21. Jake
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
jake
M y body is too warm, and there’s no feeling in my left arm.
The blankets feel too heavy, but when I crack an eye open to push them off, I’m met with a mess of blonde hair draped across my chest. Amber.
Filling my lungs with her lavender scent, I settle back into bed, content to hold her until she wakes.
I haven’t woken up with a woman in my bed since college.
She’s also the first girl I’ve brought back to this cabin.
Everyone I’ve slept with since moving back has left the minute the deed was done.
Not that I complained. There is something about her still being here, though, that fills me with pride.
I was a little worried she would run in the middle of the night.
She seems like the flighty type to run when things get real.
Yet, here she is, wrapped around me like a koala.
At some point, she discarded her bra, her bare tits smashed against my stomach making my cock stir.
One of her legs is draped over mine, the heat from her pussy making my morning wood hard as steel.
My balls ache from not getting off last night, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
She needed that release, and she needed to see I’m not trying to take anything from her .
I want to wring every ounce of pleasure from her and show her everything she’s been missing. To have her scent marked on my skin, and her pretty cunt dripping with me. For god’s sake, she let me tie her up and have my way with her without complaint. It’s like she was made for me.
She stirs on my chest, and I hold my breath, anticipating the freak out.
Instead, I feel her heart rate increase against me, but she doesn’t move.
Her lashes flutter against my skin as she awakens.
She stays still so long I think she might have fallen back asleep, until her hand moves, tracing the tattoos on my arm draped over my stomach.
Her light touch tickles, but I do my best not to move.
I wait patiently as she starts at my elbow, tracing the waterline and the two figures there until she reaches my wrist. That arm has a full sleeve with the top half covered in the mountain peaks and trees, and the bottom is a photo of my dad and me fishing at the river.
It was one of our favorite things to do together when I was a kid.
“That was our favorite spot to go,” my sleep-soaked voice says.
Amber lets out a small screech and tenses against me. “Jesus, Jake. How long have you been awake?”
I ignore her question and keep going. “We would go every chance we had, spending hours out there enjoying each other’s company. My dad’s never been a big talker.”
“It’s nice,” she whispers, and her body starts to relax again, her fingers caressing the figures. “What do these ones mean?” She traces over my knuckles where I have ABOVE written across one set and ALL on the middle fingers of the other.
“It’s a reminder to always do the right thing, above all else. No matter the consequences, backlash, or fears.” That was my hardest tattoo to get, after an incident in college.
“Hmmm” is all she says. She angles her head to finally look at me. “How long have you been awake?” she asks again .
I let out a haughty laugh, caressing her pouty bottom lip with the pad of my thumb. “Longer than you. Mind getting up? I’ve got a raging hard-on, and I need to get rid of it so I can pee.”
Her gaze travels to my boxers, staying glued to said erection. Tentatively, she sits up further, then strokes me through the fabric of my boxers. “Have you had this since last night?”
“I’ve had it since I was born,” I quip back. Angry Amber lets me get out all my anger, but feisty Amber is fun, and means I get to be playful with her.
She scowls at me, but it’s quickly taken over by a cute-as-fuck giggle. “You’re so stupid. You know what I mean.”
I thrust my hips up, winking at her. “I do, and no. It went away, but you’re still in my bed, so it came back.” Amber smacks my chest but gets off me, dragging the sheet with her. “It’s not like I didn’t see it all last night, baby. Come downstairs when you’re ready. I’ll make breakfast.”
Her undies fling past my head when I’m almost to the stairs.
Bending down, I pick them up and bring them to my nose, then smirk over my shoulder and take them downstairs with me.
By the time I’ve relieved myself and brushed my teeth, Amber is dressed in her clothes from last night and sitting at my small island.
Without a word, she stalks into the bathroom while I start a pot of coffee and gather the ingredients for omelets.
I probably should put on shorts, maybe even a shirt, but I like when she gets so distracted by me that she loses her train of thought.
When she exits the bathroom, the scowl is back on her face.
“Where are my undies?”
She can’t see my smirk with my back to her, but I casually walk around the kitchen, pouring us each a cup of coffee.
“No idea, but I like knowing you’re bare under there for me.
” At the fridge, I pull out the milk and pass it over to her.
Her nose scrunches, making the little diamond catch the morning sunlight .
“No flavored creamer?” I raise an eyebrow at her, and she shrugs like that’s something she expected me to have.
Back in her spot at the island, she rubs her hands down her thighs.
“Look, I wanted to apologize. I was wrong and out of line. It’s hard for me to accept help, and even harder to accept it without worrying how to repay people for said help.
Over the last year, I’ve had no choice but to let people help me with Jana’s health, then death, with the business and figuring out her estate and finances with full-time care and then after her passing. ”
She takes the time to pour some milk into her coffee, and I grab a spoon for her to stir it.
