Chapter 17
Alice
I feel Jake’s shoulders tense when he finally notices the nasty looks his mom’s been shooting us since he sat down next to me for dinner. The song comes to an end, and as soon as he takes his hands away, I want them back. I know it’s not smart, but I wish I could have him to myself again. Just the two of us. I’m thrilled for Danielle, I truly am. But I’m also ready to get away from Shelia’s house.
Jake steps back and rubs a hand over his face.
“You look like you could use a break. Do you want to sneak out of here?” I stare up at him.
He shakes his head. “We probably shouldn’t.”
“Okay.” I nod and start back to the table. The rejection stings, but he’s right. We shouldn’t ditch our best friend’s wedding. And we both know what happened the last time we were alone.
Jake’s hand darts out and wraps around my wrist. “Then again, they won’t miss us if we’re only gone for a few minutes.”
I nod and follow him into the house.
He pulls me into the first doorway we see. It’s a guest bedroom his parents are using as a coat check area. Purses and sweaters are scattered on the queen-sized bed, along with a few suit coats. I briefly wonder why he didn’t have me sleep in here the night I hurt my ankle, but I decide it was probably because he didn’t want it to look like he had a guest. We were hoping no one would find out he brought me home. Realizing we were hiding then just like we’re hiding now doesn’t feel good, but I shove the thought away just as my back hits the wall. Jake’s hungry eyes stare down at me, looking for confirmation we’re really doing this.
I raise one brow and try to pull off a seductive face. “Lovely wedding. Have you tried the cupcakes?"
He holds my gaze. "I can't stop thinking about those cupcakes."
“Me, neither." The words come out in a breathy whisper.
I don’t know if it’s the wedding hormones in the air or the memory of our time spent trapped in the cottage, but we both dive into each other at the same time. He grabs the back of my thighs and lifts me. I wrap my legs around him while our mouths crash together.
“No one can know about this,” I insist.
“I know.”
His hands tug at my hair, and I pull his shirt loose, running my fingers underneath it and along his rippled abs. I can feel the evidence of his attraction to me growing between us, and I know we should stop this. But I don’t want to. Now that I know what he’s offering, I want more. I grind against him and he groans into my mouth.
“Are you getting married today, too?” a tiny voice asks.
I pull back from Jake, and I’m horrified to see Emily standing in the doorway in her flower girl dress. Regina comes in right behind her.
“Let’s just grab Mommy’s purse and then— oh. Um, sorry.” She looks at me, then a smile spreads across her face.
Jake ducks his head and chuckles into my neck. At least one of us thinks this is funny. Regina gives me two thumbs up, then grabs her purse quickly and hurries Emily out the door, which she shuts and locks behind her.
Jake and I couldn’t even keep our hands to ourselves for three days. Now the secret’s out. What are we doing?