Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
JAKE
Jake had a serious problem—it was throbbing between his legs, begging for his immediate attention. While he wasn’t a stranger to morning wood, this was different. He wasn’t just hard. He was painfully erect. Even the soft boxers he wore felt irritating on his stiff cock.
Groaning, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
He couldn’t remember all the details of his dreams, but he suspected who was the star.
He was no stranger to explicit dreams, but having Gia so close was ratcheting his libido to insane levels.
If it continued this way, he doubted he’d last ten seconds if he ever got Gia naked again.
As if insulted, his cock twitched at the idea that it wouldn’t perform well enough to make up for the night he’d lost his virginity to Gia. He had to redeem himself, starting with his stamina, but not in his bed.
He’d overslept this morning. Normally Marley would be up already, heating pancakes in the microwave, but he couldn’t smell anything.
Maybe she slept in for once.
He rubbed his jawline, the bristles of his five o’clock shadow rubbing against his palm. During the workweek, he kept his clean-shaven look, but he let his facial hair grow out over the weekend. It was Jake’s idea of letting loose.
Speaking of letting loose, he really needed to get this taken care of so he could move on with his day. With a groan, he heaved himself out of bed. The soft rug tickled the bottoms of his feet as he trekked past his bedroom door he’d left ajar and into the adjoining bathroom.
Shutting the door should have provided him with enough privacy for what he was planning on doing, but he went the extra step and turned the lock.
Just in case.
Jake didn’t think Marley would burst into the bathroom while he was in it, but it was better safe than sorry.
There was nothing like a cold shower to wake his ass up and clear his mind of dirty thoughts. Jake hooked his thumbs in his boxer shorts. He pulled them off and braced for the cool air. His cock bobbed as he stepped into the shower.
He ran his head under the showerhead, letting the cool water run over his body before giving in to temptation and fisting his cock in one hand with a low moan.
He squeezed the tip, planting his other hand against the cool tiles as he brought his hand down to the base.
The memory of Gia’s face from last night, flushed from a mixture of anger and arousal, came to mind.
Her lips still wet from his kiss, the way her body had leaned into his, told him all he needed to know.
Her body recognized him, trusted him on instinct alone, even though her mind refused to acknowledge it.
There was more than chemistry between them.
There was history and friendship—but more importantly, there was trust.
His hand pumped up and down as he stroked the length of his cock, twisting his wrist at the top.
He imagined Gia with her head tossed back as he pounded into her from above.
The way she’d gasped his name when he’d first breached her wet entrance.
He recalled the soft noises she’d made when they’d first been together.
And like their first and only time, Jake came embarrassingly quickly. Cum spurted in streams of white, coating his hand before being washed away.
He braced both hands against the tile and hung his head in shame.
Low stamina aside, he knew he’d been walking a tightrope of control ever since Gia came back.
His carefully constructed life with Marley, their familiar routines, had gone completely out the window, leaving him reeling.
While Jake usually preferred to be in control of his life, he recognized sometimes it was good to let go.
Besides, he planned to have years to make up for any… shortcomings he might have.
Fortified by his pep talk, Jake finished washing up. If he left soon, he’d be able to work most of the day at the office and make a dent in the waiting paperwork on his desk.
He was running a towel through his wet hair when he heard the front door open.
That’s weird. Is Marley going somewhere?
It was unusual for her to leave without telling him.
He rushed out of the bathroom, tying his towel around his waist. His wet feet left a trail as he went to check on the noise. A quick peek at Marley’s bedroom showed it was empty, her bed unmade.
“Marley?” He bounded down the stairs. Noises at the entrance had him frowning.
What the hell is that noise?
It sounded like a caged animal.
“What’s that noise, Marley?”
Rounding the corner, he stopped in his tracks at the scene before him. “Gia.”
There she was. His wet dream was standing in his entryway. She stood with her lips pursed and shoulders pulled back, a woman who was gearing up for battle.
She tracked her eyes over his hair, still dripping from the shower.
He felt her eyes on him like a lick of flame as they tracked a droplet until it disappeared into the towel tied around his waist. A gorgeous blush bloomed on Gia’s face, replacing her frown when she spotted his bulge perked to attention despite his recent… activity.
“Gia, are you okay?” Marley’s quiet voice sounded behind her.
