Damn, he knows me so well. He knows I don’t cook much, and it’s true, my diet has consisted mostly of frozen meals lately, and I’m so sick of it.
“Well, I’ll make extra and if you change your mind, let me know.” He shoots me a wink for good measure.
Oh, how I hate him sometimes.
The man knows the way into my pants, and that’s either with food, a song on the guitar, or his special touch. I should have added that to the rules: no cooking of delicious meals.
Sure enough, as much as I struggle to resist his spaghetti, the smell wafts through the cottage, and as soon as I step into the kitchen, I’m done for. He shoots me a playful smile, as if he knows exactly what is going through my mind. Of course he does. “Changed your mind?”
Damn, it smells good, and he looks so fucking hot, standing over the stove, stirring the pasta. The man is going to be the end of me.
“Yeah, I did,” I confess. “But this doesn’t mean anything,” I stress. “Don’t get any ideas. This isn't going to be a romantic dinner, and right after I scarf down your pasta, I’m going back to reading my book and ignoring you.”
His grin is playful. “Suit yourself,” he says. “I also made Caesar salad.”
I help Jacob set the table and serve the food. He brushes against me ‘accidentally’ more than once. As I settle down at the kitchen table, my stomach is growling, as if it’s saying,Finally, real food!
It’s so damn good. I close my eyes as I savor my first delicious bite. When I open them, Jacob is staring at me, a huge grin on his face. “I love watching you eat,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone eat with such passion,” he teases.
I blush a little. “Thank you,” I say. “This is great.”
He twirls a spoonful of pasta around his fork. “So you’re thankful?”
I fork another mouthful. “Very much. It’s great.”
“Just how grateful are you?” he asks, his words a playful song.
I roll my eyes. “Not that thankful, Jacob. I told you… nothing’s happening.”
His face falls as he reaches for his beer.
“In fact, I’m sleeping outside tonight. I’m setting up my tent close to the water.”
He laughs. “Afraid of the bats?”
“No, just want to spend a night under the stars. My tent has a see-through top.”
“Sounds like a great plan. Can I join?” His smile is just as it’s always been — wide and infectious, and so damn sexy.
I shoot him a playful grin. “No, you can’t.”
Following dinner,I help him clean the kitchen. We’re both not very talkative, and I want to know what’s on his mind. He’s usually so chatty. Is he finally giving in? Does he finally understand where I’m coming from? He must know he’d be better off without me. Maybe he’s finally realizing it.
He settles down with a book, and I sit at the antique desk in the living room. I doodle in my journal, feeling completely uninspired. I don’t even have the energy to be my usual snarky self. I actually have nothing to complain about today. I wonder what my friends are up to. They’re all happy and in love. There’s Gabbie with her dream man, Eli, and little Charlotte. She also has Emma and Theo. She’s been blessed three times. How is it that some women can be blessed with a child over and over again, and some of us can’t even know that joy once.
And then there’s Maeve, who wasn’t even trying to get pregnant. She’s been so busy with her new shop, she hasn’t even had time to officially tie the knot with Blake. And Kayla is busy with her yoga classes, massage therapy and new coffee shop. She and Oscar are so in love, it’s sickening sometimes.
And then there’s me. Single, no kids, no job. Sometimes I wonder why I’m even here. Perhaps I’m here to drive the economy — I do love to shop. Thank God for my puppies — they keep me sane.
I’m just about to close my journal when a hard tug pulls my head back. Oh shit…
It’s Jacob’s foolproof move — he grabs a hold of my hair, twirls it around his large hand and pulls me back for a kiss. He knows that once he does that, I’m game for anything.
I stare up at him, my head held captive in his hand. I’m looking straight up his nostrils, but still, he’s so fucking beautiful. “You’re not playing fair,” I say, breathless.
A hint of a smile traces his lips. “I know.”
He pulls my head to the side, exposing my neck, and I close my eyes, completely surrendering to him. He pulls my loose t-shirt over my shoulder and he leans down and presses his hot mouth on my flesh. He leaves a trail of butterfly kisses along my collar bone, and I just melt. I want him so badly, but I can’t let him drag us back. We both need to move on.
The scruff of his beard scratches my tender skin and threatens to weaken my resolve. Just once? Who could it hurt?
He digs his teeth into the fleshy part of my shoulder, and a desperate moan escapes me. I want to turn around and reach for him. I want his mouth on mine. I want him inside me, just like it used to be. My hair is still tangled in his hand when he pulls at my head again. He stares down at me with a smile, and presses a soft kiss on my forehead.
And then he walks away.
