Free Pass (Free Will Book 1) (12 page)

His intense stare pinned me back in the chair. In that moment, I couldn't decide if I wanted to kiss him or shake him. My eyes filled with tears again. Rapid blinks shoved them back. Damn it, I would not cry again. I refused.

He laid his head in my lap. Was he waiting for me to say something? But what? My mouth opened a couple times, but I bit back my words.

"You make me crazy," is what finally escaped my lips.

His hands slid up my hips. Arms now encasing me within their sphere, he raised himself up. The roughness of his hands on the bare skin of my back warmed me. "And what do you think you do to me? Damn, woman, you got me daydreaming about stabbing my own brother over you."

A peal of giggles escaped then. The look of confusion on his face added to it. I shook with laughter and only his arms kept me upright. "I did stab Austin once," I finally choked out between laughs.

"What? When?"

"When I confronted him about Destin. Before he mentioned this fling. I didn't mean to really, I just had a pencil in my hand. I hit him, and forgot the pencil was there. He acted like I really hurt him, but he didn't even bleed. Much."

"I'd have paid money to see that."

He kissed me then, a light, testing sort of kiss. Gentle and teasing. Desire rumbled just below the surface, but Jake didn't push. His lips grazed mine a few times and his lips turned up in a smile.

"So, are we okay then?" Dark, questioning eyes searched mine.

Holding a grudge had never been my thing, plus, he really didn't do anything horrendous. Well, other than make me bawl my eyes out.

"Yeah, I guess we are." I tried to play it cool, like I didn't cry myself to sleep over him. Like losing him wouldn't crush me.

Chapter Thirty
 

His lips were on mine. He kissed me like he may never have another chance. Emotion poured out of him through his kiss. I could have drowned from the force.

He nudged my legs apart, moving between them like he belonged there. His lips never left mine. Hot hands floated across the smooth surface of my skin and stirred up waves of desire. Leaning forward into his kiss, my hands worked his tie free. He released me long enough to yank it over his head before ensnaring me once more in his net. I tugged at his shirt, desperate for access to his skin. Lust pummeled the last dredges of resistance. Like a hurricane ravages a beach, Jake's kisses wrecked my defenses. I relented, and knew from that moment on, I was his.

Dragging his lips from mine, he nibbled his way down my jaw. The leisurely movement of his lips on my throat overwhelmed me. I catapulted out of the chair trying to get closer to him. My movements knocked him back on his ass. He stared up at me, and I couldn't help but moan. Even sprawled on the floor, hair mussed, clothing wrinkled, he was mouth-watering.

I moved to straddle him, but the look in his eyes stopped me. The tension in his frame screamed predator. With slow, deliberate movements, he rose to his feet. A single finger, that's all he touched me with. He trailed it up my arm, and circled around behind me. I moved to turn.

"Do not move."

That commanding note in his voice when he ordered me to be still? Hell of a turn on. He closed in behind me, and his breath blew hot on the nape of my neck. I shivered. His hands grasped mine. His movements were slow, taunting. Up, down, up, down. Rough hands traced up over my arms. Fingertips brushed against my sensitive skin and I realized that he wrote on my skin with his fingers. J-A-K-E he sketched out, his teasing touch filling me with need. His invisible tattoo branded me his forever.

Crisp cotton and buttons grazed my back when he shifted forward. I quivered at the contact. Jake's deep, rich chuckle was my reward, the vibration tormenting me. The friction of his movements caused my sensitive nipples to stand at attention and beg for his notice.

"Sit back down. I'm going to get dinner." What? He could not be serious! All that temptation and he wanted to have dinner? A huff of disbelief escaped me. "You will need the energy for later." He stepped from behind me and moved toward the kitchen.

"Oh no, you aren't leaving me!" I threw myself at him.

Grabbing my wrist, he placed my hand on his pants, on the hard length that strained against his zipper. "This what you want? This what you crave?"

I squeezed and his sharp exhale rushed past my cheek. His lips capture mine. He throbbed beneath my hand, hips moving as he thrust into my palm. "Yes," I begged. I ached for him. The pulsing at my core appealed for fulfillment. I pressed myself against him, my breasts crushed to his chest. He held me close, his touch gentle.

