He gestured at the sofa. She perched herself on the edge of one of the chairs while he settled back onto the sofa. Stretching his legs out, he crossed them at the ankles and folded his hands over his stomach. How could he be so darn relaxed when she was strung tighter than a bass guitar?
“I…” Her voice cracked and her gaze found the floor again. How could she explain what was going through her mind? She was having a hard enough time accepting it for herself. The silence was killing her.
“I’m here,” she said, spreading her hands out.
“I see.”
She shivered from the coolness in his voice. “You told me to come when I made up my mind.”
Jake straightened, crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. “I’m listening.”
The ball was back in her court and it was up to her to straighten out this mess, because it was she who made it.
“I know you may not believe me, but Rosie wasn’t the only one who missed you. I missed you, too.” More silence. “I missed you so much I cried when I tried to eat beef and broccoli because you weren’t there to steal the last bite.”
Nothing. No response, no softening in his eyes or body. “There was no one to steal my pillow in the middle of the night. Every time I looked for you at the bar, your stool was empty. I miss the way you’d debate the economy with me. Inform me of what the mayor was doing and why you didn’t think it was enough. I even miss listening to the stupid weather reports twice a day.”
“Weather reports are important.” His lips curved upward a tiny bit.
She continued, needing to finish before she lost her nerve. “I miss the touch of your lips, the brush of your body against mine, the fire in your eyes before we make love. The way you’d look at me while we sit here reading or watching TV. I missed you. All of you.”
He was staring at her again, but this time his gaze didn’t seem as cold or stern. “I know I’ve been an idiot, as Carla and Angelo are fond of telling me.” She leaned forward and held her hand out to him. Her heart jumped in her chest when he took it.
“I haven’t had very good male role models in my life and when you wanted to stay at my apartment, I panicked. I’m sorry.”
More like she freaked than panicked, but now she was laying it all out on the table. Her fears, her vulnerability, her life.
“Apology accepted,” he said quietly as he kissed her knuckles.
Rosie chose that moment to jump up on the sofa, untouched by the tension in the room, curl up and fell sound asleep. Beth blinked then said, “What did you just say?”
“You heard me.” Warmth encased her hand and when he smiled at her, her heart melted. “I don’t know about you but I’m starving.”
There it was, the warmth she’d been missing, in his eyes, in his touch, in his voice. Had he forgiven her?
“Jake?”
“Yes?”
Rising, she closed the gap between them. “I meant every word I said. I’m as ready as I can be to have a relationship with you.”
Jake surged to his feet. “I believe you.” He cupped her cheek. “And we can talk until you’re talked out, but right now I’m hungry. I missed lunch today.”
“Oh, okay.” Her mind grappled with the sudden change in him, but it was either follow his lead or walk out. And she wasn’t walking out.
“Let’s take this one step at a time. I believe there’s a pizza in the freezer, why don’t you grab it and pop it in the oven?”
“Sure.” But something wasn’t right. She didn’t move.
“I’m not going to lie.” His finger rubbed down her nose. “I was hurt by what happened, but I’m willing to take this a day at a time, a step at a time.”
There was a flash of pain in his eyes causing her heart to clench. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she had. Now she had to accept the consequences. “I’ll go heat up the pizza.” She stepped away from his seductive touch.
“Great.” He smiled. “I’d just changed clothes when you rang the bell. I’m going to go check messages while you’re in the kitchen.”
“You’ll find some messages from me.” She paused at the kitchen door. “I left some on your cell phone, too. Just skip them.”
He frowned. “My cell died while I was in Seattle and I didn’t have time to get a new one or I would have answered your messages.” He gave her a grin. “I won’t be long.”
Beth watched him saunter out of the room to his office. In the kitchen, she pulled the pizza out of the freezer, read the directions then turned the oven on. Finding a cookie sheet, she placed the pizza on it and waited for the oven to pre-heat.
Jake said he was hungry. Since the pizza would take about thirty minutes, he’d need something to tide him over. Finding some crackers she arranged them on a plate, then cut up some cheddar cheese she found in the refrigerator.
The oven dinged and she placed the pizza inside and set the timer.
