Loving Jake (Almost Perfect #1)

Chapter 5

FIVE

Kimberly slowly opened the front door, trying hard, but quickly failing, to avoid making noise while she entered the house. She immediately heard a squeaking sound and cursed under her breath for not oiling the door hinges as she had always meant to. It was one o’clock in the morning, and the loud creaking sound was bound to wake up Daisy, who in turn, would wake up Jake. She locked the door behind her and proceeded to tiptoe to the hall closet to hang up her jacket. “So far so good,” she whispered with mixed emotions. While it was a relief that Daisy hadn’t discovered her entrance yet, she did question the two-hundred-pound St. Bernard’s abilities as a watchdog.

She placed her purse down on a table in the hallway and decided to get a glass of water for herself before going to bed. She yawned leisurely as she crept along the hallway, feeling her way in the dark. If she turned on even one light, she was sure to wake up Daisy, who was probably snoring away upstairs, sprawled across Kimberly’s bed.

She entered the kitchen and walked directly to the sink without turning on the light. She opened the cabinet door and reached inside for a glass. She had one hand on the door handle and the other clasped around a glass when a wisp of warm air spread across the back of her neck.

“Where have you been?”

“Jake!” She dropped the glass from her hand before she could stop herself. She watched the glass clamber against the counter top and then roll into the sink, relieved when it didn’t break. “You scared me half to death!” She turned around to face him and found herself within inches of being in his embrace, a place she had dreamed about during the last several weeks.

Her eyes widened in surprise to see the deep concern emanating from his hazel eyes.

“Then we’re even.” He released a sigh, and it echoed through the kitchen.

Kimberly twisted her hands together at her waist. “I, ah?—"

“Do you realize,” he interrupted in barely a whisper, “that I have paced this damn house wondering where the hell you have been? I’ve been out of my mind for the last several hours with possibilities, and none of them good.” The worry in his voice came across to her loud and clear.

“Jake, I’m sorry,” she stammered. She inched herself backward, pressing the small of her back against the lower kitchen cabinets. Just because she didn’t understand why he was so upset didn’t mean she needed to provoke him any further, and she suspected the reek of wine wouldn’t help. One of the models had tripped tonight, and the contents of her glass went flying across the room to land on Kimberly’s blouse. Fortunately, the wine was white; unfortunately, she now smelled like a wine bar.

Despite all her efforts to place some distance between them, they remained less than a few inches apart. “I, ah, we finished the photo shoot earlier than expected, two days in fact. Everyone working on the catalog, you know, the other photographers and models, went out to celebrate. I couldn’t exactly refuse. I had worked just as hard as everyone else, and I deserved to celebrate also.” She stared back at him with a defiant lift of her chin.

“I’m not saying you didn’t work hard or that you don’t deserve to celebrate your efforts.” He paused to push a strand of hair behind his ear. “I’m saying that I was worried. For the last three weeks, you’ve only come home once past six o’clock. Even then, you called to let me know you would be an hour late. Tonight, you’re seven hours late, and I don’t hear a word from you. I called you no less than three times and sent you a text?—"

“I said I’m sorry, Jake,” she interjected. “What more do you want me to say? I would have responded, but my phone battery died, and I forgot my charger. Heather, one of the models, invited us to an impromptu party out in the Bay on her yacht. Before I knew it, it was after midnight, and the party broke up. I came straight home.”

“I suppose I should be grateful for that ingenious thought; otherwise I may have waited up for you all night.” He planted a hand on each of his hips and continued to watch her with narrowed eyes and tightly clenched jaw.

“Jake. I said I’m sorry twice now. I promise, I won’t do it again. However, I am a grown woman, and you sound just like my father.” She knew that when she had time to think about his reaction, his concern would thrill her, but she was exhausted and wanted only to go to bed. She had been up at the crack of dawn, out the door, and at the studio by six a.m., preparing for another twelve-hour day, followed by the wrap up party.

Kimberly dared to look him in the eyes, and the heat of his gaze burned right through her. The clouds must have shifted, because she noticed that the moonlight now beamed through the kitchen window, casting a glow over the kitchen, and emphasizing the disappointment reflected in his eyes and etched on his face. She had screwed up tonight, and Jake’ s expression confirmed it. Her behavior was nothing above that of someone who was selfish and self-centered.

“That’s what Carly said,” he mumbled.

“What did you say?” Her eyes grew wide, and she clenched her hands into small fists at her sides.

