“It’s super easy, Josie,” Ethan told me. “It’s when the offense gets downed in their own end zone.”
“And what’s an end zone?” I inquired.
Ethan blinked.
Jake emitted another grunt.
“That big part at the end of the field,” Ethan explained. “Where you go to get a touchdown.”
“Ah,” I murmured. “I thought so.”
Ethan studied me narrowly and asked, “Are you bein’ full of it?”
“Entirely,” I answered.
At my admission, his face cracked in a grin, which pleased me greatly.
Alas, with very bad timing, at that very moment we heard the garage door going up and Ethan’s smile froze as his eyes went to the entryway to the family room.
In no time, Conner appeared in the entryway with eyes only for his father, his expression making my stomach clench, and I knew Jake’s assertion that he would be okay in the future was in jeopardy.
“Dad,” was all he said before he disappeared from the entryway.
That was all he had to say. Giving me a quick squeeze of the knee before he pushed out of the chair, Jake followed his eldest son.
“Uh-oh,” boy Taylor murmured.
But Amber got up and walked to her little brother, sat next to him on the couch and bumped him with her shoulder. “Want a hot fudge sundae?”
“Not hungry,” Ethan muttered, the first time he had been thus since I’d met him.
Very worried about his brother.
“Wanna help me make some for the Taylors and me?”
He looked up at his sister. Then he nodded.
They got off the couch and went to the kitchen but not before I caught her hand as they passed me and gave it a squeeze.
She gave me a worried look but squeezed my hand back.
She was such a good sister.
The Taylors and Amber were consuming their sundaes (and Ethan must have given in because he was consuming one too), when Jake appeared in the entryway.
“Josie,” was all he said but he didn’t then disappear.
He waited until I made it to him before he turned to the side to let me precede him but did this in a way that I knew we were heading to the kitchen.
I went there. Jake followed.
I moved to the far side of the island, stopped and rested a hip against it. Jake got close and did the same.
“Is Conner all right?” I asked quietly.
“Not by a long shot,” he answered.
Oh dear.
I waited and Jake gave it to me.
“Seems Mia Earhart is a real piece of work.”
I said it out loud this time.
“Oh dear.”
“Oh yeah,” Jake agreed. “Orchestrated one helluva maneuver. Got one of her friends who’s mom is friends with Ellie’s mom to tell that mom that Conner got Mia pregnant. That mom didn’t hesitate to tell Ellie’s mom. Seein’ as Conner’s been seein’ a lot of Ellie, this did not go down real good. Ellie’s mom and dad told Ellie that she had to break it off with Conner at school tomorrow and was not to have anything to do with him before or after that shit went down. Seein’ as Conner showed at their house, this sped that up and got Conner not only a face to face with a very irate father who wants him to have nothin’ to do with his daughter, it got him a face to face with a girl he likes a whole fuckin’ lot who thinks he’s a dick.”
“But Mia isn’t pregnant,” I reminded him.
“I know. They weren’t so easy to convince.”
I pressed my lips together before I got closer and noted even more quietly, “The truth obviously will out.”
“Not sure my boy’s real hip on waitin’. Liked her, didn’t know just how much until he lost her. He’s gutted.”
I looked to the door and whispered, “Poor Conner.”
I looked back to Jake when I felt his hand curl around my neck and when I did I saw his face was closer.
“Puts a hitch in my plans for us tonight. He’s probably not gonna come outta his room but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be here for him just in case that happens. And I gotta get to the club later but wanna do that when all the kids are asleep. So after pizza, when you’re ready, I’ll drop you home but I can’t stay.”
That was highly regrettable, but also understandable, so I replied, “Okay.” Then I suggested, “Perhaps you could phone Ellie’s parents and explain this situation.”
“I offered, Con said no. He’s hurt and for a guy, hurt equals pissed. He can’t believe Ellie doesn’t believe him because he, thank Christ, hasn’t done the deed with either of them. Don’t know if my boy’s a virgin. Hope to God he never shares that with me just as I hope to God he’s bein’ smart about that, somethin’ I’ve shared repeatedly that he should be. Just know he hasn’t gone there with either of those two. Possibly outta self-preservation with Mia, definitely outta respect for Ellie. So he says it’s her loss, she didn’t go to bat for him with her parents because she believed Mia’s lies, and he doesn’t want me to get involved.”
“I can’t say he’s wrong, Jake,” I told him.
“She’s a good kid,” he told me. “But yeah. He’s always been way more into her than the others and she’s shy, he’s all about that, likes that about her, likes lookin’ after her and at their first hurtle bein’ exclusive, she fell. I get him bein’ pissed. He’s hurt he lost her and he’s hurt she didn’t believe in him and stand by him in an extreme situation. That’s a lotta hurt so it’s a lotta pissed and both are justified. ”
“Agreed,” I stated then repeated. “Poor Conner.”
“Yeah,” Jake murmured and studied me a moment before he asked, “Do you think your shit for brains boss is gonna fuck with you?”
I felt my brows draw together at this swift change in topic. “Pardon?”
“He gonna show again at your place,” he explained.
