“You sound very passionate about it. I’m glad you found your calling.”
“Me too.” Before the conversation can get too much heavier, Jake’s pulling into my driveway. As I start to open the passenger door, he tells me to “wait” and gets out and walks around to my side. As he opens the door, he extends a hand to help me down from his truck.
“Thank you for the ride,” I say as I walk up my front steps.
“No problem. Thanks for coming with me.”
“Well, thanks for fixing my sink. I really appreciate it.”
“Give me your phone,” Jake says as he holds out his hand.
“Why?” I ask, hands firmly planted on my hips.
“I want to program my number in it so you can call me if you have any more trouble.”
“Can you ask or does everything have to be an order with you, Jake?”
He sighs and his frustration is evident. “Erin, can I please see your phone so I can program my number in it. I would like you to have it in case you have any more troubles like the sink. Please.” He has so much sugar in his voice, I practically have a toothache.
“That wasn’t so hard, now was it?” I ask as I dig in my purse and pull out my phone.
“You are the most difficult woman I know,” he mumbles as he types his name and number into my phone.
“What are you doing now?” I ask as I see him continue to type long after what it would have taken to put in his name.
“I’m sending myself a text so I have your number. See?” He reaches out and displays my screen so I can see the text message.
I can’t stop thinking about you and wanting your hot body, Erin
“Nice. Very mature, Jake.” I say with a roll of my eyes as I turn to head towards my door.
As I start to walk through my door, Jake grabs my arm and turns me around. “Wait. Don’t you want to kiss me goodnight?”
“Seriously?”
“I don’t want you to cry yourself to sleep tonight because you didn’t get one.”
“You are impossible.”
“I prefer fabulous.”
“I prefer infuriating.”
Jake chuckles as he leans towards me. I can smell him. It’s a heady mix of aftershave and soap. If I were a weaker person, I would lean in and lick his neck. I almost do it.
He kisses me on the corner of the mouth lightly as if testing the waters. When I don’t pull back, he brings his full lips to kiss me square on the mouth. His tongue slides along the seam of my lips causing me to gasp and open my mouth. Jake’s tongue dives into my mouth, kissing me like he’s a dying man and I am the only thing keeping him alive. His tongue duels my tongue, sliding against each other in the most delicious way. My entire body goes up in flames.
I’ve never had a kiss like this one before in my entire life. I always thought kisses from past boyfriends were great, but compared to this kiss - to Jake’s kiss – they were nothing if not completely lacking. Jake is exciting and intoxicating and I want more.
I lean forward and plaster myself against him. He’s hard and firm in all the right places – and I do mean the right places. A moan escapes as I slide my body up and down against him like a cat.
“Darlin’, we need to slow this down before I throw you over my shoulder and take you upstairs right now.” His words come out in pants, his breathing hard, and I realize it mimics my own.
Reality sets back in and I pull back. “I can’t believe I’m acting like this,” I say breathlessly.
“If it makes you feel any better, I lose my fucking mind whenever I’m around you, too.”
I grab a hold of what dignity and self-respect I can muster, and walk through the door. “Thanks again, Jake. I’ll see you around.”
“Yes, you will. Sweet dreams, Erin.”
As I shut the door, my entire body seems to go limp. I slide down the door and sit on my entryway floor as I listen to Jake’s truck start and back out of my driveway. What have I gotten myself into?
Chapter Five
Jake
I’m hanging the last of the beer signs in the man cave at Maddox’s place when he comes over with a cold one from the beer fridge.
“This place is so damn sweet, man.”
“Isn’t it? This room is one of the major reasons I wanted it. Well, that and more space for Brooklyn to run around. I can’t wait until the weather warms up so we can try out the backyard.”
Maddox and I are both standing in the middle of the room, taking it all in. “We’ll have plenty of barbeques back there.”
“So, while I have you here, I have something I need to discuss with you.” Maddox’s tone turns serious and no-nonsense.