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful for any of it because I don’t know how I would have survived without the help.
I just feel like I’ve been drowning, unable to repay everyone’s kindness.
When I woke up and you were there caring for me, my fears took over and I panicked.
How am I supposed to help others when I can’t even hold my head above water most days. ”
“Amber—”
She holds up her hand. “I know that none of you want anything from me, but that’s hard to accept.
I’m so incredibly sorry I acted that way.
Thank you for all you have done. And thank you for installing the light and camera in the alleyway.
I’m assuming that was you, anyway.” Her eyes slowly lift from her lap, and I nod.
“Well, thank you. I’m not really sure what to say about last night except it was incredible, but I have to get going. ”
“You can stay for breakfast,” I say, not ready for her to leave.
She’s finally opening up to me. Maybe Thoren was on to something, and I need to keep the orgasms coming.
I’ll need to change things next time though because my balls are going to fall off if I keep denying them the pleasure of getting off.
Now I know she strikes out when scared, and can navigate things easier with her.
I already assumed that when she started lashing out at me.
My mom would have smacked me upside the head, knowing I was just as cruel back, but I think Amber needed that.
I want her to see I’m a big boy and can take her on.
If she needs a safe space to let go of her emotions, I can be that.
I’ll even dish it right back so she doesn’t feel alone and cruel after.
And if I really want to be honest with myself, I want someone to do the same for me.
It’s why this thing between us, whatever it is, works so well.
“I can’t. I have to interview a new associate in an hour and really need a shower. Plus, I feel bad leaving Socks alone any longer. We can get together this week so I can finally go over your website with you,” she says, moving around me to put her mug in the sink.
This is the running that I was expecting from her.
When I found her still in my bed this morning, I hoped she would stay.
Maybe I also wanted a repeat of last night.
We have unfinished business, aside from the fact that my cock needs to be buried deep inside of her.
Every tidbit of insight she gives me makes me want to unravel her further.
What other skeletons are in her closet? I’m not always great with my words or explaining how I feel.
I don’t feel that pressure with Amber to have the right things to say.
Swiping the keys from the counter, she turns toward the door, ready to leave. “See you around, big guy.” She smirks, taking one more heated glance down my body.
The laugh that rumbles through me is loud, shaking my chest. Fucking Thoren and his genius thinking. The same spark I missed seeing in her is back. She’s playful, funny, and deeply scarred but takes no shit, and it’s sucking me in.
Sausage Squad group chat
Jake :
You can have the title of Thor back, your unwind tip worked.
Thoren :
Lily never stopped calling me Thor. She loves the way I work my hammer. And you’re welcome. You should have figured that out on your own, you’re supposed to be some sex god.
River :
He’s not Aphrodite. Did you bone Amber?
Jake :
Who the hell calls it that?
River :
Fine, did you hit a home run? Plow her pussy? Plunder her treasure? Fuck her into oblivion?
Thoren :
Why can’t you guys be normal?
Jake :
Next time I’m leaving you out of the chat, Riv.
Jake :
I got her to open up and relax. She even stayed the night.
River :
I bet she opened up
River :
Sorry, I can’t help myself. This is the first time you’ve really talked about a girl. I’m happy for you, man.
River :
Guys? Don’t cut me out! You love me!
I make my omelet and take it out to the back porch to eat alone.
The gentle breeze and the warmth of the sun’s rays do nothing to quell the bitter feelings I have about Amber leaving.
I’m so lonely out here that last week I looked into how much it would cost to turn the storage room above my storefront into an apartment.
At least then I would have Amber next door and could probably snag Socks for some sleepovers.
Once I saw the quote from a contractor, I realized I could renovate that or keep paying off the rest of my parents’ mortgage. The mortgage won out.
After pulling my phone from my pocket, I snap a picture of my half-eaten breakfast and the view from my spot on the porch and send it to Amber.
Jake:
This could have been you this morning.
I’m surprised when the three dots pop up right away.
Amber:
Didn’t have time. That view is something, though. Perfect spot for a porch swing.
Jake:
I never thought of that.
Lily took the outdoor couch when she moved in with Thoren, and I replaced it with a chair. One pathetic chair.
Amber:
Jana had one on her porch. It’s where we had all our best talks. Leaving that swing was one of the hardest parts of having to sell her house.
I was going to take the day off, knowing Colby was starting tomorrow and that hopefully my workload was about to lighten a little. Instead, I scarf down the rest of my breakfast and head inside to shower and get ready for the day.
With a text to Michele, I get the address to Jana’s old house and make my way there to get a look at the porch swing Amber was talking about.
I take some sneaky photos from my truck, then head to my workshop to draw up some plans.
Oh, and go to the pet store to get a litter box and some cat food.
Next time, she can bring the cat with her so she has no excuse to leave.