One Wish Left

CHAPTER 19: LOVER

What the actual fuck.

Rachel had just dragged a shellshocked Laura out his door, and now Jesse was leaning against it, his chest heaving, trying to figure what had just happened. He ran his hands through his hair and gave a firm pull, forming devilish horns in his locks.

Laura's lips had almost been his. They'd been right there for the taking. And he hadn't even been the one to make a move! It was Laura who had leaned in, closer and closer....

His eyes slid closed as he recalled the scent of vodka on her breath. He could almost taste her.

Fuck.

With his back to the door, he slid to the floor and propped his elbows on his bent knees, hands still in his hair.

Slow down, idiot. Just look at the facts and don't overthink this.

Fact one: Laura had most definitely been leaning in for a kiss. Conclusion: she was attracted to him.

Good. Okay, this is good.

Fact two: She still has a boyfriend. Conclusion: you're fucked.

"Sonuvabitch!" he cursed loudly, bringing his fists down to the hardwood floor with a thud.

Surf launched off the back of the couch, trotted over with a meow, and started rubbing her body against his shins. He gently scooped her up, cradling her with one forearm against his chest.

He'd never intended for something like this to happen. Pursuing Laura while she was with someone else was definitely not his style, but if Rachel hadn't chosen that moment to reappear, he wasn't sure he would've had the fortitude to stop that almost-kiss from landing home.

"What am I going to do, Surf?" he asked, stroking the fur between her eyes with his thumb. The rumble of her contented purr sent a calming sensation through him. He let out a big sigh.

That he and Laura had history was certain; even she had admitted that their friendship went beyond the time they'd spent together for the past month. But Jesse knew his perspective on their history probably differed from hers. For him, she had been the longtime object of his secret and unrequited crush. Who knows what he'd meant to her? Not much beyond a friend of her old boyfriend's, probably. He figured that he most likely held more significance for her now that he represented a much needed association to her child's father, but beyond that, he had no idea.

Acting as a link to Brodie for Kieran's sake was enough for him. Just being around Laura, having a friendship with her, would have been enough, even if it would have been excruciating. He could hardly have hoped for more.

But now....

Thus far, he'd waved off her subtle hints at flirtation with him, figuring that even if she was flirting, it probably meant nothing to her. He would never have dared to dream that she would be attracted to him. But he didn't think he could overlook that now.

Their history was fact. And, now, their chemistry was undeniable.

The hardest part was, it didn't change a thing. As long as Laura was still attached, there was nothing he could do about any history, attraction, or care that existed between them. This wasn't new to him. The case had been the same when she was with Brodie. The difference was, back then, Laura had been oceans away. She'd never been millimeters from his face, looking into his eyes like she wanted to see his soul.

This was a whole new ballgame.

So what could he do?

His intentions had been to behave himself, to make no moves while she was otherwise spoken for, not because he didn't want to, but because he would hate to have Laura end up doing something she'd regret.