Chapter 25
Jake
The day after that perfect fucking day in the Pine Barrens with Kelly, I wake to the sound of rain still hammering against the roof. But no storm or rain will bring me down: I’m grinning like a fool as I jump out of bed, on top of the world as I get ready for work. Adele’s sleeping at Jenny’s, so it’s just me and Tiger.
I’ve got a lot to do today: some hours at the workshop, paperwork that seems to multiply overnight, and errands after work—Adele’s birthday bash is this weekend and I’ve got to get everything squared away. Fourteen . Jesus, where does the time go? I’m determined to make it perfect for her. After all, isn’t that what dads do?
And so far, her good mood about her birthday has continued. I’m hoping this is a turning point, that we can put her school issues behind us. But even the thought of everything we’ve been going through with Adele can’t dampen my good mood. Not today.
“Busy day today, bud,” I tell Tiger as I head to the kitchen and scarf down some cereal. He comes closer, probably figuring I’m talking about extra treats. “And guess what? Things are finally looking up with Kelly Charleston. Can you believe that?” Tiger just blinks, unimpressed, but I grin away, a bounce in my step.
Done with breakfast, I check my watch. I’ve got twenty minutes or so before I need to leave, and I stretch out on the sofa for a brief, indulgent moment, replaying everything that happened yesterday, my mind spinning in circles. I feel so bad for Kelly that she lost her mom. Really truly bad. But being with her… God, it just felt so good. So right.
It’s ridiculous, but I’m like a damn teenager all over again—restless, heart racing, every thought filled with her. Kelly Charleston.
I won’t get time to call her until late tonight, and I can’t wait that long to hear her voice, so I grab my phone and bring up her name, not even caring if I look too eager. It’s early, but Kelly’s up at dawn—she’s got that driven streak in her, can’t sit still for too long. Me? I’m restless for an entirely different reason.
“Hey, are you awake?” I ask when she picks up, trying to keep my voice casual, even though my heart’s doing somersaults.
“Jake? Yeah, I’m up. Is everything okay?”
I hesitate for a second. “I just wanted to check on you. See how you are after, you know, yesterday? It was kind of unexpected for both of us.”
There’s a pause. Long enough to make me think I’ve said the wrong thing, called too soon, let the big emotions I have for her get in the way of my common sense.
“I had a great time with you yesterday. A really good time, actually, but we’re still working together, and we can’t let things get complicated.”
“We’ll take it slow. Whatever you need.” I swallow, my throat dry. “Look, I screwed up before. I get that. But things are different now. I’ve changed. I wouldn’t hurt you again. I swear. I just want to take care of you, be there for you, which you deserve.”
Another pause, but this time it’s shorter. “Okay,” she says, softer now.
“I don’t expect you to trust me right away,” I say, settling back against the cushion behind my head. “I just want an opportunity to show you I mean what I say. We don’t have to rush anything, but I’m all in. There is no one else and there can never be anyone else when you’re here.” You’re the only woman for me. From now until always.
She’s quiet for a moment, and I can almost hear her thinking. “There’s no one else for me, either Jake, and I want this, too. I just need to keep things in perspective, you know? We’ve got work to do, and I can’t let emotions cloud that. But I do want to give this a chance. We just both need to respect the ground rules. Okay? When we’re at work, it’s just work. And we’re honest with each other. About everything.”
She wants to give things between us a chance! A proper chance. Fuck yeah!
“Okay,” I say, trying to sound casual. “That all sounds great and I agree with the rules. So, when can I see you again? Are you free later tonight?”
“I promised Nora we’d hang out and watch Law and Order. She’s still crazy about crime shows.”
“No worries. I actually have Adele’s birthday party this weekend. Any chance you’d like to come?” I invite her on a whim, but it feels right. “I won’t get to see you till Sunday, otherwise. And I can’t wait that long.”
She’s quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know. Won’t Jenny be there?”
“She’ll be there, but she’s happily married and we get on pretty well these days. I’d love for you to come. And hey, you can bring Nora along for moral support.” I add a bit of tease to my tone, hoping to coax a smile out of her, even if I can’t see it. “The Valiant Hearts boys will be here drinking my beer. Blake will be here, but Emmy’s working. Adults will be grilling outside while the teenagers make a mess of my house. Come on, you know you want to.”