“You love me?” She spun around to see Jake standing in the doorway, a stunned look on his face. Apparently he’d listened to her messages after all.
“Well…” She took a deep breath and took the plunge. “Yes. I love you.” There it was. Her heart was open to him.
He crossed the room and gathered her into his arms. His face nuzzled her neck. “You are the best thing to ever come into my life.” It wasn’t the declaration she expected to hear, but it would do for now. She had a lot to make up for.
“Is that cheese I smell?” he asked.
“Yes.” His stomach growled and she couldn’t help but laugh.
Moving out of his embrace, she picked up the platter of cheese and crackers and handed it to him. “It will be a little bit before the pizza is ready, munch on these and get your hunger under control.”
“Sounds good, but after we eat, I plan on feeding another hunger.”
Her cheeks grew warm. Even now he could still make her blush. “Go sit down.”
Grinning, he took the plate and sat down at the table.
Within forty-five minutes, food was on the table and Jake was eating, but Beth was playing with her meal. Her mind was still a hurricane of conflicting emotions, joy, fear, excitement, trepidation, love.
The scraping of a chair on the tile floor snapped her to attention. Jake stood, marched over to her then reached down, lifted her in his arms cradling her against his chest and strode out of the kitchen.
“I thought you were hungry?” She wound her arms around his neck excited to be in his embrace. Her heart pounded and her pussy grew wet.
“I’ve had my fill of food and, since all you were doing was playing with yours, I figured you’re not hungry.”
“I…” Her voice trailed off at the blaze in his green gaze.
“It’s time to feed another hunger.”
Words stuck in her throat, but excitement caused her nerves to tingle. Inside the bedroom, he dropped her on the bed. “Tonight we’ll stay here.” He tugged her shoes and socks off before removing his own. “We have some lost time to make up for and I’m not prepared to wait until we can get to your apartment.”
Before she could say anything, his lips captured hers. Most of her worries melted away, and those that wouldn’t she pushed to the back of her mind. Later. Later she could deal with them, right now she wanted Jake. And apparently he wanted her, too, as his mouth devoured hers.
Jake had been doing fine playing Mr. Cool until he heard her messages. He heard the tears in her voice and the sorrow. Right then, he couldn’t hold out anymore. Hell, who was he kidding. Her words about loving him went straight to his heart. But he hadn’t said the words back.
He believed if he said them now, she wouldn’t believe him. He had to prove his love to her. He could do it later. He’d missed her so much and right now, all he wanted to do was to make love to her until neither one of them could move. He wanted to show her how much he loved her through actions, not words.
Tugging her T-shirt from the waistband of her jeans, he yanked it off of her, flung it across the room and her bra followed a second later. Without pause, he took one full breast into his mouth.
His erection pushed and strained against the fabric of his sweats. Ignoring his own needs, he licked and kissed her breasts in turn as he undid her jeans. Lifting his head, he stared into blue eyes glazed over with passion, her mouth open and her hands fisting in the sheets.
“Lift your hips, sweetheart.”
Hooking his fingers into the waistband of her jeans, he swept them down along with her panties. Beth didn’t say a word, but her increased breathing told him she was right along with him on this journey.
Their mouths fused together again, and this time her fingers fumbled with the drawstring of his sweats. Cool air hit his ass, then she caressed him from root to tip. Fire swept through him from her touch. It had been too long. Breaking the kiss, he threw his head back, gasping for air. He couldn’t take her touch for long…he’d reached his limit days ago.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing her hard before sitting up. He kicked his pants away, then yanked his sweatshirt up and over his head to join the rest of their clothes on the floor.
Reaching over, he pulled several foil packets out of the drawer and dropped, all but one, on the nightstand top. He slipped the condom on then lowered his body.
His fingers found her wet pussy, stroking her once, then twice until she squirmed beneath him. Removing his fingers, he rose over her and drove into her tightness with one hard thrust. Heat invaded him. She let out a gasp then a moan.
“Am I hurting you?” He ran his fingers down her cheek. God he hoped not because she felt so good around him, her moist heat calling to him on the most primitive level.
