Just One Touch: A Black Alcove Novel (The Black Alcove Series Book 3)

by Jami Wagner

  Jeez, I don’t even know her last name. What else don’t I know? I can’t be making decisions like this when I’m obviously clueless to certain areas of her life.

  Alex steps into view, pausing and starting toward me from the entryway. Her hair falls straight around her face, and those big brown eyes widen when they take in the sight of me on the couch.

  We’ve been living next door to each other for a few weeks, but knowing she’s just across the hall from me has forced me to learn a stronger sense of self-control that’s bound to break at any moment. Even after it’s been brought to my attention I need to know more about her, I still think she looks sexy in everything she does—imagine the amount of seductiveness she holds when she’s half naked and on her back.

  “Oh, I didn’t realize you were here,” she says and a shy expression crosses her face. She adjusts the strap of her bag over her shoulder. “I was just going to take a quick shower. I won’t bother you.” She turns quickly, heading down the hall. And now she’s going to be naked again in my apartment. Awesome. It’s been easy to resist her when I’ve been at work while she’s showering or Jake is around, but right now the temptation is much higher.

  “I just ordered pizza,” I say. I keep thinking I’m going to say something smart or funny to catch her attention, but lately, every time I talk to her, it’s normal and boring. And I never say enough to keep her talking. I put my feet down and sit up straight, muting the TV. “There’s enough for two, if you want some.”

  “I don’t want to ruin your evening, Conner. I’ve been here almost every night this week. I’m sure you want some time to yourself.”

  “You won’t ruin anything,” I say, too quickly.

  A shy smile touches her lips, but she nods. “Okay, I’ll be quick.” She continues down the hall and when I hear the door lock, I release a long breath.

  Self-control, if you’re there, now is the time to come out.

  A whole night in, just the two of us. This isn’t the first time. I shouldn’t be nervous, but Logan’s text is flashing in my mind and tonight is going to be different. I know I want her. I know I want her more than anyone else I’ve ever met. I don’t want to screw this up. Shit, we haven’t even started anything and I’m worried about messing it up.

  I groan, rubbing my hands down my face. The knowledge that she’s taking her clothes off right now is killing me. I can’t imagine what an entire night alone is going to do to me. I’ve never acted like this. Naked women aren’t rare. I could go to any bar, find one, and bring her home. The only downfall is my body doesn’t want that. It wants the sexy blonde with legs, the one who’s always around but completely untouchable. Until now. Why does this girl have me so thrown off?

  Fifteen minutes later the bathroom door opens, hinting that she’s coming out, and I readjust myself on the couch. I’ve been sitting in the middle and decide my best option right now is to choose a side. I’m half sitting when I glance up to see legs. Long, tan legs in a pair of light purple shorts that stop just under her butt cheek. She’s wearing a gray tank top with a silver heart over the chest and Lord help me, she’s not wearing a bra. All the other nights she was always wearing I bra.

  Her perky breasts are hidden behind the design, but I’ve seen enough in my day to know the way a set of free tits sit. And Alex’s are the best ones I’ve ever set my eyes on.

  As if she could feel me watching, Alex crosses her arms and a light pink flushes across her face. I finish taking my seat, clear my throat, and wish myself luck.

  “Jammie night, huh?” I say, cringing immediately.

  Jammie night? What the fuck, Conner?

  A giggle erupts from her throat, and I’m immediately turned on. I need to get control of myself now, or this entire night is going to be a disaster. Little noises like that shouldn’t excite me.

  “Yeah, it looks that way,” she says, taking a seat next to me. “Where’s Jake? Wasn’t he here earlier?’

  “Yeah, he’s spending the night with my sister.”

  “That’s cute.”

  I nod.

  “So what are you watching tonight?” she asks.

  I turn the volume back on and smile. “Jurassic Park.”

  “Which one?”

  “The first one.”