"Come on then." He led me through the kitchen, stopping to flip the oven to 'Warm'. We got to the bedroom and he stopped. "Are you sure?"

Why wouldn't I be sure? He'd never asked me that before. Nodding enthusiastically, I unhooked the halter on my dress and allowed it to fall at my feet. Standing before him in nothing but garters, hose, and sandals, I was vulnerable. He had the power to crush me with only a few words. Watching his tongue dart out to moisten his lips, his eyes darkened with lust, and I felt wanted. When his hot and eager hands slid over my bare skin, his possessive touch filled me with desire.

"God, you are gorgeous," he whispered, his mouth nibbling my ear.

I arched up into his touch. My hands slid between us, fingers frantic. His buttons refused to be undone and I cursed in frustration.

"Easy, we have all night, love." He laid his hand over mine, his voice soothing. He drug his palm over the top of my hand and down my wrist.

We may have had all night. But damn it, I wanted to touch skin. He pulled away from me chuckling, and it dawned on me I voiced that thought aloud. Well, it's true. He stepped over to his dresser, taking cuff links out of his sleeves. Emptied his pockets. Took off his belt. Tortured me with his every slow movement.

I moved to him, and he took me gently into his arms. His lips drug across mine, slow, sensual. I tried to increase the tempo, and Jake eased back.

"No," I begged, following him as he retreated.

"My way or no way. I plan to make love to you tonight, not fuck you. So, we'll do this at my speed, or I end it and take you home. Understand?"

His no-nonsense tone brought me to a halt and I whimpered in acquiescence. I didn't want him to stop. So I relaxed and allowed my body to dance to his rhythm. When his lips skimmed down my neck, my pulse quickened. His touch evoked a song from me, memorized by his hands, the wordless tune humming from me with every breath.

I tugged his shirt free from his pants, but made no move to unbutton it yet. I didn't want him to stop the exquisite massage he was giving me. I slipped one hand beneath his shirt to get the sweet contact I craved. He allowed the touch, and I almost sagged in relief. I forced myself to find some self-control, to keep from ripping the buttons right off his shirt.

He kneeled before me. When his mouth closed over me, my breathing stopped. His beard scraped my thighs, but his tongue coaxed me toward heaven. I held his head tight. His way better not include a detour.

My knees weakened and his arms held me up. "Like that, did you?" He chuckled. Like he couldn't tell. If I hadn't been so utterly happy, I'd have slapped that self-satisfied smirk right off his smug face.

Rising to his feet, he nudged me back until I bumped into the bed. I laid down and he slipped the shoes from my feet. Running his hand over my hose-covered calf, he looked down at me. I moved to cover my chest, feeling exposed. "Don't. Please. I want to see you."

My movements stopped, my eyes watching his face. His hungry eyes roamed over me. Almost black with his desire, they glittered in the dim light. When he reached for me once more, his look was worshipful. And worship me he did. His lips covered mine and his delicious weight pushed me into the mattress. When I worked the buttons free on his shirt, this time he allowed it. Shoving the smooth cotton off his shoulders, I sighed. Finally, free access to his bare skin. I arched up into him, desperate for skin on skin contact. His chest hair drug across my already hardened nipples and I moaned. He shed his pants and rejoined me on the bed.

"Whether you choose me or not, I hope you've enjoyed this. I sure as fuck have," he muttered before kissing me again. Without taking his lips from mine, he fumbled for a condom on the nightstand. Like the rest of this evening, he kept things slow. Inch by glorious inch, he slid into me. His movements leisurely, deliberate. He nibbled at my throat as he moved slowly, in and out, over and over.

When he said he planned to make love to me, he meant it. There could be no other word. With the emotion in his eyes, and the gentleness in his touch, I let myself believe Jake truly loved me.

He groaned, and his grip on my hips tightened. His control shattered like a dropped glass. His thrusts gained intensity until he collapsed against me in a sweaty heap, my name leaving his lips in a harsh cry. He lay atop me, crushing me into the bed.

Cradling him to me, I shoved the thought from my mind that we might only have a few more days together. I vowed to cherish each and every moment with him.