“I, ah, called your sister tonight?—"

“You what?” she screeched, her voice echoing throughout the kitchen.

“Kim, I had no idea where you were, and I was worried,” he defended. “It was getting late, and I thought you may have stopped by Carly’s. Maybe it was one of your niece’s birthdays or something, and you thought you had mentioned it to me? I don’t know.” He ran his fingers swiftly through his hair. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes staring over her head at the wall, and she assumed it was to avoid her blazing glare.

Her mouth gaped open as she stared back at him. “I can’t believe you called Carly,” she groaned out loud, and her shoulders slumped. “My life as I know it is over, Jake.” She covered her face with her hands as she shook her head in disbelief.

“I realize that calling Carly this evening wasn’t the brightest idea I’ve ever laid claim to, but you are sisters. Don’t you speak to each other regularly? Don’t sisters visit each other or drop in unexpectedly? Obviously not,” he muttered. “Nor do they inform family members of their current houseguests.”

She dropped her hands to her sides and raised her head up to look at him. “What?”

“Carly was surprised to learn that I had been staying with you, Kim. Why is that?” he asked, the irritation in his voice ringing loud and clear in her ears.

“Jake,” she began in an exasperated voice, “Carly is an incurable matchmaker. She’s bound to, no, she will definitely read far more into your staying here than there is. Not to mention, she’ll blabber it to anyone who will listen and then take credit for it.” Silently, she added, even worse, she will blame me when you move out without a backward glance in my direction. Her life was officially a disaster. Jake was mad at her, and Carly was probably posting invites for her and Jake’s couple shower on Facebook, but Kimberly couldn’t even get him to think of her as more than a friend. All she did was go out for one night with co-workers; that’s it. Just one lousy night.

She glanced at Jake, and to her surprise, his expression transformed from one of disappointment to one of… could it be… desire? Her lips parted, and a jolt of awareness shot over her skin like scalding water. The irritation she had seen in his eyes and that had pulsed from the clenching of his jaw was replaced with an expression she’d only noticed once on his face, and that was the first time she had visited his grandfather with him. Could the intensity reflected in eyes actually be desire? She took a quick, shallow breath.

Jake took a step forward. “Would that really be so bad?” He bent his head precariously close to hers. He rose a challenging eyebrow, daring her to respond.

“That Carly would blabber and take credit?” she stammered, her smile awkward in her nervousness. She stared at the wall behind his shoulder, afraid that if she looked into his eyes again, she would discover something other than desire staring back at her, and she wanted to dream for just a few more moments.

Jake stood a few inches from her. One small step, and she would practically be in his arms, her breasts pressed snugly against his chest. She felt her pulse quickening as she yearned to run her hands through his hair, now loose and tucked behind his ears, the tips of the golden strands brushing against his shoulders. Hesitantly, she turned her head and looked in his eyes, and she discovered the desire was still there, glowing from his eyes. She swallowed anxiously. What was going on with him? One minute, he looked at her with disappointment, and the next, he undressed her with his eyes. A tremble coursed along her spine, and her lips slowly parted.

“I was referring to something going on between us, Kim.”

It took only mere seconds before he lowered his head to hers, pressing his warm, caressing lips against her own. His large hands encircled her waist, bringing her flush against his hard body. Gradually, he coaxed her mouth open, his tongue eager in its exploration, and she responded with equal enthusiasm. His hands traveled over her back, eventually gliding across her breasts. Her nipples hardened with desire, and she pressed them against the palms of his hands.

A deep moan escaped from her as she moved further into his embrace. The evidence of his arousal pressed against her pelvis, and waves of desire spiraled through her. While his lips continued to devour her, his hands glided upward, burying themselves in her hair. Slowly, his lips left hers to explore the skin on her neck, and she groaned out loud.

Her heart pounded, and a tremble coursed through her. Hesitantly, her hands roamed over his broad shoulders, then upward, combing through his tawny strands of hair. She ran her nails along the back of his neck, delighting in his growl of pleasure. He felt good, so good.

He eased his hands out of her hair and slid them once again across her breasts, where they lingered only for a moment before reaching her waist. With one swift motion, he lifted her up and set her on top of the kitchen counter. Her eyes widened, but she held on tight with her hands clasped behind his neck. Moving his body quickly between her legs, any questions she had about his intentions were answered when he pulled the tail of her blouse from her jeans.

