Naughty Neighbor: Falling for a Libra (Falling for the Stars)

by Lauren Runow

  I lift my glass and hold it up to Jake. “To the new champagne.”

  He clinks his glass with mine, and we drink them way too quickly.

  “Damn, that’s good,” Jake says and motions toward the bottle. “I’ll be taking a bottle of that.”

  As we drink our next glass of cider with spices, Fritz tells us—without oversimplifying the chemistry and steps involved—how ciders are made. Jake is fascinated by every word and asks a ton of questions.

  Our next glass is barrel-aged cider. I love it so much that Jake tells Fritz we’re taking a case.

  We try pear cider and one with honey. Neither of us is a fan, but we still drink the entire glass. By the time we get to the brandy, Jake and Fritz are trading jabs back and forth like they’re longtime friends. He’s not drunk. No, Jake is just personable like that. I know that anywhere I go with him, he’ll see someone he knows or meet someone new. Everyone enjoys his company, and he seems to genuinely like people. I might not be as outgoing as he is, but boy, do I love watching him in action. His demeanor is so easygoing, and his spunk is spot-on.

  And even though he’s engrossed in conversation with someone else, he always has his hand on me.

  We finish our flight and walk away with way too many bottles of cider. On the way home, we take the scenic route, listening to music and just enjoying the drive. His hand holds mine, tracing small circles on my palm. The lingering touch is soothing and sweet.

  He hums along to the song on the radio, and I fall into the seat and sigh, completely distracted by the sunset ahead when something stirs inside me.

  It’s like a mini earthquake, where the floor falls from beneath my feet. I have to sit up and grip my chest. I look over at Jake, and he’s just driving with a lazy smile on his face.

  He turns to me and tilts his head. “You okay, babe?”

  I nod, breathing harshly. I put a bright smile on my face even though my heart is pounding and my hands are clammy.

  “Yeah. I think it was the cider. Too many bubbles,” I lie because it’s more like a panic attack.

  He laughs and kisses my hand, looking back toward the winding road and enjoying the drive.

  Meanwhile, I sit here, confused by this sensation. For a moment there, I thought I was dreaming.

  Dreaming of a day where Jake and I were in love.

  Dreaming of a forever.

  Dreaming with our eyes wide open is dangerous. That’s when people fall apart. It scares the hell out of me.

  “Do you mind if we take a detour?” he asks.

  I nod even though I thought we were already on one. As if sensing I’m having a moment of unease, he lifts my hand to his lips and places a kiss on the top, giving it a squeeze. His body tilts slightly toward me as he drives. It makes me curl my leg under me and face him fully.

  He pulls up to a cliff overlooking the valley. It’s vast and deep, beautiful with the orange glow of the early evening in the horizon. He lowers the windows in the car and opens his door. I do the same and get out, walking toward the edge.

  The view is stunning, but I feel the heavy weight in my belly shift up to my heart. I take a deep breath of the sweet lake air.

  Behind me, the music from his car is loud. A soulful melody plays, and he closes the door as he walks over to me.

  “I’m going to do something super cheesy but ridiculously romantic,” he says, taking my hands.

  I look at him quizzically. “Are you warning me for a reason?”

  “I’m preparing you.” He pulls me close and wraps my hands around his neck. “To be utterly and tragically enraptured by me.”

  I laugh out loud. “I love when you get all cocky on me.”

  He kisses my nose. “I know.”

  I follow his lead as he sways from side to side. His hands tighten on my lower back as he holds me closely.

  “What brought this on?” I ask as we dance in the breeze.

  “I just had a feeling you needed an interlude.”

  He knows there’s something off with me. It’s comforting and frightening at the same time.

  My body feels rigid, even as I mold myself against him. My chest rises as I take in a hard breath and lift my chin. That’s when I see it. The look in his eyes.

  Those deep brown eyes are staring at me with an intensity that holds me, wraps me in a warm blanket, and pulls me in closer. There’s a crinkle in his eyes as he looks at me with a demeanor that has me letting go of that breath I was holding. I rest my forehead against his, breathing in his air, drinking in his expression, and staring back into those damn eyes that make me melt.