He mumbled something, and I asked him to repeat it. I was lost in La-La-Land and didn't catch his words. He raised up, looking exhausted, and repeated, "You are a goddess." Heat rose in my cheeks and he laughed. "Well, now I know how far down that blush of yours does go," he said, kissing my chest.

My stomach picked that moment to roar out a plea for food, the growl filling the room with its fury.

He extracted himself from the bed and tossed me a T-shirt and some gym shorts. "Let's feed you before your stomach devours your backbone." Normally, I would have been mortified, but the smile on his face kept it from being too embarrassing.

He took a casserole dish from the oven, peeled back the foil and braved a peek. "Well, this might be dry, but it still looks edible at least." He scooped us out each out a portion of... well, some sort of pasta casserole stuff. I'm not quite sure what it was. It was edible, but only just.

"This might have been okay two hours ago when I wanted to eat it," he commented, nudging me.

I raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't speak. He grazed my cheek with his thumb and winked at me. I closed my eyes, emotion clogging my throat. It was these gentle moments I'd been longing for. The sweet gestures, the tender touches. Just the two of us, no prying eyes, no reason for him to show affection. Yet he did and it had ruined me. How could I ever be in an emotional void of a relationship again?

Chapter Thirty-one
 

Laney seemed to want quiet, so I let the conversation trail off for a bit. We headed into the living room and I turned the TV on. She didn't seem to care what we watched. Everything I mentioned, she mumbled was fine. I finally picked a comedy. That seemed neutral enough.

I laughed at a funny part, but she didn't so much as smile.

"Everything okay?"

She nodded against me, not lifting her head to make eye contact.

Had I already screwed up?
"You'd tell me if something was wrong? If I did something?"

She nodded again and snuggled closer to me. I held her tight and lay my head against hers.

I wondered what was going through her head right now. Was she regretting this evening? Upset that she'd forgiven me?

She dozed off next to me and I carried her to bed. I lay next to her, watching her sleep in the soft light from the bedside lamp. She shifted and the shadows on her face inspired me. I eased off the bed so as not to disturb her. Grabbing my sketch pad, I came back to the bedroom and put pencil to paper.

Damn, she was beautiful.

Chapter Thirty-two
 

Scratch scratch. Scratch. The sound of pencil on paper roused me. The scent of lead and pure Jake surrounded me before I even opened my eyes. My lips turned up at the thought I could wake up like this every day, next to him, in his bed.

"I love seeing you wake up with a smile on those beautiful lips."

I raised up, kissed him on the shoulder, and glanced at what he was drawing. "Me again?"

He'd sketched me in last night's dress, with him behind me, hands on my arms. The look on my penciled face was one of pure desire. "You are my muse, my inspiration," he said before tossing the sketchpad to the floor. Wrapping his arms around me, he whispered, "My every desire."

His soft lips pressed gently against mine, his tongue slipping into my mouth to caress my own. I relaxed into his embrace. Unhurried, Jake nibbled my lips. His alarm went off on the night stand, and he continued kissing me for a moment before breaking away to shut it off. Laying back on his pillow, an arm thrown behind his head, he muttered, "I don't want to go to work today. I have a client presentation at eight though. Can't skip the damn thing."

"I have school anyways," I reminded him, even as I snuggled in to his bare chest. He held me close, just for a moment. No kissing, his hands unmoving. I kissed his chest and he squeezed me tighter, his face buried in my hair.

"Shower with me?"

Um, yes, please. We didn't have time to fool around. But more naked time, with water running down every inch of him? Yes, a thousand times, yes.

He pulled me under the stinging spray with him. Rough hands brushed my hair from my face before he kissed me. Another languid, sensual kiss. Desire rose in me, and I stepped away. Grabbing the shower gel, I washed him from head to toe. His hands clenched in his struggle for control. When I kneeled before him to wash his legs, his grip on the shower curtain let in a wave of cool air. I lathered and rinsed him, taking my slow, sweet time.

"You are a damn cock-tease," he growled out and yanked me up to kiss me.

"I'll make it up to you later." I attempted to wash myself around his groping hands.

"Later is here now." He carried me out of the shower. Towels hung forgotten in the bathroom. Water trailed through the bedroom to the bed. "I fucking need you. No way in hell will I be able to make this sale this morning, not like this. All I can think about is you and your sweet little pussy."