“Fine,” she finally says, and I can imagine her rolling her eyes, that classic Kelly gesture when she’s reluctantly giving in. “But only because Nora loves grilling when it’s cold out, and I can’t say no to that girl.”
“Great. It’ll be fun. I swear it.”
There’s a brief pause before Kelly speaks: “Do you think these winter storms are going to be as bad as they say? That storm yesterday was intense.”
“I talked to Patrick last night. He says it could be even worse. The whole Nor’easter cocktail mixed with some nasty high pressure over Greenland is pinning the storms right here. Mother Nature’s got a vendetta against the Jersey Shore.”
“Sounds about right,” she replies, a note of stress creeping into her tone. “So that means snow. Lots of snow. Guess we’ll have to make some changes to the festival, but we’re still going to get this across the line, right? It’s still going to be incredible, everything the mayor wants?”
“It will. Try not to worry. We’ll figure this out. Together. Hey, what are you wearing right now?”
“Seriously?” I can almost picture her, brows arched in amusement, lips curved in that half-smile that drives me wild. “I thought you had to get to work?”
“I’ve got a few minutes.”
“Fine,” she relents, the word drawn out, silky. “I’m wearing a pair of black lace panties.”
“Panties, huh? What else?” My mind wanders, drifting back to yesterday, the sweet taste of her. Fuck .
“Nothing,” she teases, her voice sending a jolt straight down my spine and landing in my dick.
A heavy breath escapes me, and I swear I can feel the heat of her skin through the phone line. “You’re killing me.”
“Maybe that’s the plan,” she purrs.
My hand instinctively drifts down to my hardening length. I palm my cock through my pants, the fabric growing taut against the straining bulge. She laughs, low and sultry, “You’re already turned on, aren’t you?”
I slide my zipper down, freeing my throbbing erection. “You have no idea.” I wrap my hand around my shaft, giving it a slow, teasing stroke as I imagine her fingers replacing mine.
“Mmm, tell me what you’re doing,” she whispers, her voice dropping. I can hear the sound of rustling fabric and I imagine her fingers slipping beneath the lace of her panties, finding her wet heat.
“I’m stroking my cock,” I say, my hand moving faster as I picture her touching herself. “Imagining it’s your hand wrapped around me.”
She gasps softly, “I’m touching myself too. wishing those were my hands sliding up and down you, that it was your mouth on me.”
I groan at her words, my hips bucking involuntarily as I imagine her fingers working me. “Fuck, that’s so hot,” I pant, my hand moving faster as I continue to stroke myself. “That’s me touching you, and now I’m going down on you, sucking and licking your clit just the way you like.”
“Imagine my lips wrapped around you,” she says with a small moan. “My tongue swirling around the head, tasting you.”
I can almost feel the heat of her mouth on me, my cock twitching in response. I groan, my hand working my shaft faster as I picture her lips wrapped tightly around me, sliding up and down.
She moans softly. “I'm so close.”
I hear the desperation in her voice, my own pleasure building. “Me too, baby. I’m gonna come so hard for you.”
We both cry out in pleasure, my cock pulsing in my hand as I imagine her shuddering with her own release. I hold onto the phone, my breathing heavy and ragged for a few moments.
“I wish you were here,” I say, picturing her beautiful face, imagining the silk of her hair.
“I wish I was too,” she replies, her voice soft and content. “But that was a nice way to start the day.”
There’s a pause. “Jake…” Her tone shifts, a subtle hardening of her voice. She’s bracing herself, lining up her thoughts neatly as she does with everything else in her life. “I’m sorry to say this, but I should go. I don’t want to be late to work.”
“Right,” I say, squeezing my eyes shut. “Work. Me too.”
“Talk later?” There's a vulnerability behind her words.
“Absolutely.”
“Bye, Jake.”
“Later, beautiful.” I end the call, still grinning like a goddamn fool.
Part of me is still tangled up in her words, in the imaginary lines of her body I can trace by memory alone. But then the email alert on my phone pings and reality hits me across the face—work isn’t going to wait for my horny ass.
“Get your shit together, Tanner,” I say to myself, cleaning myself quickly before heading for the door. I grab my keys and wallet, giving one last fleeting thought to Kelly and those black lace panties.
It’s still raining hard outside, and the cold morning air slaps into me. I jog toward my truck, head down against the deluge, and even though there’s a shit ton to do today, I can’t help the happiness that spreads across my face.