  This is what he does to me.

  He doesn’t tear down my walls. No, he lets me keep them up. But he opens his own up and welcomes me and all of my issues into his world, holding on for dear life and letting me know he’s with me.

  And I fall hard through his walls and grip on to him, placing my head on his shoulder. I let this man—this beautiful, charismatic man—hold me as we dance on a cliff, keeping me from falling. Keeping me where my feet are planted firmly on the ground because that’s where I need to be. And that’s where he’ll have me.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I’ve been on a writing spree. Unlike the last sprints that came in spurts, I’ve spent the last five days writing like my life depends on it. From dawn to dusk, my fingers tip-tap on the keyboard. When I’m not creating new scenes, I’m editing and molding the previous ones, building out the story to be something big, bright, and beautiful. It’s amazing how the words are coming to me so easily now. What started as the hardest book I’d ever written has ended as the easiest.

  Once the sun sets, I close my laptop, and enjoy my second favorite pastime: Jake.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  Where his knock was once an inconvenience, it’s now a welcome distraction from a hard day’s work. Tonight, he’s standing at the door in a pair of navy pants, a crisp white button-up, and that damn grin I’ve become addicted to.

  It doesn’t hurt he has a bottle of wine in his hand too.

  I wrap my arms around him and pull him into my apartment with my lips on top of his.

  “This is quite the greeting,” he says.

  “I finished today.”

  He yanks his head back. “Seriously? That’s awesome. Looks like I should swap this baby out for a bottle of champagne.”

  “Not yet. I just sent the chapters to my agent, Wendy. I’m trying not to be nervous, but I can’t help it. This book means a ton to my career. I also really love the story. It’s my favorite I’ve ever written, and I’m afraid she’ll tell me to edit something or that she doesn’t like the ending, but I really don’t want to change a thing. Where normally I’m up to people’s suggestions, this one I want to leave just as I originally wrote it.”

  “I’m sure it’s brilliant.”

  He leans down and kisses me again, taking it deeper than our first one. The bottle somehow finds its way to the counter because, now, his hands are on my ass, lifting me up so I can wrap my legs around his waist. As he walks me back to my room, I unbutton his shirt and look forward to some naked celebration time.

  I’m sprawled out on the bed, my knees parted, as he settles himself between me and does that hips-rocking thing that drives me wild. My kisses are desperate, but he pulls away and stares down at me. There’s a twinkle in his eye, and his mouth is upturned in tender admiration.

  “I love you,” he says.

  Wait. What?

  My heart stops.

  Did he just drop the L-bomb?

  I take a deep breath … and then another. I’m blinking at him, waiting for him to take it back but he doesn’t. He’s just staring at me. That smile fades, but he’s still looking at me in a sweet way.

  Am I supposed to say it back?

  Yes, that’s the polite thing to do.

  No one wants to be left hanging when they declare their love for someone. I’m supposed to be feeling something too. Either butterflies in my stomach or tears streaming down
my face. I could just get naked. That seems like an appropriate response. I’ll do that, and then we can bypass this little lip slip until it’s appropriate to discuss.

  My phone rings, and answering it is an even better idea. Now. Right now.

  I roll out of his arms so fast I’m surprised I didn’t fall off the bed. “Hello?” I say, sounding out of breath.

  “We’re downstairs!” Charisse yells into the receiver.

  I push the button to let them in and then glance at Jake, not sure what just happened and glad that I was saved by the bell—literally.

  “Charisse and Melody are here.” I put my phone back down on the nightstand. He lifts his arm as I move to the edge and stand up, fixing my clothes and smoothing down my hair. “It’s our girls’ night in. I forgot about it. Shoot. I don’t even have anything in my cabinets.”

  He stands up and runs his hands up and down my arms. “Don’t stress. I’m the master party guy. I have food and plenty of cider for us to serve.”

