"No shit. I meant why are you at the hospital. You just started fooling around with my granddaughter a few days ago, a bit soon to be hanging around the hospital with her family."
He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "She needed me."
"Did she now?" Her piercing glare never left Jake. He shifted a bit, looking uncomfortable with the scrutiny, but didn't bolt.
"She did." He smiled at me, adding, "And I'm not just fooling around with your granddaughter."
"Uh huh... Why should I believe that? You hardly know her. "
Shit.
Granny didn't like him. She'd kicked such a fuss with my cousins that she'd made them break up with boyfriends and girlfriends she didn't like before. I didn't want to lose Jake before I even knew what we really had.
Jake threw his head back and laughed. The idiot freaking laughed. "I'm crazy about Laney. And you can believe that, or not." His eyes met mine, and my heart skipped a beat at his intensity.
"Why?"
With confusion crinkling his eyes, he turned back to Granny. "Why what? Why do I like Laney? Or why should you believe me?"
Granny's eyes narrowed. She glared at him until he spoke. He didn't look at her when he answered. He looked right into my eyes, his hand holding mine.
"I'm crazy about Laney because she's everything I've ever wanted. She's funny. She looks like an angel, but kisses like the devil. She makes my heart race just by smiling at me."
I couldn't breathe.
He turned his gaze back to her then. "And I don't care if you believe me or not. As long as Laney does, that's what matters."
Lord, she was going to kill him. No one ever spoke to Granny like that. Ever. A cackling laugh rang out and I hunted for the source. No one was there but us and Granny...
Wait. What just happened?
My jaw dropped and I gaped at them both. Maybe aliens abducted my Granny, and this was just a Granny look-alike. Yeah, that had to be it. There's no way he told her off and she laughed about it. Jake smiled at her and brought my hand up to his lips. I pulled my hand away from him and pinched myself. Hard. This had to be a dream. No other explanation made sense.
"Would I be correct in saying that you do not find my granddaughter defective in any way then, young man?" Granny questioned him again. Like a dog with a bone, she wouldn't give up until she's gnawed it beyond recognition.
"Defective?" His eyes searched mine. "Why would I find Laney defective?"
My eyes filled with tears. "Because Austin did. I wasn't enough. My boobs weren't enough. Our sex life wasn't enough."
"Oh, honey." He reached for me. Pulling me into his lap in that lone chair, he kissed me. Soft warm lips met mine. His tongue coaxed my mouth open so that he could deepen the kiss.
"My brother is a damn fool." He cupped my cheek in his hand and brushed his lips against mine.
"Your boobs are perfect." He trailed his fingertips ever so lightly over my chest. He skimmed down my body to squeeze my ass. "Your ass is beyond perfect," he said with an appreciative growl. "And I know damn well our sex life will be fucking perfect when we get to that point too."
I buried my face in his neck. My tears soaked the collar of his shirt. The insecure voice in my head screamed guys would say anything to a girl they want to get with. My heart wanted to believe him though, and pounded out that he's the one. That he was the man I had secretly dreamed of.
He held me close. The gentle touch of his hand on my hair comforted me. His warm breath against my cheek soothed as he whispered endearments to me. When he told me how beautiful I was to him, I realized I was falling for Jake. And falling hard.
"While I am glad you don't find Laney inferior in any way, I don't need to see you on her like a buzzard on road kill."
Jake snickered at that, but moved his hand to a more neutral spot. I wiggled until I could sit up on his knee rather than sprawl across his entire lap. His arms tightened, pinning me to his chest. His head rested on my shoulder.
Granny smiled at us. She actually smiled at us. After he felt me up in front of her and he'd just told her off.
"Granny, are you sure you are feeling okay?"
"I will be, honey child. I already told you that. Why don't you take this boy and get him some food. He looks like he could use a good meal."
"I can still see him?"
She just raised her eyebrow at me. Well, she hadn't told me I couldn't. So, of course, I could. She'd have made it clear if she felt otherwise. Granny could say all that with the lift of a single eyebrow.
