I'm amazed by this woman. Absolutely amazed at how loving and kind she is. How passionate she can be when it comes to what's right and wrong.
I'm not used to having anyone be so for me that it takes me a while to respond.
I end up just hugging her back as I rest my head on top of hers and quietly say, “Thank you.” I'm basically at a loss for words and feeling so much right now.
But even as I hold her close to me, I know that I'll have to let her go.
CHAPTER 21
Remi
With my tense shoulders almost reaching up to my ears, I gnaw at the corner of my bottom lip. This is quite intense, and I have no idea what the outcome will be.
I think I'm the only one taking it so seriously, though. Jacob seems more amused than anything, especially when his player manages to take the ball from my player and scores.
“Ugh!” I toss my controller onto the drawers under the little TV and then pout.
“I didn't take you for a sore loser, sweetheart.”
Jacob chuckles from beside me and then grabs a lock of my hair, absently twisting it around his finger. I'm not sure he even notices he's doing it, but I do, and I have to resist the urge to lean my whole head toward him.
“That was the sixth time in a row that you won.”
“Well,” he says, placing his controller on the floor and then scooting back so that he's laying on the pillows. “I spent a lot of my teen years playing these games.”
I glance up at the photo of him and his four teenage friends. I now know that Campbell is the guy standing directly beside him.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I turned up at Campbell's house those few days ago. He was actually the one who lived closest and was first on the list of people I intended to visit.
After hearing his version of what happened and knowing he and Jacob were best friends before all of this, I'm so glad that it was him that I saw first, especially since I don't know if the others would have been as receptive and willing to come to see him immediately.
I just wanted to do something for Jacob. When I saw that file on his laptop labeled “old photos” and found that it listed the full names of all the people in it, I created some fake social media accounts – since I don't have any – and went deep diving to find those people.
Now, knowing he somewhat has his best friend back . . . well, it makes me feel really good inside.
Shifting back on the bed a little, my hand brushes by Jacob's leg, and I turn to look at him. Today he brought me fishing. He was so patient with me, even when I managed to accidentally throw one of his fishing rods over the edge of the boat.
While I did enjoy it, I started to get a little bored after a couple of hours. I don't know how he does it almost every day. And by himself, for that matter. At least now I can say that I've tried it.
Jacob suggested we come down here in the cabin for a bit when he noticed me losing interest in the fishing.
So now, we've been playing video games like a couple of teenagers for the past hour, which is another thing I'd always wanted to do but never had the opportunity.
Seeing Jacob leaning back on his bed has me suddenly wanting to thank him properly for all that he's done for me. I slowly crawl the short distance over to him and then stop once I'm straddling his thighs.
Leaning forward, I brush my lips over his as I speak. “Thank you for teaching me to fish today.” I nip at his bottom lip, earning a rumble from his chest. “And for playing video games with me, although you didn't let me win.” I bite his top lip a little harder and then soothe it with my tongue before pulling back with a smile.
“Was I supposed to?” he asks with a husky voice while his heat-filled eyes stare back at me.
“No,” I respond quietly while running one of my hands up through his hair. “I like that you don't pretend to suck at it.”
He lifts his head, capturing my mouth with his before I can say another word. My body is quick to respond, grinding against his growing erection, with the area between my legs already wet and pulsing with need.
It's always this way with him.
There's an impatient want from within that demands me to be as close as possible to him, as quick as possible.
A vibration runs through his chest to mine as he lets out a groan. I love that sound.