As if caught red-handed, Gia’s wide eyes met his. “Oh, yes. I’m fine. It’s just Jake.”
Mirth tipped one side of his mouth. Just Jake, huh?
He’d deal with that later, but for now he turned his attention to the brown-haired teenager who refused to meet his eyes.
By her squirrelly behavior, he knew she was hiding something from him, and judging by the yowling and scratching, it probably had to do with whatever animal the two of them had dragged in.
With one hand clutching the towel, Jake flicked a finger at the two of them. “Mind telling me what’s happening right now?” And how did he not notice Marley sneaking out of the house that morning?
Marley peeked from behind Gia, her worried eyes locking onto his. “Promise you won’t be mad?”
His heart dropped. “Of course I won’t be mad, Marley. Please tell me what’s going on,” he begged, knowing her question had more to do with her being worried he would leave her behind than any real fear of consequences.
Gia looked over her shoulder. A moment of unspoken understanding passed between them before she gave Marley a small nod and stepped aside.
“Remember the feral cat project I told you about?”
The feral cat project? I thought it’s been about Gia this whole time. “Don’t tell me that’s what that thing is.”
“This is the cat. You know. From the thing.” Her eyes widened at the implication that the object of their so-called mission was standing in the room with them—but as far as he knew, there had not been a real-life feral cat in the picture.
“You… found a feral cat? A real one?” Jake peered at the cage containing a black fur ball, which was fighting for its life to escape. “And you brought it here? Why?”
Gia turned to fully face him, arms crossed in defiance. “We thought it was hurt, but it has a clean bill of health. Marley and I brought it to the vet this morning, and it needs a place to stay.”
“What?”
“That’s not all,” Marley squeaked, hidden from his view.
Gia’s eyes gleamed with defiance. Jake’s spine tingled with fear. Whatever came next could not be good.
“The vet said she’s pregnant and needs a place to stay until she delivers,” Gia said.
“Excuse me? Pregnant?” Surely he’d misheard her.
Gia rolled her eyes. “Yes, with six kittens.”
“Six kittens?” His mouth dropped open in shock.
Gia blew out a frustrated breath, her stance shifting with a pop of a hip. “Is there a parrot in here?”
“Jake, remember the slow blink,” Marley stage-whispered.
“The what?” Gia turned to look at Marley.
“Nothing,” Marley answered quickly, but behind Gia, he saw her mouthing, Remember?
He’d forgotten about the slow blink, but at the moment, it must have been code for be cool, this is your chance to win brownie points with Gia. Or he could use the moment to his advantage.
“If I’m understanding this correctly, you both found a feral cat who just happened to be pregnant. With six kittens. And you want it to stay here… Am I right so far?”
“Yep, that’s correct.”
Now it was his time to be on the offensive. His jaw hardened as he debated the next move. He could say no and send the poor cat off to who knows where, or he could leverage the situation for his own benefit.
Jake raised a finger in the air. “Under one condition.”
“What’s that?” Gia stiffened, her spine ramrod straight.
“I’ll let the cat stay and give birth to her litter, then find homes for them all—but you need to go on a date with me.”
Her brows came together in an adorable frown. “A date?”
“Yes. An official date.”
“That’s all you want?” She tilted her head as if it were the most confusing concept.
Jake nodded.
“Fine. I’ll go on an official date with you.” He had expected resistance, maybe some argument. What he hadn’t been prepared for was her easy capitulation.
“Marley, did you hear that?” He needed a witness to reassure him he hadn’t misheard her.
“Yes! The slow blink worked!”
“What the hell is this slow blink you guys keep talking about?” Gia turned to look at Marley, who adopted an innocent look.
“Nothing!” Marley answered, though it was hardly convincing. “Oh, Jake, you should take her to the fall festival tonight!”
“Great idea, Marley.” He winked at Gia. “Okay, well, I’m going to put pants on while you ladies figure out where to put… that thing.”
Gia nodded, avoiding his eyes. “Right. Pants would be good.”
Jake walked backward, a smug grin plastered across his face as he headed back upstairs.
The wood creaked beneath each step. It seemed the cat had calmed down and accepted her fate, or maybe she’d tired herself out with all her hollering.
He hadn’t been prepared to host a pregnant cat and its kittens, but if it landed him a date with Gia, he’d take it.
Besides, it wasn’t like he was planning to keep the kittens.