I hugged her goodbye, kissing her cheek. She patted me and mock whispered, "I like him. Better than that sorry ass Austin." She'd never told me she didn't like Austin. She'd told Sheila, and my cousin Matt, plain as day, that she didn't like people they were dating.
He kissed her on the cheek before we left the ICU. If he wanted brownie points with me, getting in good with Granny gave him a good start. His thumb brushed teasingly over the back of my hand as we walked back. Martha and Austin surprised me by being in the waiting room, talking to my Mom and cousin Sheila.
Jake dropped my hand and hurried over to snatch a notebook from Austin's hands. "What the hell, man? Stay out of my stuff."
"Dude, how many drawings have you made of Laney?"
Flipping the leather cover over the white sheets of paper, Jake shot me an embarrassed smile. He grabbed his bag and moved to stuff the notebook inside.
He drew me?
"Can I see?"
He sighed. The snail's pace he moved at when he carried the notebook over made me almost regret asking. He avoided eye contact. When I had the sketchpad in hand, he sat down, opened his laptop, and focused his attention on the screen, clearly embarrassed.
The first pages were of random things—a building, a dog, and some characters from a television series. Then, I got to the drawings of me and understood Austin's wonder.
A dozen sketches of me filled the remaining pages. A rough sketch of me in his dad's office was first, a lone tear streaking down my penciled face. I turned the page and my drawing-self stared back at me from the bench on my parents' porch. Kiss-swollen lips and mussed hair on the stairs came next. He chronicled every poignant moment in our relationship.
The final page was the one that took my breath away. I lay in my bed with the sheets bunched under my arms. Lust-filled eyes and an outstretched hand beckoned for someone to join me. For Jake to join me.
I looked beautiful.
I mean, it was me. But like me with all my flaws minimized. Super-duper Photo-shopped looking me. Just in sketch form. My lips turned up.
Was this how Jake saw me?
"He messed you up. You don't really look like that."
Austin interrupted my euphoric moment. I glared and wished he would burst into flames. Damn him.
"I'm not that pretty, I know." My soft admission slipped out. I looked down at the sketch and traced a finger across it longingly. For Jake to truly see me like that meant more than I could say. But Austin's words pulled my doubts to the forefront of my mind.
Mom and Martha came over to see. Martha agreed with Austin that the drawing wasn't quite right. Jake quit pretending he wasn't listening and defended his work. "How's it wrong? Tell me."
"Well, Laney has more freckles than that," Martha pointed out.
Then Austin started in with his opinion. "Laney's lips are thinner than you drew. Her eyelashes aren't nearly that long. Her cheeks are a little chubbier. Her hair's not that, uh, fluffy."
Shit. Why did he ever ask me out if there was that much wrong with me? He listed off my every flaw.
Jake took the notebook from my hands, looked down at it, and back up to me. "I don't see the problem. Looks right to me."
These drawings confirmed for me that Jake truly found me attractive. Knowing he saw me like that... My face hurt, I smiled so hard. My smile must have been contagious because Jake grinned down at me. He pulled me up against him. His hot lips covered mine. Our teeth clicked together as he pres
sed into me, but I didn't mind. The corner of the notebook he held dug into my back, but I just moved closer to him. His growl when I wrapped my arms around his neck made me tremble. Oh my, did I want this man.
The snickers and embarrassed coughs around us reminded me where we were. And, while reluctant, I managed to remove my lips from his. I sighed and buried my face in his throat, inhaling deeply. Willing my heart to slow down, I savored the spicy aroma of his skin.
He nuzzled his face into my hair and whispered, "Let's get out of here for a while. What do you say?"
Chapter Twenty
Silence filled the Jeep as we drove back to my parents' house. Peaceful, not at all awkward, silence. He let me unlock the door and followed me inside. He stayed quiet until I put my purse down.
"I messed up this morning, Laney." His arms wrapped around me from behind. With his chin resting on my shoulder, he held me close.
"What? How?" What the heck was he talking about? I couldn't think of a single thing he'd done wrong, but the heat of his warm breath on the sensitive skin of my neck almost made me forget my own name.
"I didn't tell you how gorgeous you were," he murmured.
