Home to You

by Taylor Sullivan

  At five after seven, the doorbell rang. It had only been a few days since the break-in, and my heart hammered as I looked out the peephole.

  Jake stood at the door wearing dark jeans, a black button-up shirt, and a brown suede jacket that accentuated the broadness of his shoulders. Little curls flipped up at his nape, and the way his hips narrowed to that perfect v made me want to skip dinner and explore every inch of him in bed.

  My heart skipped a beat, and I gripped the door handle. “No fidgeting,” I whispered to myself, then took a deep breath and yanked the door open.

  He didn’t speak at first, but his eyes darkened, and his expression wavered between desire and something deeper.

  “Hi,” I said, as my insides melted under his smoldering gaze.

  He stepped inside but remained silent. We stood only inches apart, practically nose to nose with me in my four-inch heels. My body already aching with sexual desire.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?” I asked, fighting the urge to bite my lip—or his—or—

  He smiled and laced his hand around the small of my back, pulling me closer.

  “I may be too jealous to take you out looking like that.”

  My chest tightened and I smiled.

  “You look stunning.” His lips brushed softly against mine. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes,” I whispered, trying to pull myself together. “Let me just get my things.”

  Forty-five minutes later, we walked into the foyer of The Patio. A beautiful five-star restaurant nestled in the hills of Malibu. The decor was simple, modern, with bleached hardwood floors, crisp white linens, and flickering candlelight. Jake gave his name to the maître d’, and we were escorted to a table for two at the edge of the uncovered deck. The view was spectacular, and the only thing separating us from being able to step on the beach was a banister that stood three feet high, made of crystal clear glass. I inhaled the salty air and looked over at Jake.

  “This is amazing.”

  “I thought you’d like it.”

  The maître d’ helped me into my seat, and I paid extra attention to the skirt of my dress to be sure everything was where it should be. I opened the menu to make my selection, but as I scanned each page, my stomach dropped. There were no prices. I’d been to a place like this with Kevin and some co-workers once. Everything was fine until we got home, and he scolded me for ordering the lobster. “Do you think I’m made of money, Katie?” he’d asked, and no matter how hard I tried to explain that I didn’t realize, he wouldn’t be appeased until I wrote him a check for my portion of the bill.

  “There aren’t prices,” I whispered across the table to Jake.

  He smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I don’t know what to order. I only brought forty dollars with me.” My hands began to fidget with my napkin. This night meant too much for it to get messed up over what I chose for dinner.

  His brows furrowed, and he set down his menu. “Order want you want. I’m paying.”

  “Jake—”

  “I’m paying.” He cut me off, then brushed my foot with his under the table.

  I smiled a little and shook my head. “Okay.”

  When the waiter arrived a short time later, I ordered the seared albacore salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, even though my stomach still twisted in knots about the money. Once again, I had to remind myself I was dealing with a different man. This was Jake, the man who gave up his profitable career as a lawyer to work in construction with no guarantees. Money didn’t matter to him.

  Jake ordered an appetizer of seared scallops in browned butter sauce, herb-crusted rib-eye, and a beer. Even dressed in designer jeans, looking like something you’d see on a billboard, he was still a simple guy. Easygoing, comfortable, perfect. The waiter collected our menus, then left us alone with the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

  “So what do you want to do this weekend?” he asked, taking one of my cold hands in his warm one.

  “I have the wedding with Rick, remember?”

  “Damn.” He stroked my palm with his thumb. “I really don’t like you spending the weekend with that guy. You hardly know him.”

  “He’s not a guy, he’s my boss. And I’m not spending the weekend with him, I’m working.”

  He chuckled. “When will you be back?”

  “We’ll be covering the family brunch after the wedding on Sunday, so I’m guessing the evening sometime? Six, maybe seven?”

  “I just wish I could meet this Rick. Make sure he can be trusted.”

  “Jake.” I shot him a warning look across the table. “I’ll be fine.”

  The waiter placed our drinks and appetizer on the table, and I used the interruption as an excuse to change the subject. “Tell me something I don’t already know about you.”

  “I think you know everything about me,” he replied seriously.

  “Come on, there has to be something. A place you want to go? Things you want to do before you die?”

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head and took a pull of his beer. “Go to Australia, wrestle a crocodile?”

  I laughed. “You’re such a guy.”

  He shrugged. “What about you, Kit Kat?” His grin so devilish it caused moisture to pool between my legs.

  I shifted in my seat. “I want to ride in a hot air balloon.”

  “Such a girl.” He winked. “Where?”

  I smiled and finished my bite of scallop. “I’ve never thought that far. I guess it could be anywhere. But it has to be a rainbow one.”

  “Of course.”

  I cleared my throat and tried to contain my silly grin. “Tell me something else.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, a secret?”

  His eyes twinkled, and he set down his beer. “Okay. When I was six I thought my penis was a tail.”

  I choked on air and covered my resulting cough with a napkin. “What?”

  He shrugged again.

  “What did your parents say?”

  “I don’t think I ever told them. Don’t worry though, I figured out what it was really for.” He raised one brow. “Though I guess you already know that.”