  “You’re staying?” I pinch my brows, not sure what to think.

  He gives me the sweetest grin. “Yeah. I want to meet your friends.”

  “But it’s girls’ night in.” I bite my lower lip.

  “Aren’t they a couple?

  “Yes.”

  “Aren’t we a couple?”

  “Yes. But you’re a boy.”

  “A man,” he corrects me in a very serious tone, and it makes me laugh.

  I close my eyes, overwhelmed for all the wrong reasons. “No, you’re right. I want you to officially meet my friends.” There’s a knock at the door. “That’s them. Looks like we’re making it couples’ night in.”

  He takes my hand in his and tilts his head toward the entry way. “Let’s go greet your friends.”

  I open the door, and I put on a fake smile, greeting my friends. “Hey, come in.”

  “Jake!” they both announce in unison when they see him by my side.

  Clearly, they’re surprised he’s here.

  “Jake, you met Charisse, but this is her wife, Melody.” I point to Melody.

  “It’s nice to meet you.” They shake hands before Jake asks, “Where’s this beautiful daughter I’ve heard so much about?”

  They both smile and each hold up a bottle of wine.

  “She’s with Grandma! We’re here to relax and have the night off,” Charisse says, shaking her jacket off.

  “I hope you don’t mind if I crash your girls’ night.” Jake takes it from her.

  Mel looks at him with a pleasantly surprised grin.

  “Mind?” she says. “Honey, I’ve been dying to meet you. Charisse got a good look a few weeks ago. All I’ve had to go by is the picture on the Moreau Flowers website.”

  “Melody!” I chide as Jake laughs deeply.

  “You stalked me?” he asks.

  “Hell yes. I had to show her the man who was taking up Lacey’s time and attention. Very nice headshot, by the way. I didn’t know you were a floral designer. And your family is adorable. The picture of you and your parents on the About page is so swoony,” Charisse defends.

  “Agreed.” Melody walks toward the buffet in my dining area with her bottle of wine and takes out an opener. “I’ve ordered from you before, but I’ve never been inside. We’ll have to discuss ideas for my corporate holiday party in a few months. I’d much rather give the business to someone I know. And I expect the friends-and-family discount.”

  “Of course,” he says easily as he joins Melody.

  Jake takes the bottle from her hands and starts to open it while she grabs four glasses. They’re talking about flowers and wine as I pull Charisse into the kitchen. I peek past her shoulder to make sure Jake isn’t facing us.

  “You look like a maniac. What are you doing?” she asks as I pull her down toward my lower cabinets.

  We’re now squatting on the floor as I do one more look to make sure he’s not peering this way.

  My eyes open wide when I whisper out, “He told me he loves me.”

  A huge grin wraps around her face as she covers her mouth, so she doesn’t squeal. After her initial glee wears off, she says, “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.”

  I slap her hand. “Are you kidding me? This is crazy. We just started dating.”

  “What’s crazy is you. Right now. You’ve always been quirky, but this is a little too dramatic, even for a woman who writes dramatic romance.”

  She stands up and looks down at me like I’m a child. I stand and brush my hands on the back of my jeans.

  “There are many reasons why this is wrong. Maybe he’s an obsessive lover who uses it too freely. The words lose their meaning.”

  “Does he strike you as the serial lover boy?”

  I huff, “He dates a lot but no. It just seems too soon. Like we’re still in the getting to know you stage. The game is over.”

  “Game?”

  “Does he, does he not—”

  “You’re being ridiculous. And scared. You’ve known each other for a while now. Maybe not personally, but this means, he’s been pining after you. He’s just happy to finally get what he wants.”

  I give her a deadpan expression. “You can’t be serious. I just don’t think it’s—”

  “What? Possible to know when you’ve found the one?” she interrupts me. “Did he expect you to say it back?”

  Biting my lip, I answer, “No.”

  She places her hand on my arm. “Don’t push him away. He seems like a really good guy. It’s possible you found a genuine man. They do exist. I promise. My dad was one of them.” Our eyes meet, and she places her other hand on my other arm. “Stop freaking out and enjoy the moment, will ya?”