Lord, that voice melted my bones. I sank against him, his lips hot on my neck. Waves of desire spiked through me as he nipped and suckled my throat. A wanton moan escaped my lips when he slid his hand down to cup me through my jeans.
His hands dropped away and I cried out from the loss. He turned me toward him and stepped up against me. His kiss was hard. Needy, passionate. Hands on my ass gripped tight and held me against him.
"Upstairs. Now." His voice raw with need, he pulled me toward the stairs.
Oh, hell yes.
In my eagerness, I tripped over my own feet on the stairs. Jake saved me from face-planting. His steadying hands at my waist kept me upright.
The door clicked shut behind us and he flicked the knob to lock it. He fished a box of condoms from his suitcase and set it on the nightstand. His eyes sought mine and the lust in his eyes overwhelmed me. I fell back onto the bed, nervous all of a sudden. What if I disappointed him? If I'd been enough to satisfy Austin, I wouldn't be here with Jake today, after all.
The bed shifted with his weight. He settled next to me, his lips on mine once again. My heart raced. The roughness of his hands on my sides was a sweet torment that pushed all thoughts of Austin and insecurity from my mind. His weight pushed me down on the comforter. I needed to touch him. He growled his approval when I slipped my hands under his shirt and shoved it up to gain access to the smooth skin of his back. He raised up to pull the T-shirt over his head and brought his lips right back to mine.
The buttons on my shirt gave little resistance to Jake's determined hands. He parted it open and gazed down at me. Desire darkened his eyes and he licked his lips. "Damn, you are beautiful," he whispered. I shrugged out of the shirt and arched up against him. He fumbled with the hook on my bra and grunted in satisfaction when it sprang free.
His beard scratched my jaw and I ignored the sting. Hell, I savored the sting. My hand tangled in his dark hair to urge him closer. His palm curled around my breast, his thumb brushing my nipple. Desire shot clear to my core when he nipped my throat. My moans encouraged him and his nips and suckles became rougher.
I gasped, his name a plea on my lips. I begged for more. He obliged. His hand glided between us and unbuttoned my jeans. The rasp of the zipper was loud in the quiet house. An eager hand slid into my panties. He groaned against my throat when he touched my wetness. Wetness he caused. I squirmed below him, my motion intended to guide his touch where I wanted it most. He took the hint. His fingers moved in and out, his thumb's motion a contrast against my sensitive nub.
Oh, yes.
I was almost there. My exhale held in anticipation. He pulled his hand from my panties and sat up. I glared at him in frustration, tears filling my eyes. I was right there, why had he stopped?
He yanked my jeans off and flung them across the room. His own joined them, his boxers only seconds behind. I was back in his arms before I could blink.
He released a ragged breath when our naked bodies touched. His hard length pressed against my thigh. Lifting my hips, I ground myself into him. He gasped out my name and squeezed my ass. His mouth covered mine, his tongue thrusting into my mouth. He shifted and I wrapped one leg around his hip. I moved beneath him and the feel of his hard body caused me to call out in ecstasy. His lips still on mine, he reached over to grab a condom from the nightstand.
We cried out in unison when he slid inside me. Oh my god, he felt better than I'd imagined. My fingers wound in his dark hair and drew him closer. My legs locked like a vise around his hips. He thrust into me and I rose to meet his every movement. I tilted to get the angle just right. Each thrust sent a wave of pleasure rushing over me, the friction carrying me toward my goal. If he stopped again, I'd kill him and would not be responsible for my actions.
My nails scraped down his back and urged him on. Urged him to move faster, thrust harder. My heart pounded against my ribs. I clutched him tight as my orgasm crashed over me. Jake's thrusts became erratic as he neared his own. Hard fingers dug deep into the flesh of my hips. I licked just beneath his ear and enjoyed the saltiness of his skin. When his moment hit, Jake groaned, his face buried in my throat. A giggle made its way out of me when one of his legs twitched against mine.
"You think it's funny—" he inhaled deeply, trying to regain his breath "—that I've lost control of my limbs because of you?"
"Yeah." I giggled again.
