Jake Undone (25 page)

to the best orgasm of my life.

Holy shit. I just had sex with Jake.

Our hearts beat against each other as he collapsed onto me and buried his face in my neck. All I could

think about was how right he was. Tonight had been my first
real
sexual experience.

CHAPTER 19

I hadn’t counted the number of times or ways we made love that night, but we didn’t stop for hours. I

kept wanting more, and he kept accommodating me, making good on his promise to “make me come until I

screamed in every possible way imaginable.” We might have even been in the midst of another round when

I fell asleep because when I woke up at three in the morning, I hadn’t even remembered nodding off.

The lamp was still on, and to my relief, he was right next to me fast asleep. He locked me into his warm

grasp with his arm across my belly. As I looked down at his handsome face, I wanted to cry because I had

never been so happy and so scared at the same time in my entire life. This moment in time was like a dream

I didn’t want to wake up from. I was terrified of what he needed to tell me later today.

My thoughts kept me up, and I really needed to use the bathroom, since I hadn’t peed at all after leaving

Eleni’s last night. Quietly slipping from underneath Jake’s arm, I tip toed down the hall. There was a note

on the mirror.

Glad to see you two made up. From what I could hear, you actually made up multiple times last night.

--T

I would deal with her later.

When I returned to the bedroom, he was in the same position sound asleep on his stomach with his arm

reaching across my side of the bed. Lifting it, I slid back underneath him. When I glanced over at my

nightstand, I noticed a folded piece of paper that hadn’t been there last night and opened it.

I met a girl, a few months back

With huge blue eyes and an amazing rack.

Turned out she was moving in

And kind of looked like an Olsen twin.

She put up with my shit and sarcastic wit.

And faced my wrath when she sucked at math.

Until her, it had been a while

Since anyone truly made me smile.

It might have been fate, in a way…

Her moving in that day.

I found the more time with her I’d spend

She actually became my best friend.

When we made love, things did change.

In fact, it’s really strange.

That friend delivered by fate?

Turns out…she was my soulmate.

And as I lay here watching her sleep,

I realize my feelings run deep.

Because they burn and cut like a knife.

I think I love her more than life.

P.S. On my second birthday, you came into the world and were the best present I never knew I got.

And this year? Best. Birthday. Ever.

The paper shook in my hand as I reread his beautiful words and took it all in.

Soulmate.

He loved me more than life.

It was his birthday too?

After a few minutes, his body stirred, and I jumped as his hand squeezed my side. His eyes opened, and

he smiled groggily. “I see you got my note.”

I turned to him so our faces were just inches apart and pulled him into a gentle kiss. “I love you, Jake.

The days since we met have been the happiest of my life.”

He kissed me harder, then said, “I meant every word…except the Olsen twin part.” He chuckled. “You

don’t really look like them to me, actually. Ryan mentioned it before you moved in, and I messed with you

about it that first day. You look more like a young Brigitte Bardot.”

Note to self: Google Brigitte Bardot.

He caressed my face. “You fell asleep in my arms, and I couldn’t sleep because I was so overcome with

emotion. I had to get it all out. So I did it on paper. But now, I need to
tell
you that I am so crazy in love with you, Nina Kennedy.”

He pulled me in for another kiss, sucking on my bottom lip gently before slowly releasing it. My panties

were already moist again. My appetite for him was insatiable.

“Your birthday was really yesterday too? Seriously…January 8th?”

He ran his fingers through my hair and nodded. “I couldn’t fucking believe it when Tarah texted me

Friday about your birthday being Sunday. My nieces had planned this party for me that day. They are so

cute. But I wasn’t about to miss being here with you, so I promised them a rain check next weekend. I

couldn’t wait to tell you we shared a birthday. I was gonna say something last night when we broke away

from the crowd. I had this whole funny thing planned out about how I was going to tell you, but as you

know, the date never happened. Believe me, the alternative was so much better.”

A thought occurred to me and I laughed. “I guess I’m going to have to break the news to my parents,

that I’ve fallen in love with my nerdy roommate.”

“Say what, now?”

“I’ve…sort of…painted a picture of you that’s not entirely accurate, so they wouldn’t think I was living

with a guy I was attracted to.”

His eyes widened as he grinned. “And so, they think I’m a nerd?”

“Yes. A nerdy engineer.” I laughed.

“You know what I think would be really funny?”

“What?”

“If I actually played the part. Like, put on some glasses, wore a pocket protector, took out my piercings

and covered my tats when you take me home. We could have some fun with it. They’d be happy and trust

me enough to let me in your room. We could say we were studying. Then, I’d close the door, take off my

disguise and fuck you on your canopy bed.”

We both started laughing hysterically at the thought.

He made me so happy.

I kissed him. “No way. I want you just the way you are all of the time. And I want them to meet you.”

He jumped up. “Shit. You had me so distracted last night, I totally forgot about your birthday gift.”

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“It’s in my room.”

Jake ran down the hall and returned with a small black velvet bag with a rope string and sat down on

the bed. “My brother-in-law had given one of these to my sister on Christmas. It made me want to get one

for you, so I went online that night and ordered one. I didn’t even know when I was going to give it to you.

It happened to come in the mail yesterday. I would say after last night, the timing was perfect. I hope you

like it.”

Prying the drawstring open, I pulled out a beautiful sterling silver charm bracelet.

I held it in my hand and turned to him. “Jake…”

He took it from me, opened the lobster clasp and placed it on my wrist. “You can actually go online and

custom make these with whatever charms you want. They have literally every single thing you can think of.

