9. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Ellie
I push the last plate into the dishwasher, its clink echoing too loudly in the silence Jake left behind. A sigh escapes me as I wipe down the counter, my movements mechanical and my mind a jumbled mess. What is Jake's deal? He invites me for the weekend, then seems to want nothing to do with me, not even finishing dinner. He's like a book with half the pages torn out, leaving me to guess what happens next—and it's infuriating. I thought that maybe we'd talk about that kiss, but he seemed uncomfortable talking to me about anything.
And I did catch his subtle hint that he's letting me stay "just" for the weekend, which, again, doesn't make sense. Why not just let me stay with Marcus? Why send a driver so I can stay two days? I'm not trying to impose or demand to stay longer, I just know that repairing the duplex will take weeks, so I could have just settled in with Marcus and...I'm just thinking in circles. I clearly don't understand anything about Jake, so leaving Monday is probably a good idea. Maybe he regrets extending an invitation to me. Maybe I should just leave in the morning.
Jake's walls are too high for any woman to climb.
But that's fine. It's not my job to scale those walls or heal whatever past wounds carved them so deep. I came here thinking...hoping...well, it doesn't matter now.
With the kitchen spotless, I grab my phone off the table and notice a string of texts from Marcus: Ellie, are you sure you don't want to crash at my place instead of some hotel? I don't like the idea of you staying alone.
Stiffing a sigh, I text back: Cedar Ridge is a safe place. What are you so concerned about?
His response: You've been getting in bad situations a lot lately. I just think it's better if you stay with me. I don't want some asshole taking advantage.
What asshole? The only person I interact with regularly is Danielle. You think some random guy is going to hit on me in the hotel lobby?
It's possible.
I roll my eyes and message: I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. Just holed up in my hotel for the weekend.
After I hit send, I glance around the beautiful, rustic decor of Jake's home, the lies eating away at me. But still, Jake isn't some asshole trying to take advantage of me, and I am perfectly safe here. Well, my heart probably isn't, but the rest of me is.
I send Marcus a smiley face for good measure, even though I feel anything but smiley. Slipping into the cool night air, I head back to the guest house with a heart heavier than when I arrived.
Hours later, I lie awake in bed, the digital clock casting 11:00 PM in ghostly green. Restlessness gnaws at my stomach—or is that hunger? Either way, Jake said to make myself at home, and I could kill for something sweet.
I wrap myself in a warm blanket and trek back to the main house, admiring how many stars I can see in the night sky. Once in the main house, I tiptoe through the house, which has some creaky floorboards. The kitchen glows with the soft hue of under-cabinet lighting. I freeze mid-step as I spot Jake by the fridge, clad in sweats and a tank top that clings lovingly to his broad chest. My mouth goes dry, and there's a flutter low in my belly that has nothing to do with hunger.
He doesn't seem surprised to see me, probably hearing my creaky footsteps approaching. He glances my way as he spreads mayo on some bread. "Couldn't sleep?" he asks. His voice is softer now, the rough edges from dinner smoothed away.
"Could say the same for you." I lean against the archway, crossing my arms, an attempt to guard myself against the sudden rush of desire I'm having from seeing his huge pecs under that flimsy white tank.
"Sandwich?" He gestures to the one he's making, but I shake my head.
"More of a sweet tooth," I confess, watching him closely.
"Chocolate chip mint work for you?" He's already reaching for the freezer, and I nod, grateful for the distraction from the tension winding tight inside me.
He pulls a tub of ice cream and sets it on the counter. Then he pulls a bowl from the cabinet. "Sorry about earlier," he says, scooping ice cream into a bowl with an oddly tender focus. "I shouldn't have left dinner like that."
"It's fine." I shrug, hoping my traitorous body doesn't reveal how not fine it is. "Long day, I get it."
"Yeah. Not used to..." He clears his throat. "Someone making me dinner. It was really good. Thanks. And you sear one hell of a steak."
I smirk. "Well, thank you. I did my best. And everyone deserves a home-cooked meal now and then, especially someone who works as hard as you." The words tumble out, genuine, and I mean them. Despite the confusion, I can still see the guy who always waves to me in the mornings, the single dad doing his best. Before I can stop myself, more words slip out. "You're really wonderful, Jake. You've done a lot for me, and I really appreciate it." The words hang in the air, a little too sincere, a little too vulnerable.
He tries to deflect, but his voice lacks the casual indifference he probably intends. "I'm not wonderful. Just...helping out my friend's baby sister."
I move closer, walking around the granite kitchen island. "Jake," I insist, smiling, "stop being so humble. A lot of men wouldn't be so helpful, so you should give yourself some credit once in a while. You’re such an amazing guy." I poke his solid shoulder with a finger, trying to be light-hearted, but the moment the compliment leaves my lips, something shifts in those deep brown eyes of his. It's like a spark flaring to life, intense and unexpected. There's a heated look that sends a rush of warmth through me.
Trying to ignore whatever I'm sensing—because Jake has been known to run hot and cold—I reach out for the bowl, eager for something else to focus on, but he pulls it just out of reach.
With an intense gaze, he digs a spoon into the mound, scooping up a creamy bite. "Hopefully dessert can make up for my actions earlier."
My heart is pounding from the way he's looking at me, but I try to keep a calm voice as I respond, "Depends on how good it is."
He glances at my mouth. "It's good. Open up."
Just like Jake, hot and cold. But I'm really enjoying that he's running hot right now.