  “The first is the best one,” she says, tucking her legs underneath her. Her knees fall to the side and miss brushing against my arm by less than an inch. One advantage of owning two loveseats is the closeness we have right now. The disadvantage? I could touch her with just a twitch of my pinky finger, and I really, really want to touch her.

  I lick my lips and return my focus to the TV. The man on the shitter is getting eaten by the T-rex. Yes, this is good. Totally not sex related. Now the kids are screaming. Perfect, this is a great distraction.

  Alex gasps when the car is knocked over the ledge. All that hard-earned focus is gone.

  “I was under the impression you’ve seen this movie,” I say, observing the look on her face. She doesn’t look startled or worried. She looks … nervous.

  “I have.” Her eyes focus on mine. I have to look away from the heat that comes from them. “But seriously, being attacked by a meat-eating dinosaur will never get easier.”

  My gaze is back on the TV before I say, “We can watch something else if you want.”

  “No, I want to watch this.” She sits up, letting her legs fall to the other side. She leans back, and on instinct, I reach my arm around as she rests against my side, nestled next to my side. Her body freezes and so does mine. All the other nights that happened somehow after we’d fallen asleep. We are definitely awake and aware this time around.

  A lustful look fills her eyes as she leans her head back, looking up at me. I start counting. One, I shouldn’t kiss her. She could be a convicted and wanted felon for all I know and I’ve been reading about her in the paper but would never know because I don’t even know her whole name. Two, this is a bad idea. I should keep her as my neighbor and my friend. Jake likes her—I can’t ruin that. Three, but she smells like peaches. Four, if I can’t even tell her what’s going with Jake’s mom, crossing the friendship line is the last thing we should do. Five, fuck it. I lean down and her eyes close. I feel her breath against my lips.

  Knock, knock.

  Alex jumps and I back away as though we’ve been caught. The knocking on the door starts again, and I’m not happy about it the way normal people would be.

  For once, the pizza has arrived on time and ruined everything.

  Alexis

  Deep breaths. It’s fine. I’m fine. He’s fine. Oh boy, is he fine.

  Conner being home totally threw me off when I came here to shower. He said he was going to a barbeque at Logan’s house. What’s he doing home so early? And please don’t ask why I’m not at work.

  “Do you want any kind of dipping sauce? Like ranch or something?” Conner pokes his head around the wall that separates his kitchen and living room.

  “Do you have Dorothy Lynch?” I ask. I know it’s totally gross, but it tastes so good. It’s like cinnamon rolls and chili. Sounds terrible but absolutely freaking delicious. His eyes narrow as he stares at me. He nods slowly but doesn’t say anything before bringing out two plates, Dorothy Lynch dipping sauce included.

  “Did your plans for tonight get canceled?” he asks.

  Damn.

  “Um, no. I actually was just planning to get a little reading or writing in tonight.”

  “I was turned down because a woman wants to read or write more than she wants to hang out with me, huh?” He takes a bite of his pizza and gives me a closed-mouth smile.

  “Well, when you say it like that, it sounds bad.”

  Really, Alex, you couldn’t come up with a better answer?

  “It’s actually kind of hot. I like a woman who is into more than texting or watching TV or drama. What I know about you now tells me you aren’t like those kind of girls.”

  “Yeah, I guess we don’t really know that much about eac
h other.” I laugh because it is weird I like to hang out with him but really only know he has a kid, works at a bar, is friends with my brother, enjoys running shirtless, plays basketball at the gym, may or may not be a college student, and … wait, I know a lot more than I thought I did.

  “We could play twenty questions,” he says with an eagerness that raises a red flag. There might be something particular he wants to ask me. Does he know who I am?

  “Maybe another night,” I say in my flirtiest tone and then I shove a piece of pizza into my mouth as I focus on the TV. I hear his deep chuckle, but he doesn’t say anything.

  We continue watching the movie and eating in silence. Conner gets up for a second round and I watch his body move in its shirtless and hairless glory. I have no idea how I lucked out on moving in next door to such a sexy man. I mean, up until tonight, I wasn’t completely sure he was attracted to me. Yeah, he’s flirted and we’ve hung out, but after the fifth or sixth time, I was sure the flirting would upgrade to a kiss by now. It never happened.