These are all the things that remind me of you.” He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it.

I touched each charm with my fingertips and was floored by the thought he had put into selecting them.

There was an airplane, a pair of dice, a four-leaf clover, an angel…even a little bat.

“
This
…this is the most thoughtful present I have ever received. I can’t believe you were thinking of me

like that over Christmas.”

“I couldn’t get you off my mind over Christmas. You knew that. Didn’t I make it painfully obvious?”

“Sort of. But I loved it. I love this. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. I am glad you like it.”

I got up and straddled him. “I haven’t even had a chance to get you a gift.”

“You
are
my gift.”

That moment was the single most precious of my life. I might as well have handed him my heart on a

silver platter; it was his.

It wouldn’t be long, though, before he would shatter it into a million pieces.

CHAPTER 20

The alarm went off at noon, and I was still exhausted. Jake must have set it before he left for work so

that I wouldn’t sleep the entire day away. I had fallen back asleep in his arms shortly after he had given me

the bracelet in the middle of the night and slept like a log after that.

I stretched my arms in the air and yawned, smiling when I noticed a new origami bat on the nightstand.

I opened it.

I am batshit crazy for you. See you tonight.

I kissed it and put it in the drawer with all of the rest, but that one was, by far, my favorite. Last night

changed everything between us, and there was no going back. I sniffed my hair and could smell Jake all

over it, all over me. His cologne and the scent of his body coated me after our long night of lovemaking.

My lips were swollen, and I was sore in all the right places, still intoxicated by him.

Six o’clock could not come soon enough because I was craving him again already. I was distracted and

giddy, barely able to focus on what to wear. I looked down at the charm bracelet and closed my eyes. How

had I lived my entire life without him?

Dread soon set in as I reminded myself that we were having that talk tonight. I just wanted to get it over

with, so we could move on. Whatever he needed to tell me, I would deal with it. It would be okay. We

would be okay. We were in love, and that was all that mattered.

Tarah was in the kitchen making a smoothie when I emerged from my room. I was startled to see her

because I had forgotten that the salon was closed on Mondays and that she would be home at this time. I

prepared myself for the third degree.

She stopped the blender. “Well, good morning at half past one.”

“I know. We didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Oh, believe me, none of us did.”

I covered my face in embarrassment. “Shit. Were we that loud?”

“I’m pretty sure my parents in Staten Island and my cousins in Jersey heard you. Yes, you were

definitely loud. Was it as good as it sounded?

“What do you think?”

“You’re flushed. I think he was just as good in bed as he looks like he’d be, if not better.”

“You would be correct.”

“Uh, yeah...I figured. Actually, I almost wish you had let me tell Ry about your feelings for Jake all this

time, because he was seriously shocked. He had no idea that you two were more than friends.”

“I know.”

“I never realized how protective of you Ryan was until last night. He was tossing and turning and kept

saying that Jake better not hurt you or he would fuck him up. And you know, he doesn’t normally talk like

that.”

“Shit. No he certainly doesn’t. Well, he is the closest thing I have to a brother, but he really shouldn’t be

worried. Jake has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He’s helped me through so much. I’ve

never felt safer with anyone in my entire life.”

“I am glad that you two finally figured it all out last night. I knew it would happen eventually.” She

paused and looked down. “Nina, I have to tell you something. I…knew about Jake and Desiree.”

Silence.

“I am sorry I never said anything. It was before you, so I didn’t think it really mattered. I didn’t quite

know how to bring it up. She spent the night one time, like a week before you moved here. The bitch had

always thrown herself at him. I knew it was just a cheap fling, and I didn’t want you to think badly of him

because I could always tell he really liked you. Plus, I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable downstairs at

the restaurant since we’re always there. I was trying to protect you, but I still should have told you.”

I let out a deep breath. “It’s okay. I understand why you didn’t. I mean, how can I fault him for

something that happened before he even met me?”

“I’m glad you’re not upset with me,” she said.

I was…a little.

I quickly changed the subject to rid my mind of Desiree. “Did you know Jake’s birthday was yesterday

too?”

“What? You’re kidding!”

“Dead serious. And look what he got me for mine.” I stuck out my arm to show off the bracelet.

Tarah held my wrist, and her jaw dropped. “A charm bracelet. Sweet.”

“Yes, with all the things that remind him of me.”

“I knew he had it bad, but damn, girl.” She shook her head at me. “Look at you…you’re beaming.”

“I can’t help it. I’ve never felt this way. I’m in love with him, Tarah.”

She hugged me tightly then pulled back. “Make that two people who’ll fuck him up if he ever hurts you,

then.”

***

Jake called me from work at 2:45 that afternoon, and I answered the phone in my best throaty voice.

“Hi, handsome.”

“Nina?”

“Yes, of course it’s me, silly. I’ve been thinking abou—”

“Listen to me, okay? I have some bad news. Everything is okay, but I have to go to Boston tonight.”

“What?”

“There’s been an emergency, so I am actually flying instead of taking the train. I’m on my way to

LaGuardia now.”

My heart fell to my stomach. “You’re scaring me. What kind of emergency?”

“It’s nothing to be scared about. There’s a situation that’s related to what I needed to discuss with you.

We can’t have this conversation over the phone. We were supposed to talk tonight, but it’s going to have to

be as soon as I get back. Please trust me. Everything is okay with us. Everything is going to be fine, and I

promise to explain it to you in a couple of days. Nina…are you there?”

I was silent for a few seconds then said, “Yes.”