"I can't," she breathes, already shifting under him and reaching toward her bag.
Jake lets out this defeated groan that makes her feel guilty, but he backs off, giving her room to fish around for her phone. She hates that she's doing this, hates that she's one of those people who can't just be present, but something tells her this buzz isn't one she can ignore.
Her stomach plummets when she sees a dozen missed texts from Jesse. His name fills the screen.
“Shit.”
Her heart pounds as she jabs at the screen to answer. “Jesse?”
"Natty." His voice sounds weird—shaky and panicked in a way thatimmediately makes her stomach drop. "I—I need you to come get me. I'm at the police station. They literally arrested me."
The blood drains from her face so fast she feels dizzy.This cannot be happening right now.
"Are you hurt? What the hell happened?"
"It's not even my fault!" Jesse's voice cracks like he's about to cry, and suddenly he sounds like the scared little kid she used to comfort after nightmares instead of the eighteen-year-old who acts like he knows everything. "I just—can you please come get me? Please, Natty?"
She presses her fingers hard against her forehead, trying to think straight while her pulse hammers in her ears. "Jesse. Slow down. Are you physically okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbles, deflated now. "It's like, a total misunderstanding. But... I kinda need you to bail me out."
"Are you kidding me right now?" The words come out sharper than she means them to. "You cannot be this stupid, Jesse."
"I swear I didn't do anything!" He sounds defensive again, that familiar whine creeping into his voice that makes her want to shake him. "Please, Nat. Just... please come."
She's breathing fast now, her whole body buzzing with anxiety instead of the heat from moments before. Jake is still standing there looking concerned, but all she can think about is her baby brother sitting in a jail cell.
“I’m coming,” she says quickly. “Stay put, okay?”
Jake watches her, his brows pulled tight. “Natalie? What is it? What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head, already sliding off the couch, adjusting her bra to cover herself. “It’s my brother. He—I can’t believe I’m saying this. He got arrested. He’s only eighteen. God, he must be so scared. I have to go.”
She scans the room, eyes wild, searching for her shirt. But Jake moves first, bending to grab it from the floor. He holds it out to her, and when she reaches for it, their fingers brush.
“I’ll come with you,” he says quietly.
“No.” The word comes out too sharp, but she’s already pressing a hand to his bare chest, palm flat against the heat of him, trying to soften the blow. “I appreciate it, I really do, but… this is something I have to handle.”
Jake exhales, jaw tightening. “Are you sure?”
She nods, fumbling to pull her shirt over her head. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
As she stumbles toward the door, grabbing her keys and jacket, pure frustration burns through her chest like acid. She doesn't want to leave—God, she really doesn't want to leave. Not when her skin is still buzzing everywhere Jake touched her, not when she can still feel the heat of his mouth on her neck. Her body is practically humming with need, that ache between her legs reminding her with every step just how close she had been to finally, finally letting go.
She swallows, embarrassed by how much she wants to stay.
Jake must notice how completely wrecked she looks because he gently takes her phone from her shaking hands. His fingers brush hers as he taps in his number, and even that tiny contact sends another jolt through her already overcharged system.
"My number," he says, his voice gentler now. "In case you need me."
She swallows hard, her throat feeling tight and raw.
“I’m really sorry,” she whispers.
“Don’t be,” Jake says simply.
He studies her, then offers the faintest smirk. “Promise me one thing.”
