Free Right Place, Right Time (Second Chances Book 2) by Jennifer L. Allen

their necks in one hand and a huge bowl of popcorn in the other. She’s obviously got this under control, but I feel like an ass for not getting up and helping her.
    I start to rise to help her carry something, but she waves me off. “I’m a waitress, remember?”
    “I’m sorry; I should’ve helped.”
    “It’s no biggie. Sit.”
    I sit back down and take the offered beer. She cuts off the light and sits next to me again, this time pulling a blanket off the back of the couch and resting it over her lap, before reaching forward and grabbing her beer and the popcorn.
    Good. At least with that blanket over her, some of that soft, smooth skin will be covered up and I’ll be less tempted to push her down onto the sofa, climb on top of her, and make her mine.
    Less being the key word.

Chapter Eleven
     
    Kate
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Jeez. I wish he’d just kiss me or touch me or something already.
    Does he think I’m a virgin? Sure, I might give off the innocent vibe, but I’ve been with a few guys. I lost my virginity after a party freshman year simply because I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. Casey had said it was a dumb move, that it should be with someone I had feelings for, but I’d looked at it strictly from a scientific perspective—an experiment of sorts. It definitely hadn’t been all it was cracked up to be. Sophomore year, I’d dated a guy, Paul, for seven months, and he ended up being number two. Then at the end of last semester, my study partner and I had done the deed to relieve some serious final exam tension. To be honest, with the exception of Paul, my other encounters were very mechanical. It hadn’t been fireworks and opera music with Paul, but it had been fun.
    What would it be like with Jay? I clenched my thighs together at the thought. Jay must have felt the movement because he glances over at me with a questioning look on his face.
    “You okay?” he asks.
    I give him a small smile and nod, hoping he doesn’t see the blush on my cheeks. Oh, hell. Who am I kidding? I hope he does see the blush and does something about it. But no. He just smiles softly and turns his gaze back to the television.
    Jeez. If thinking about him in that way makes my thighs clench, I can only imagine how fooling around would make me feel.
    I withhold the frustrated sigh that wants to come out and go back to watching the movie. I see that it’s coming upon a scene that may pass as scary to someone who hasn’t seen the film a million times before. Jay may know it’s one of my favorite movies, but he doesn’t know whether or not I still get scared. This might just work in my favor.
    Right on cue, I shriek and burrow myself into Jay’s side. As if it were rehearsed, he lifts his left arm and curls it around my shoulders, tucking me into his chest. Like a complete gentleman, he doesn’t say a word about it. Instead, he starts running his fingers through my slightly damp hair. Mission: accomplished.
    After a few minutes of this new, cozy position, I test my luck by getting more comfortable. I move my left arm so my hand is resting across his torso. I feel his abs tense under my fingers—good lord, this man is ripped—and I just barely resist the urge to feel around and name the different muscles. I do spread my fingers wide though, trying to feel as much of him as I can. Aside from riding with him on his bike and our kiss, this is the closest I’ve been to him, and if he’s not going to make a move, I’m at least going to take advantage while I can.
    “Kate?” His voice is gruff, and it startles me. I tilt my head up and meet his intense gaze. “What are you doing?”
    Busted .
    “Just getting comfortable,” I say, going for nonchalance but the higher pitch to my voice clearly indicates otherwise.
    I’m still looking into his eyes, trapped in his silver stare. His eyebrows draw together and his eyes seem to darken. It looks like he’s having some kind of inner struggle. I hope that