Page 94

“I’ll hold you to that.”

He points at the bundle in my hands.

“Ah, yes. Where’s your drier?”

He tilts his head toward the laundry room, and I follow him.

“Just put everything in the washer, and I’ll start a load.”

His clothes are already in the washer, so I add mine and close the door. Washing our clothes together is strangely intimate. Jake takes my hand and leads me to the living room. We sit on the couch and watch the rain through the bay window. It’s the middle of the afternoon, but it looks like evening. “I should call Lynn and let her know I’m here and check on her, too. But I left my purse and phone in my car.”

“You can use mine. Let her know you won’t have your phone for a while. She can call mine if she needs you.”

I take his phone. “Thanks.”

“I’m going to make us a hot drink. What do you want? Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?”

“Tea would be perfect, thanks.”

He disappears into the kitchen, and I call Lynn.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice is urgent.

“Nothing’s wrong. It’s me. I left my phone in my car, and with this rain, I don’t want to go back and get wet again.”

“Jesus. You gave me a heart attack.”

“Sorry? I just wanted to check with you and let you know I’m okay. I’m at Jake’s house. Everything good on your end?”

“All is well. I’m watching TV. The door is locked. I’m staying inside.” She yawns.

“Good, I’ll get my phone when it stops raining. In the meantime, call me here if you need anything.”

“And interrupt the love fest? Never! You call me. I’m not going anywhere. Have fun and do all the things I would do.” She laughs and hangs up before I can say anything else.

Jake comes back with two steaming mugs as I set the phone on the coffee table. “Thanks, all is well with Lynn. She’s all tucked in and said she’s not going out.”

He gives me a mug, and I laugh when I read the quote on it.

Feel safe at night. Sleep with a cop.

“Is this some kind of subliminal message?”

He smiles. “Would you believe me if I said I didn’t even notice?”

I take a sip of the tea, and the heat warms me up. “Maybe. Where did you even get it?”

“It was a gag gift. We had one of those secret Santa things a couple of years ago, and that’s what I got. You’re the first person besides me to drink from it.”

His response reveals a lot. Not many people visit his home. He has said as much before. “I’m honored to be the first.” I salute him with the mug.

Jake takes the spot next to me, his thigh pressed against mine. I lean into him, and he puts an arm around my shoulders, then tugs me into him. We sit quietly for a while, drinking our tea and basking in each other’s touch. I finish my tea first and set the cup on the table in front of us. Jake does the same.

I tilt my face toward his, turning into his arms with a silent invitation. Jake’s gaze fleets all over my face and lingers on my mouth before meeting my eyes again. “Are you sure?”

My response is to straddle him and arrange my legs around his thighs until I’m perfectly positioned over his crotch. He inhales, his hands going to my hips. He adjusts me over him and lifts his hips. That bit of friction is a tease, and I want more. So much more. I take charge and kiss him. Nibble on his lips, then invade his mouth with my tongue. Jake lets me lead for a while, his hands firmly on my hips. I press down into his hardness and move.

His hands leave my hips, graze my sides then my shoulders, and then gently fist my hair. He tilts me and deepens the kiss, hungry, demanding, desperate.