I couldn’t have any idea what Henry would do for that morning he had shocked me with his behavior not to mention even being at Lavender House at all.
“I’ve no idea,” I told Jake.
His eyes went over my head as his fingers pressed into my skin.
“Jake?” I called, uncertain what was on his mind outside of what obviously was with his son, and he looked back at me.
“I think the kids get what’s happenin’ between us but it’s way too soon for you to be spending the night.”
“Of course,” I agreed readily.
“But I’m not real big on you bein’ there alone, him havin’ a key and maybe showin’ his face to fuck with you.”
It was at that, I understood.
And I liked what I understood.
So I slid my arms around him and pressed close, tipping my head way back to keep his eyes and dipping my voice low to assure him, “I’ll be all right.”
“I get you got a long history with him and he means somethin’ to you but I don’t think you get what he did this mornin’ was fucked. I don’t want him messing with your head.”
“If he comes around, I’ll ask for him to return the key and then ask him to leave and tell him we’ll speak later when things aren’t as fresh and I’m not as angry.”
His head tipped to the side. “You’re angry?”
I nodded. “His behavior this morning was uncalled for. You were correct, if he had feelings for as long as he said he did, he should have done something about them long ago. He should not have communicated them well later when too much had happened and it was way too late.”
I took a breath and held his eyes before I cautiously continued sharing and did it candidly.
“I cared about him, Jake, deeply, in just that way some time ago. It was painful to do that thinking he didn’t return those feelings. I don’t understand why he, as you say, played it the way he did. I’ve been very forthcoming about the way things have progressed, coming to know you and the children. I didn’t share how they are now as you know I wasn’t even aware of where things were heading. But I suspect he was re
ading between the lines and, as Mickey would say, came to stake his claim. I daresay he was about twenty years late doing that. How he could not know that, I can’t fathom. That he would put our business relationship and more, our personal relationship at jeopardy to do this, I can’t fathom either. It hurts. How he did it was extremely inappropriate. So yes, I’m angry.”
As I was speaking, he started to stroke my jaw with his thumb and his eyes warmed. As I continued speaking, they warmed more.
When I was done, they were so warm, they warmed me.
“Just to make things clear in case you aren’t gettin’ it, baby, I’m hopin’ things with you and me and my kids keep progressing.”
At his words, I melted deeper into him and whispered, “I hope they do too.”
He dropped his head closer and touched his mouth to mine, lifting away nary an inch before he went on, “I’d like other things to progress too, a lot faster than they are, the part that just you and me can do, but we’ll have to find time tomorrow.”
I understood precisely what he was saying so I melted even deeper into him and replied, “Okay.”
“A lot of time,” he stated.
I bit my lip, let it go and repeated, “Okay.”
His mouth came to mine and he whispered, “Fuckin’ hours.”
I trembled against his frame.
He slanted his head, slid his hand back into my hair and kissed me.
I pressed even deeper and kissed him back.
Fabulous.
“Gross!” Ethan shouted from close and we broke the kiss but Jake didn’t let me move too far away even as we both looked to the door.
Ethan’s head was turned so he could shout over his shoulder, “Amber! Get this! Josie and Dad are makin’ out in the kitchen!”
“Good God,” I breathed.
Jake emitted another swallowed chuckle grunt.
“Get in here, runt, and leave them alone!” Amber shouted back.
Well, there it was. It appeared the kids did, indeed, get how things were with Jake and me.
It was only me who missed it.
Fortunately, I wasn’t missing it at all now.
“Don’t call me runt!” Ethan yelled, looked at us and demanded to know, “Are you two getting married?”
My entire body seized.
“You think maybe you might not wanna freak out my girl, bud?” Jake asked.
“All girls wanna get married,” Ethan told his father authoritatively.
My breath started coming in pants.
“I’ll try something else,” Jake said. “You think your old man might want a little privacy?”
Ethan looked to me and announced, “I’m not wearing one of those monkey suits.”
“So noted,” I forced out.
That seemed to assuage him for he turned and strolled out of view.
When he did, Jake’s hand that had been resting on the counter beside us (even through our kiss) came to me so he could wrap his arm around me and his hand that had not left my hair glided through it.
I looked back at him.
“Your home is not boring,” I remarked.
“Nope,” he agreed.
“It’s been a very interesting day,” I noted.
“Yep,” he agreed, lips twitching.
“And oddly, I’m hungry,” I shared and his lips curved up.
“Time to feed my woman.”
“Mm,” I mumbled.
“No delivery. We’ll pick up the pizzas, leavin’ right after we order so we can make out in my truck waitin’ for them.”
“Mm,” I repeated but the noise had a different meaning this time.
Jake didn’t miss the meaning and I knew this when his mouth came back to mine even as he held my gaze. “Let’s do that now.”
“Okay,” I breathed and got another smile from Jake, this one I saw only in his eyes but felt against my lips.
It was extraordinary.
Then he slanted his head and kissed me again.
In other words, we didn’t order pizza right then. We ordered pizza five minutes later when Jake stopped kissing me.
And we left two seconds after he disconnected.
Chapter Fifteen
Say Her Name with His Last Breath
I felt the bed move before I felt my hair slide off my neck.