He rolled away from me, his breathing still ragged. I snuggled in next to him and rested my head on his chest.
"Next time, I will take more time."
"Did you hear me complain?" My fingers tangled in the thatch of dark hair on his chest. I sighed in complete and utter contentment. How could I complain? That was hot as hell.
He grunted and held me closer, his lips feather-light on my forehead.
This afternoon had been amazing. If I could spend the rest of my days snuggled up in bed with Jake, life would be perfect.
The jingle of my cell phone came from my jeans on the floor. He scooped my jeans up for me. Checking my phone, I read:
Sheila: Heading home. Don't be naked.
Jake read the message when I did and pulled me close for one last, long kiss before we got dressed. Our walk down the stairs was much less rushed than when we went up, and I didn't trip. Always a good thing...
I sprawled on the floor with some homework and he got his laptop out and worked on something. I didn't ask what and he didn't say. Something graphic, so I assumed it was work-related. I knocked out the rest of a rough draft for a Lit essay before my family came in.
I should probably thank Sheila for the heads up. It almost made up for her drooling over my man. Almost.
My mom gave me a strange look, and I ran my hand over my hair to smooth it. She shook her head, but stayed quiet. Dad just flipped the TV on. My aunt and uncle came in right behind them, chattering to Sheila.
"So, since Laney is here with her boyfriend and Matt is coming later and will have the couch, where will I be sleeping tonight?" Sheila asked.
Legitimate question. She usually slept in my bed with me. But with Jake here, and her brother coming, then the couch would even be taken. I should protest Jake wasn't my boyfriend, but I didn't know what label to put on him. Lover? Sex-god? Eh, better stick with boyfriend for now.
"We could stay at Mom's," Jake suggested. No one had any other ideas, so after we spent some time with my family, we packed up and headed over to Scott and Martha's. Just what I had in mind for the night.
Sigh.
Jake carried our bags in and dumped them in the entry way. He called out for his mom and headed toward the kitchen. As usual, Martha was in her kitchen. She sat at the table with a crossword puzzle before her.
"I thought you were too busy to hang out with your old mother today?" she asked with a laugh.
He kissed the top of he
r head before sliding in to the chair next to her. He loved his mama, that's for sure.
I sat down across from them and Martha gave me a mean glare for a second. Damn, that hurt. I teared up, knowing I'd ruined my relationship with her.
Her expression changed quickly. She flashed me a weak smile and reached across the table to pat my hand. "Why don't you and Austin go out to dinner tonight? He's upstairs. It would be good for the two of you to have a little time together. You two"—she wagged a finger at me and Jake—"need a few minutes apart to clear your heads."
Jake looked at me and smiled. The smile didn't reach his eyes, but he agreed with his mom. That Austin and I should go out for a while...
Really? I thought he would want me as far from Austin as he could get me. Especially after this afternoon.
I sighed. There's nothing for it, but for me to go hang out with Austin tonight. I pushed myself away from the table and gave Jake a quick squeeze before I headed upstairs. To Austin... The single flight of stairs seemed like fifty. I trudged up them and stopped outside his door where I was met with the sounds of gunfire. Xbox, of course.
Perfect. Just perfect.
Though hesitant, I rapped my knuckles against Austin's open door. Sprawled across his bed, controller in hand, his eyes stayed glued to the video game. He didn't even glance my way as he mumbled a greeting.
"Austin..." What did I even say? How did I talk to him after spending the most amazing afternoon wrapped in his brother's arms?
He paused the game and looked at me as he sat up. "Laney, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your family? I, uh... I'm heading back to school tomorrow. I didn't grab my bag and have a couple assignments due on Tuesday."
"My extended family invaded our house. Granny said she needed to rest and kicked everyone out. So, Jake suggested we stay here." I laughed nervously.
He raised his eyebrows in question and waited for me to continue.
"Uh, your mom and Jake think that we need to hang out. Like have a date night or something," I told him while sinking down next to him on the bed. He looked skeptical. Maybe he felt the same as me—he and I were a thousand percent over and so not meant to be.
Free Pass (Free Will Book 1) Page 7