He kissed me hard before shoving me face down on the bed. "On your knees." Desire roughened his voice, and I happily complied. He grabbed a condom and, with a quick check to make sure I was ready for him, slammed himself home deep within me. I moaned at being filled so fast, but arched back into him. His grip on my hip was tight, almost painful. No way in hell would I stop him though, because when he moved, he hit the perfect angle, that perfect spot. I buried my face in the pillow to muffle my screams. Jake pounded into me, a far contrast from the soft, gentle love-making of last night. He owned me with every exquisite stroke. His grunt with every thrust left me aching for him. When he reached beneath me to bring me closer to my goal, I shattered.

My name slipped from his lips and he sagged against me. He flipped to his back and yanked me to his side. "I'm going to be late to work, but I don't give a fuck. That was worth it."

I kissed his chest. The salt of his sweat clung to my lips. "I can call Kelsey and get her to pick me up so that you can make your meeting. No worries."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, neither of us have class 'til ten, so no biggie."

He kissed me one last time. I watched him get dressed, but didn't bother to get up myself. My body contorted into a stretch. The sheet slipped down with my movements and he got a flash of boob. "You make me want to get back in that damn bed with you, you know."

I smiled up at him. "You're a perv. Go to work."

"You hadn't figured that out by now? Take whatever clothes you need, whatever fits. There's food in the kitchen, help yourself."

He fiddled in his nightstand for a moment and pulled out a key, "Here, house key. You wanna just meet me here and we'll leave to head to Free Will after I get off?"

"You're giving me a key to your house?"
Um. Wow.
I tried to keep the smile off my face, but when he teased me, I knew I failed.

"Why not? You gonna have Kelsey come help you steal all my shit while I'm at work?"

"No." The smile I'd tried to hold back popped out in full force. I giggled at the thought of Kelsey backing her Prius up to the door and us trying to load Jake's TV into her car. I think his TV might be bigger than her car.

"Then take the fucking key. I gotta go to work. I'll see you tonight, my goddess. And if you aren't too sore and can keep the screams to a minimum, I'll fuck you in tonight."

"Fuck me in?" Damn, that sounded dirty.

"You heard me. Minimal screams. I don't want your dad after me with that bat again." He winked and sauntered out the door.

I laid there smiling like a big ol' goof for a few minutes before I called Kelsey. I texted her the address after a quick conversation. I peeked quickly through his dresser until I found T-shirts and sweats. I had hips, Jake's jeans weren't going over these things.

I sat munching on some Honey Bunches of Oats when Kelsey rang the doorbell. I let her in and she looked around in approval. "Not bad for a single man. Now tell me why loverboy couldn't bring you home."

Heat rose in my face as I muttered something about how Jake would be late for work.

She gave me a knowing grin. "Honey, the only reason that man's gonna be late for work is if you distracted him and got him to do bad things to you. Did he? Come on, tell me. You know I'm in a dry spell! Tell Kelsey all the dirty things he did. I know they was dirty because I saw the look in his eyes when he picked you up."

I buried my face in my hands, laughing, even as my face scorched.

"Oh come on, Laney, give me the deets! All I got is a damn vibrator. I'm lonely. Give a girl a hand."

I shook my head, rinsed my bowl out, and snatched up my dress and garters. I was a mess heading out in sweats, a T-shirt and sparkly sandals.

Kelsey snorted at my wince when I sink into her car. "I
knew
he did naughty things to you."

My phone rang, and my first thought was
'Hallelujah, I am saved'
. Kelsey could be unstoppable when she got onto a tangent about something. I didn't recognize the number, but answered anyways. "Hello?"

"Laney Rogers?" a male voice asked.

"This is Laney, yes." Who the hell is this? I
hated
confirming my identity without knowing who was on the other end.

"This is Adam from Midtown Psychiatry. I wanted to see if you were interested in the position we interviewed you for."

No, I just liked applying for jobs I had no plans to take. Of course I was interested. "Yes, very."

"Good. Now, I remember you saying you had finals coming up over the next couple weeks. Would you be available to start on May 15th?"

