Page 114 of Jaked

"Well, it sure as hell wasn't yours," he said.

"And," I continued, "who knows? My stuff might turn back up." I hesitated. "Eventually."

"If you believe that," Jake said, "I've got a bridge to sell you somewhere."

I leaned forward. "Really? How much are you asking?"

"I dunno." He downed the rest of his orange juice. "How much you got?"

"Well," I said, looking down at my plate, "I do have this last piece of bacon…"

"Done." He reached across the table and speared the bacon with his fork.

I stifled a laugh. "Hey!"

He hesitated. "So, uh, you want it?"

"Oh, never mind." I rolled my eyes. "Take it, take it. Please."

He popped the bacon into his mouth and grinned over at me. "Sucker."

He looked so boyish that I had to smile. "Jeez," I said. "Guys and their meat." Instantly, my face grew warm at the obvious implication. "Uh, forget I said that."

"Not a chance," he said.

It felt good to joke around with him again. Somehow, the last twenty-four hours had been way too serious for my liking and probably for his too. Bishop's visit hadn't helped. But somehow, the act of making breakfast together had eased most of the tension, and I felt oddly content.

It was Sunday morning, and I was with an amazing guy in an amazing place. The previous night, I'd had the best sex of my life, and was eating my second-favorite breakfast food.

At this instant, life was good. I blew out a breath. But tomorrow was Monday. Reluctantly, I pulled my gaze from Jake and looked out the window, taking in the cityscape. What I really needed was a job. Actually, I neededtwojobs, given the fact I had no clothes, no furniture, and no place to live.

To replace everything I'd lost, one job would never be enough.

Half of me wanted to give Jake hell for everything he'd cost me, especially on the job front. I still had no idea what he'd been thinking. But then, there was that other half of me. That half wanted to drag Jake to the bedroom and forget the real world existed at all.

When I returned my gaze to Jake, he was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher. If I didn't know any better, I'd have said he looked content. But Jake was never content – not fully anyway, not for as long as I'd known him.

But then again, hedidjust have bacon.

Recalling the piece he'd swiped from me, I gave him a stern look. "You still owe me a bridge," I said.

"Alright," he said. "If they have one at the mall, it's yours. I'll add it to the other stuff I owe you."

"Seriously," I told him, "you don't need to do that."

"I know," he said. "But let me anyway. Alright?"

I bit my lip. "I dunno."

"Come on," he said, reaching for my hand. "It'll be fun. I always wanted to go shopping with a beautiful girl."

I looked heavenward. "Now you're just sucking up."

"Yeah." He gave my hand a squeeze. "But it doesn't mean it's not true."

"Oh get real," I said. "No guy wants to shop. Not really."

"Why not?" he said. "I can watch you try on stuff." Slowly, he rubbed his thumb against my palm. "Later, if I'm lucky, maybe I'll get to watch you take it off."