  Heat rose to my cheeks, and I took a long sip of wine.

  “Your turn,” he said.

  “Okay.” I cleared my throat and sat a little straighter. “Do you remember Dave’s Steve Garvey baseball that went missing?”

  “Yes…”

  “Well, I took it out to the field on the cul de sac, and lost it.” My face scrunched in anticipation of his reaction, but he only smiled with mischief that made me nervous. “What?”

  “Dave and I microwaved your ’N Sync CD.”

  My eyes widened, and I half rose out of my chair. “I knew it!”

  “Yeah, well... We knew you had something to do with that baseball.”

  I glared at him. God, he was gorgeous. So relaxed, happy, and playful. This was the Jake I knew. The Jake I’d loved my whole life.

  “Your turn,” he said after a pause.

  I leaned back in my seat and downed a gulp of wine. “Okay.” I bit my lip as I contemplated the secret I swore I’d never tell another living soul. “You were the first man I ever saw naked.”

  “What?” Now he was choking.

  “I was fourteen, I think? You came into Dave’s room to change after a shower, and I just happened to be in the closet looking for a lost CD.” I raised my eyebrows.

  “And you watched me?” His eyes widened with amusement.

  “Yes.” I could barely contain my laughter. “And afterwards you just happened to—you know.” My eyes ran down his body suggestively.

  “What? No I didn’t.” His eyes widened.

  I was laughing so hard it took a second before I could pull in a breath. I shook my head. “Kidding—Dave came in, and you did some stupid boy crap and I was stuck in the closet for hours.”

  He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed, but his smil
e infectious. “Serves you right.”

  “Meh.” I shrugged. “It was worth it.”

  “So what did you think?” he asked, leaning forward again.

  “You know darned well what I thought.”

  “Enlighten me.”

  “Okay… I thought, ‘Is that all?’”

  He coughed and moved his foot away from mine under the table.

  I laughed. “Kidding, kidding.”

  He glared at me.

  “I thought…” I kicked off my shoe and slipped my toe under the hem of his jeans. “I thought it was just as perfect as the rest of you.”

  Our meal continued with sexual banter and flirtation, which had me aching to find an empty coat closet. Everything was amazing. The food, the atmosphere, and the company. Even though I had only a glass and a half of wine, I felt drunk and giddy with happiness when I excused myself to the ladies’ room.

  The bathroom was tiled in shades of sparkling blue in a pattern that reminded me of a mermaid’s tail, and the stall doors were a solid wood that went all the way to the ground. I couldn’t help my naughty thoughts from wandering. On impulse I slipped my panties off, folded them in a little bundle, and shoved them in my purse.

  I’d never done anything so brazen before, and when I returned to Jake a moment later, my heart was racing. A slice of flourless chocolate cake sat between us, and I didn’t hesitate before diving into it with one of the two spoons.

  “What’s wrong?” Jake asked, eyeing me warily.

  My face burned with my new secret, and I swallowed my cake before leaning forward. “I have something for you,” I whispered, throwing a glance over my shoulder to see if anyone was around. When I saw no one watching, I slipped the folded-up lace under the table, and adjusted my skirt to make sure I was fully covered.

  He narrowed his eyes, then shifted his gaze to his lap. At first he was confused, but when his eyes darkened, I knew he understood. “Damn,” he said, looking over his shoulder. “Where’s the waiter when you need him?”

  I laughed and took another bite of rich chocolate cake.

  He shifted in his seat. “I actually have something for you too.”

  “Oh yeah?” I ran my heeled foot up his leg until I reached the only thing I could think of at the moment.

  He groaned. “That’s already yours, sweetheart.” He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a little brown box. It was a slightly smaller than my phone, with a blue ribbon tied in a perfect bow.

  I sat up in my seat and took the little package from his outstretched hand.

  My chest grew heavy and I took a breath. The box weighed practically nothing, but the way he watched me told me it was so much more than nothing. I untied the little bow, removed the top, and stared down at the face of a 1955 Mickey Mantle baseball card.

  “What’s this?” I asked, even though I knew exactly what it was. Dave’s baseball cards. The ones I’d sold to get away from Kevin.

  “They’re all there.” He smiled, but a sinking feeling continued to grow inside.

  Without even looking at the others, I put the lid back and slid the box across the table. “You should return them.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “It’s too much, Jake. Return them.” I sold them for four thousand dollars. Common sense told me he’d paid way more than that to get them back.

  “That’s crazy. They’re yours.”

  “I don’t want them.” I stood up from my chair, and he followed suit. “I don’t want you to save me.”

  He shook his head and his forehead creased with bewilderment. “What are you talking about? It’s a gift, Katie. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”

  “You don’t give gifts that cost thousands of dollars, Jake.”

  “I don’t care about the money.”

  “Well, I do. Take them back.”

  He braced his hands on the table, and I suddenly became aware of the scene we were creating.

  “No.” His tone was final, and completely infuriating. I huffed in a breath and balled my fists at my sides.

  “Then give me back my panties,” I said between my teeth.

