Before You | 18+ | ✓

15: marley

I can feel JJ's arms flex as he strides, carrying me easily in his arms. "I'm sorry," I apologize again, stealing a glance at his face. I mean I can try to walk, I don't think my ankle is hurt that bad.

"Unless you purposely landed wrong on your ankle after jumping that fence, then don't apologize." He says, his green eyes flickering down at me in the dark light. The color reminds me of the pair of emerald earrings my parents got me for my twelfth birthday. They're such a pretty color. I wonder if his parents have the same color or just one of them. I have the same blue color as my dad but I have rings of silver in them around the outer part from my mother.

I'm so busy staring at his eyes and lost in my thoughts that I realize JJ's still waiting for me to answer him.

"I didn't."

"Then why are you saying sorry again?" JJ asks.

I resist the urge to chew my nails. I hate the way they look but its a nervous habit I can't kick. "Because I feel bad. I can try to walk. You don't need to carry me." I say this but I secretly hope that he doesn't put me down.

He is your friend, I scold myself. But technically before he was my friend, he wormed his way into being my everything for a blissful eighteen hours before I stupidly left that town in France without his name or phone number.

"Marley you don't need to feel bad and I'm not putting you down. Is this conversation going to keep happening?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

I smile at him, "JJ, I'm not sure what you're talking about. We just met earlier tonight. I know nothing about you except that somehow I'm your favorite person to spend time with and that you are much better at scaling a fence than I am."

The throbbing in my ankle is still there, but having a conversation right now is helping to distract me from it.

He rolls his eyes, but continues to sarcastically play along. "Right. How can I forget I know nothing about you except your lack in ability to safely jump a fence."

"That's a little mean."

JJ smiles, "Sorry sweetheart. Will you tell me what you like to do?"

"Nope. You're being sarcastic and I don't want to tell you." I say stubbornly as we approach the car.

"Will you reach in my front pocket for the keys?" He asks, switching the topic. My eyes widen slightly and I nod, reaching down blindly to get the keys. My hand unfortunately has different ideas and misses the pocket to grope over a certain area located under the front of his jeans. JJ's grip instantly tightens and I hear his breathing hitch.

"Sorry," I mumble, my cheeks flaming red as I struggle to pull the keys out of his pocket. With the way JJ's holding me, it's a difficult angle for me arm. After what feels like an eternity, I successfully manage to get the keys out of his pocket. When I look up at his face, his jaw is clenched. "Tada," I say, holding the keys up, jingling them slightly.

I unlock the car and JJ silently puts me in the car. I don't protest because I'm mortified that I accidentally copped a feel.

I know that we've had sex and all, but that was basically two years ago. Nor does it give me the right to grab his junk.

What can I possibly say to make this less awkward?

I watch as JJ readjusts his jeans and my cheeks heat again as he climbs into the car. I suck in a short breath and open my mouth to say literally anything so I can avoid looking at his crotch to see if he adjusted his pants for a reason when he cuts me off.

"Marley..." He trails off and I shift how I'm sitting in my seat to face him. The lights in the car turn on, allowing me to see everything on his face that he isn't saying. JJ shakes his head, dragging a hand through his hair and I hold my breath in anticipation. But anticipation of what? What exactly do I want from him? "How is it?" He asks softly.