"Absolutely. That would be perfect." I struggled to remain professional, but I was in serious danger of hyperventilation.

"Great. If you could stop in some time before that, when you have an hour or so, we can go ahead and knock out your new employee paperwork." I agreed and he named a rate of pay beyond what I hoped. I hung up with what had to be a goofy grin on my face.

"Good news?"

"Yeah, I got the job at Midtown. I'm going to be able to afford to stay here for the summer and keep our apartment."

"Oh wow! Girl, that is so awesome. I'm proud of you. I knew you could do it."

"I wanna call Jake, but I doubt his meeting is over yet." I text him instead.

"Didn't Austin already plan to go back home though? What's he going to say, seeing as how he's still your boyfriend?"

Crap. I had never told Kelsey that Austin and I had been pretty well broke up for almost two weeks. Or about mine and Austin's talk, had I? So I brought her up to speed and flinched when she whacked me for not telling her something so damned important.

"Randy asked me out," she blurted.

"What? When?"
Wow.
Randy and Kelsey? I could totally see the two of them together.

"The other day when we walked together. He gave me his number and said he'd like to take me out sometime. I ain't called him yet. Don't know if I am gonna."

"You were just complaining about a dry spell."

"I know, but Laney,
God
. This is Randy freaking Mason we are talking about here. I don't want to be another notch on his bedpost, hell the thing's gotta be practically whittled to a toothpick by now."

"So make him work for it. If he doesn't stick around, he's not worth your time. He's really not all bad. Austin has a lot of asshole friends. For all of his arrogance, and sleeping around, Randy's a good guy underneath."

"Yeah," she considered what I said.

I nudged her. "Besides, rumor has it that Randy is a sex God. For someone in a slump, you sure did pull a fine offer."

"Shut it, just you shut it, right now." She glared at me, but couldn't hold it and burst into laughter along with me.

We got to campus and I headed off to class, a broad smile still on my face. Today had been too good not to smile. My only class today ended up being review for finals. You would think they would want to cover more material, not that I complained. Just saying, we started review two weeks before the end of the semester in this class. Could have gotten another week of solid work in first. And that's where my thoughts became that of an eighty year old. How the hell did that happen?

I turned my phone back on as I walked back toward my apartment. Jake had texted me back! I almost walked in to someone in my haste to read it.

Jake: Can't wait to hear your news, 'specially if it involves some lacy lingerie and you on my bed? But not this afternoon. Austin asked to ride up with us, his car's jacked up.

Three hours in a car with Jake and Austin? Sounded fun.
Sigh
. I texted back my news didn't involve lingerie and got a frowny face in return. Before I could come up with anything witty to say, my phone buzzed again:

Jake: But sometime soon, can I please come home from work, your car hidden around the corner, you sprawled on my bed in a corset and garters? Or something lacy and sheer? I'll make it worth your trouble.

Me: I bet you would. Go to work, perv.

The phone stayed quiet, so I guess he did go do some work. I settled down to study for a few hours before I needed to pack up and head to Jake's. Kelsey came in after her class with some lunch and we spent the afternoon studying together. We had none of the same classes this term, so couldn't really help each other. But, sometimes, it's nice to just have someone else be in the same boat.

As much as I wanted to see Jake, I dreaded seeing Austin and being alone in a vehicle with the two of them for so long. Jake said he'd be home around five, so I packed up shortly before and headed over to his place. Austin waited in the drive when I pulled up. I parked behind him and blocked his car in, intentionally. No way were the three of us cramming into his car for this ride. Nope, not happening. Then I remembered Jake said the matchbox car was acting up. Oh well, still wasn't moving my car.

"Hey Laney, uh, did Jake tell you I was riding up with you guys? My car's acting up, so I'm gonna have to get it looked at when we get back."

"Yeah, he did." I pulled out the handy dandy key Jake gave me this morning, and Austin's eyes looked like they might bug right out of his face.

He gaped at me, mouth opening and closing like a fish. "My brother gave you a key after less than two weeks?"

"Yup." The silent
'and you didn't after three years
' followed it. His cheeks pinked up when he made the same connection.

"Did you tell him yet that he's your choice?"

The sound of the Jeep pulling into the drive cut our conversation short.