  He smirked. Heat rose to my chest, and anger twisted my belly just like the time he cut my Barbie’s hair. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “Give them back.”

  “Nope.”

  “Fine then,” I said in a forced whisper, turned on my heels, and headed for the back exit.

  “Katie! Where are you going?”

  THE BLACK OCEAN BECKONED ME as the storm of frustration cluttered my mind. I knew I was overreacting about the cards, but I couldn’t help it. The stubborn look on Jake’s face made me want to scream. How could I accept them when Justin’s words still haunted me?

  My bare feet sank deep into the icy sand with each step, and I tried to focus on the sound of the waves instead of the chill that washed over me. It was cold. Colder that I wanted to admit, but the goosebumps that covered my arms and legs made it impossible to deny. I cringed. Jake still had my damned panties, and the cool breeze that blew between my thighs made it painfully obvious.

  The bastard.

  But he wasn’t a bastard. Deep down I knew that. I was frustrated and confused about so many things. Angry with Justin for the things he’d said, angry with myself for being the type of person someone wanted to save.

  I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I needed to walk. To cool off, clear my head, and let go of some of my irritation.

  I only made it past the first lifeguard station before he called to me. “Katie, wait!”

  My heart constricted at his voice and I slowed. I was annoyed, but I wouldn’t make him chase after me.

  “You can’t just run away every time I do something that pisses you off.”

  I could sense his irritation but wasn’t calm enough to really care. “Well, stop pissing me off then.”

  “Not gonna happen.”

  He was probably right. He’d been doing it since I was six. Why would he stop now?

  “Why won’t you just return them, Jake?” I stopped and gripped my shoes tighter in my hands.

  “Because they’re yours.” His voice grew serious and hit me in the pit of my stomach.

  “They’re not mine. I sold them.” I turned around to face him.

  “They’re yours.” His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, his face serious as shadows played on his chiseled features. Damn, he was hard to stay mad at.

  “What the hell did I do wrong?” He looked confused.

  I rolled my eyes and scoffed. “Contrary to what everyone seems to believe, I’m a strong woman. I know how to take care of myself, and I know how to kill my own spiders.” Even to my own ears it sounded silly, but when he started to smile, I glared at him. “What’s so funny?”

  He covered his mouth with his hand and took a step closer. “Nothing.”

  He stopped in front of me, his face composed. “Don’t you think I know that?” He began again. “Don’t you think I know how strong you are? What I don’t understand is what baseball cards have to do with it.” His voice was soft but his expression hardened.

  I let out a breath and looked out to the ocean. “Because it was my shitty situation, and I got myself out of it. Because I don’t need you saving me.” I turned around to start walking again, but in a second he was there, his hands holding my arms secure.

  We stood still a moment, frozen by the electric charge that shot through me every time we touched. His body was stiff behind me, and I closed my eyes, torn between wanting him to let me go so I could run, or throw me to the sand and make love to me.

  His hands loosened, and he bent down until his mouth brushed my ear. “I know you’re a strong woman, Katie. The strongest woman I’ve ever known.”

  I closed my eyes and relished in his warmth.

  “I know you don’t need me. I know you can take care of yourself.” His lips trailed along my jaw. “Kill your own spiders. But all that has nothing to do with t
hose cards.”

  I leaned back in his arms knowing I couldn’t possibly resist him any longer and let my high heels drop from my fingers to the sand. “It’s too much.”

  “Don’t you know I want to give you everything?” His arms wrapped around my waist and his chin rested on my shoulder.

  Why did it mean so much to him? Why did he have to be so stubborn?

  “I—” He started to speak but stopped.

  Something reminiscent of fear gathered deep in the pit of my belly. “What is it, Jake?”

  He took in a breath, and his grip tightened around me. “I can’t give you Dave back.” His voice low, and filled with an emotion that twisted the deepest part of me. “But I can give you his cards.”

  I turned around and placed my hand on either side of his face. The strong man who still tortured himself with the loss of his best friend stared down at me. “Jake.”

  His brows were gathered in that way that left creases in his forehead, and my heart ached. “It’s not your job to give me anything.”

  He shook his head but didn’t speak.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You remind me of him sometimes.”

  One brow lifted, and his lips twitched. “I do?”

  I nodded. “Usually when you’re frustrated with me.”

  His grinned. “Must happen a lot.”

  I bit back a laugh, and he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips into my hair.

  “It’s been so long since I’ve talked to anyone who remembers him. I know it’s silly, but I felt him slipping away from me in San Diego. I couldn’t hear his voice anymore…it scared me.”

  “He’d never leave you, Katie.” His voice was deep and gravely, but I kept my eyes on the waves.

  “Do you think he’s happy we’re together?”

  He took my icy fingers between his hands and played with them a minute before answering. “I think he’d hate the fact that I have your panties in my pocket… But yeah… I think he’s happy we’re together.”

  I laughed, then nodded against his chest, somehow finding comfort in his words. I knew he was right. Even though Dave had been more protective of me than a mama grizzly to her cubs, he trusted Jake more than anyone in the world.