Never Enough

Chapter 7

I wake to the sound of an alarm blaring—one that's not mine. Groggy and disoriented, I glance at the clock: 7:30 a.m. Turning to my side, I see Jordon sitting on the bed with his back to me, his head bowed as he rubs his tired eyes. I reach out to touch his back, but he stands up just as I do. He turns around and catches my eye, a small, knowing smile on his face.

"Good morning," he says in a husky, almost seductive voice that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Good morning," I reply, sitting up. He heads to my closet, emerges wrapped in my robe, and then goes out, returning with his clothes.

"Where are you headed?" I ask.

"Work," he replies casually. "I have something urgent to finish up at the office. There's a potential business deal I might close by the end of the month. Do you have work today?"

"No, but I plan to head into the office to work on my new designs. I won't have much to do until Friday."

"Alright, then," he says, his eyes lighting up. "Would you like to join me for lunch today? I can pick you up."

"Um, sure. That sounds good."

"Great, it's a date," he says with a grin. He leans in to kiss me, and I wrap my arms around his neck, savoring the softness and warmth of his lips against mine. He gently licks my lower lip, seeking entry, but I pull back.

"What's wrong?" he asks, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"We haven't brushed our teeth yet," I explain.

"Ah, right. Understandable. I'll go brush mine now; I really need to get going." I nod my head as he heads to the bathroom. I settle back into bed, planning to catch a bit more sleep before getting up for work.

When he returns, he gently ruffles my hair, a sweet gesture that makes my heart flutter. I listen to his footsteps as he heads toward the front door, the sound of it opening and closing filling me with a twinge of disappointment. I try to drift back to sleep, but the lingering scent of him on the pillows makes it difficult. I caress the pillow where he slept and then, unable to fall back asleep, I decide to make a pot of coffee.

Slipping into my robe, I head to the kitchen. Natalie is already there, tending to the coffee maker. Her back is to me, so she doesn't notice my entrance. I plop down on a bar stool, resting my head on the island and groaning in frustration. I hear her stifle a laugh, a sign she's well-acquainted with my morning mood. She slides a cup of coffee over to me—light, semi-sweet, with a hint of southern butter pecan flavor, just the way I like it.

I take a sip, savoring the warmth as it soothes me. My eyes flutter closed as I enjoy the rich taste and take a deep breath. I feel Natalie's gaze on me and know she's eager to discuss last night. The truth is simple: we decided to be a couple, got to know each other better, and then fell asleep. It's nothing too thrilling, but to Natalie, anything I do lately seems fascinating.

Opening my eyes, I meet her gaze and say flatly, "Nothing happened last night." I take another satisfying gulp of coffee, enjoying every bit of it.

Natalie's expression shifts to disappointment. She either thinks I'm lying or hoped for more excitement between Jordon and me. I roll my eyes and sigh. "I'm not lying to you," I reassure her.

"Sadly, I know," Natalie says, pouting a bit. "I was really hoping you'd finally lost your virginity and had some juicy details for me."

"Oh, Natalie, you're such a drama queen. Trust me, when I do finally lose my virginity, you'll be the first to know. Until then, you'll just have to keep waiting."

"Why's that?" she asks, her curiosity piqued.

"It's simple. I'm just not ready to have sex yet."

"It seemed like you were close the other night until I walked in."