I part my lips and he moves the spoon inside. I taste it, then I release a soft hum. "It is good."
"Told you." He gets another spoonful and brings it to my lips.
It's silly, this game of feeding me ice cream, but it's also intimate in a way that makes my pulse race. After a few bites, the sweet mint flavor filling my mouth, I find the courage to broach the subject we've been avoiding.
"About that kiss..." I start, but he's already setting the ice cream aside, reluctance written all over his face.
"Ellie, listen." Jake's voice is low and serious. "I'm not looking for a relationship."
"Neither am I. I'm still settling into town and not trying to get wrapped up in anything serious." A strange relief washes over me from laying the cards on the table. I’m really not thinking about relationships right now.
He meets my gaze. "And you're positive about that?"
"Yes. Why would I be lying?" As I say it, a twinge of doubt hits me. I ignore it. No, I don't want any messy relationships. What I do want is to have some fun with this strong, stunning firefighter who—
His response is to step closer, the distance between us shrinking until my back hits the kitchen island with a soft thud. "What about the kiss?" he probes.
I release a shaky breath, trapped by the heat of his body and the intensity of his gaze. "I...I really liked that kiss. And there's no reason we can't be friends who just have some fun with each other, you know? Nothing serious. No commitments." It's an admission that hangs between us, charged and heavy.
He puts his hands on the counter on either side of me, boxing me in. "Promise."
Swallowing, I say, "I promise. Just friends who—"
Suddenly, his lips crash against mine, a passionate collision that steals my breath. His hands find my waist, pulling me into him. As his erection presses against my stomach, I gasp. He feels like a man I'll have trouble handling. Jake groans softly, the vibration tingling through me.
We break apart, breaths coming fast. Jake's eyes are nearly black, his grip on my waist tightening. "Tell me you're on birth control."
"Hell, yes," I reply without a second thought, my eagerness to feel him inside me overwhelming any hesitation. There's no going back now, not with the way my body is already melting into his.
"Thank God." His mouth crashes down on mine again, and I moan against his lips.
Our kiss is all-consuming, a whirlwind of heat and longing that I hadn't known I was capable of feeling. Jake's hands are all over me, claiming me in ways that are both terrifying and electric. His palm presses against my breast, and the sensation ripples through me, pulling a moan from the depths of my throat. I think it has been way too long since a man touched me this way. Or, I've been pinning after Jake for way too long, my body already ready to burst.
He smirks at me. "You're loud."
Heat creeps up my cheeks. "Sorry, it's just..."
"Don't apologize for it,” he says, his breath hot against my ear. “I want to hear you."
Encouraged by his words, my next moan is louder, more unabashed as he lowers his mouth to suckle a nipple through my shirt. His hand dips beneath the waistband of my PJ bottoms. His touch is anything but subtle, so I cry out.
"Good girl. Don't hold back."
I moan again as he slides two fingers inside me, moving them in a rhythm that quickly builds my pleasure. "Jake, oh God..."
"That's it, baby." He kisses along my neck, his stubble rasping my skin. "Let me hear you."
I let every moan out because I can't help it. Not with Jake coaxing sounds from me I didn't know I could make. He's relentless, fingers working magic as they slide through my folds and circle my clit. Then, with a swift yank, my PJ bottoms are gone, leaving me exposed, vulnerable, and aching for him. I remove my top so I'm now standing naked in his kitchen.
Jake's gaze rakes over me, heat and something else in his eyes. Something that makes my chest tighten. "So beautiful," he murmurs. He strips off his tank top in one smooth motion, revealing the hard planes of his chest and abs.
I reach for him, craving the feel of his bare skin against mine. My fingers dance across the expanse of his muscular chest, tracing the contours of his firefighter-sculpted body, each ridge and valley a testament to his strength and heroism.
I'm barely aware of being lifted until my back slams against the cold surface of the fridge. It's a jolt back to reality, but the intensity in Jake's eyes pulls me under once more. With quick movements, he frees himself from his sweats, and my gaze falls to his arousal—imposing, eager, demanding attention. A shiver of anticipation runs down my spine as I think about how it's all for me. And how all of him is possibly going to fit.
My thighs squeeze his waist. "Please, Jake..." I whimper, squirming against him. I need him inside me, now.
"Fuck," he mutters, but I'm not sure what it's for. The anticipation? Is he regretting something? It honestly doesn't matter. He can have regrets in the morning. Right now, I just...
"Jake!" The name bursts from my lips as he enters me in one fluid motion, filling me completely, the sensation almost too much. I dig my nails into his shoulders, clinging to him as he begins to move.
Jake pounds into me, the fridge shaking with each thrust. "Say my name," he grunts. "Scream it."
I oblige, chanting it like a mantra as pleasure coils tighter within me. "Jake... Jake..." The world narrows down to just us, to the feeling of him moving inside me, to the building tension that threatens to break me apart.
His fingers dig into my hips, slamming me down onto him.
"Jake!" I scream as he hits just the right spot. "Jake, oh God..."
The tension is finally too much and my insides break—I'm calling out, my body shaking around him in waves of ecstasy that seem to go on forever.
With a final grunt, Jake follows, his release a hot surge that marks me as his. For a moment, we're suspended in the aftermath, panting, clinging to each other.
Then, with a rough kiss that promises more, he holds me securely in his arms and backs away from the fridge. "Round two in the bedroom?" he asks softly.
I kiss him in response.