfriend? Jace and Grace. Gag me. She was enemy number one for a long time—the focus of much of my preteen angst. How I’d wanted to be Grace Wethers back then.
“Yeah. I do remember her.”
“I bet she’s relieved she didn’t end up with my ass. Breaking up with her was the best thing I ever did. She’s married to some plastic surgeon now. She just had a baby.”
“All thanks to you for breaking up with her?”
“Basically. She was in love with me and wouldn’t have been the first to end things. I did to her what that asshole did to you—broke up with her before I left for school, because I didn’t want to be tied down. But she was probably the closest I’ve ever come to loving someone.”
Jealousy coursed through me at the mention of him almost loving someone.
“And yet you let her go...”
“Yeah. I respected her. I knew I wasn’t going to be faithful in college. It all worked out for her in the end, though.”
I had to respect that, I guessed. “What about for you? No regrets there?” I braced for his answer.
“About not being with her? No. Not at all. It wasn’t meant to be.”
I, for one, was grateful Jace wasn’t married to his high school sweetheart right about now—even if I didn’t stand a chance in hell with him. At least he was still on the market.
Closing my eyes, I relished the last of the sun.
When I opened them a few minutes later, I was surprised to find that Jace’s eyes weren’t closed—they were on me.
Chapter 4
* * *
Jace
Nathan really needed to get out of the house and earn a little cash, so I hired him to help me out with some cleanup at one of our work sites on Saturday. When I went to check things out over there, he said he hadn’t eaten yet, so I decided to fetch lunch and bring it back.
Halfway to the restaurant, I realized I’d left my wallet at home. So I had no choice but to swing by the house to get it.
When I opened the door, Farrah was sitting on the floor in the living room with her legs crossed. She wore fitted yoga pants and a purple sports bra. Her belly ring sparkled against her tight stomach. I’d tried to put that “thing” that had happened between us in the pool a few days ago out of my mind. Walking in on her like this, though? It wasn’t helping.
She stood up from her exercise mat. “I thought you left to go check on Nathan.”
“Yeah. I went to pick up lunch for him and realized I forgot my wallet. I’m just gonna get it and head back out.” I pried my eyes upward. They wanted desperately to explore the soft mounds peeking out from her bra, even if that was wrong as hell.
She ran her hand along her hair. “Ah.”
Soft music played from the television, where I could see the menu of her yoga DVD. Two lit candles sat on the mantel at each side of the TV.
“Is this what you do when we’re not home? Turn this place into your own little Zen kingdom?”
“Sometimes.” Her eyes twinkled. “You guys probably watch porn when you have the house to yourself. I do yoga for stress relief.”
I’m not going to touch that comment. Clearing my throat, I said, “Does it really work? This yoga? To calm you down?”
“Yes. I mean, it’s not just about stress reduction. This particular type is supposed to activate the spiritual energy at the base of your spine. It’s designed to help you rid yourself of your ego. It’s called cunnilingus yoga.”
What did she just say? “Say what?”
“Cunnilingus yoga,” she repeated.
What the fuck? “Pretty sure that’s not what it’s called, Farrah.”
Her eyes widened. “What did I just say?”
“You said cunnilingus yoga.”
She reached for the DVD cover on the couch and shook her head. “Kundalini!” Her face turned beet red. “Kundalini! I didn’t mean to say cunnilingus. I don’t know where that came from.”
“It was a slip of the tongue.”
“Shit.” She laughed.
“Although, I have to say, cunnilingus yoga would be very interesting.” Okay, I needed to stop. This was my best friend’s little sister, and I was going to hell for that innuendo.
She wiped her forehead. “Oh man.”
“Anyway, I’d better find my wallet.”
“Do you…want to try it with me?”
Try it? Cunnilingus? “Uh…yoga?” I stupidly asked.
She smiled shyly. “Yeah.”
“I would…but Nathan is waiting for me to pick up lunch.”
“I bet it would help you with all the stress you’re going through. Try it for five minutes. See if you like it.”
I looked over at the candles and back at her.
Am I crazy for entertaining this? “What the hell. Five minutes won’t kill me.”
Farrah’s face lit up. “Get down on the floor. Sit behind me so you can see what I do. Cross your legs. Take a deep breath in and just listen to the instructions.”
I must have been sick, because when she demanded that I get down on the floor, I continued to think nothing but dirty things. A vision of pulling off her yoga pants and going down on her flashed through my mind. Cunnilingus yoga.
This is Farrah we’re talking about. Cut the shit.
Sitting down, I crossed my legs as the guy in the DVD instructed. Farrah turned around to check on me, flashing her gorgeous smile. She was naturally beautiful. She didn’t have a drop of makeup on, and she certainly didn’t need it. And I was glad she didn’t wear any, because I preferred being able to see how her smooth skin changed colors when she was embarrassed. That happened a lot. Especially around me. I definitely had an effect on her, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get off on it a little. But I’d take that to the grave.
I watched the video, following Farrah’s lead for what I knew had to be more than my five-minute allotment. She was right. As I bent my body forward into child’s pose, I could tell this was calming me.