Homecoming (A Boys of Fall Novel) Read Free

a man who could finally kill the memory of Sam’s hands on her body. Then she wouldn’t have to worry so much about temptation.
    Of course, it would probably be easier to find that guy if she went out once in a while, but there weren’t exactly any social hot spots in Stewart Mills. And the guy she’d been meeting the night Coach had his heart attack turned out to be a jerk.
    “I know you’re not happy about it, but he’s supposed to be here today, so you should work on not saying that out loud quite so much. And he’s going to be pretty busy. You’ll probably barely see him.”
    “He’ll be hanging out at the high school. You know, that big brick building where my office is?”
    Jen took the bottom end of the top sheet and spread it over the foot of the bed. They were making Kelly’s old bed at Coach and Mrs. McDonnell’s house so it would be ready for Sam to sleep in. She tried not to imagine that tall, lean body stretched out on the new tan sheets, but her mind seemed determined to torture her. Would he snuggle under the blue-and-tan-plaid comforter, or throw the covers back?
    What did he wear to bed? Being a guest in Mrs. McDonnell’s home, he’d probably wear sleep pants or sweats. At the very least, he’d wear boxer briefs, like the navy pair he’d slid low on his hips that night they had sex under the summer night sky.
    “Okay, you’re definitely going to have to work on
that
,” Kelly said, breaking into her thoughts.
    Jen looked at the perfectly tucked sheet end. “Work on what?”
    “You were just thinking about having sex with Sam on the hood of your car. I can tell because you’d look like you’re having the world’s worst hot flash except for the fact you’re biting your bottom lip to keep from smiling.”
    “Damn.” She was
definitely
going to have to work on that.If just wondering what he’d look like lying on a bed was enough to flush her skin, what was going to happen when she actually ran into him? Just the memory of his mouth made her want to fan herself. When she could stare at it—watch his lips moving—she was going to be in trouble.
    “Will it really be so bad?” Kelly asked. “I mean, he’s a good guy and you said the sex was freaking amazing. If it’s that good on a car when neither of you saw it coming, just imagine how good it could be when you have the space and privacy to take your time and explore a little bit.”
    Oh, she had. Jen had spent more time than she wanted to admit picturing in very graphic detail just how many delicious ways she and Sam could curl each other’s toes. “Sexual chemistry’s great, but it’s not a good foundation for a long-term relationship.”
    “Of course it is.”
    “It’s important, but don’t you think having personalities that complement each other and similar life values and goals are more important? Too many people use having a healthy sex life as proof they have a healthy relationship, and it’s not always true.”
    “You can’t overthink love so much, Jen.”
    She tossed a pillow at her friend, frowning. “We’re talking about sex, not love.”
    “You’re the one who brought long-term relationships into the conversation.”
    “Not only am I thirty years old, but my two best friends will be getting married soon and I’ll be the fifth wheel. So I’d like a relationship, yes, but I’m not holding out much hope for the kind of love you and Chase have. Or Gretchen and Alex.”
    “Tell me why you can see yourself having great sex with Sam, but not a relationship.” Jen shrugged. “No, I’m serious. Because I’m your best friend and I’m going to nag you into getting all the hot sex you can unless you’ve got a reason you shouldn’t that I can wrap my head around. And based on the look in your eyes when you think about him, it’s going to have to be a damn good reason.”
    “I’m scared of him.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. She wasn’t even sure it had been a cohesive thought until she