I opened my eyes, turned my head and saw Jake. He was sitting on the side of my bed, his weight in his hand in the bed on the other side of me, his eyes on me.
“Is it time to work out?” I asked sleepily.
“Oh yeah,” he answered, his voice strange, deeper and rumbly, the sound, especially first thing in the morning, utterly lovely.
I decided against telling him that and instead turned to my back and shared, “I have new workout clothes so I don’t have to borrow Amber’s anymore.”
He dipped closer to me and his voice was even deeper and more rumbly when he told me, “Way we’re gonna work out, Slick, clothes are unnecessary.”
I felt my entire body melt into the mattress.
Oh my.
Jake kept talking.
“Opened the gym, got boys there, they’ll keep an eye on it.” He got even closer. “We got hours.”
“Hours?” I breathed.
His mouth hit mine but his eyes didn’t close so I was staring into their deep blue depths when he whispered with emphasis, “Hours.”
“Oh my,” I replied and watched his eyes smile.
Then I closed my own for I’d seen his head slant and I knew he was going to kiss me.
He did and I melted deeper into the mattress. But only for a moment. When my mouth opened and his tongue slid inside, his arms closed around me and he pulled me out of bed and across his lap.
Still kissing me, he fell back on a twist taking me with him so he was properly in the bed and at once, he rolled so he was on top.
I liked him waking me. I liked that he was the first thing I saw in the morning. I liked his voice all deep and rumbly. I liked him in bed with me. I liked that we had hours.
And I very much liked his kiss.
So much, I wanted more of it and of him. Therefore, I slid my hands into his shirt and pulled up by dragging them up the warm skin of his back.
Alas, when I did this, he detached his lips from mine. Fortunately, he did this only to arch away so I could drag the shirt up further and when my arms could reach no more, he assisted and yanked it off, tossing it aside.
I caught a glimpse of his wide, defined chest before he settled on me again and took my mouth. My mind lost in Jake’s deep kiss, my body knew what it wanted. Thus, I bent a knee, planted my foot in the bed and bucked.
Jake, being Jake, gave it to me by giving in and allowing me to roll him. I rolled with him, broke our kiss and lifted up to look down at him.
His dark hair on my pillow. His eyes heated but languorous. His jaw stubbled. His corded throat and muscular chest right there.
All of it amazing.
And all of it right there.
For me.
I decided to take it and dipped my head to slide my lips against his rough jaw, liking the sharp, bristly feel against my soft skin. Liking it so much, I went for more, trailing them down his neck.
This brought in sight his throat and I’d always liked that so I moved to take that in with my lips. My hand was encountering warm skin over hard muscle, which brought to mind his chest so I leisurely made my way there. Since that expanse was so vast, I really needed to be in the proper position to do it justice so I moved over Jake, straddling his hips.
Trailing my lips everywhere, I engaged my tongue on a little mew when I felt Jake’s hands slide up into my nightie then down into my panties to cup my behind.
The pads of his fingers were not smooth. He was a man who renovated his own home, owned a gym, boxed. Thus, his fingers were calloused and abrasive.
And, like his voice earlier, utterly lovely.
I encountered his nipple and brushed my lips across it. Back. Again. And agai
n. On the next pass, I grazed it with the tip of my tongue.
I heard Jake emit a noise that sounded like it came from deep in his chest. A noise that reverberated pleasingly between my legs, just as his fingers dug into my bottom, something I liked. Very much.
I lifted my head to see his on the pillow, his chin tipped down, his eyes on me.
Another pleasant sensation pulsed between my legs at the increased heat in his gaze. I liked the look of it. I also liked that it was me who put it there.
I held his eyes as I dipped my head and lapped at his nipple.
His gaze heated further and his fingers clenched again at my behind.
I kept lapping as I kept the connection of our gazes then finally I closed my eyes, turned my attention fully to his nipple and suckled it.
One of his hands stayed in my panties while the other one slid swiftly up my spine, into my hair to cup the back of my head as he groaned, “Fuck, baby.”
At this indication he much liked what I was doing, I kept pulling at his nipple with my mouth as I slid my hand down his chest to his stomach and lightly explored the ridges there.
These ridges were fascinating.
Utterly.
His hand fisted in my hair.
He liked that too.
I switched nipples and hands, now my right hand was engaged and I trailed it lower, sweeping it across the edge of the waistband of his workout pants.
He slightly lifted his hips.
I knew what that meant and he’d rolled to give me access to all of him, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t give him what he wanted when he wanted it like he did for me.
So I directly slid my hand into his pants and curved my fingers tight around his thick, rigid cock.
“Fuck, baby,” he groaned again, deeper this time, his hand in my panties going out so he could wrap his arm tight around me.
I lifted my head to look at him and said softly, “I like exploring your body, Jake.”
His voice was gruff when he replied, “I like you exploring my body, Josie.”
This made me extremely happy.
“It pleases me that I please you,” I whispered.
“Honey, this hair all over me,”—his hand twisted gently in my hair—“that soft nightie, your pretty face, your fantastic fuckin’ mouth, your hand, no way you couldn’t please me.”