One by one, he unbuttoned her blouse with deft fingers until it gaped open. He bent his head to her waist, his lips following hotly in the path of his hands. His hands caressed the skin on her back as his tongue slid sensuously across her stomach and rib bones. Her breath came in shallow gasps as he snapped open the front of her lacy bra.

He lifted his head and gazed at her with eyes laced heavily with passion, and she smiled, hoping to reassure him that he required no further approval for his actions. He returned her smile with a wicked one of his own before he bent his head and took one rosy peak between his lips. He sucked wildly, his tongue moving back and forth over the aroused tip as his hips moved in a slow, rhythmic motion against the apex of her thighs. She wanted him inside her more than she had ever wanted anything else in her life.

Kimberly’s breath came out in ragged pants, as the onslaught of his lips on her breast drove her nearly over the edge. She braced her hands on the top of the counter for support, arching herself closer to him. She circled her long, jean-clad legs around his back, and his throbbing arousal ground into her. She was on fire, her entire being ready to burst into flames.

Jake released her swollen nipple from his lips, and she panted in anticipation of where his mouth might travel next. His tongue traced her collarbone and neck with a series of hot circular motions before finding her mouth once again. She parted her lips gladly. His lips continued to torment her as he picked her off the counter and slid her down his hard body. Gently, he slid her blouse off, and allowed it to cascade to the floor, at their feet.

He lowered his mouth to ravish her other breast with equal care, his hands making haste with the buttons of her jeans, when a distinctive scratching noise filtered throughout the kitchen.

“Damn,” he swore under his breath.

“Mmm, what is it?” Kimberly asked, her eyes glazed with a film of desire.

“Daisy.” His breath was rapid and coming out in gasps.

“Daisy?” She blinked her eyes and wondered why the name sounded familiar. “Oh no, Daisy!” she exclaimed when the distinctive scratching sound suddenly combined with a full-fledged bark. She opened her eyes, and looked at Jake. The fog of desire that had clouded his eyes earlier was gone. “I forgot all about her.”

Jake’s lip parted to form a wistful grin. “I let her out back right before you came home because she had been whining to go out. I take it that she is ready to come in,” he added with a disgusted shake of his head. He removed his hands from their resting spot on her hips and let them drop to his sides.

He shook his golden hair from his eyes as he reached down for her blouse, laying puddled at their feet. “Ah, here, you better put this on.”

“Jake, I, ah, we…” She reached for her blouse from his outstretched hand. The heat he had stirred within in her had faded away, and a tremble traveled over her skin.

“Don’t say it, Kim. Let’s leave it be. Please. Daisy obviously has a lot more common sense than we do and impeccable timing, I might add,” he finished with a ragged sigh.

She stared at him. His eyes were downcast and focused on a spot on the floor behind her. She wanted to argue with him, but his expression indicated that any questions she had for him would not be answered tonight. “I think I’ll go to my room now, if you will take care of Daisy?”

Jake nodded and then watched her walk away. He was unable to take his eyes off of her as she hastily swept out of the kitchen.

He ran the palm of hand across his mouth and chin while the dog continued to bark. No longer able to allow himself to stand in the middle of the kitchen in a stupor, he walked toward the backdoor and opened it.

“I’m coming, you damned dog,” he hissed under his breath, and immediately a sense of guilt washed over him for placing the blame on Daisy for his overactive libido. The panting dog pounced into the house the second he opened the back door. Taking care to remember the mud she normally tracked in from the backyard, Jake grabbed a rag and rubbed down her feet.

“Daisy, girl. You sure know how to take care of your mistress, don’t you?” He placed his hand on her back and absently rubbed the fur on her back until she began to squirm. Regret filling him, he lifted one of the dog’s back paws for cleaning. He reached for one of her front paws, and Daisy bent her head and licked his face. Jake chuckled although, deep inside, his heart ached.

“Well, don’t worry, girl. It won’t happen again. My emotions ran rather high tonight. I was worried...okay and slightly angry,” he amended when Daisy turned her shaggy head in his direction, cocking, what he swore, was a shaggy eyebrow at him.

“Give me a break, will you, dog? I worried about her all evening and then, when I try to do something about it, I find out her family doesn’t even know I’m living at her house. I mean, come on, Daisy. What’s the big deal? We’re grown adults.” Daisy growled playfully and then plopped down on the braided rug in the middle of the floor.

“Okay, I get your drift. I’ve sworn off marriage, love, and anything remotely associated to them. And nothing will change my mind.” He tossed the dirty rag into a basket by the back door.

