She wanted more than just this. She wanted more than the kissing and the touching…her body ached for much, much more. She pressed herself against him, moving her hips forward and enjoying the electric feel of his body against hers as she felt him physically reacting to the movement. She closed her eyes tightly as he rocked back against her, and shock waves spread like lightning throughout her entire body. She moved again and felt herself straining to be closer and closer to him, craving him like a drug. The mounting tremors within her were, in turn, blissfully stimulating…and infuriatingly lacking.

And then Jay pulled away from her, shifting his weight so that their hips were no longer touching, and the effort seemed nothing less than monumental as he groaned against her parted lips.

Violet was stunned, and too dazed by her body’s reaction to think clearly, let alone speak. He wrapped one arm around her neck possessively and pulled her head against his shoulder, as if silently telling her that they needed to stop.

Violet had to fight the urge to feel insulted by his putting on the brakes so abruptly. But even as inexperienced as she was, she knew that this couldn’t be easy for him either.

He reached out with his free hand and captured one of hers. Lazily he stroked her palm with his thumb as their fingers entwined, their hands playfully and tenderly caressing, while they lay there recovering.

Violet felt spent. She was exhausted in a way that she never had been before. She felt emotionally drained, but at the same time she was intoxicated by Jay’s nearness, and she knew that even if she closed her eyes right now, sleep would be impossible.

She breathed in the delectable languor of just being in his arms.

After a while, she felt like she could speak again. “You didn’t call,” she said, testing the waters between them.

Without even seeing his face, she knew he was smiling. “I know.”

“It hurt my feelings.”

He kissed the top of her head, pulling her a little closer again. She melted against him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered softly. “I wasn’t sure what to say.”

Violet was so absorbed in the feel of him against her that now she was the one who wasn’t sure what to say. After a moment she whispered, “Grady called to apologize.”

It was the wrong thing to say. She knew it as soon as the words were out of her mouth and she felt him stiffen against her. She wished that she could take the words back as soon as they were out there, but she knew she and Jay couldn’t ignore the subject forever. Eventually they were going to have to talk about what had happened last night.

“He left twelve messages, all of them telling me how sorry he was for acting like such a dick. His words, not mine.” She leaned up on her elbow, so that she was looking down at Jay.

She blinked, trying to stay focused on talking instead of… other things. “I haven’t called him back,” she said.

That seemed to relax him a little, that simple nothing of a reassurance, as though there was ever a doubt that she wasn’t exactly where she wanted to be at this very moment. As if there was even the slightest chance that she would rather be with Grady than Jay. He squeezed her hand, still holding it, and pulled her down so that she was leaning over his chest.

“Kiss me again,” he challenged, only half joking.

It was so weird to hear him say that, to hear those words out loud. They had kissed. More than once. More than a lot. They had passed the point of being “just friends” by a long shot.

She leaned down and gave him a dry, sisterly little peck. And then she leaned back up again and smiled at him innocently. She wished she could make a halo appear above her head for effect.

Jay made a sound at her that was like a growl, and then he pulled her down…hard. He flipped her over so that she was lying on her back and he was poised above her, and taking full advantage of his upper hand, he moved his lips over hers with a feather-light touch, in a way that was anything but innocent. Until she parted her lips and let him kiss her again…completely…thoroughly. She heard herself moan, and she could feel the throbbing of her own pulse flickering hotly through her veins.

He lifted his head and stared down at her, rubbing his thumb across her lower lip. “That’s what I was talking about. A real kiss.”

She thought that he was probably trying to gloat, but she was more than a little pleased with herself that he sounded as shaky as she felt after the kiss.

“Is this weird?” she asked with a satisfied sigh.

Jay shook his head. “Nah,” he answered, rubbing his hand along the sensitive skin of her arm. “It was gonna happen eventually. I’m just glad it’s finally out there…. I was getting tired of waiting.”

Violet was confused. Out there? What the hell was that supposed to mean? It was going to happen eventually? How could he have known what was going to happen?

She wiggled out from beneath him. “What do you mean, you were tired of waiting? Waiting for what, exactly?” She propped herself back up on her elbow as she interrogated him, waiting for an answer.

He let the questions linger between them for longer than he needed to, deliberately teasing Violet as she waited impatiently. But when he finally did answer her, it proved to be well worth the minor annoyance. “I was just waiting for you to want me as much as I wanted you.” His words were quiet but carried one hell of an impact. “I knew we were going to be together; it was just a matter of time. I kept hoping that you would figure it out. But for a smart girl, you’re a little dense, Vi. I kept bringing up Lissie Adams, and showing you the notes she was leaving me, hoping that you’d get pissed enough to finally admit how you felt about me.”