Page 63 of In Their Hearts
She sniffles into my shirt. “They’re good tears. So many happy ones.”
“Thank God. I’m not good with the other kind of tears.” That gets her to laugh a little.
“Now, what?” She says, wiping her eyes.
“Now, I get to lie here while you fuss over me. I know you’re dying to give me a taste of my own medicine, and poor Grant could use a break.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that.” Jo giggles, and I wonder what she’s thinking.
33
Grant
Clay is in love.
I can see how much he loves her; it’s obvious. He looks at her like he looks at me. It reminds me of when we first fell in love. That giddiness and all-consuming thoughts.
I pause. I feel… calm, not jealous or worried like I thought I might when I let myself envision what this could be.
It makes me proud that he has so much heart to give.
Jo helps me arrange the blankets and pillows on the floor. I think I’ll finally let Clay get that bigger couch he’s been wanting. We need a place for all of us. For movie nights. For arguments and apologies. For fast nights and slow mornings.
I help Clay into the middle as Jo cuddles into him. He’s less panicked. Now, we know everything that’s happened and that she’ll be okay.
I’ve never thought about a woman in our lives permanently, but it’s growing on me. She’s growing on me. Anyone who can love my husband as much as I do, I need to give her a chance, and it makes me want to have bigger feelings for her. I want to do this right by her and us.
“Jo, we want to date you. We might have done this all backwards, but you don't deserve to miss out on the many ways we can get to know each other. I want to try for more with you. Whatever that might look like.”
“Oh, wow. I really never had that. Sure, Andy and I dated, but that was so long ago, and we were young. I’d like that. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much.”
I take her hand and give it a quick kiss. This feels like the right next step for us.
“We will plan dates, pick you up, and get to know you. It might sound old-fashioned, but what do you think?”
“I really like that sound of that. So… does this mean no sex then until we get through all these dates?” She laughs, knowing there’s no way we can keep our hands off of her. But I think we need to try. Sex can muddy things, especially feelings.
I lean over Clay to grab her waist and pull her closer. “You mean long make-out sessions,” I kiss her jaw to her ear. “Then tell you how beautiful you are… us working to make it to second base…” I slide my hand just under her shirt, skimming along her skin. “Then third…” I play with the snap of her jeans.
“Yes.” She says, already breathing heavy. Good.
“You’re right, we should probably wait a while before going back to fourth base… I’ll have to stuff Clay full every night. Over and over until we can have you again.”
Clay moans under me.
“Oh, god. I don’t know if I can wait. How about we speed date?” Jo pleads.
Now it’s my turn to laugh and tease her a little more. “Clay, love, we should wait, right?”
“Clay? No, you don’t want to wait, do you?” She drags her fingers across his upper thigh.
Her sexy innocence will do me in, and she doesn’t even know it. I’m screwed the day she learns her power.
“Yes,” Clay struggles to say, already distracted by her touch. “But you've got to stop that. Grant’s right, we should wait.” He moans. Clay knows this is going to be a challenge after having a taste.
I still her hand, before Clay’s cock is begging for what it’s not getting.
“We should talk about the first date.”
