Tempting /A Jordan Knight fanfic ✔️

Epilogue

Epilogue

Roughly 365 days later, I sat in front of the same house, in the same car, on the same holiday, and yet everything was different.

Thanksgiving last year was a horror show of broken hearts and debilitating secrets. This year—today—was still undetermined if it would be a raving success or ticket box bomb.

Jordan and I, Mel and Steven, Mom and Dad, and Marlene and Mary all under one roof and trying not to misstep and fall through the already razor-thin ice we were all on.

"On a scale of one to ten, how much do you think your dad hates me?"

I shifted in the passenger seat to Jordan whose stare was wary on my parents' house like my dad might come out with a shotgun at any second. Any words of consolation I had planned got caught in my throat as I looked to him, his beauty choking my words to silence.

The sun pouring in through the car's window glistened his skin golden, and his thick hair shined with the same hue. He'd trimmed his beard up nice and short, the dark hairs decorating and accentuating the defined cut of his jawline and chin.

And then he looked to me, eyes of crystalized beauty sparkling as he caught my thieving gaze, the curve of his mouth inching up.

I rolled my lips between my teeth to bite down on the grin that tried to break free. I'd been caught if the blush firing up my cheeks was any proof.

"Sorry," I mumbled, tucking loose hair behind my ear.

Jordan's eyebrows flattened, his smile following suit.

"If you ever apologize again for checking me out, we're going to have a fight. A big one."

Laughter sputtered free, padding the car in carefree joy. I nodded, swallowing down the urge to apologize for apologizing. I was getting better about that, but it was still a work in progress.

"And to answer your question, he doesn't hate you."

"He definitely does not like me."

"Well, you have slept with both of his daughters, so..."

Jordan blinked at me several times, straight-faced and astonished, and I had to laugh.

"What?!" I exclaimed. "You should be proud that I just made a joke about it instead of wallowing in awkwardness like usual."

Jordan blinked slowly, appreciation glossing over his stare.

"You're right, and I am." Then he eased his way closer, leaning over the armrest dividing us. "Just keep the jokes coming all throughout dinner, all right?"

"Oh, nope. That was the only one I had in me. I'm all 'using humor to mask an entire family's discomfort'ed out."

Jordan hummed deep in his throat, shaking his head and turning my heart to mush with the lazy smile curling up his perfect lips. "I don't believe that. My girl's got jokes."

"Your girl's got anxiety," I countered, voice dropping low as Jordan neared until we were only a breath's kiss away.

"And that's okay." Tingles simmered along my mouth as Ethan peppered in a delicate kiss and pulled back far too soon. "Today's going to be weird for everyone, but we'll get through it."

"I think I need more encouragement," I breathed, focus locked on his soft mouth.

I watched his lips peel up, teeth shining like pearls beneath. His fingers gently clasped my chin, angling my head back to settle his lips between mine, the taste of Heaven teasing my tongue.