“No. God no. You feel so good. Hard, hot and needy.”
“And you’re soft, moist and ready for me.”
“Yes.” Her hips rose as he retreated. “Love me, Jake.”
“I will,” he whispered before capturing her lips again as he set a punishing pace, fucking her until her pussy spasmed hard around his cock and she cried out her climax. He thrust two more times before joining her, causing her to have another orgasm.
I will love you now and forever.
Hours later, Jake stared down at the sleeping woman beside him. Beth’s hair was spread out over his chest, her breathing even and calm. His arms tightened around her.
Now he could admit he’d thought he’d never see her again. But she’d made the first move and he silently thanked God for sending Beth back to him.
This woman of his was so different from any other woman he’d ever known. In her phone messages, she poured her heart out to him and never once did she mention his money. He found it charming that Beth wasn’t comfortable with his wealth.
She loved him for himself, and he loved her. But he still hadn’t told her. First he had to prove his love to her. Plans began to form in his mind. She was back in his life and he wasn’t going to let her go.
Once she was comfortable with him sharing her place, he’d move to the next step in their relationship, but until then…she snuggled closer to him and he closed his eyes. He was content. Content to have her in his arms and life.
Chapter Ten
Jake stretched, then opened his eyes to see the light blue ceiling and a smile curved his lips. Beth’s bedroom. The sun was peeking through the closed blinds. He turned over and…fell right out of bed.
“Humph.” Damn it, he’d done it again. You’d think after three weeks, he’d remember she only had a double bed.
“Jake, you okay?” Beth poked her head out of the bathroom.
“No, I think I bruised my ego again.” Sitting up, he rubbed his back. The royal blue carpet did little to cushion his fall. “We need a bigger bed.”
“Actually, I like it.” She knelt next to him, her warm fingers massaging his lower spine. “It forces you to curl up next to me each night.”
“Like it’s a hardship to hold you.” His arm encircled her waist and he tugged her onto his naked lap.
“Hey, stop that.” She batted his hand away from her skin. “We have things to do today.” She wiggled her ass against his growing erection and he fought against taking her on the floor.
“Right. Things.” He kissed her, pleased when her tongue tangled with his, making the kiss hotter. She squirmed again. “Witch,” he whispered against her lips before trailing down to her collarbone.
“Umm, nice,” she murmured, when his tongue swept across her pounding pulse.
“Are we excited?” His hand found her breasts, but instead of finding her satin skin, he came in contact with fabric. With a frown, he glanced down at the bra. “Why are you dressed?”
“Well, I seem to remember someone made us an eleven o’clock appointment at Cecila’s dress shop.”
He looked at the clock. “It’s only eight.”
“I thought I’d run down to the bakery and pick up those cream-filled donuts you like so much.” Her tongue swept across his ear.
Hot waves of passion flowed through him. “Keep that up and we’ll end up spending the day in bed.” He buried his face in her neck, taking in the spicy scent of cinnamon.
“Sounds good to me.” Her hips shifted. Jake let out a groan and she laughed. “Let me go get breakfast first, otherwise, we’ll both faint from the lack of food.”
“I’d rather make you my breakfast.”
She dropped a kiss on his chin. “You already had me as an early morning snack. I need real food. Besides, we’re out of coffee, too. And I know how cranky you get without your caffeine intake.”
“What are you waiting for? Go fetch me some coffee.”
“Always what you want.” Laughing, she scooted off his lap and got to her feet. Grabbed her shirt and slipped it on.. She gazed down at him and love flowed through Jake’s veins. “You know, I could get used to you being at my feet.”
He lunged for her and she danced away, her laugher floating in the air as she went out the door.
Lord he loved hearing her laugh. It sent shivers of happiness up his spine.
“I already took my shower, so feel free to take yours while I’m gone,” she called from the living room. “I’m taking Rosie with me.”
Rolling to his feet, he stretched before padding to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he found a carton of orange juice. Pulling a large plastic cup from the dish drainer, he filled it and turned to the kitchen table.
The paper sat there, telling him Beth had been up for a while. His lips curled upward. Beth fit right into his morning routine—coffee, the paper and playing footsies under the table.