  And then tonight … well, I hope he won’t think I’m too desperate if I try to get us back there. I mean, just looking at him makes me want to climb on top of him and kiss him till he blacks out. I want to touch the rippled muscles I’ve see him create in the gym. Is that too much to ask? It’s when I remember how much of a chicken I am—my making the first move is highly unlikely—that I relax a little. Then again, if we are kissing, we can’t be talking and that’s a good plan for me.

  “Are you okay?”

  Conner’s voice startles me, and I quickly take in the fact that he’s already sitting back down and halfway through another piece of pizza. Oh, and I’m staring right at his chest.

  “Yep,” I say, forcing a smile as I look back to the TV. I may as well stand up and shout “kiss me” already. My eyes basically did it for me.

  He sets his plate on the coffee table and then, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, he scoots over till he is right next to me and places me right back under his arm. I relax into him and do nothing to stop the huge smile on my face.

  “I don’t care how this sounds, but I’m not letting you leave here tonight without getting the chance to taste your lips at least once.”

  I swallow, allowing his words to sink in right before I press my lips against his. He kisses me back, the pressure soft and gentle, as though he wants to make it last. Everything inside me warms as the arms around my shoulders squeeze me tightly. I begin to shift, to deepen the kiss when Conner pulls away.

  He releases a breath I hadn’t noticed he was holding and tugs my body closer to his. Once I’m snuggled in next to him on the couch, he kisses me again. This time it’s more urgent. His tongue parts our lips and finds my own as our mouths moves quicker against each other. My eyes close as I absorb the way kissing Conner feels. Sweet, scary, right, and like I never want him to stop.

  In seconds, Conner rolls his body on top of mine. His knee nudges itself between my legs as he breaks the kiss to press his lips to my jaw, my neck, my collarbone. I use this time to take a deep breath, because I plan on kissing him as long as I can. A wave of his woodsy scent fills the air and fuels something inside me. I pull his face back to mine.

  Hours pass as we make out like teenagers on his couch. I love it though, and I love it even more when I wake up the next morning still tucked under his arm on the couch. The thought that it’s time I tell him who I am ruins the entire moment for me. But I have to tell him. Whatever we’ve started I want it, and it’ll only work if he knows the truth. All I have to do is figure out how I’m going to tell him.

  If only it could be that simple.

  Chapter Eight

  Conner

  There’s a good chance I’ve been making out with my best friend’s little sister for the last week. A really good chance, but I’m not ready to accept it or question her yet. Although it drives my mind wild wanting to know more, or simply her freaking last name, we’re in a good place and I don’t want to ruin it if I’m wrong.

  Beth unlocks the door, signaling that it’s time to open The Black Alcove. I have a whole night’s worth of work before I’ll see Alex again, and it’s killing me. I want to see her because I’m into her, of course, but also because now that my sister brought it to my attention, I notice little things that are making me think maybe Alex really is Logan’s sister. First it was the way she looked around my living room that day, then it was the butter and jelly toast thing, and then when she wanted Dorothy Lynch for her pizza dipping sauce. I know it sounds crazy, but those are all things Logan likes—it could be a family thing.

  “What’s got you so focused?” Beth pulls up a seat at the bar across from where I’m standing. She’s on the clock, but with zero customers right now, she doesn’t have anything else to do.

  “It’s nothing.”

  “I’ve known you for years, Conner, so I know when something is bothering you.”

  Beth looks me in the eye, and it occurs to me that she, being the bluntest woman I know, would have called me out on the Alex thing if she knew what my sister or Ethan thought. There’s a good chance she doesn’t know about the hunch, so I could get advice from her.

  “Alright, so you know I’ve been hanging out with Alex?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I want to get to know her more, learn about her past, but I don’t know how to bring it up.”

  “That’s easy.”

  I knew asking her was a good idea.

