Page 81 of Jaked

Chapter 30

Standing just inside the restroom door, Jake looked up at me with an expression I could only describe as perplexed. My lips parted, but no words came out.

Embarrassment wasn't the only reason for my silence. It was the sight of Jake. He looked utterly amazing in dark jeans and a thin dark T-shirt. The cotton fabric clung to the lines of his lean, muscular physique, making me almost forget where I was or what I was doing.

Under any normal circumstance, I would have stopped to watch him. But this situation was anything but normal. If I were still a kid, I swear, I'd have closed my eyes and pretended to be invisible.

But I wasn't a kid, and I refused to look away. Our gazes locked. His dark gaze probed mine with a look so penetrating, I swear, it pierced my soul.

The silence stretched out until one corner of Jake's mouth turned upward. "How's it going?" he said.

"Uh, good." I snuck a quick glance over my shoulder, toward the half-open window. If I crawled out now, was there any chance he'd forget this had ever happened?

I studied his face. Nope. I was making an impression alright. It just wasn't the one I'd been going for.

My feet were still touching the ladder's upper rung, but it was the metal window frame that held most of my weight. The frame dug into my hips, and I wriggled forward just a fraction, hoping to ease some of the pressure.

I glanced at Jake. Shouldn’t he be helping or something?

I envisioned him rushing forward, easing me out of the window and gathering me into his strong arms. He'd kiss my forehead, tenderly at first. And then, his lips would trail downward until they met mine in a long, loving kiss.

That's all it would take. He'd realize that I was finally all grown up. Nothing else would matter – not our age differences, not the fact my sister had warned me to stay away from him, and certainly not the fact that a hundred other girls would kill to take my place.

I gave him a pleading look.

Any minute now.

He didn't move.

A sigh of frustration escaped my lips. "Wanna help me down?" I asked.

The question had barely died on my lips when the door behind Jake started to swing open. My heart jumped, and my body tensed. With barely half a glance, Jake rammed his foot backward, slamming the door shut with a loud thud.

"Hey!" a guy yelled from the other side. "What the hell?"

"Out of order," Jake said.

"But I've gotta go. C'mon!"

"Then use the girl's room," Jake said.

"No way!" the guy said. "There's girls in there."

"Yeah? So deal with it," Jake said.

When the door started to swing inward again, Jake turned around. He opened the door just a crack and stared out at whoever was on the other side. After a long moment, I heard the same guy's voice again. "Uh, I'll come back in a few. Sorry, man."

Wordlessly, Jake slammed the door shut yet again. Slowly, he turned to face me. His face had lost any trace of good-humor. "Time for you to go," he said.

I stared down at him. "What?" I said. "No way. I'm not going anywhere."

Silently, he looked up at me, his expression stony.

The ridiculousness of my statement slowly caught up with me. I cleared my throat. "Well, I'm not stayingherein the window. Obviously. I mean I'm coming inside. You know." My voice cracked. "With you."

Something about his demeanor was making me feel younger by the minute. I didn't like it. I wasn't a kid anymore. Why couldn't he see that?

His gaze dipped briefly to my tank-top before returning to my face. "You know what kind of people hang out in this place?" he said.