  I nod and give her a weak smile, my skin prickling. We grab our glasses, and there’s a pretty good chance I’ll drink way too much wine tonight.

  Charisse and I join Melody and Jake, who are now in my living room. Someone put music on, and they’re in a pretty active conversation for two people who just met each other.

  “You didn’t tell us Jake’s family has a cottage on the lake,” Melody accuses as I come into view.

  All of the wonderful memories instantly flood through me, and I can’t help but smile. I slide next to Jake on the couch. “Yeah, it’s beautiful. We had a lot of fun.”

  Charisse winks at Melody, making me hold up my finger to point at them.

  “No way. This night went from girls’ night to double-date night, which means there’s no way we’re discussing our sex life,” I say.

  They instantly clink their glasses together as Melody sings, “That means our girl is getting laid!”

  “I told you that TikTok video was a genius idea,” Charisse says.

  Jake’s eyes meet mine, and I can see confusion written all over his face. “That wasn’t your idea?”

  Melody responds, “I’ll admit, I was against the idea, but it looks like my wife knows a thing or two about playing matchmaker.”

  Jake drops his shoulders, but that smile is still on his face. I wonder if he thought that was me breaking the ice between us. If Charisse is right and he’s liked me for a while, no wonder he kissed me back. She must feel proud of herself that we’re all sitting here right now. It might not have happened if it wasn’t for that kissing video.

  My eyes meet Charisse’s, and her smile fades slightly as she looks to Jake, who has his head down as he checks his phone—the first time he’s ever done so in my presence like this.

  “Oh!” Charisse jumps up. “That reminds me. I saw another video that I thought you two should do together.”

  Jake sets his phone down, and his brows rise in intrigue. I know he loved seeing the comments and being a part of that video, so I’m sure he’d be up for the idea of doing another one.

  “I tried to get this girl to do a dancing one, but she never wanted to learn the steps on her own.”

  “And you wouldn’t do them with me!” I speak up, defending myself.

  Charisse gives me a shit-
eating grin. “You’re right. I won’t do them with you, but I bet Jake here would.”

  We all look to Jake, who’s always the one to play along.

  “I’m in. What does it entail?”

  “Well, I thought this one would be fun because you don’t have to really memorize certain moves—”

  “Thank God!” I interrupt.

  “What? You can’t dance?” Jake scoots closer to me, nudging me with his leg.

  “Hey, I can dance. I just hate having to do it exactly the way they want you to. I don’t have time to learn an entire dance for a two-minute video.”

  “Exactly why this one is great. You only have to remember the moves Jake does right before you. It’s called the Last Move, First Move Challenge. So, you’ll do a dance move, and then he’ll repeat it and add another one of his own. Then, the camera is back on you, and you have to do his dance move and then add another one of your own, and so on and so on for as long as you want the video to go.”

  Jake stands, holding his hand out to me. “Sounds like fun. You game?”

  I grin and place my hand in his. He pulls me close to him, and my body covers in tingles from having him pressed against me. I inhale a quick breath, and he gives me a kiss and then slaps me on the ass.

  “Let’s do this. Show me your moves.”

  “Does it have to be to a certain song?” I ask.

  “Nope, you get to choose. What are we thinking?” she says, holding up her phone like she’s ready to search for it.

  “ ‘Let’s Get it On’?” Jake says as he seductively pulls me in.

  I laugh and push him away. “Way too slow. We need one that has a beat to dance to. Do ‘Savage’ by Megan Thee Stallion with Beyoncé.”

  “Oh yeah, we can get nasty in here,” Jake says, using one of the lyric’s words, raising his eyebrows.

  I hear Melody and Charisse laugh as Charisse pulls up the song.

  “So, do you want to go first, or should I?” I ask.

  “This is all you, girl. Show me what you got, and I’ll follow along.”

  We set up to where we’re both in the frame right next to each other as I rub my lips together and go over some dance moves in my head.