Daisy lifted her head, a low growl escaped her large, salivating mouth .

“What? Can’t two people occasionally enjoy themselves without walking down the aisle?”

The large St. Bernard growled louder.

Jake ran a hand through the hair at the side of his head. “Okay, okay. I get it, Daisy. No wonder you don’t have any interested suitors sniffing around here. You are too old-fashioned for most of the dogs in the neighborhood.” He looked down at her and laughed because it occurred to him that he had been trying to hold a conversation with a St. Bernard. Man, he had definitely lost it. He ran his hand across his stubble-covered chin, and then sure he would never sleep, he decided to have the drink he had needed all evening.

As he approached the small liquor cabinet in the corner of the family room, he wondered what had come over him. In his mind, he saw Kimberly walk into the kitchen and open the cabinet door. Obviously, he had not been lost enough in his concern for her to miss the chance to admire her enticing bottom snugly poured into a pair of tight jeans or to notice her thick, rich mane of hair cascading down her back and its distinctive honey scent filling his senses.

The smell of wine trailed in her wake and increased his irritation. She had been out enjoying herself, while he sat home alone waiting for her. “Alone,” he repeated out loud. Was that his problem? He mixed himself a drink from the bar and tried to make sense of his behavior tonight. For nearly a month, he had had little to look forward to other than Kimberly’s return from work. He had spent several hours visiting his Grandfather each day, coupled with the few home improvement projects that he volunteered to do around the house, but mostly he was alone.

It was ironic, he decided with a startling realization, because he spent a considerable time alone as an international journalist and it had never bothered him before. He lived for months in foreign countries with no one closer to him than the other journalists and photographers whom he met on assignments. Yet, now he spent his time, regardless of what he had been doing, longing to see Kim each night.

Jake took a large swig from his glass, disturbed by this latest revelation. He needed to put a stop to his obsession with her. He planned to return to New York as soon as his brother came home and could stand vigil over their grandfather, and no one, not even a 5’ 10”, raven-haired beauty, could stop him. He placed his glass down on an end table and walked over to the built-in sound system. He pulled up his playlist on his cellphone and chose a song from Hozier. The artist’s music seemed to match his mood perfectly.

He reached for his drink and settled down on the couch with Daisy snoring softly at his feet. He had been a fool to start something with Kim tonight and could only be grateful it had ended when it had. A crushing weight of despair bore down on him. It had felt so good, so right to hold her in his arms, tasting each delectable inch of her. God, how he wanted to bury himself into her velvety warmth and stay there forever. “Forever, what a joke.” He leaned back against the couch with an air of defeat engulfing him. He drank deeply from his glass and swiftly emptied its contents before he returned the glass to its place on the end table. There was no forever for him and definitely not with Kimberly Urbane.

Kimberly, he learned after flipping through hundreds of photographs housed in the dozens of albums she kept scattered throughout the house, loved children. At least half of her photos contained a child with their tiny faces smiling happily at the camera. He had asked her about the photos over dinner one day last week, and she had explained that she began her career as a local photographer, her specialty being children because she loved to capture the happiness and open trust in their small faces. The photo albums were portfolios of her work. When she could no longer pass up the lure of a steady paycheck and the health insurance that came with it, she had traded in the photography work she did locally with friends for a position with the magazine.

Jake stared blankly out the window, oblivious to the moonlight that shone down on him. His thoughts drifted to his disastrous marriage. In the stillness of the room, he could hear years of Brenda’s vile accusations being flung at him. “If you wanted children, Jake, you would take the tests. But you won’t, because you really don’t want children, do you? Do you?” she screamed. The hate-filled memories ran rapidly through his mind.

“I want children,” he whispered hoarsely. He bent his head in sorrow, cradling it between his hands. After ten years, almost twenty if he counted the time from the doctor’s prognosis his sophomore year in high school, he finally released all the pain he had kept locked up inside of him, the pain that had been slowly building, patiently waiting to be unleashed.

Alone, and in a room illuminated only by the moon, Jake wept for all the years he had spent without love. But mostly, he shed tears for all the years he would yet have to endure without the love of a woman like Kimberly and the love of children he could never have with her. He wiped the palm of his hand across his eyelids. Tonight had been a reality check and a reminder for him. He had carelessly, and selfishly, taunted Kimberly with the possibility of a relationship that was more than platonic, and he would make sure it never happened again.