  “You don’t bring it up,” she finishes and I frown.

  “What?”

  “That girl came here for a reason. I don’t know what it is, but it’s clearly to either get away from something or to find something, and a new guy in her life bringing up her past isn’t going to help her get anywhere positive,” Beth says the words as though they mean something to her or as if she is talking about herself. I’m about to ask more on the subject when Heather comes storming into the bar, Jake following closely behind her. The first thing I notice is how she almost hit him with the door when she didn’t hold it for him, and then I notice the tears running down her face.

  “Conner, something came up and I need you to take Jake for a few nights.”

  “Dad!” Jake cheers when he sees me.

  Beth excuses herself but doesn’t go far as I walk around the bar to meet them near the door.

  “What’s going on?” I ask.

  “Nothing that concerns you or Jake. He just needs to stay with you for a few days.”

  She shoves a full backpack against my chest and turns for the door.

  “Heather, I’m working. I can’t just leave right now.”

  “So let him stay here. I don’t care.”

  “This is a bar!” I catch the rise in my voice and glance to Jake. His eyes are wide and on the verge of tears. I crouch down and hug him. I stand again, with Jake in my arms, and keep my voice calm.

  “Heather, this isn’t the place for a kid to be hanging out all night.”

  All she does is shrug and walk out the door.

  I set Jake on his feet and he runs over to Beth, who’s holding a tray with a bowl of ice cream and toppings. She sets the tray on the bar top as Jake climbs onto a stool and begins dumping sprinkles over the bowl.

  He can’t stay here, but whatever his mom has going on, anywhere is better than with her right now.

  I head for Jake and Beth, who is now sitting with Jake, scratching the back of my head, hoping the movement will send an idea to mind. My parents and my sister are the obvious choices.

  “Everything okay?” Beth asks.

  I pull out my phone and start to dial my sister.

  “It will be.”

  “Hey guys.” Alex’s bright smile catches my attention from across the bar, and I pause before I hit the call button. She looks amazing as her dark red corduroy skirt sways from side to side with each step, revealing her legs. “Hey, Jake, do you remember me?” Her face lights up at the sight of him, and I know mine mimics t
hat expression at her excitement to see my son. He nods quickly but is more focused on his bowl of ice cream.

  “What are you doing here?” she asks, eyeing me for the answer.

  “Mom said I was staying with my dad for the week,” he says between bites and not looking at her.

  This week? I thought she just said a few days. I work four out of five nights.

  “That’s so awesome.” Alex’s happiness momentarily distracts me.

  “What are you doing tonight, Alex?” Beth asks.

  “Nothing. I have the night off so I thought I’d come in here and maybe grab some dinner.”

  “Jake, you want to eat dinner with Alex?” Beth asks my son, and I start to put the pieces together. Beth is a good friend to think of it, but this isn’t something I’d ask Alex to do.

  Jake looks at me, waiting for me to answer for him, and when I give him a smile, he nods.

  “I’ll go get something started for you both.”

  Beth moves to the back, sending me a look on her way. She wants me to ask Alex to watch Jake. The only time they met was the day she moved in, and even though Jake is acting like he remembers her, he could be doing that only because I’m here. He could be different when they’re alone. I can’t just ask the girl I’m trying to date to watch my son. She’ll probably say yes because she feels obligated, and I don’t want to put her in that situation.

  Alex is leaning over the bar. I really want to kiss her, but I can’t do it in front of Jake. Not yet.

  “You look nice today,” I say, setting my phone down and leaning forward on my arms to talk to her.

  “Thank you.” She blushes, but her smile doesn’t falter. “How is it that you’re working and Jake is staying with you at the same time?”

  I sigh. I shouldn’t keep anything else about Jake’s mother and myself from her.

  “Heather just dropped him off. I had no idea she was bringing him.”

  “When does your shift end?”

  “Midnight, if it’s slow,” I tell her.

  She nods and I can see in her eyes that’s she’s thinking the same thing as Beth.